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
(1) Vetál, (2) Brahmagraha, (3) Sambandhas, (4) Devachár, (5) Munja,
(6) Khavis, (7) Girha, (8) Chetak, (9) Zoting, (10) Vir, (11) Cheda,
(12) Mhasoba, (13) Jákhin or Alwant, (14) Lávsant, and (15) Hadal.
(1) Vetál is believed to be the King of Spirits. [548] Vetál is
considered to be a deity and not an evil spirit. It enters into
the body of an exorcist and helps him to drive away other evil
spirits. [549]
(2) Brahmagraha is the ghost of a Bráhman well versed in the Vedas,
but who is over proud of his education. [550]
(3) Sambandha is the spirit of a person who dies without an heir,
and whose funeral rites have not been performed by any member of his
family. It troubles the members of the family, but when invoked through
a Bhagat it becomes harmless, and even favourable to the family. [551]
It is the spirit of a covetous person or a sanyási who dies with his
desires unfulfilled. [552] It does not allow anybody to enjoy his
wealth, and takes revenge on an enemy till death ensues. It haunts
trees, wells and unoccupied houses. [553]
(4) Devachár is the spirit of a Shudra who dies after his
marriage. [554] These (Devachár) spirits are said to reside on the four
sides of a village. The spirits which reside in burial or cremation
grounds, on river banks, and in old trees are said to be subordinate
to these. Cocoanuts, plantains, sugar, cocks and goats must be given
annually to gain their favour. [555]
(5) Munja is the spirit of a Bráhman boy who dies immediately after
his thread ceremony, but before the final ceremony called Sod-munj
is complete. It does not greatly affect its victim but simply
frightens. When it attacks, it is difficult to drive out. It is cast
out only when the patient makes a pilgrimage to a holy shrine. [556]
It resides in a Pipal tree or in a well.
(6) Khavis is the spirit of a Musalmán or a non-Hindu. [557] It is
also the spirit of a Mahár or a Máng. [558]
(7) Girha is the ghost of a person who dies by drowning, or of a
murdered person. [559] Girha is not very powerful, and obeys the
orders of the exorcists. It only frightens and troubles people. [560]
It lives by the water side, and deceives persons at night by calling
them by their names and leading them into false paths. It often
troubles people while crossing rivers or creeks at night, and leads
them to places where the water is very deep. It is said that the spirit
Girha becomes the regular slave of a person who takes possession of
the hair of its head, and gives him anything that he requires. It
requests the person to return its hair, but this should not be given
under any circumstances. For, if the Girha gets back its hair all
sorts of misfortunes will befall the man. [561]
(8) Chetak is the ghost of a person of the Kunbi or Shudra caste. [562]
This spirit is also known as Dáv.
(9) Zoting is the ghost of a man belonging to the Khárvi or Koli
caste. [563] It is also said to be the ghost of a Musalmán. [564]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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