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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
men, Sometimes vows are observed with worships the image after the bath. The the same object in honour of a minor local image is drawn in cowdung with two cotton deity named Lala Hardev.” Another me- seeds to represent the eyes. An offering of thod of driving off the disease is to convey kulerat and curds is made to the goddess. it to the body of a goat or a ram, or a he- Five virgins are invited to dinner, and are buffalo, and to drive the animal out of the served with cold food. All the members village,
of the household also partake of cold food. Small-pox is believed to be the act of the On the 7th or the 13th day of the bright goddess Shitalà Màtà, who spreads the dis- half of a month the patient is taken to the case whenever she is desirous of having temple of Shitald Mata, when a cocoanut victims. Thus, in cases of small-pox, the is broken in the presence of the goddess. patient very often receives no medical | Half of the cocoanut is brought home, the treatment, the only remedies adopted being other half being carried away by the Màtà's directed towards the propitiation of the attendant. Some people place a new Màtà.* A number of vows are taken in the earthen vessel filled with water near the Mata's name, to be fulfilled after the goddess. Silver eyes, which may be worth patient has recovered. Many people accom- anything between half an anna and half a plish their vows before the Shitalà Mátà rupee, are dedicated to the Matà. at Kalavad in Jamnagar. A vow to visit The first visit to the Màtà should take this place after the patient's recovery, and place on a Sunday or a Tuesday. The to abstain from certain things till the day things vowed to the goddess are dedicated on of the visit, is taken by the mother of the this occasion. It is also necessary to go to affected person in case of a severe attack, the goddess again on the next Tuesday or But almost every village contains a temple Thursday after the first visit. This time of Shitalà Màtà, and those, who cannot go only water and red lac are offered, to Kalavad, row in the name of the local During the course of the disease no lowMata. One of such vows is to go to the caste person and no woman in her monthly temple of the Màtà with a burning hearth course is allowed to cast his or her shadow on the head. Such a vow is generally un- on the patient. The women in the house dertaken by the patient's mother.
are prohibited from combing their hair, or Ordinarily in a case of small-pox, the churning curdled milk, or indulging in sexpatient is not allowed to bathe till he is ual intercourse. Such acts are believed to completely free from all traces of the dis- cause extreme displeasure to the Matà, ease. A bath is then given on a Sunday, who then causes some limo of the patient to
Tuesday, or a Thursday, with water which be affected, Branches of nimb leaves are has been heated by being placed in the sun. suspended over the doors of the house, and An image of Shitala Mata is set up in the also round the patient's bed. The same house near the water room, and the patient leaves are used to fan the patient.
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· The School Master of Ganod.
1 The School Master of Dbank. The School Master of Dadvi,
The School Master of Jodia.
Mr. K. D. Desdi. • The patient is often entirely made over to the Mat, and is again purchased from her at a nominal price of a rupee and quarter. -Mr. K. D. Dendi.
+ A mixture of the four of bajri, gbt, and molasses.
