Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India.djvu/485

Rh with a silver and gold representation of a kanda to be worn on the neck. The object to be attained is that she who performs the rite may never have to shed tears.
 * Gummadi Gauri Dēvi. — The presentation at the end of the year to a matron of a pumpkin in the morning, and another in the afternoon, with a silver one at food time, and a gold one to be worn round the neck. This is for the prolongation of married life.


 * Gandala Gauri Dēvi. — The distribution of twenty-five different sorts of things, twenty-five to be distributed to matrons at the rate of five of each sort to each. The object of this is to avert evil accidents of all kinds,which may threaten the husband.


 * Chittibottu. — Making the kunkuma marks on the foreheads of five matrons in the morning, for the attainment of wealth.


 * Isalla Chukka. — Rubbing butter-milk, turmeric,kunkuma, and sandalwood paste on the threshold of the door. The object is the same as in the last.


 * Tavita Navomi. — To avoid touching bran for any purpose, for the prolongation of married life.


 * Nitya Srungaram. — Offering betel nut, and putting the kunkuma mark on the face of a matron, for the purpose of securing perpetual beauty.


 * Nallapusala Gauri Dēvi. — The presentation to a matron of a hundred black beads with one gold one, the object being again to avert widowhood.


 * Mocheti Padmam. — The worship of some deity, and the making of the forehead mark (bottlu) for four matrons in the first year, eight in the second, and so on,increasing the number by four each year for twenty-seven years, being the number of certain stars. This

presentation has to be made in silence. The object is the attainment of enduring wealth.