The period of mourning or impurity after a death must terminate
with a feast to the caste-men, and it continues until this is
given. Consequently the other caste-men subscribe for a poor member,
so that he may give the feast and resume his ordinary avocations. On
this occasion one of the guests puts a small fish in a leaf-cup full
of water, which no doubt represents the spirit of the deceased, and
all the mourners touch this cup and are freed from their impurity. A
Brahman is also invited, who lights a lamp fed with melted butter and
then asks for a cow or some other valuable present as a recompense for
his service of blowing out the lamp. Until this is done the Dhakars
think that the soul of the departed is tortured by the flame of the
lamp. If the Brahman is pleased, he pours some curds over the lamp
and this acts as a cooling balm to the soul. When a member of the
family dies the mourners shave the whole head with beard and moustache.