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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
parents and the relatives of her husband are Special ceremonies called Laghurudra and given to her for the first three days. She Mahérudra in honour of Shiva the god of destakes her bath on the fourth day, accompanied tructin.are also performed. Sweetmeats such by the playing of music and the beating of as pernas ctc. are offered to the gods in fulfildrums. Sweetmeats in dishes are brought by ment of vows. Some people make vows to the relatives till the day of Rutushanti (the observe fests, to feed Brahmans, and to distri. first bridal right). The Garbhádán or Rutu- bute coins and clothes to the poor ; while shanti ceremony is one of the sixteen cere- others hang toranas-wreaths of flowers and monies that are required to be performed mango leaves on the entrance of the temple, during the life of every Hindu. This cere- and hoist flags over it. Rich people erect new mony is performed within the first sixteen temples to different Hindu deities. Some obdays from the girl's attaining her puberty, the serve fasts to propitiate the goddess Chandika 4th, 7th, 9th, 11th and the 13th being cons- and worship her during Navarátra the first nine dered inauspicious for this purpose. While days of the bright half of Ashvin (October) performing this ceremony the following three and others offer fowls and goats to their farites are required to be observed. They are vourite deities. Women make a vow to Ganpatipujan or the worship of the god Gan- walk round the Audumbar or Pipal tree, and pati, Punhyáhavachan or the special ceremony to distribute cocoanuts, sugar, jagri, copper or for invoking divine blessings and Navagraha
silver equal to the weight of their children. slánti the ceremony for propitiating the nine | Vows are made by people with the object of planets. The ritual of this ceremony is as securing health, wealth and children and other follows
desired objects such as education, etc. They are The husband and the wife are seated side by as follows: side on wooden boards to perform the above Performing che worship of Shri Satya three rites. The Kadali pujan or plantain tree Náráyan, offering clothes and ornaments to the worship is performed by the pair. The sacred temple deities, hanging bells, constructing a fire or Homa is required to be kindled. The foot path or steps leading to the temple of the juice of the Durwa grass is then poured into the special deity.1 Vows are also made to obright nostril of the bride by her husband. This is tain freedom from disease or such other calamiintended to expel all diseases from the body of ties. When any person in the family becomes the girl and to secure safe conception. They ill or when a sudden calamity befalls a family are then seated in a Makhar, and presents of an elderly member of the family goes to the clothes, ornaments etc., are made by the parents temple of a deity and makes certain rows of the girl and other relatives. After this the according to his means, fulfilling them as soon husband fills the lap of the girl with rice, a as the calamity or disease has disappeared.2 cocoanut, five betelnuts, five dry dates, five Vows are usually to perform acts of benealmonds, five plantains and five pieces of volence. These consist in distributing cocosturmeric. The girl is then carried to a temple nut mixed in sugar, giving feasts to Brahman accompanied by the playing of music. A grand priests, observing fasts on Saturday, Tuesday feast is given to the friends and relatives at and Sunday, offering clothes and ornaments to the close of this ceremony.
deities, building new temples and guest houses The Hindus generally make various kinds (dharmshálás), digging out new wells and in of vows in order to procure offspring or with distributing clothes and food to the poor.3 some other such object, and fulfil them when At Khopoli in the Kolába District, people they succeed in getting their desire. The fol- who have no children or whose children die lowing are the different kinds of vows made. shortly after birth make a vow to the Satwái They offer cocoanuts, sugar, plantains and deity, whose temple is at a short distance from other fruits, costly new dresses and ornaments Khopoli. The vow is generally to bring the to the deities, and give feasts to Bráhmans. child to the darshana (sight) of the deity and 1 School Master, Fonde, Ratnagiri.
* School Master, Bankavli, Ratnagiri. 3 School Master, Vijaydurg, Ratnagiri.
