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Social Conditions
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creepers, or the well-decorated banqueting hall of some mighty king. The queen beholding it was filled with the desire of disporting herself in the Sāla grove ; and the attendants entered the wood with the queen. When she came to the root of an auspicious Sala tree, she wanted to take hold of a branch of it. The branch, bending down, like a reed heated by steam, approached within reach of hand. Stretching out her hand, she took hold of the branch, and then her pains came upon her." According to Pāņini, this festival was peculiar to the eastern people.
The people of Rājagriha were very fond of festivals. In the Vinaya-Pitaka, a festival celebrated at an elevated place at Rājagriha is described as Girajjasamajja. That it took place at the top of a hill, probably a sacred place, points to the religious nature of the gathering. From the Visuddhimaggawe learn that there was a festival at Rājagriha in which five hundred virgins (Kumāris) offered Mahākassapa there a kind of cake which he accepted. There used to be held at Rājagriha a festival known as the Nakkhattakilam (the spot of the stars) in which the rich took part. This festival lasted for a weck. Chhana and Sabbarttivāro were the most important festivals in which the Lichchhavis of Vaiśālı spent the whole night in merry-making.
There was a ploughing festival which has been described in the Tiūma-Jälaka. It is said that on that day the king held the plough. Most probably the first ploughing at the beginning of the rains was observed as a sacred day and celebrated as a festival. In addition to these important festivals, there were other minor oncs celebrated in honour of gods likc Skanda, Rudra, and Mukunda ; there were festivals to propitiatc Demons, Yakshas, and Nāgas : there were festivals to honour shrines and tombs, and there were festivals to worship trees, cows, wells, tanks, ponds, rivers, lakes, scas, and mines. 1. Käsik, on 11. 2. 74; III, 3. 109; II.2.17. 2. P. T. S. p. 403. 3. l'inraralth Commentary, pp. 63.
W.W. RocruLL : The Life of the Buddha, p. 03.
u. No, 46.. SBE. XXII, p. 9).
