Indian Antiquary Vol 55

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 14

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
SPIRIT WORSHIP IN THE NILGIRIS. BY RAI BAHADUR B. A. GUPTE, F.Z.S.
T twenty years ago there existed in a small ravine among the Nilgiri hills a curious family, who were "Pariahs" of an unknown low-class origin, but they claimed that two of the members were spirit-possessed and had as such certain definite spiritual powers :
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(1) to foretell the future,
(2) to cure diseases,
(3) to exorcise devils (demons),
(4) to give children to barren women,
(5) to regulate the sex of unborn children,
(6) to grant desires,
(7) to ward off impending calamities.
[ JANUARY, 1926
It was observed that so great was the influence of the family locally, that even educated Brahmans and their women-kind, who were otherwise too punctilious to touch a Sûdra, or water brought by a Sûdra, freely mixed with this family of Pariahs, who were "untouchables," and accepted from their hands portions of fruits and leavings for their own use.
The family is shown in the accompanying plate. The head of it is wearing a Pârsi's coat and a turban on his head. He called himself a pujari (officiating priest at a temple) or worshipper. His eldest son, who is also wearing a turban, was a farmer, and cultivated a piece of land purchased for Rs. 1,500, acquired as fees or cash offerings from the numerous devotees of the family. The younger son and the younger daughter standing beside him in the centre of the Plate, bearing wreaths round their necks, were known as swamis or gods. The second girl, a grand-daughter of the Pujârî, was being initiated into the mysteries, so as to become possessed.
The Swami son represents, i.e., he was possessed by, Mariamma, the Goddess of Cholera, and the Swami daughter by Kani-amma, the Virgin Goddess. Mariamma was described as a widow, resenting any control, and guiding Kaniamma (kanya a virgin). Kaniamma was described as fair, young, good-looking, well-dressed, attractive, i.e., she has a pleasing countenance and a pleasant smiling face. But Mariamma was known as ferocious, wild, dreadful to look at, indeed terrible in appearance and very active.
The family possessed a substantial residence with brick walls and a tiled roof, and also a small hut covered with bamboo matting on supports from branches of trees growing in the vicinity. The hut is shown in the Plate behind the figures. In the middle of this hut stood a low mud wall about 18 inches high and shaped something like a horse-shoe, thus. In the centre of the horse-shoe stood Mariamma-a small stone figure, about nine inches high, wrapped in a skein of country-spun cotton thread, with a little silver trident in her right hand and something unrecognised in her left hand. In front of this figure stood a small table on two legs, about nine inches long and two broad, consisting of a silver plate embossed with seven figures of goddesses. The legs of the table were remarkable, as they were of copper and looked like a pair of long boots with silver anklets. The figures embossed on the table represent Kaniamma and her six companions or playmates. On either side of Mariamma and the Kaniamma group were the offerings of the devotees,-cane sticks with silver mountings, rattles, baskets made of bamboos or palm leaf, and toys. On either side of the horse-shoe enclosure stood a scythe, and there was a sword placed in front of it.
Such was the oracle in form. The process of using it, as I saw it, was as follows. The girl seated herself on a mat and began moving her body with a rotating motion from right to left and vice versa, her hair loose and flowing all round her head and face as she moved. Her father, the Pujari, meanwhile beat a drum shaped like an hour-glass, and helped her by interpreting her oracular sayings. Incense was burnt in front of her and pcwdered turmeric