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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
days. There is a proverb in Marathi which means that a man can trust even a Kasai or a butcher but not a Karháda.
As they cannot offer human sacrifices in these days, it is said that during the Navarátra holidays, i, e., the first nine days of the bright half of Ashwin (October), they offer poisoned food to crows, dogs and other animals.1
At Kálshe in the Málwan taluka of the Ratnagiri District, the servants of gods, i.e., the ministrants or the Bhopis of the temple prick their breast with a knife on the Dasara day, and cry out loudly the words 'Koya' Koya'. No blood comes from the breast as the wound is slight. This appears to be a survival of human sacrifice.2
In the Bombay Presidency, and more especially in the Konkan districts, fetish stones are generally worshipped for the purpose of averting evil and curing diseases. In every village stones are foun1 sacred to spirit deities like Bahiroba, Chedoba, Khandoba, Mhasoba, Zoting, Vetál, Jakhái, Kokái, Kalkái and others. The low class people such as Mahárs, Mángs, etc., apply red lead and oil to stones, and call them by one of the above names, and ignorant people are very much afraid of such deities. They believe that such deities have control over all the evil spirits or ghosts. It is said that the spirit Vetál starts to take a round in a village on the night of the nomoon day of every month, accompanied by all the ghosts. When any epidemic prevails in a village, people offer to these fetish stones offerings of eatables, cocoanuts, fowls and goats.
There is a stone deity named Bhavai at Kokisare in the Bávada State, to whom Vows are made by the people to cure diseases. As the deity is in the burning ground, it is naturally believed that this is the abode of spirits.3
1 School Master, Chawk, Kolába. 3 School Master, Fonde, Ratnagiri.
5 School Master, Náringre, Ratnagiri,
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At Achare, in the Málwan taluka of the Ratnagiri District, the round stones known as Kshetrapál are supposed to possess the power of curing diseases, and are also believed to be the abode of spirits.4
At Adivare, in the Ratnagiri District, there is a stone named Mahár Purukha which is worshipped by the people when cattle disease prevails, especially the disease of a large tick or the cattle or dog louse."
At Ubhádánda, in the Ratnagiri District, there are some stones which are believed to be haunted by Vetál, Bhutnáth, Rawalnáth and such other servants of the god Shiva, and it is supposed that they have the power of curing epidemic diseases. People make vows to these stones when any disease prevails in the locality.
The Hindus generally consider as sacred all objects that are the means of their livelihood, and, for this reason, the oilmen worship their oil-mill, the Bráhmans hold in veneration the sacred thread-Yadnopavit, and religious books, the goldsmiths consider their firepots as sacred, and do not touch them with their feet. In case any one accidently happens to touch them with his foot, he apologises and bows to them.
It is believed by the Hindus that the broom, the winnowing fan, the payali-a measure of four shers, the Samai or sweet-oil lamp, a metal vessel, fire and Sahán or the levigating slab should not be touched with foot.
The metals gold, silver, and copper, the King's coins, jewels and pearls, corns, the Sháligrám stone, the Ganpati stone from the Narmada river, conch-shell, sacred ashes, elephant tusks, the horns of an wild ox (Gava), tiger skin, deer skin, milk, curds, ghi, cow's urine, Bel, basil leaves or Tulsi, cocoanuts, betelnuts, and flowers are considered as sacred by the Hindus, and no one will dare to touch them with his foot.
2 School Master, Kálshe, Ratnagiri,
4 School Master, Achare, Ratnagiri. School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnagiri.
