At Náringre in the Ratnágiri District, persons suffering from snakebite are given the juice of Kadulimb leaves, and are kept in the temple of Hanumán. The feet of the deity are washed with holy water, and the water is given to the victim to drink. [757] A snake is believed to have a white jewel or mani in its head, and it loses its life when this jewel is removed. This jewel has the power of drawing out the poison of snakebite. When it is applied to the wound, it becomes green, but when kept in milk for sometime, it loses its greenness and reverts to its usual white colour. It gives out to the milk all the poison that has been absorbed from the wound, and the milk becomes green. This jewel can be used several times as an absorbent of the poison of snakebite. The green milk must be buried under ground, so that it may not be used again by any one else. [758] It is believed that an old snake having long hair on its body has a jewel in its head. This jewel is compared with the colours of a rainbow. The snake can take this jewel from its head at night, and search for food in its lustre. Such snakes never come near the habitation of human beings, but always reside in the depth of the jungle. This species of snake is called Deva Sarpa, i.e., a snake belonging to a deity. It is related that a snake was born of a woman in the Kinkar's house at Tardál in the Sángli State, and another one in the Gabale's house at Kolhápur. [759] CHAPTER VIII. TOTEMISM AND FETISHISM. The worship of totems, or Devaks, prevails among Hindus in Western India. The term Devak is applied to the deity or deities worshipped at the beginning of a thread or a marriage ceremony. The ceremony is as follows: A small quantity of rice is put into a winnowing fan, and with it six small sticks of the Umbar tree, each covered with mango leaves and cotton thread. These are worshipped as deities. Near the winnowing fan is kept an earthen or copper vessel filled with rice, turmeric, red powder, betelnuts, sweet balls made of wheat flour, ghi and sugar; and on the top of the vessel is a small sprig of mango and a cocoanut covered with cotton thread. This vessel is also worshipped as a deity, and offerings of sweet eatables are made to it. After the worship of this vessel, the regular ceremony of Punyáhavachana is performed. Twenty-seven Mátrikás, or village and local deities, represented by betelnuts are consecrated in a new winnowing fan or a bamboo basket. Seven Mátrikás are made of mango leaves, six of which contain durva grass, and the seventh darbha grass. Each of them is bound with a raw cotton thread separately. They are worshipped along with a Kalasha or a copper lota as mentioned above. This copper lota is filled with rice, betelnuts, turmeric, etc., a sprig of mango leaves is placed on the lota, and a cocoanut is put over it. The lota is also bound with a cotton thread. Sandalpaste, rice, flowers, and durva grass are required for its worship. An oil lamp called Arati