Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 5 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 5 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
Some of the grass is spread on the ground near the piece of
leaf, and rings made with it are placed on the ring finger of the
right hand by each one present. The first offerings consist of water,
sandal paste, and leaves of the cherula, the eldest of the Anandravans
leading the way. Boys need not go through the actual performance of
offerings; it suffices for them to touch the eldest as he is making
the offerings. The half boiled rice is made into balls (pindam), and
each one present takes one of these in his right hand, and places it
on the grass near the piece of palmyra leaf. Some gingelly seeds are
put into the curd, which is poured so as to make three rings round the
pindams. It is poured out of a small cup made with the leaf on which
the half-boiled rice had been placed. It should not be poured from any
other kind of vessel. The whole is then covered with this same plantain
leaf, a lighted wick is waved, and some milk is put under the leaf. It
is undisturbed for some moments, and leaf is gently tapped with the
back of the fingers of the right hand. The leaf is then removed, and
torn in two at its midrib, one piece being placed on either side of
the pindams. The ceremony is then over for the day. The performers
rise, and remove the wet clothing they have been wearing. The eldest
of the Anandravans should, it was omitted to mention, be kept somewhat
separated from the other Anandravans while in the courtyard, and before
the corpse is removed for cremation; a son-in-law or daughter-in-law,
or some such kind of relation remaining, as it were, between him
and them. He has had the piece of cloth torn from the covering of
the corpse tied round his waist, and the piece of iron in the folds
of his cloth, or stuck in his waist during the ceremony which has
just been described. Now, when it has been completed, he ties the
piece of cloth to the pillar of the house nearest to the piece of
palmyra leaf which has been stuck in the ground, and puts the piece
of iron in a safe place. The piece of palmyra leaf is covered with
a basket. It is uncovered every day for seven days at the same hour,
while the same ceremony is repeated. The balls of rice are removed by
women and girls of the taravad who are junior to the deceased. They
place them in the bell-metal vessel in which the rice was boiled. The
senior places the vessel on her head, and leads the way to a tank,
on the bank of which the rice is thrown. It is hoped that crows will
come and eat it; for, if they do, the impression is received that
the deceased's spirit is pleased with the offering. But, if somehow
it is thought that the crows will not come and eat it, the rice is
thrown into the tank. Dogs are not to be allowed to eat it. The women
bathe after the rice has been thrown away. When the ceremony which
has been described has been performed for the seventh time, i.e.,
on the seventh day after death, the piece of palmyra leaf is removed
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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