Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 7 of 7Thurston, Edgar
General
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 7 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
On the morning of the chinnadinamu, the eldest son of the deceased
cooks rice in a new pot, and makes curries and cakes according to his
means. These are made up into six balls, which are placed in a new
basket, and taken to the burial-ground. On reaching the spot where the
cross-lines were drawn, a ball of rice is placed thereon, together with
betel leaves and nuts and a copper coin. The Bathyasthadu remains in
charge thereof, while those assembled proceed to the grave, whereon a
pot of water is poured, and a stone planted at the spot beneath which
the head lies. The stone is anointed with shikai (fruit of Acacia
Concinna) and red powder, and milk poured over it, first by the widow
or widower and then by the relations. This ceremony concluded, the son
places a ball of rice at each corner of the grave, together with betel
and money. Milk is poured over the remaining ball, which is wrapped
in a leaf, and buried over the spot where the abdomen of the deceased
is situated. Close to the grave, at the southern or head end, three
stones are set up in the form of a triangle, whereon a new pot full
of water is placed. A hole is made in the bottom of the pot, and the
water trickles out towards the head of the corpse. This concludes the
ceremony, and, as on the day of the funeral, purification by bathing,
ash-water and turmeric-water, is carried out.
The peddadinamu ceremony is performed on the sixteenth, or some
later day after death. As on the chinnadinamu, the son cooks rice
in a new pot. Opposite the entrance to the hut a handful of clay is
squeezed into a conical mass, representing the soul of the deceased,
and stuck up on a platform. The eldest son, taking a portion of
the cooked rice, spreads it on a leaf in front of the clay image,
before which incense is burnt, and a lamp placed. The image, and the
remainder of the food made up into four balls, are then carried by the
son to a tank (pond). As soon as the relatives have assembled there,
the recumbent effigy of a man is made, close to the edge of the tank,
with the feet towards the north. The conical image is set up close
to the head of the effigy, which is anointed by the relatives as at
the chinnadinamu, except that no milk is poured over it. The four
balls of rice are placed close to the hands and feet of the effigy,
together with betel and money, and the son salutes it. The agnates then
seat themselves in a row between the effigy and the water, with their
hands behind their backs, so as to reach the effigy, which is moved
slowly towards the water, into which it finally falls, and becomes
disintegrated. The proceedings conclude with distribution of cloths
and cheroots, and purification as before. The more prosperous Yanadis
now engage a Brahman to remove the pollution by sprinkling water over
them. During the peddadinamu incessant music and drum-beating has been
going on, and is continued till far into the night, and sometimes the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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