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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
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earthen pots, cooked food, etc., are thrown twelve days. A person hearing of the death away, special care being taken to break these of a member of his family within the first pots, so that they may not be used again. Even ten days from the date of the death, becomes the walls of the house are white washed. The free from that mourning on the eleventh earthen pots that are required for the funeral day. If he happens to hear it within one rites of the dead are all broken. One which month of the death, he has to observe it is required for boiling water to bathe the for three days, and after one month he has to corpse is broken when the body is carried to observe it for one day only. The son, or the funeral ground. Of the rest, one is broken one who performs the funeral rites of the at the funeral pile after the son has passed deceased has to sleep on the ground, and has thrice round the pile with an earthen vessel to take his meals only once a day till the end filled with water. It is believed that birds and of the 13th day. He takes his bath in cold animals drinking water out of these vessels water, Sweet things are not prepared in the would be infected by disease, and this is the house during the days of mourning. During reason why these pots are broken. The mour- the period of mourning, every morning, a ners who use carthen vessels during the mour- Bráhman comes to the mourner's house and ning break them at the end of the mourning recites some passages from the Garud Purana, period. Among the Agris of Chaul in the which relates to the state of the soul after Kolába District, all earthen vessels in the house death. On the eleventh day the house is are broken on the eleventh day after a death in besmeared with cowdung, and cow's urine is the family, the chief reason assigned for this sprinkled in the house. All the clothes are act being that the wishes and desires of the washed. Mourning is not observed in the deceased might lurk in the earthen vessels case of a death of a Sanyási, and the Lingayats and cause trouble to the inmates of the house 3 do not observe any kind of mourning.
All the members of the family of the dead The brother of the deceased, his son, grandhave to observe mourning for ten days. They son and all the members belonging to the are purified on the eleventh day after taking family, have to observe the mourning for ten a bath and sipping Panchgavya, or the five pro- days. The married daughter of the deceased ducts of the cow. The son of the dead person, or has to observe it for three days. From the one who performs the funeral rites of the dead fifth or sixth generation in the same family, it is purified on the twelfth day after completing is observed for three or one day only. In the rites of Sapindi. A man in mourning
case of the death of a wife's parents, the does not touch those who are not in mourning. husband has to observe mourning for three If anybody touches him, both of them have to
days. During the mourning days people do take a bath. The son of the deceased or, in the
not worship the gods or go to the temples. absence of a son, any male member belonging to the family is entitled to perform the
Milk is also prohibited during the mourning funeral rites of the dead. These rites are
period. The mourners are not to touch anyperformed during the first twelve days, begin
body except the members of their family.? ning from the first day or from the 3rd,
On the thirteenth day the song and other 5th, 7th or the 9th. One who performs these members of the family are taken out to visit the rites has to sleep on the ground during these temple of any deity by the people assembled
* School Master, Ubbádánda, Ratnagiri.
• Ráo Sáoeb Shelse, Kolhápur. School Master, Cbowl, Kolába.
• School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnagiri. • Ráo Sáheb Shelle, Kolhấpur.
• School Master, Mitbáv, Ratnagiri. 1 School Master, Vavanje, Kolába.
