CHAPTER VII.

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]