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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
Waterfalls are not very familiar to the Persons who are possessed in this manner, people of Gujarat. There is a belief, how can be freed by bhuvas,t who give them a ever, that barren couples obtain issue if they magic thread to wear." bathe in a waterfall, and offer a cocoanut, There is a var called Nilkanth väv near
If a river source issues from an opening, Movaiya, in which a pinjari (a female cottonin the shape of a go-mukh (cow's-mouth), carder ) is said to have been drowned, and the stream is called dhodh, and is consider to have been turned into a ghost, in which ed as sacred as the holy Ganges. A bath form she occasionally presents herself to the in such a dhodh has the same efficacy for
he same efficacy for people, absolving persons from their sins,
Another ghost haunts an old vār, called When a person dies an accidental death
Madha, in Vadhwan and drowns one human and before the fulfilment of his worldly
being every third year as a victim. But a desires, his soul receives avagati (ie., passes into a degraded or fallen condition), and it
male spirit named Kshetrapal resides in the is not released from this state till Shraddhas
kotha ( or entrance ) of the vāv, and saves have been duly performed in its name, and
those who fall near the entrance. A person the objects of its desire dedicated to it with is, however, sure to be drowned if he falls in proper ritual. The same fate befals those any other part of the vāv.? A ghost also souls which do not receive the funeral pindas resides in the vão at Hampar near Dhrängawith the proper obsequies. Such fallen souls dhrā and terrifies the people at times, become ghosts and goblins, and are to be The goddess Rainadevi resides in wate found where water is, i, encar a well, and is worshipped by virgins on the fifteenth tank, or a river. 3
day of the bright half of Ashadh, when they Those who meet death by drowning become
grow javälät (tender wheat-plants) in an goblins, residing near the scene of their
earthen vessel and present them to her, death, and are a source of danger to all who
remaining awake for the whole of the night approach the water; for instance, in Monäpuri and Säsai, there are two ghunas (inysterious
to sing songs in her honour.
Darya-Pir, the patron of Luvānas (merwatery pits) haunted by bhuts (ghosts) which take the lives of one or two buffaloes
chants) and Kbärvās (sailors), resides in the every year. Mätäst and Shankhinis also sea ; and vows are observed in his honour by haunt wells, springs, and tanks and either these people on the second day of the bright drown, or enter the persons of, those who go half of every month, when they pass a little near their resorts,
water through his sieve.
1 The Shastri of Jetpur Pathashala,
Mr. K. D. Desai. * D, K. Pandya, Dhbank; the Shastri of Jetpur Pashasbala and the Schoolmaster of Limbdi Taluka. . Mr. L. D. Mebta, Devalia. $ The Schoolmaster of Limbdi Taluka and the Shastri of Jetpur Pathashala. • The Schoolmaster of Movaiya.
I N. M. Dave, Sinki. • The Schoolmaster of Kolki.
• There are several species of bhnts and prets-ghosts and goblins—thus, for instance, Jalachar, i.e., those who live in water ; Agrichar, i. e., those found in fire: Bhuchar, i. c., those hovering on the earth; Gaganachar, i. e., those moving in ethereal regions, Manushyachar, i. e., those moving among men ; Khagachar or those moving among birds, and Pashuchar. i. e., those living among beasts. N. D. Vora, Rajpara.
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