Before beginning work for the day the Salewar makes obeisance to his
loom and implements, nor may he touch them without having washed
his face and hands. A woman must not approach the loom during her
periodical impurity, and if anybody sneezes as work is about to
be begun, they wait a little time to let the ill luck pass off. In
Nagpur they believe that the posts to which the ends of the loom are
fastened have magical powers, and if any one touches them with his
leg he will get ulcers up to the knee. If a woman steps on the kuchi
or loom-brush she is put out of caste and a feast has to be given to
the community before she is readmitted. To cure inflammation in the
eyes they take a piece of plaited grass and wrap it round with cotton
soaked in oil. Then it is held before the sufferer's eyes and set
on fire and the drops of oil are allowed to fall into water, and as
they get cold and congeal the inflammation is believed to abate. Among
some classes of Koshtis the killing of a cat is a very serious offence,
almost equivalent to killing a cow. Even if a man touches a dead cat he
has to give two feasts and be fully purified. The sanctity of the cat
among Hindus is sometimes explained on the ground that it kills rats,
which attract snakes into the house. But the real reason is probably
that primitive people regard all domestic animals as sacred. The
Koshti also reveres the dog and jackal.