Folk Lore Notes. Vol. II—KonkanJackson, A. M. T. (Arthur Mason Tippetts)
Religion
Folk Lore Notes. Vol. II—Konkan
Jackson, A. M. T. (Arthur Mason Tippetts)
Folklore -- India
At Mithbáv in the Ratnágiri District holy persons such as Sanyásis
are worshipped after their death by performing their anniversary
ceremony every year. It is believed that spirits are mortal. Evil
spirits such as munjas, etc., undergo a kind of transformation, and
it is believed that this occurs at places like Narsoba's Wádi. [422]
At Devgad in the Ratnágiri District ancestors are worshipped on their
anniversary days, the manes being represented by pieces of Darbha
grass and balls of boiled rice. [423]
At Poladpur in the Kolába District a person whose father is alive
but who has lost his mother's father, has to perform the Shráddha
of that grandfather on the 1st day of the bright half of Ashvin
(October). This Shráddha is called Duhitra. A person who has lost
his wife has to perform the Shráddha for that wife on the 9th day
of the dark half of the month of Bhádrapada. This day is called Ahev
Navami. These different sorts of Shráddhas are observed only by the
high class Hindus. The lower classes worship their ancestors on the
last day of the month of Bhádrapada by preparing a ball of boiled rice
or flour, and putting it out for the crows to eat. It is believed that
spirits are mortal. The ceremony called Narayan Nagabali is performed
when it is believed that the spirit of an ancestor is giving trouble
to the family. When this rite is performed, the spirit is saved and
the ailment ceases. It is believed that the spirits of the dead are
sometimes reborn in children in the same family, and in such cases the
names of the ancestors are given to their children by the people. [424]
At Khopoli in the Karjat taluka of the Kolába District the form
of worship of ancestors is similar to that of the ordinary Hindu
deities. In the case of the worship of the deities the person
performing the worship has to sit with his face towards the east,
while at the worship of the ancestors he has to sit with his face
towards the south. [425]
At Chaul in the Kolába District, the tombs of Sanyásis, i.e.,
ascetics and Sádhus are worshipped on their anniversary days,
and a great fair is held in their honour. The other ancestors are
worshipped by the shráddha rites. The anniversary of the founders
of the different sects is observed by their followers by a bhajan,
i.e., singing songs in their own style and exhibiting the different
insignia and flag of the sect as advised by their founders. [426]
The people of Chidhran in the Kolába District believe that the period
for which the soul has to remain in the spirit state depends upon the
sins of the person, or the wishes which remained unfulfilled during
his life time. It is not that all the spirits of the dead are reborn
in children. The rebirth depends upon the good or bad deeds of the
deceased. However, if the nature of any child suggests the nature of
any dead person in the family, it is assumed that the spirit of the
deceased has returned to the family. [427]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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