they are said to lose themselves, and arrive at their destination without knowing the distance that they have marched. In addition to the grand Virabhadra festival, which is celebrated annually, the Ariservai festival is also observed as a great occasion. This is no doubt a Tamil rendering of the Sanskrit Hariservai, which means the service of Hari or worship of Vishnu. It is strange that Lingayats should have this formal worship of Vishnu, and it must be a result of their environment, as they are surrounded on all sides by Vaishnavite temples. More than six months before the festival a meeting of elders is convened, and it is decided that an assessment of three pies per basket shall be levied, and the Saudri is made honorary treasurer of the fund. If a house has two or more baskets, i.e., persons using baskets in their trade, it must contribute a corresponding number of three pies. In other words, the basket, and not the family, is the unit in their communal finance. An invitation, accompanied by pan-supari, is sent to the Thadans (Vaishnavite dramatists) near Conjeeveram, asking them to attend the festival on the last Saturday of Paratasi, the four Saturdays of which month are consecrated to Vishnu. The Thadans arrive in due course at Chembrambakam, the centre of the bamboo section of the Lingayats, and make arrangements for the festival. Invitations are sent to five persons of the Lingayat community, who fast from morning till evening. About 8 or 9 P.M., these five guests, who perhaps represent priests for the occasion, arrive at the pandal (booth), and leaves are spread out before them, and a meal of rice, dhal (Cajanus indicus) water, cakes, broken cocoanuts, etc., is served to them. But, instead of partaking thereof, they sit looking towards a lighted lamp, and close their eyes in meditation. They then quietly retire to their homes, where they take the evening meal. After a torchlight procession with torches fed with ghi (clarified butter) the village washermen come to the pandal, and collect together the leaves and food, which have been left there. About 11 P.M. the villagers repair to the spot where a dramatic performance of Hiranya Kasyapa Natakam, or the Prahallada Charitram, is held during five alternate nights. The latter play is based on a favourite story in the Bhagavatha, and it is strange that it should be got up and witnessed by a community of Saivites, some of whom (Vira Saivas) are such extremists that they would not tolerate the sight of a Vaishnavite at a distance.