TREE AND SERPENT WORSHIP.
Groves of mango trees are considered to be sacred as they have a
pleasing appearance, and afford grateful shelter against the heat of
the day. It is a general belief among Hindus that trees from which such
pleasure and protection are derived must naturally be the abode of the
gods. There are many such groves in Satára. During the spring season
people go to these groves and worship the trees. The Hindus have a
general prejudice against cutting living trees which yield fruits, and
it is considered specially inauspicious to cut the following trees:--
Umbar, Vad or Banian tree, Pipal, Saundad or Shami, Palus, Bel, Rui,
Avali and the Tulsi plant, for it is believed that these trees are the
abode of deities, e.g. the god Dattátraya resides under the Umbar tree,
the goddess Párvati on the Banian tree, and the god Vishnu resides
near the Tulsi plant. The god Brahma, the creator of the world, is
found in the Pipal tree. The plantain tree is also considered to be
sacred. While gathering a bunch of plantains, the tree is first cut
before the bunch. It is considered inauspicious to gather the bunch
without so doing. [712]
There are certain groves at Ubhádánda in the Vengurla taluka of the
Ratnágiri District which are supposed to be haunted by Devachárs,
and are therefore not cut by the people. [713]
The people of Ibrámpur in the Chiplun taluka consider it inauspicious
to cut the Vad and Pipal trees of which the thread ceremonies have
been performed. After the thread ceremony of these trees is over,
a stone platform is raised around them. [714]
At Fonda in the Devgad taluka, it is considered inauspicious to cut
the trees and the groves that surround the temple of a village deity,
for they are believed to belong to that deity. [715]
At Padghe in the Thána District, the trees which are supposed to
have been haunted by evil spirits such as Sambandh, Munja, Devachár,
etc. are not generally cut by the people through fear of these
spirits. When any tree is cut down, the custom is to keep a stone at
the root of the tree in order that the place may no longer be affected
or haunted by the spirit in the tree. [716] There are certain families
who do not burn Pipal, Khair, or Shiwani wood. They believe that the
burning of these trees causes harm to their families. It is said that
the burning of the Apta tree causes the breeding of the insect known
as Gochadi, i.e., the cattle or dog louse. [717]
There is an Awdumbar tree of the god Dattátraya at Bhillawadi, and
a big Banian tree near the math of the Lingáyat swámi named Kadappa
near Kolhápur, which are worshipped by the people of the neighbouring
villages. The Saundad tree, better known as Shami, is worshipped
once a year on the Dasara, the 10th day of the bright half of Ashvin
(October). It is said that Ráma, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu,
kept his arms on the Shami tree during his fourteen years' exile,
and took them back again when he marched upon Lanka or Ceylon to
kill Ráwan, the demon king of Ceylon. While going to Lanka he bowed
to the Shami tree, and as he was successful in his undertaking,
the Maráthás used to start for a campaign on the Dasara day after
worshipping the Shami tree, and distributing its leaves among their
friends calling it Suwarn or gold. This is said to be the origin of
the festival of Dasara. A species of the tamarind tree called Gorakh
Chinch is said to be connected with the Hindu saint Gorakhnáth. For
this reason this tree is worshipped by the people. A great fair is
held every year at Battis Shirále in the Satára District, which is
situated at a distance of about ten miles from Kolhápur. [718]
The Pipal, the Umbar, the Vad or Banian tree, and the Tulsi plant
are worshipped by Hindus in general. The Apta tree is worshipped by
Hindus on the Dasara day, and its leaves are distributed under the
name of sone, or gold, among their friends and relatives. [719]
At Medhe in the Roha taluka of the Kolába District, there is a tree
Vehala (Beleric myrobalan) which is believed to be connected with
the local deity Mhasoba. It is considered to be a sacred tree, and
nobody dares to cut it or to touch it with the feet. [720]
At Shirgáon in the Máhim taluka of the Thána District there is a
Ránjani tree on the bank of a tank called Khambále, which is said to be
connected with the deity Brahma; and therefore no branch of that tree
is cut by the people. It is considered harmful to cut the tree. [721]
At Gángápur in the Kolhápur District, there is a Vad tree connected
with the saint Kabir. It is called Kabirvad. There is also an Awdumbar
tree connected with the god Dattátraya, and known as Dattátraya
Awdumbar. [722]
The Umbar, Pipal, Vad, and the Tulsi plant are considered to be sacred,
and are respected by Hindus. The following are some of the legends
about their sacredness.
Umbar--When the god Vishnu in his fourth incarnation, called Narsinh,
i.e., half man and half lion, tore into pieces the body of the demon
named Hiranyakashipu with his claws, he felt a burning sensation
of the poison from the body of that demon, which was assuaged by
thrusting his hands into the trunk of the Umbar or Awdumbar tree. [723]
In order that they may get the auspicious sight of a deity early
in the morning, Hindus generally plant the Umbar and Tulsi trees
in front of their houses, and worship them daily. The juice of the
root of the Umbar has a cooling effect, and hence it is freely used
in cases of measles or itch. Its sap is also used as medicine for
swellings. It is very pleasant to sit under the shade of this tree,
and as it is believed that the god Dattátraya resides beneath this
tree, it is held very sacred by the Hindus. [724]
Pipal--The Pipal tree is considered very sacred because it is believed
that the god Brahma resides in the roots, the god Vishnu in the
trunk, and the god Shiva on the top of this tree. Persons who make a
particular vow or have any objects to be fulfilled worship the Pipal
tree, and walk round it several times every day. [725] The evil spirits
Sambandh, Devachár, Munja, and Vetál haunt the Pipal tree. These
spirits are considered to be the servants of the god Shiva. It is also
believed that persons who worship and walk round this tree daily are
not affected by those spirits. The Pipal tree is specially worshipped
at dawn on Saturday as it is considered that the gods Brahma, Vishnu,
and Mahesh or Shiva happen to be there at that time. [726]
Vad or the Banian tree--A prince named Satyawán died of snakebite under
the Vad tree. His wife named Sávitri, who was very chaste and dutiful,
requested Yama, the god of death, and succeeded in securing from him
the life of her husband Satyawán. As the prince Satyawán returned
from the jaws of death under the Vad tree, this tree was specially
worshipped by her, and it is therefore believed that Sávitri has
ever since then been responsible for the practice of worshipping the
Vad tree by women for the purpose of securing a long life to their
husbands. [727] It is also believed that the god Vishnu takes shelter
under the Vad at the time of the general destruction of the world. The
worship of this tree is similar to that of the other deities, and
women take turns around it at the close of the worship or puja. [728]
The Tulsi plant is worshipped daily by the Hindus in general, and
women in particular, by keeping the plant near their houses. The
god Vishnu is worshipped particularly by the leaf of this plant.[#2]
The Tulsi plant is considered by the people to represent the goddess
Luxmi, the wife of Vishnu. Hindu women will not take their meals before
worshipping the Tulsi plant daily in the morning. It is also said that
the god Vishnu, in his eighth incarnation called Krishna, had loved
Vrunda, the wife of a demon. After her death she was burnt, but on her
burning ground there grew the Tulsi plant. As Krishna loved Vrunda very
dearly, he began to love this plant also, and hence the image of Bál
Krishna, or the god Vishnu, is married to this plant every year on the
12th day of the bright half of Kártik (November). [729] As it is also
believed that the god Vishnu resides in the Tulsi plant, the worship
of this plant is equivalent to the worship of the god Vishnu. [730]
Besides the above mentioned trees, the Palus (Butea frondosa), the
Bel, a tree sacred to god Shiva, and the Shami (Prosopis spicigera),
a tree sacred to god Ganpati the son of Shiva, are considered to be
holy by the Hindus. [731]
A common custom among Hindus is for a person who has lost his two
wives and wishes to marry a third, to be first married to a Rui plant,
and then to the actual bride. His marriage with the Rui plant is
considered as a third marriage. After the marriage, the Rui plant is
cut down and buried, and thus the marriage with the third bride is
considered to be a fourth marriage. The marriage with the Rui plant
has been adopted in the belief that the third wife is sure to die
unless the spirit of the deceased is made to enter the Rui plant. [732]
When a girl is born under the influence of inauspicious planets which
may be harmful to her husband, she is first married to a tree or an
earthen pot, and then to the bridegroom. The marriage with the earthen
pot is called Kumbhaviváha, or the pot-wedding. It is believed that,
by observing this practice, the danger to her husband is avoided. The
danger passes to the tree to which she is first married. [733]
Among the lower classes in the Thána District [734] a poor man unable
to marry owing to his poverty is first married to a Rui plant and
then to a widow. This marriage with a widow is called pát lávane. This
remarriage of a widow among the lower classes is generally performed
at night, and under an old mango tree. It is never performed in the
house. A widow who has remarried cannot take part in any auspicious
ceremony such as a marriage, etc.[#8]
At Vankavli in the Ratnágiri District there is a custom among the
low class Hindus of a woman who has lost her second husband and
wishes to marry for the third time, first marrying a cock, i.e.,
she takes the cock in her arms at the time of her marriage with the
third husband. [735]
Persons who have no children make a vow to Khandoba at Jejuri that
the firstborn, male or female, shall be offered to him. The females,
offered in fulfilment of such vows are called Muralis. They are
married to the god Khandoba, and have to earn their livelihood by
begging in villages. A male child thus offered to the god is called
a Vághya. [736]
There is a custom of offering children to the deities Yallamma and
Khandoba in fulfilment of vows made in order to get a child. The child
is taken to the temple of these deities, accompanied with music. The
temple ministrant asks the child to stand on a wooden board on a heap
of rice in front of the deity, and puts into its hands a paradi--a
flat basket of bamboo, tying to its neck the darshana of the deity. A
female child is married to the dagger--Katyár--of the deity. When once
this ceremony has been performed, parents abandon their rights to such
children. When these children come of age, the males can marry but
the females cannot. The latter earns her livelihood begging jogava
in the name of the goddess Amba with a paradi in her hand. A male
child offered to the goddess Yallamma is called jogata, and a female,
jogatin. Children dedicated to the goddess Máyáka are called Jogi
and Jogin. Children offered to Firangái and Ambábái are called Bhutya
(male) and Bhutin (female). [737]
In the Konkan districts there is a class of women known as Bhávinis
who are said to be married to Khanjir, i.e., a dagger belonging
to the god. They are also called deva yoshita, i.e., prostitutes
offered to the god. They have no caste of their own. They retain the
name of the caste to which they originally belonged, such as Maráthe
Bhávini, Bhandári Bhávini, Sutár Bhávini, etc. The following account
is given of the origin of the sect of Bhávinis. A woman wishing to
abandon her husband goes to the temple of a village deity at night,
and in presence of the people assembled in that temple she takes oil
from the lamp burning in the temple, and pours it upon her head. This
process is called Deval righane, i.e., to enter into the service of the
temple. After she has poured sweet oil from the lamp upon her head,
she has no further connection with her husband. She becomes the maid
servant of the temple, and is free to behave as she likes. Daughters
of such Bhávinis who do not wish to marry, undergo the process of
shesa bharane, and follow the occupation of their mothers. The sons
of the Bhávinis have an equal right to the property of their mother,
but any daughter who marries a lawful husband loses her share in the
property of her mother. A Devali follows the occupation of blowing the
horn or cornet, and is entitled to hold the torches in the marriage
ceremonies of the people in the village. Many of them learn the art of
playing upon the tabour--mrudunga--and are useful to Kathekaris, i.e.,
those who recite legends of the gods with music and singing. Some of
them become farmers while others are unoccupied.
Bhávinis follow the occupation of a maid-servant in the temple, but
their real occupation is that of public women. They are not scorned
by the public. On the contrary, they are required to be present at
the time of a marriage to tie the marriage-string--Mangalsutra--of a
bride, for they are supposed to enjoy perpetual unwidowhood--'Janma
suwásini.' Some of the houses of Bhávinis become the favourite resorts
of gamblers and vagabonds. In the absence of a daughter, a Bhávini
purchases a girl from a harlot, and adopts her as her daughter to
carry on her profession. [738]
Snakes are believed to be the step-brothers of the gods. They reside
under the earth and are very powerful. The snake is considered to be
very beautiful among creeping animals, and is one of the ornaments of
the god Shiva. An image of a snake made of brass is kept in the temple
of the god Shiva, and worshipped daily along with the god. There is
a custom among the Hindus of worshipping Nága, i.e., the cobra, once
a year on the Nága panchami day, i.e., the fifth day of the bright
half of Shráwan (August). Images of snakes are drawn with sandalpaste
on a wooden board or on the walls of houses, and worshipped by Hindu
women on this day. Durva grass, sacred to Ganpati, parched rice láhya,
legumes kadadan, and milk are offered to this image. Some people go
to the snake's abode Várul--an ant-hill--on this day to worship the
snake itself, if they happen to catch sight of it. [739]
It is said that at Battisa Shirále in the Belgáum District the
real Nága comes out of its abode below the earth on this day, and
is worshipped by the people. Milk and láhya, parched rice, are put
outside the house at night on this day with the intention that they
may be consumed by a snake. Hindus do not dig or plough the earth on
Nága panchami day. Even vegetables are not cut and fried on this day
by some people. [740]
Earthen images of snakes are worshipped by some people in the Konkan
districts on the Nága panchami day. The Nága is considered to be a
Bráhman by caste, and it is believed that the family of the person who
kills a snake becomes extinct. The cobra being considered a Bráhman,
its dead body is adorned with the jánawe, and then burnt as that of a
human being. A copper coin is also thrown into its funeral pile. [741]
At certain villages in the Deccan a big earthen image of a snake
is consecrated in a public place on the Nága panchami day, and
worshipped by Hindus in general. Women sing their songs in circles
before this image while men perform tamáshás by its side. In fact,
the day is enjoyed by the people as a holiday. The snake is removed
next day, and an idol in the form of a man made of mud is seated in
its place. This idol is called Shirálshet, who is said once to have
been a king and to have ruled over this earth for one and one-fourths
of a ghataka, i.e., for half an hour only. This day, is observed as
a day of rejoicing by the people. [742]
The names of the snake deities are Takshaka, Vásuki and Shesha. Their
shrines are at Kolhápur, Nágothane, Prayaga, Nágadeváchi Wádi and
Subramhanya. A great fair is held every year at Battisa Shirále on
the Nága panchami day.[#4]
There is a shrine of a snake deity at Sávantwádi. The management of
the shrine is in the hands of the State officials. It is believed
that a real snake resides therein. [743]
There is a shrine of a snake deity at Awás in the Alibág taluka of
the Kolába District, where a great fair is held every year on the
14th day of the bright half of Kártik (November). It is said that
persons suffering from snakebites recover when taken in time to this
temple. [744]
It is said that a covetous person who acquires great wealth during his
life-time and dies without enjoying it, or without issue, becomes a
snake after death, and guards his buried treasures. At Kolhápur there
was a Sáwkár--money-lender--named Kodulkar who is said to have become
a snake, and to guard his treasures. In the village of Kailava in the
Panhála petha of the Kolhápur District there is a snake in the house
of a Kulkarni, who scares away those who try to enter the storehouse
of the Kulkarni. [745]
It is a general belief among the Hindus that snakes guard treasures. It
is said that there are certain places guarded by snakes in Goa
territory. Persons who were compelled to abandon Portuguese territory
owing to religious persecutions at the hands of the Portuguese buried
their treasures beneath the ground. Those who died during exile are
said to have become bhuts or ghosts, and it is believed that they
guard their buried treasures in the form of snakes. [746]
The Hindus generally believe that the snakes who guard buried treasures
do not allow any one to go near them. The snake frightens those who
try to approach, but when he wishes to hand over the treasure to
anybody he goes to that person at night, and tells him in a dream
that the treasure buried at such and such a place belongs to him, and
requests him to take it over. After the person has taken possession
of the treasure as requested, the snake disappears from the spot. [747]
It is said that a snake which guards treasure is generally very old,
white in complexion, and has long hair on its body. [748]
Hindus worship the image of a snake made of Darbha grass or of silk
thread on the Anant Chaturdashi day, i.e., the 14th day of the bright
half of Ashvin (October), and observe that day as a holiday. Legends
of the exploits of the god are related with music and singing on this
day. [749]
A snake festival is observed in the Nágeshwar temple at Awás in the
Kolába District on the night of the 14th day of the bright half of
Kártika (November). Nearly four hundred devotees of the god Shankar
assemble in the temple, holding in their hands vetra-sarpa long
cane sticks with snake images at their ends. They advance dancing
and repeating certain words, and take turns round the temple till
midnight. After getting the permission of the chief devotee, they
scatter throughout the neighbouring villages with small axes in
their hands, and cut down, and bring from the gardens, cocoanuts,
plantains, and other edible things that are seen on their way. They
return to the temple after two hours, the last man being the chief
devotee called Kuwarkándya. The fruits are then distributed among
the people assembled at the temple. Nobody interferes with them on
this day in taking away cocoanuts and other fruits from the village
gardens. On the next day they go dancing in the same manner to the
Kanakeshwar hill with the snake sticks in their hands. [750]
In the Deccan no special snake festivals like those described above
are celebrated. But in the temples devoted to snake deities, on
the full moon day of Kártik, which is sacred to the snake deity,
the deity is worshipped with special pomp, and the crests of the
temples are illuminated on that night. [751]
The village cures for snakebite are:--
1. The use of charmed water and the repetition of mantras by a
sorcerer.
2. The use of certain roots and herbs as medicines.
3. The removal of the sufferer to the neighbouring temple.
4. Branding the wound with fire.
5. The drinking of soapnut juice, or of water in which copper coins
have been boiled by the patient, who is thus made to vomit the snake
poison. [752]
In the Deccan a person suffering from snakebite is taken to a
village temple, and the ministrant is requested to give him holy
water. The deity is also invoked. Thus keeping the person for one
night in the temple, he is carried to his house the following day if
cured. The vows made to the deity for the recovery of the person are
then fulfilled. There is one turabat, a tomb of Avalia a Mahomedan
saint, at Panhála where persons suffering from snakebite are made
to sit near the tomb, and it is said that they are cured. In some
villages there are enchanted trees of Kadulimb where persons placed
under the shade of such trees are cured of snakebites. Some people
tie a stone round the neck of the sufferer as soon as he is better,
repeating the words Adi Gudi Imám the name of a Mahomedan saint. After
recovery from snakebite the person is taken to the mosque of the
Adi Gudi Imám Sáheb, where the stone is untied before the tomb,
and jágri equal to the weight of the stone is offered. A feast is
also given to the Mujáwar or ministrant of the mosque. There is at
present a famous enchanter--Mántrika--at Satára who cures persons
suffering from snakebite. It is said that he throws charmed water
on the body of the sufferer, and in a few minutes the snake begins
to speak through the victim. The sorcerer enquires what the snake
wants. The snake gives reasons for biting the person. When any thing
thus asked for by the snake is offered, the victim comes to his senses,
and is cured. There are many witnesses to the above fact. [753]
At Mithbáv in the Ratnágiri District chickens numbering from twenty
to twenty-five are applied to the wound caused by the snakebite. A
chicken has the power of drawing out the poison from the body through
the wound, but this causes the death of the chicken. The remedy above
described is sure to be successful if it is tried within three hours
of the person being bitten. There are several other medicines which
act on the snakebite, but they must be given very promptly. There
are some men in this village who give charmed water for snake or any
other bites. Many persons suffering from snakebite have been cured
by the use of mantras and charmed water. [754]
Water from the tanks of Vetávare in the Sávantwádi State and Mánjare
in Goa territory is generally used as medicine for snakebite. It
is believed that by the power of mantras a snake can be prevented
from entering or leaving a particular area. This process is called
'sarpa bándhane'. There are some sorcerers who can draw snakes out of
their holes by the use of their mantras, and carry them away without
touching them with their hands. [755]
At Adivare, in the Rájápur taluka, roots of certain herbs are mixed
in water and applied to the wound caused by the snakebite, and given
to the sufferer to drink. [756]
At Náringre in the Ratnágiri District, persons suffering from snakebite
are given the juice of Kadulimb leaves, and are kept in the temple
of Hanumán. The feet of the deity are washed with holy water, and
the water is given to the victim to drink. [757]
A snake is believed to have a white jewel or mani in its head, and
it loses its life when this jewel is removed. This jewel has the
power of drawing out the poison of snakebite. When it is applied to
the wound, it becomes green, but when kept in milk for sometime, it
loses its greenness and reverts to its usual white colour. It gives
out to the milk all the poison that has been absorbed from the wound,
and the milk becomes green. This jewel can be used several times as
an absorbent of the poison of snakebite. The green milk must be buried
under ground, so that it may not be used again by any one else. [758]
It is believed that an old snake having long hair on its body has
a jewel in its head. This jewel is compared with the colours of
a rainbow. The snake can take this jewel from its head at night,
and search for food in its lustre. Such snakes never come near the
habitation of human beings, but always reside in the depth of the
jungle. This species of snake is called Deva Sarpa, i.e., a snake
belonging to a deity. It is related that a snake was born of a woman
in the Kinkar's house at Tardál in the Sángli State, and another one
in the Gabale's house at Kolhápur. [759]