The Korkus consider themselves as Hindus, and are held to have a better
claim to a place in the social structure of Hinduism than most of the
other forest tribes, as they worship the sun and moon which are Hindu
deities and also Mahadeo. In truth, however, their religion, like that
of many low Hindu castes, is almost purely animistic. The sun and moon
are their principal deities, the name for these luminaries in their
language being Gomaj, which is also the term for god or a god. The head
of each family offers a white she-goat and a white fowl to the sun
every third year, and the Korkus stand with the face to the sun when
beginning to sow, and perform other ceremonies with the face turned to
the east. The moon has no special observances, but as she is a female
deity she is probably considered to participate in those paid to the
sun. These gods are, however, scarcely expected to interest themselves
in the happenings of a Korku's daily life, and the local godlings who
are believed to regulate these are therefore propitiated with greater
fervour. The three most important village deities are Dongar Deo,
the god of the hills, who resides on the nearest hill outside the
village and is worshipped at Dasahra with offerings of cocoanuts,
limes, dates, vermilion and a goat; Mutua Deo, who is represented by a
heap of stones within the village and receives a pig for a sacrifice,
besides special oblations when disease and sickness are prevalent;
and Mata, the goddess of smallpox, to whom cocoanuts and sweetmeats,
but no animal sacrifices, are offered.