In the Konkan districts the annual festival of Holi begins from the fifth day of the bright half of Fálgun (March). Boys from all the localities of a village assemble at a place appointed for the Holi. The place appointed for kindling the Holi is not generally changed. The boys then go from house to house asking for firewood, and bring it to the Holi spot. They arrange the firewood and other combustible articles around the branch of a mango, betelnut or a Sáwar tree in the pit dug out for the purpose and then set it on fire. After kindling the sacred fire they take five turns round the Holi accompanied with the beating of drums and raise loud cries of obscene words. After this they play the Indian games of Atyápátya and Khokho and occasionally rob the neighbouring people of their firewood and other combustible articles. At the close of these games they daub their foreheads with sacred ashes gathered from the Holi fire. They consider these ashes especially auspicious and carry them home for the use of the other members of their families. This process is continued every night till the close of the fullmoon day. Elderly persons take part in this festival only during the last few days. On the fullmoon day all the males of the village, including old men, start after sunset for the Holi spot, collecting on their way pieces of firewood from all the houses in the locality and arrange them in the manner described above. After having arranged the Holi, the officiating priest recites sacred verses and the puja is performed by the mánkari of the village. This mánkari or pátil is either the headman or some other leading person of the village and to him belongs the right of kindling the Holi fire first. Some persons kindle a small Holi in front of their houses and worship it individually, but they can take part in the public Holi. In the towns the Holis of different localities are kindled separately while in small villages there is only one for every village. At Vijaydurg in the Ratnágiri District a hen is tied to the top of a tree or a bamboo placed in the pit dug out for kindling the Holi fire. The fowl tied to the top of the bamboo is called Shit. A small quantity of dry grass is first burnt at the bottom of this tree when the Mahárs beat their drums. The Shit (fowl) is then removed from the tree after it is half burnt and taken by the Mahárs. The Holi fire is then worshipped and kindled by the Gurav. Worshipping and kindling the Holi and taking the Shit (fowl) are considered as high honours. Occasionally quarrels and differences arise over this privilege and they are decided by the village Panch. [814]