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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
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sect must worship the goddess (Durga) very the sacred fire they take five turns round the secretly. Silence is also observed by people in Holi accompanied with the beating of drums and welcoming to their homes and worshipping the raise loud cries of obscene words. After this goddess Parvati or Gauri in the bright half of they play the Indian games of Atyápálya and Bhadrapada every year.1
Khokho and occasionally rob the neighbouring At Váde in the Thána District, one day people of their firewood and other combustible previous to the planting of rice crops the farmer articles. At the close of these games they daub has to go to his field even before day break with their foreheads with sacred ashes gathered from five balls of boiled rice, cocoanuts and other the Holi fire. They consider these ashes espethings. There he worships the guardian deity cially auspicious and carry them home for the of the field and buries the balls of rice under- use of the other members of their families. ground. He has to do it secretly and has to This process is continued every night till the remain silent during the whole period. He is close of the fullmoon day. Elderly persons also forbidden to look behind while going to the take part in this festival only during the last field for the purpose. 2
few days. Secrecy and silence are observed when per
On the fullmoon day all the males of the forming the rites of Chetaks and evil spirits or
village, including old men, start after sunset for ghosts. Widow remarriages among the lower
the Holi spot, collecting on their way pieces of classes are performed secretly. The pair
firewood from all the houses in the locality and wishing to be remarried are accompanied by a
arrange them in the manner described above. Bráhman priest, and the marriage is performed
After having arranged the Holi, the officiating away from the house. The priest applies red
priest recites sacred verses and the puja is lead (Kunku) to the forehead of the bride and
performed by the mankari of the village. This throws grains of rice over their heads, and a
mánkari or pátil is either the headman or some stone mortar or páta is touched to the backbone
other leading person of the village, and to him of the bride. The priest then turns his face
belongs the right of kindling the Holi fire first. and walks away silently 3
Some persons kindle a small Holi in front of The Holi is a religious festival. It is
their houses and worship it individually, but annually celebrated in memory of the death of
they can take part in the public Holi. In the Kámdev the God of Love, who was destroyed by the god Shankar on the full moon day of
towns the Holis of different localities are kindled
separately while in small villages there is only Fálgun (March). The object of this festival
one for every village. appears to have been a desire to abstain from
At Vijaydurg in the Ratnagiri District a hen lust by burning in the Holi fire all vicious thoughts and desires. As a rule, females do
is tied to the top of a tree or a bamboo placed
in the pit dug out for kindling the Holi fire. not take any part in this festival.
The fowl tied to the top of the bamboo is called In the Konkan districts the annual festival
Shit. A small quantity of dry grass is first of Holi begins from the fifth day of the bright
burnt at the bottom of this tree when the Mahárs half of Fálgun (March). Boys from all the
beat their drums. The Shit (fowl) is then localities of a village assemble at a place ap
removed from the tree after it is half burnt ported for the Holi. The place appointed for kindling the Holi is not generally changed.
and taken by the Mahárs. The Holi fire is The boys then go from house to house asking
then worshipped and kindled by the Gurav. for firewood, and bring it to the Holi spot.
Worshipping and kindling the Holi and taking They arrange the firewood and other combustible
the Shit (fowl) are considered as high honours. articles around the branch of a mango, betelnut Occasionally quarrels and differences arise or a Sáwar tree in the pit dug out for the over this privilege and they are decided by the purpose and then set it on fire. After kindling village Panch.
1 School Master, Chauk, Kolába. • Ráo Saheb Sheke, Kolkapur.
2 School Master, Váde, Thána. * School Master, Poladpur and Vijaydurg.
