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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY -
[ JUNE, 1928
conception takes place, the fruit will be a baby girl, but, should the weather be fine, a boy2T. Similarly, rain on one's wedding day foretells tears for the bride 8
Propitiatory rites have always been regarded as conducive to good results. In some places, however, much virtue is attributed to abuse. On the day of the Nashthi-chandra in the month of Bhadra (July-August) people play practical jokes with the intention of drawing down vituperation on themselves, and along with it good luck. It is inauspicious to look at the new moon in the month of Bhadra ; those who have inadvertently done so, try to avert the evil by throwing stones and brickbats into their neighbours' houses in order that they may revile them. If they are successful, the neighbours who abuse them will themselves be the sufferers. In European superstition, the surest way of driving away Jack-o' Lanterns is by cursing them30.
The influence of the evil eye, as I have explained elsewhere 31, is much feared by the inhabitants of Bengal, and, in order to avert it, divers subterfuges are resorted to. Iron is distasteful to evil beings, hence it is said to be an infalliable charm for the evil eye33. The use of the tulasi (sweet basil) plant as a powerful charm is universal among the Hindus. It is to be seen growing before the doorway of every Hindu house ; every morning the earth around its stem is carefully cleaned over with cowdung33 thinned with water, and every evening incense is burned near it. In many places pious Brahmans sit in front of the tulasi plant, and recite their daily prayers; it is, in fact, the object of a cult. In this connection we may mention that it is a noteworthy fact that the basil plant, which is said to have grown on Christ's grave, is also worshipped in the Eastern Church, and in Greece many magical virtues are attributed to it34. Most of the precautions against the evil eye are of a negative character, and consequently they are taboos.
At the beginning of our article we have seen that taboo is the negative pole of sympathetic magic. We shall now enumerate some of the general taboos of Bengal. The belief that excessive admiration of the state of health of an individual is prejudicial to him, is universal36. Hence it is an unwritten law in Bengal not to be too enthusiastic in praising anything, or, if inadvertently anything be highly praised by another, immediately to rectify the error by positively denying its merits. Euphemism, which is so general in all eastern countries, no doubt owes its origin to the same reason, namely not to mention a bad thing by its right name, but to give it a high-sounding title36. One of the lowest castes in India is that of the
37 Ethnologie du Bengale, p. 123. For a similar European superstition, see H. Ploss, Das Weib in der Natur und Völkerkunde, 4th edition, Leipsie, 1895, vol. I, p. 551.
28 Ethnologie du Bengale, ibid. ; H. Plong, op. cit., vol. I, p. 451.
39 ch. W. W. Hunter, Orissa, London, 1872, vol. II, pp. 140 sq.: W. Crooke, Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern India, vol. I, p. 17.
30 Benj. Thorpe, Northern Mythology(?); Dictionary of Superstitions, p. 252, cf. pp. 133, 289. 31 Ethnologie du Bengale, pp. 81, 84, 85, 131, 133, 137.
39 of. J. Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, pp. 435, 465, 1056; A. Bastian, Der Mensch in der Geschichte, Loipeic, 1860, vol. II, pp. 268, 287, vol. III, p. 204; A. Wuttke, Der deutsche Volksaberglaube der Gegenwart, Hamburg, 1860, pp. 15, 20, 122, 220, Benj. Thorpe, op. cit., vol. II, p. 39: (ir) J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, Welsh and Man, Oxford, 1901, p. 325; Ethnologie du Bengale, pp. 92, 131, 133; J. G. Dalyell, The Darker Superstitions of Scotland, p. 120; L. Strackerjan, Aberglaube und Sagen aus dem Herzogtum Oldenburg, Oldenburg, 1867, vol. I, p. 164 ; vol. II, p. 17; E. Tylor, Primitive Culture, London, 1871, vol. I, p. 127; F. Bassett, Legends and Superstitions of the Sea and Sailors, London, 1885, p. 19; Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. IV, p. 486 : Hubert and Mause, op. cit., p. 62: Aubrey, Remaines, p. 57; E. Lano, 1001 Nighta, vol. I, p. 30
30 In Bengal cow dung is said to be a panaces for all evils. (of. L. Day, op. cit.; Ethnologie du Bengals, pp. 63, 65; A. M. T. Jackson, Folklore Notes, Bombay, 1914, vol. II, p. 79; J. Jolly, Recht und Sitte, p. 167; Larousse, Dict. universel du XIX siècle, vol. XIV, p. 1255, c. 2.,
34 of. J. F.T. Bent, The Cyclades, London, 1885, p. 328.
38 Soo F. T. Elworthy, The Evil Eye, London, 1895, pp. 8, 10, 22; Jahn, "Ober den Aberglauben des booon Bliokee", Berichte der Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, Leipsie, 1886, p. 36.
36 of. Lt. Col. D, C, Phipott, Hindustani Stepping Stones, Appendix, "Euphemisme."
