Page:Hindu Feasts Fasts and Ceremonies.djvu/96

80 Seven Pagodas—to bathe in the sea on this occasion.

The small village of Mahabalipuram assumes an unusually busy appearance at the Mahodayam, a special New Moon day occurring on a Monday in the month of Pushya. This special New Moon day occurs once in 30 years and as such is considered extremely sacred by the Hindus. Pilgrimages are undertaken to Benares and Rameswaram for baths in the holy Ganges or in the Dhanushkoti. Orthodox Hindus who have not the time and convenience for such undertakings, go to some sacred place situated on the sea: and Mahabalipuram on the Madras Coast is a specially sacred place for occasions like this. From the Sunday previous country carts begin to pour in from all directions notwithstanding the difficulties of the marshes on all the sides of this little village. More than a thousand carts could be seen in this place, and boats from the Adyar would be emptying pilgrim-passengers here in several hundreds every hour. The petty traders of Madras make a good profit in selling fruits and other petty things. On the morning of