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THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
Vrishchika (Scorpio) and Dhanu (Sagit recited, and prayers are offered before a tarius). Shishir-ritu occurs when the sun sacrificial fire. This ceremony, called Par. stands in the Makar (Capricornus) and janya-shanti, is said to have been perforined Kumbha (Aquarius) rashis1
within recent years in Bombay, and to have Indra (the god of rain), Varuna (the lord been successful in bringing rain, of all waters). Väyu (the god of wind), It is also said that rainfall can be caused Agni (the god of fire), and the moon-god by singing a song or a sacred hymn to the are also believed by some to have power over malār tune. There is a tradition that the the seasons.
well-known saint Narsinha Mehta once sang The belief is as old as the Vedas that this tune on the occasion of the celebration demons sometimes obstruct the fall of rain, of the first pregnancy of his daughter, and and confine the waters of the clouds. It is the performance was immediately followed Indra who fights with them and breaks by a shower of rain. Rain, which is brought through their castles by means of his thunder- down in this manner, can be put a stop to by bolt, sending down showers of rain for the singing to a different tune, benefit of his worshippers. So, whenever Low-caste women have recourse to the there is an unusual drought, people still in- following expedient to bring rain. Five or voke the aid of this god, and celebrate six of them place a quantity of muddy earth festival in his honour, called Ujjani or on a wooden stool, which is carried by one Indramahotsava. Homas" are performed to of them. The lump of mud is covered with propitiate the god, and Brahmans are enter- leaves of the Gidotān or Tindotan creeper, tained at a feast. Sometimes the festival and is called mehulo or meghalo. The is celebrated outside the village, where whole party then sing songs, and visit every people go in large parties to dine together. house in the village. A bowl of water is
The usual dish on such an occasion is poured over the mekulo and the women receive Meghladu or sweet balls of wheat-flour fried some corn for their trouble, in ghi,
Some believe that when the worship of the Another favourite ceremony supposed to village-gods is neglected and when the people cause rain to fall is the submersion of the grow corrupt, ill-treat the saints and are image of Shiva in water, by blocking up the given to the killing of cows and Brahmans, khal or passage in the Shiva-linga by which Yama, the God of Death, directs his colwater poured over the image usually runs leagues, Indra and Varuna, to threaten the off. This ceremony is known as Jala.jatra. world with a drought. The rainfall returns Rudrabhasheka, or the ceremony of pouring only when the people revert to righteous water in a constant stream over the image ways, and after Indra and Varuna have of Shiva for eleven consecutive days and been conciliated by offerings. nights, is sometimes performed with the same The lower classes of the people believe a object. 3
prolonged cessation of rain to be due to the Sometimes the assistance of Shringhi rishi wrath of local minor deities, aroused by the is invoked to bring about a fall of rain. neglect of their worship. In such a conThe rishi is installed in water, mantras are tingency, therefore, they prepare vāklant of
K. D. Desai.
*N, D. Vora, kajpara. # D. K. Pandya, Dhhank.
• The Schoolmaster of Ganod. • The Schoolmaster of Upleta. • The Deputy Educational Inspector of Gohelwad and K. D. Desai. • Offering oblations to gods by throwing ghi into the consecrated fire. + A flat round loaf, about two to four iaches in diam stre, prepared from the four of adad.
