Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 367

THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
The appearance of the moon and the position of the horns of her crescent at particular times are carefully watched as omens of future events. Cultivators believe that if the moon is visible on the second day of the bright half of Ashadh (the 9th month of Gujarati Hindus), the sesamum crops of that season will be abundant; but if the moon be hidden from sight on that day, the weather will be cloudy during the whole of Ashadh, and will prove unfavourable to ve getable growth. If the moon appears reddish on a Bij day (or the second day of the bright half of a month), and if the northern horn of the crescent be high up, prices in the market are believed to rise; if, on the other hand, it is low, it prognosticates a fall in prices. If the two horns are on a level, current prices will continue,1
Similarly, the northern horn of the crescent, if it is high up on the Bij day of Ashadh, augurs abundant rainfall; if it is low, it foreshadows a season of drought.2
If the moon presents a greenish aspect on the full-moon day of Ashadh, excessive rains may be expected in a few days; if on that day she rises quite clear and reddish, there is very little hope of good rains; if she is partly covered by clouds when she rises and then gets clear of the clouds, and then again disappears in the clouds in three ghadis, three pohors, or three days, rain is sure to fall.3
If on the 5th day of the bright half of Chaitra, the moon appears to the west of the Rohini constellation, the prices of cotton are believed to rise; if to the east, they are said to fall; and if in the same line, the current rates are believed to be likely to continue;4
The Bij (2nd day) and the ninth day of Ashadh (the 9th month of the Gujaratis and the 4th month of the Hindus of the Deccan) falling on a Sunday is a combination that, foretells excessive heat. If they
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fall on Wednesday, intense cold is said to be the result. Their occurring on a Tuesday, threatens absence of rains, and on a Monday, a Thursday or a Friday, foreshadows excessive rainfall.5
1 Mr. N. M. Dave, Sankā.
One ghadi is equal to 24 minutes and one pohor Mr. M. P. Shab, Schoolmaster, Zinzuwada. Mr. M. P. Shah, Schoolmaster, Zinzuwada,
7 The Schoolmasters of Dhhank, Rajpara and Limbdi.
Thunder on Jeth-Sud-Bij, or the second day of the bright half of Jyeshtha, is a bad omen and threatens famine,
The spots on the moon have given rise to numerous beliefs, mythological as well as fanciful. One of them is that they are the result of a curse, pronounced by the sage Gautama on Chandra. Indra, the god of rain, was infatuated with the charms of Ahalya, the wife of Gautams, and with the help of Chandra laid a cunning plot to gain his ignoble object. Accordingly, one night, Chandra set earlier than usual and Indra assumed the form of a cock and crowed at midnight in order to deceive Gautama into the belief that it was dawn, and therefore his time for going to the Ganges to perform his religious services. The trick was successful, and the holy sage being thus got rid of, Indra assumed the form of Gautama himself and approached Ahalya, who was surprised to see her husband (as she thought) so quickly returned. The wily god allayed her suspicions by explaining that it was not yet time for the morning ceremonies, and thus enjoyed the favours due to her husband. Gautama, in the meanwhile, finding the water of the Ganges cool and placid, and discovering that it was not yet dawn, returned to his hermitage. On reaching home he detected the treachery of Indra, who tried to escape in the disguise of a tom cat. The exasperated sage then cursed Indra, Chandra and his wife Indra to have a thousand sores on his person, Ahalya to turn into a stone, and Chandra to have a stain on his fair face.7
Another mythological story is that Daksha Prajapati, the son of Brahma, gave all his
2 The Schoolmaster, Khändbar. (prahara) lasts for three hours.
Mr. N. M. Dave, Sanka, Mr. N. M, Dave, Sinki