Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 497

THE FOLKLORE OF GUJ.IR.IT
149
When a newly-born infant does not cry, The Pārsis consider fire so sacred that they do the leaves of a broom are thrown into the not smoke. Neither do they cross fire. In their fire and their smoke is passed over the child. temples called 1giaris a fire of sandaiwood It is said that this makes the child cry. is kept constantly burning. It is considered a
Some people consider brooms sacred, great mislap if this fire is extinguished. because they are used in sweeping the ground?
Fire is specially worshipped on the Holiday, (that is the earth, which is a goddess ).
that is the full-moon day of the month of In some places, children suffering from
Falgun. cougi are fanned with a broom.
Other special occasions on which it is wor In some castes, a brooın is worshipped on
shipped are the thread ceremony, the ceremony the marriage day.”
of installing a new idol in a temple, the first Many people deny any sanctity to a broom. A belief is common that if a man sees a
pregnancy ceremony, and the ceremony per
formed at the time of entering a new house.lu broom the first thing after getting up in the morning, he does not pass the day happily.*
Fire is also worshipped in Maharudra,
Vishnuyag, Gayatripurascharan, Nilotsarga, Some believe that if a broom be kept erect
Vastu pujan, Shatachandi, Lakshachandi, and in the house, a quarrel between the husband
the sacrifices performed during the Navaratra and wife is sure to follow. There is also a
and on the Dasara day.11 belief that if a person thrashes another with a broom, the fortner is liable to suffer from a Fire is considered to be the mouth of God. gland under the arm.5
through which he is supposed to receive all Fire is considered to be a deity by all offerings.12 Hindus. In all sacrifices, fire is first ignited The offerings made to fire generally consist with certain ceremonies of worship. In all of clarified butter, cocoanuts, sesamum seed, the Brahman families, every morning before Java, chips of the wood of the Pipal and the breakfast, a ceremony called Vaiskvadeva is Shami, curdled milk and frankincense.3 perforined, in which fire is worshipped and The fire to be used for sacrifices and cooked rice is offered to it.
agnihotras is produced by the friction of two. The Agnihotris keep a constant fire burning pieces of the wood of the Arani, 14 the Pipal, in their houses and worship it thrice a day, the Shami 19 or the bamboo while mantras or morning, noon and evening
incantations are being recited by Brahmans.26
1 The School Master of Dhank,
2 The School Master of Kolki. 3 The School Master of Songadh.
4 The School Master of Limbdi. 5 The School Master of Todia.
The School Master of Dhank. * The School Masters of Dhank and Vanod. & The School Master of Kalavad and Mr. K. D. Desai. 9 The School Masters of Ganod and Dhånk. 10 The School Master of Dadvi. !! The School Masters of Ganod and Kalavad and Mr. K. D. Desài. 12 The School Master of Todia.
13 The School Master of Wala. # The School Masters of Dadvi and Dbank.
The School Master of Jetpur. 16 The School Master of Aman,