[Ancestor worship.] 15. Ancestor worship is fairly well established, but not universal. It can form even the subject of a joke as in a proverb common among these people—châr kawar bhîtar, tab deota pitar—“First eat four mouthfuls, then think of the godlings and the sainted dead.” Sickness in a family is attributed to the anger of the ancestral ghosts: in such cases fowls and goats are sacrificed in the house, and a few drops of liquor are poured on the ground. On the tenth day after a death the more Hinduised Cheros give the family priest (purohit) a pair of loin-cloths (dhoti), a drinking vessel (lota), a tray (thâli), and grain always in the ratio of one and-a-quarter sers, maunds, measures (paseri). The ghosts of the dead if not propitiated appear in dreams and prescribe the necessary offerings. If the injunctions given by them in the first dream are not obeyed, the next time they sit on the chest and squeeze the throat of the offender. Ghosts (bhût) habitually haunt cremation grounds. Neglect of funeral ceremonies does not necessarily involve the spirit becoming a Bhût, but those who are killed by a Bhût invariably become Bhûts themselves. Tattooing in its present form is little more than ornamental; but it is clearly connected with puberty, [252] and is based in case of women on a religious motive. If a woman die without being tattooed, Paramesar will tattoo her himself with the thorns of acacia (babûl). Women pay special reverence to the fig tree (pîpal), and bow when they pass near it. They have the usual meeting omens. They do not follow Hindus in giving two names to children. They swear by touching a cow-tail or the feet of a Brâhman or by standing in water while they make a solemn assertion to speak the truth. Poverty, leprosy, or loss of children follows a broken oath. [Witchcraft.] 16. Many of these women have a reputation for witchcraft and the power of casting the Evil Eye. Such people are hated by the Baiga, who gets them out of the village if he can. It is believed that these witches specially select young men and children as their victims. The head-quarters of the Ojhas who deal with such cases are at two places called “the house of God” (Deoghariya), in Nagar Untâri, District Lohardaga; people attacked by witchcraft visit these Ojhas with trays of flowers. There are also local Ojhas usually of the Kharwâr, Majhwâr, or Bhuiyâr tribes, who prescribe in cases of witchcraft and instruct disciples. A favourite method of injuring an enemy is to measure his footsteps in the dust with a straw, and then to mutter a spell over it. This brings on wounds and sores in the foot. There is a special word for this, pângna. [253] Disease is popularly believed to be due to demoniacal agency, [254] and people are particularly cautious to destroy cuttings of their hair, nails, etc., lest they should come into the hands of witches, who would thus obtain control over their victims. [255]