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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
79
in general, and the bull by the Lingayats and the stones with red lead and oil, and worship oilmen. The milk, the urine, and the dung of them along with a she goat in the manner in a cow are used as medicines, and they are also which the vow was promised to be fulfilled. given as offerings to the god in sacrifices. The horse is connected with the worship of
The Shelár family considers the sheep' as the god Khandoba because this animal is their devak, and they do not eat the flesh of a sacred to that deity, being his favourite sheep. The Shálunke family respects the
vehicle. For this reason all the devotees or Skálunki or sparrow. People belonging to the Bhaktas of Khandoba take care to worship the More family do not eat the flesh of a peacock horse in order that its master, the god Khanas they consider it to be their devak 1
doba, may be pleased with them. The Bhandaris whose surname is Padwal
It is well known that the cow is considered do not eat the vegetable of a snake-gourd or
as most sacred of all the animals by the Padwal.
Hindus, and the reason assigned for this Hindus do not eat the Aesh of the animal
special veneration is that all the deities dwell respected by them, and those who offer any
in the cow. fruit to their guru as a token of respect do
The Nandi, or a bullock, made of stone, not eat that fruit in future. Some Hindus do
consecrated in front of the temple of Shiva, not eat onions, garlic and the fruit of a palm
the Váght or a tiger at the temple of a goddess tree. The fruit of a tree believed to be the
and cows and dogs in the temple of Dattatraya devak of a family is not eaten by the members
are worshipped by the Hindus. of that family. The families of Ráva and Ráne do not take
The mouse, being the vehicle of Ganpati the their food on the leaf of a Vad or Banyan
god of wisdom, is worshipped by the people
along with that god. tree as they consider it to be their devak.3
In the Konkan cattle are worshipped by the There are some Hindu families in the Kolába District who believe that their kul or
Hindus on the first day of Kártika, and they totem consists of the tortoise and the goat, and
are made to pass over fire. they do not eat the flesh of such animals. A The mountains having caves and temples of certain community of the Vaishyas or traders deities are generally worshipped by the known as Swár believe that a jack tree or
Hindus. The Abucha Pahád, the Girnár, the Phanas is their kul, and they do not use the
Panchmadhi, the Brahmagiri, the Sahyadri, leaves of that tree.*
the Tungár, the Jivadancha dongar, the Munja It is believed among the Hindus that the
dongar at Junnar, the Tagábáicha dongar, the
Ganesh Lene, and the Shivabai are the princideity Satwdi protects children for the first three months from their birth. The deity is
pal holy mountains in the Bombay Presidency. worshipped on the fifth day from the birth of
Mount Aby, known as the Abucha Pabád, is ..child, and if there occurs any omission or
believed to be very sacred, and many Hindus error in the worship of that deity, the child go on a pilgrimage to that mountain begins to 'cry, or does not keep good health. Hills are worshipped at Ganpati Pule On such occasions the parents of the child and Chaul. At Pule there is a temple of the make certain vows to the deity, and if the god Ganpati, the son of Shiva, and at Chaul in child recovers, the parents go to a jungle, and
the Kolába District there is a temple of the collect seven small stones. They then besmear god Dattatraya. 1 School Master, Anjarle, Ratnagiri.
School Master, Achare, Ratnagiri. * School Master, Fonde, Ratnagiri,
School Master, Chauk, Kolába. Ráo Saheb Shelke, Kolbápar.
