________________
76
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
to hand over the treasure to anybody he goes the temples devoted to snake deities, on the to that person at night, and tells him in a dream full moon day of Kártik, which is sacred to the that the treasure buried at such and such a snake deity, the deity is worshipped with place belongs to him, and requests him to special pomp, and the crests of the temples are take it over. After the person has taken illuminated on that night. possession of the treasure as requested, the The village cures for snakebite are : snake disappears from the spot.
1. The use of charmed water and the It is said that a snake which guards treasure repetition of mantras by a sorcerer, is generally very old, white in complexion, and 2. The use of certain roots and herbs as has long hair on its body."
medicines,
3. The removal of the sufferer to the neighHindus worship the image of a snake made
bouring temple. of Darbha grass or of silk thread on the Anant
4. Branding the wound with fire. Chaturdashi day, i.e., the 14th day of the bright
5. The drinking of soapnat juice, or of half of Ashwin (October), and observe that
water in which copper coins have been boiled. day as a holiday. Legends of the exploits of
by the patient, who is thus made to vomit the the god are related with music and singing on
snake poison. this day.
In the Deccan a person suffering from snakeA snake festival is observed in the Nageshwar temple at Awas in the Kolába District on
bite is taken to a village temple, and the minithe night of the 14th day of the bright half
strant is requested to give him holy water.
The deity is also invoked. of Kártika (November). Nearly four hundred
Thus keeping the devotees of the god Shankar assemble in the
person for one night in the temple, he is carried temple, holding in their hands vetra-sarpa long
to his house the following day if cured. The
vows made to the deity for the recovery of the cane sticks with snake images at their ends.
person are then fulfilled. There is one turabat, They advance dancing and repeating certain
a tomb of Avalia a Mahomedan saint, at words, and take turns round the temple till
Panhála where persons suffering from snake. midnight. After getting the permission of the
bite are made to sit near the tomb, and it is chief devotee, they scatter throughout the
said that they are cured. In some villages neighbouring villages with small axes in their
there are enchanted trees of Kadulimb where hands, and cut down, and bring from the gar- persons placed under the shade of such dens, cocoanuts, plantains, and other edible trees are cured of snakebites. Some people tie things that are seen on their way. They return a stone round the neck of the sufferer as soon to the temple after two hours, the last man as he is better, repeating the words Adi Gudi being the chief devotee called Kumarkándya.
Imám the name of a Mahomedan saint. After The fruits are then distributed among the
recovery from snakebite the person is taken to people assembled at the temple. Nobody inter
the mosque of the Adi Gudi Imám Sáheb, where
the stone is untied before the tomb, and jágri feres with them on this day in taking away
equal to the weight of the stone is offered. A cocoanuts and other fruits from the village
feast is also given to the Mujáwar or minisgardens. On the next day they go dancing in
trant of the mosque. There is at persent a the same manner to the Kanakeshwar hill with
famous enchanter-Mántrika—at Satára who the snake sticks in their hands.
cures persone suffering from snakebite. It is In the Deccan no special snake festivals like said that he throws charmed water on the body those described above are celebrated. But in of the sufferer, and in a few minutes the snake
1 School Master, Chawk, Kolába. 3 School Master, Pendar, Ratnagiri. + Ráo Baheb Stalk, Kolbếpur,
2 School Master, Basani, Ratnagiri. • School Master, Chawl, Kolába. . School Master, Jambivali, Kolába.
