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158
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
of four men to the post of tamarind wood those who try to prevent them from so doing. followed by a party of men and women wailing They also recite coarse songs and play with aloud, to the great merriment of the crowd dirt and mud freely. Parties of them go from assembled near the post to witness the struggle shop to shop and obtain by force dates and d::scribed above.1
fried gram. Sometimes contests are held between two At midnight of the Holi day a bower is parties of boys in singing vulgar songs. The erected in the centre of the village with bits of contest commences by one of the parties singing broken earthen vessels and cocoanut shells. A a song. The other party responds to it by fool, generally a son-in-law of some low caste singing another song, which is generally more Hindu in the village, is induced, by the promise indecent than the song sung first. The of dates and cocoanut kernel, to dress in a coat contest goes on like this, and the party which on which are drawn naked pictures. A garland fails to respond to its rival is said to be of worn-out shoes is tied round his neck and he defeated.1
is mounted on a donkey. He is then called The immoral practices described above are Vàlam and taken from the bower through the only to be seen among low caste people, and village accompanied with music and crowds of even their women take part in these practices. people, who utter in a loud voice coarse and
The women of higher castes wear rich clothes vulgar expressions as the procession moves and ornaments on the Dhuleti day, and sing on. At times they play jokes with the Vàlam, songs in their houses. At times they throw and give liim blows on the bend with their coloured water and red powder at each fists. other."
In some places, this procession is called In big temples a festivity called Ful Dol is Vàlama Vàlami and is celebrated on the night observed, in which water coloured with the preceding the Holi. Two poor stupid persons flowers of the Khakhra (Butea frondosa) is are dressed as bride and bridegroom, the latter thrown by the party assembled, and kundaliàs
in a ridiculously grotesque dress. They are or indecent songs are sung in a loud married on the following morning, wlien vulgar voice. 3
songs are sung. The Valam and Vàlami are In some temples, holy songs are sung at night represented by two naked idols, made of rags, of and prayers are held. At the end, fried juvari, a man and a woman. They are carried through gram and sweets are distributed as the grace the village in a noisy procession and married on of God."
an altar of black carthen vessels. They are The boys who take an active part in the Holi then placed erect on two wooden posts side by celebrations are known as geraiyàs or holiàs. I side." For two or three nights before the Holi they In some villages, a large stone is placed in a steal fuel for the Holi fire and beat and abuse spacious compound in the centre of the village,
1 The School Master of Todia. · The School Master of Luvaria. 6 The School Master of Půtan Vav.
? The School Mistress, Barton Female Training College, Rajkot 4 The School Master of Todia.
6 The School Masters of Ganod, Vanod and Dhank The School Master of Kolki.
