Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/172

154 the lower castes of the people were being "swung." While this was in progress Siva appeared to the Brahman, with whom he was very angry for having started the ceremony without permission, whereon the Brahman asked forgiveness and pleaded ignorance, saying he did not know when the god wanted the puja to start. Siva extended his forgiveness, and told the Brahman to look at his (Siva's) head, out of which he would notice a white flower growing. The fall of this flower to the ground was to indicate that the time for the performance of the puja had arrived. Three days after this the Brahman's wife gave birth to a child. It is thought that Durga safeguards the ceremony from beginning to end, and does not allow any harm to befall those who are "swung."

It is said that only the lower caste people are "swung," the higher ones, who are already in the god's favour, being exempt. The men who are "swung" are known as Bhugtas, i.e. men who have no children, but who will beget them after carrying out Siva's instructions. These men, even after children have been granted them, have to "swing" every year in order to remain in Siva's favour, lest in his displeasure he should take their children from them. During the period of tabu already mentioned the Bhugtas are supposed to watch the spirit of Siva, the vehicle of which is a more or less oval log of wood about three feet six inches in length and one foot six inches across, which is, of course, painted red.

I am informed that the people of the neighbourhood, among whom Santals, Bauris, Bhumij, Bhuiya, Kurmis, and Hindus are to be found, worship the four goddesses Bhadu, Manasa, Kali, and Durga, and the god Siva. Of these Bhadu is especially regarded as the goddess of children, Manasa as the goddess of snakes and scorpions, (by means of which she is supposed to kill those who are disrespectful to her), and Kali is the goddess of such epidemics as cholera, plague, etc., whereas Siva and Durga are said to be