Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India.djvu/488

BRAHMAN wick of the weight of one pagoda (a gold coin), and, instead of a quarter of a viss of ghee, clarified butter.


 * Dhanapalalu. — Giving four different sorts of grain for five years to a Brahman, to atone for the sin of the catamenial discharge.


 * Nadikēsudu. — The distribution of five seers each of nine different sorts of grain, which must be dressed and eaten in the house. This is done for the procuring of wealth.


 * Nityadhanyamu. — Daily giving a handful of grain to any Brahmin with the object of averting widowhood.


 * Phalala Gauri Dēvi. — This is performed by the presentation of sixteen fruits of sixteen different species to any married woman, with the view of securing healthy offspring.


 * Pamidipuvulu. — With the view to avert widowhood and secure influence with their husbands, young wives practise the daily worship of thirteen flowers for a time, and afterwards present to a Brahmin the representations of thirteen flowers in gold, together with a lingam and panavattam (the seat of the lingam).


 * Mwppadimudupmnamulu. — To avert widowhood,cakes are offered on the occasion of thirty-three fullmoons; on the first one cake is eaten, on the second two,and so on up to thirty-three.


 * Mudukartelu. — For the attainment of wealth, women light seven hundred cotton wicks steeped in oil at the three festivals of full moon, Sankuratri (the time when the sun enters the zodiacal sign of Capricorn),and Sivaratri.


 * Magha Gauri Dēvi. — The worship of the goddess Gauri in the month of Magham, with a view to avert widowhood.