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TIE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
At the time of a marriage, women make Vishnuyag, Shaktiyag, Ashvamedha, Räjathe auspicious mark on the forehead of the yajna, and Gayatri-purashcharan can only be bridegroomi and carry a läman-divo* to fetch performed by men." ukardi * For nine days preceding the date It is the duty of men only to worship the of marriage the bride and the bridegroom shami tree (prosopis spicegera) on the Dasarā are besmeared with pithi or yellow turmeric day, and the Hutāshani fire on the day of powder, when auspicious songs are recited | Holis by a party of women invited to witness the Women are not allowed to worship the god ceremony. When the bridegroom reaches the Kārtikey, who is said to shun women, and to entrance of the marriage bower, he is wel have pronounced a curse against all who visit comed there by his mother-in-law, who his image. carries him on her hip to his seat in the The fifteenth day of the bright half of marriage booth,
Chaitra is the anniversary of the birth of It is necessary to make certain marks on Hanuman, and a vrat called Hanumanthe corpse of a woman, and these marks are jayanti is observed on this day. This made by women only. Similarly, women vrat, as well as the Ganesh-chaturthi-vrat? alone take part in the ceremony of getting a are meant only for men, widow's hair shaved on the ninth day after the ceremonies of Shraddhat and the her husband's death.
Balevas ceremonies can be performed by men The Shastras have enjoined the worship of
only. The duty of giving agni-sanskärl certain higher-grade deities, and have pres
to corpses, i.e., of performing the necessary cribed certain ceremonials for the purpose.
rites at a funeral, is also laid on men. But women are not authorised to make use of these ceremonies. The reason is that the People who practise the art of attaining Shastras regard women as inferior to men mastery over spirits and fiends, usually and do not grant them the privileges given to remain naked while they are engaged in the the latter. They are not allowed to learn performance of their mysterious rites. the Vedas nor can the Gayatri-mantra be There are many branches of this black art : taught to them. The result is that women for instance, Maran, Uchchatan 10 Lam. are not qualified to perform the ceremonial ban, Vashikaran, 11 Mohan, 12 Stambhan, 13 worship of such higher-grade deities as etc., and although the meli vidya (sacrileVishnu, Shiva, Durga, Ganpati, and Hanu-l gious art) is not held in respect by highmän; similarly the sacrificial rites of class Hindus, it is popular among the lower The Schoolmaster of Ganod.
? Mr. M. M. Rana, Rajkot. The Schoolmaster of Zarami-Zirava. • The Schoolmaster of Kolki and the Head-Mistress of Rajkot Civil Station Girls' School. Mr. K. D. Desai.
"The Shastri of Jetpur Pithashåla. 7 The Schoolmaster of Surel.
* Mr. N. M. Dave, Sanka. The art of taking the life of a person by means of a magical process called math-maravi. The victim of this process suddenly vomits blood and loses his life, unless the evil influence is counteracted by another sorcerer.-B. K. Dave, Kotda Sangani.
10 Causing a person to leave his business by making him disgusted with it, by means of magical spells.
The art of so influencing the conduct of a person as to bring him perfectly under control. 12 Bewildering an enemy by means of magical charms. 13 The suppression of any force or feeling by magical means.
* The mother of the bride, accompanied by other women who sing songs on the way, carries an iron lamp to the village boundary, and from that place the party bring earth to erect the altars on which sacrificial fires are burnt. The lamp is called laman-divo and the earth which is brought is called ukardi.-R. D. Desai.
† Vide question 10.
