TOTEMISM AND FETISHISM.
The worship of totems, or Devaks, prevails among Hindus in Western
India. The term Devak is applied to the deity or deities worshipped
at the beginning of a thread or a marriage ceremony. The ceremony is
as follows: A small quantity of rice is put into a winnowing fan, and
with it six small sticks of the Umbar tree, each covered with mango
leaves and cotton thread. These are worshipped as deities. Near the
winnowing fan is kept an earthen or copper vessel filled with rice,
turmeric, red powder, betelnuts, sweet balls made of wheat flour, ghi
and sugar; and on the top of the vessel is a small sprig of mango and
a cocoanut covered with cotton thread. This vessel is also worshipped
as a deity, and offerings of sweet eatables are made to it. After
the worship of this vessel, the regular ceremony of Punyáhavachana
is performed. Twenty-seven Mátrikás, or village and local deities,
represented by betelnuts are consecrated in a new winnowing fan or a
bamboo basket. Seven Mátrikás are made of mango leaves, six of which
contain durva grass, and the seventh darbha grass. Each of them is
bound with a raw cotton thread separately. They are worshipped along
with a Kalasha or a copper lota as mentioned above. This copper lota
is filled with rice, betelnuts, turmeric, etc., a sprig of mango
leaves is placed on the lota, and a cocoanut is put over it. The lota
is also bound with a cotton thread. Sandalpaste, rice, flowers, and
durva grass are required for its worship. An oil lamp called Arati
is waved round the devak, the parents, and the boy or the girl whose
thread or marriage ceremony is to be performed. A Suwásini is called
and requested to wave this Arati, and the silver coin which is put
into the Arati by the parents is taken by her. The father takes the
winnowing fan and the mother takes the Kalasha, and they are carried
from the mandap to the devak consecrated in the house. A lighted lamp
is kept continually burning near this devak till the completion of
the ceremony. After completion of the thread or marriage ceremony
the devak is again worshipped, and the ceremony comes to an end. The
deity in the devak is requested to depart on the second or the fourth
day from the date of its consecration. No mourning is observed during
the period the devak remains installed in the house.
Among Maráthás and many of the lower classes in the Ratnágiri District
the branch of a Vad, Kadamba, mango, or an Apta tree is worshipped
as their devak or kul. [760]
Some Maráthás have a sword or a dagger as their devak, which is
worshipped by them before commencing the ritual of the marriage
ceremony. [761]
The family known as Ráne at Náringre in the Davagad taluka of the
Ratnágiri District, and the families known as Gadakari and Jádhava
at Málwan, consider the Vad or Banian tree as their devak, and do not
make use of its leaves. In the same manner, some people consider the
Kadamba tree sacred to their family. [762]
There are some people among the Hindus in Western India whose surnames
are derived from the names of animals and plants, such as Boke,
Lándage, Wágh, Dukre, Káwale, Garud, More, Mhase, Rede, Keer, Popat,
Ghode, Shelár, Gáyatonde, Wághmáre, Shálunke, Bhende, Padwal, Wálke,
Apte, Ambekar, Pimpalkhare, Kelkar and Kálke.
The Hindus believe that a cow, a horse, and an elephant are sacred
animals. The cow is treated with special respect by the Hindus in
general, and the bull by the Lingáyats and oilmen. The milk, the urine,
and the dung of a cow are used as medicines, and they are also given
as offerings to the god in sacrifices.
The Shelár family considers the sheep as their devak, and they do not
eat the flesh of a sheep. The Shálunke family respects the Shálunki
or sparrow. People belonging to the More family do not eat the flesh
of a peacock as they consider it to be their devak. [763]
The Bhandáris whose surname is Padwal do not eat the vegetable of a
snake-gourd or Padwal. [764]
Hindus do not eat the flesh of the animal respected by them, and those
who offer any fruit to their guru as a token of respect do not eat
that fruit in future. Some Hindus do not eat onions, garlic and the
fruit of a palm tree. The fruit of a tree believed to be the devak
of a family is not eaten by the members of that family.
The families of Ráva and Ráne do not take their food on the leaf of
a Vad or Banian tree as they consider it to be their devak. [765]
There are some Hindu families in the Kolába District who believe that
their kul or totem consists of the tortoise and the goat, and they do
not eat the flesh of such animals. A certain community of the Vaishyas
or traders known as Swár believe that a jack tree or Phanas is their
kul, and they do not use the leaves of that tree. [766]
It is believed among the Hindus that the deity Satwái protects children
for the first three months from their birth. The deity is worshipped
on the fifth day from the birth of a child, and if there occurs any
omission or error in the worship of that deity, the child begins to
cry, or does not keep good health. On such occasions the parents of
the child make certain vows to the deity, and if the child recovers,
the parents go to a jungle, and collect seven small stones. They then
besmear the stones with red lead and oil, and worship them along
with a she-goat in the manner in which the vow was promised to be
fulfilled. [767]
The horse is connected with the worship of the god Khandoba because
this animal is sacred to that deity, being his favourite vehicle. For
this reason all the devotees or Bhaktas of Khandoba take care to
worship the horse in order that its master, the god Khandoba, may be
pleased with them.
It is well known that the cow is considered as most sacred of all
the animals by the Hindus, and the reason assigned for this special
veneration is that all the deities dwell in the cow.
The Nandi, or a bullock made of stone, consecrated in front of the
temple of Shiva, the Vágh or a tiger at the temple of a goddess and
cows and dogs in the temple of Dattátraya are worshipped by the Hindus.
The mouse, being the vehicle of Ganpati the god of wisdom, is
worshipped by the people along with that god.
In the Konkan cattle are worshipped by the Hindus on the first day
of Kártika, and they are made to pass over fire.
The mountains having caves and temples of deities are generally
worshipped by the Hindus. The Abucha Pahád, the Girnár, the Panchmadhi,
the Brahmagiri, the Sahyádri, the Tungár, the Jivadancha dongar, the
Munja dongar at Junnar, the Tugábáicha dongar, the Ganesh Lene, and
the Shivabai are the principal holy mountains in the Bombay Presidency.
Mount Abu, known as the Abucha Pahád, is believed to be very sacred,
and many Hindus go on a pilgrimage to that mountain.
Hills are worshipped at Ganpati Pule and Chaul. At Pule there is
a temple of the god Ganpati, the son of Shiva, and at Chaul in the
Kolába District there is a temple of the god Dattátraya.
The place which produces sound when water is poured over it is
considered to be holy, and is worshipped by the people.
In the Deccan, hills are worshipped by the people on the Narak
chaturdashi day in Dipawáli, 14th day of the dark half of Ashvin
(October). The legend of this worship is that the god Shri Krishna
lifted the Govardhan mountain on this day, and protected the people
of this world. A hill made of cowdung is worshipped at every house
on the Narak chaturdashi day. [768]
Stones of certain kinds are first considered as one of the deities,
or as one of the chief heroes in the family, and then worshipped by
the people. Many such stones are found worshipped in the vicinity of
any temple.
A stone coming out of the earth with a phallus or lingam of Shiva is
worshipped by the Hindus. If such a lingam lies in a deep jungle, it
is worshipped by them at least once a year, and daily, if practicable,
in the month of Adhikamás, an intercalary month which comes every
third year. [769]
The red stones found in the Narmada river represent the god Ganpati,
and are worshipped by the people.
A big stone at Phutaka Tembha near Murud in the Ratnágiri District is
worshipped by the people, who believe it to be the monkey god Hanumán
or Máruti. All the stone images of gods that are called Swayambhu or
self-existent are nothing but rough stones of peculiar shapes. There
are such swayambhu--natural-images--at Kelshi and Kolthare in the
Ratnágiri District. [770]
There is a big stone at Palshet in the Ratnágiri District which is
worshipped as Kálikádevi. [771]
Stones are sometimes worshipped by the people in the belief that they
are haunted by evil spirits. We have for example a stone called Mora
Dhonda lying by the seashore at Málwan in the Ratnágiri District. It
is supposed to be haunted by Devachár. [772]
The stones which are once consecrated and worshipped as deities have
to be continually worshipped, even when perforated. The small, round,
white stone slab known as Vishnu pada, which is naturally perforated,
is considered to be holy, and is worshipped daily by the Hindus along
with the other images of gods. The holes in this slab do not extend
right through. [773]
It is considered inauspicious to worship the fractured images of gods,
but the perforated black stone called Sháligrám, taken from the Gandaki
river, is considered very holy, and worshipped by the people. For it
is believed to be perforated from its very beginning. Every Sháligrám
has a hole in it, even when it is in the river. [774]
Broken stones are not worshipped by the people. But the household
gods of the Bráhmans and other higher classes which are called the
Pancháyatan--a collection of five gods--generally consist of five
stones with holes in them. [775]
No instances of human sacrifices occur in India in these days, but
there are many practices and customs which appear to be the survivals
of human sacrifices. These survivals are visible in the offerings
of fowls, goats, buffaloes, and fruits like cocoanuts, brinjals,
the Kohále or pumpkin gourd and others.
Human sacrifices are not practised in these days, but among the
Karháda Bráhmans there is a practice of giving poison to animals in
order to satisfy their family deity. It is said that they used to
kill a Bráhman by giving him poisoned food.
It is believed that the people belonging to the caste of Karháda
Bráhmans used to offer human sacrifices to their deity, and therefore
nobody relies on a Karháda Bráhman in these days. There is a proverb
in Maráthi which means that a man can trust even a Kasái or a butcher
but not a Karháda.
As they cannot offer human sacrifices in these days, it is said
that during the Navarátra holidays, i.e., the first nine days of the
bright half of Ashvin (October), they offer poisoned food to crows,
dogs and other animals. [776]
At Kálshe in the Málwan taluka of the Ratnágiri District, the servants
of gods, i.e., the ministrants or the Bhopis of the temple prick
their breast with a knife on the Dasara day, and cry out loudly the
words 'Koya' 'Koya'. No blood comes from the breast as the wound is
slight. This appears to be a survival of human sacrifice. [777]
In the Bombay Presidency, and more especially in the Konkan districts,
fetish stones are generally worshipped for the purpose of averting
evil and curing diseases. In every village stones are found sacred
to spirit deities like Bahiroba, Chedoba, Khandoba, Mhasoba, Zoting,
Vetál, Jakhái, Kokái, Kalkái and others. The low class people such as
Mahárs, Mángs, etc., apply red lead and oil to stones, and call them
by one of the above names, and ignorant people are very much afraid
of such deities. They believe that such deities have control over all
the evil spirits or ghosts. It is said that the spirit Vetál starts
to take a round in a village on the night of the no-moon day of every
month, accompanied by all the ghosts. When any epidemic prevails in
a village, people offer to these fetish stones offerings of eatables,
cocoanuts, fowls and goats.
There is a stone deity named Bhávai at Kokisare in the Bávada State,
to whom vows are made by the people to cure diseases. As the deity
is in the burning ground, it is naturally believed that this is the
abode of spirits. [778]
At Achare, in the Málwan taluka of the Ratnágiri District, the round
stones known as Kshetrapál are supposed to possess the power of curing
diseases, and are also believed to be the abode of spirits. [779]
At Adivare, in the Ratnágiri District, there is a stone named
Mahár Purukha which is worshipped by the people when cattle disease
prevails, especially the disease of a large tick or the cattle or
dog louse. [780]
At Ubhádánda, in the Ratnágiri District, there are some stones which
are believed to be haunted by Vetál, Bhutnáth, Rawalnáth and such
other servants of the god Shiva, and it is supposed that they have
the power of curing epidemic diseases. People make vows to these
stones when any disease prevails in the locality. [781]
The Hindus generally consider as sacred all objects that are
the means of their livelihood, and, for this reason, the oilmen
worship their oil-mill, the Bráhmans hold in veneration the sacred
thread--Yadnopavit,--and religious books, the goldsmiths consider
their firepots as sacred, and do not touch them with their feet. In
case any one accidently happens to touch them with his foot, he
apologises and bows to them.
It is believed by the Hindus that the broom, the winnowing fan,
the páyali--a measure of four shers--the Samai or sweet-oil lamp,
a metal vessel, fire and Sahán or the levigating slab should not be
touched with foot.
The metals gold, silver, and copper, the King's coins, jewels and
pearls, corns, the Sháligrám stone, the Ganpati stone from the Narmada
river, conch-shell, sacred ashes, elephant tusks, the horns of a wild
ox (Gava), tiger skin, deer skin, milk, curds, ghi, cow's urine,
Bel, basil leaves or Tulsi, cocoanuts, betelnuts, and flowers are
considered as sacred by the Hindus, and no one will dare to touch
them with his foot.
Hindus worship annually on the Dasara day the arms and all the
instruments or implements by which they earn their livelihood. The corn
sieve, the winnowing basket, the broom, the rice-pounder, the plough,
the Awuta or wood bill, and other such implements are worshipped on
this day. The agriculturists respect their winnowing fans and corn
sieves, and do not touch them with their feet.
In the Kolhápur District all the instruments and implements are
worshipped by the people one day previous to the Dasara holiday. This
worship is called Khándepujan. They also worship all agricultural
instruments, and tie to them leaves of Pipal and mango trees. [782]
A new winnowing fan is considered to be holy by the Hindus. It is
filled with rice, fruits, cocoanuts and betelnuts, and a Khana--a
piece of bodicecloth--is spread over it. It is then worshipped and
given to a Bráhman lady in fulfilment of certain vows, or on the
occasion of the worship of a Bráhman Dampatya or married pair.
The broom is considered to be holy by the Hindus. Red powder--Kunku--is
applied to a new broom before it is taken into use. It should not be
touched with the feet.
At Rewadanda, in the Kolába District, some people worship a wood-bill
or Koyata on the 6th day from the birth of a child. The rice-pounder,
or Musal, is worshipped by them as a devak at the time of thread and
marriage ceremonies. [783]
Fire is considered to be holy among the high class Hindus. It is
considered as an angel that conveys the sacrificial offerings from
this earth to the gods in heaven. It is considered as one of the
Hindu deities, and worshipped daily by high class Hindus. A Bráhman
has to worship the fire every day in connection with the ceremony
Vaishwadeva--oblations of boiled rice and ghi given to the fire. It
is also worshipped by the Hindus on special religious occasions.
Fire is worshipped at the time of Yadnas or Sacrifices. Sacrifices
are of five kinds. They are:--
Devayadna, Bhutayadna or Brahmayadna, Rishiyadna or Atithiyadna,
Pitruyadna and Manushyayadna. The offerings of rice, ghi, firewood,
Til or sesamum, Java or barley, etc. are made in these yadnas. It is
also worshipped at the time of Shrávani or Upákarma--the ceremony of
renewing the sacred thread annually in the month of Shrávan. [784]
Among the lower classes fire is worshipped on the Mahálaya or Shráddha
day. They throw oblations of food into the fire on that day.
The fire produced by rubbing sticks of the Pipal or Shevari tree is
considered sacred, and it is essentially necessary that the sacred
fire required for the Agnihotra rites should be produced in the manner
described above.
Agnihotra is a perpetual sacred fire preserved in Agnikunda,--a hole in
the ground for receiving and preserving consecrated fire. A Bráhman,
who has to accept the Agnihotra, has to preserve in his house the
sacred fire day and night after his thread ceremony, and to worship
it three times a day after taking his bath. When an Agnihotri dies,
his body is burnt by the people who prepare fire by rubbing sticks
of Pipal wood together. [785]
There are some Bráhmans who keep the fire continuously burning in their
houses only for Cháturmás or four months of the year. The fire which is
preserved and worshipped for four months is called "Smárta Agni." [786]