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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
Bhadarvà to the new-moon day of the same of the bright half of Chaitra and on the month, that is for a period of sixteen days. same days of the dark half of Kartik and The Shraddhas of those who die on the Shravan. On Vaishakh Shud Trij, that is, Punema or full-moon day of a month on the third of the bright half of Vaisakh, are performed on the full-moon day of which is called Akhà Trij, women offer to Bhadarvà, and the Shraddhas of those who Brahmans two earthen jars filled with water die on the new-moon day amavasia of a month and covered with an earthen cup containing are performed on the amavasia of Bhàdarva. a betelnut, a pice and a pan or betel leaf, for The 13th day of the dark half of Bhàdarvì the propitiation of the spirits of their deceais called bålà terash that is childrens' sed ancestors.3 thirteenth. This day is specially devoted to For the propitiation of a male spirit a the propitiation of the spirits of children. I party of Brahmins is feasted, and for the
On the Shraddha days Brahmans and propitiation of a female spirit three unwidowrelatives of the deceased are feasted, and ed married women. oblations called Vash, consisting of rice and
Rajputs, Bharvads, Ahirs and Kolis set up sweets, are offered to crows.
either a pile of stones or a single stone on On Asho Vad fourteenth, that is, the the boundary of their village in honour of fourteenth of the dark half of Asho, it is those among them who die on battle fields. customary to apply red lead to the pillars These piles or stories are called Palios, On erected in honour of men that die heroic or the Palios are placed engraved images to noble deaths on fields of battle, to break represent the deceased in whose memory the cocoanuts before them, to light lamps fed with Palios are erected. Small pillars are also ghi and to offer cooked food to their spirits.2 raised in the localities where such persoas The spirits of those who die with strong
met their death. On the Kali Chandas or attachment to the objects of this world are
black fourteenth, that is the fourteenth day said to enter the state known as asur gati or
of the dark half of Asho, the Palios are the path of demons. In this condition the
daubed with red lead and worshipped with spirit of the deceased possesses the person of
offerings of cocoanuts. Women who have bee one of his relatives and torments the family
come sati receive worship and offerings on in which he lived. The members of the family,
the Hindu new year's day. when worried by his persecutions, engage the
Spiritual guides such as Shankaracharya, services of a bhuvd or exorcist, who sets up
Vallabácharya, the maharajas or spiritual a wooden image of the tormenting spirit in a
heads of the sect called Swaminarayan, Lalo niche in a wall of the house. A lamp fed
Bhagat and Talo Bhagat are worshipped by with ghi is lighted daily before this image,
their devotees with offerings of food, garments
and cash. In this Kali Yuga or iron age, and in times of trouble, a cocoanut is offered
men who are really great are rare, and even to it in the belief that the spirit can protect
if there be some, they are invisible to the the offerers from injuries.
faulty vision of the present day degraded The pitriyas or ancestral spirits are
mortals. A few come into contact with such propitiated by pouring water over the Bordi holy men by virtue of the good deeds per (jujube), the Tulsi (sweet basil) the Vad formed by them in their past lives. These (banyan) the Pipal or durvà grass (cynodon are said to attain paradise by this satsang dactyton) on the 13th, 14th and 15th days (contact with the righteous). 1 Mr. K. D. Desdi.
2 The School Master of Luvaria. 3 The School Master of Jodid.
• The School Master of Lilàpur. 5 The School Master of Sanka.
• The School Master of Dhank,
