Page:Omens and superstitions of southern India.djvu/20

14 During a marriage among the Telugu Tottiyans, have settled in the Tamil country, a red ram blemish is sacrificed. It is first sprinkled with water and, if it shivers, this is considered a good omen. It recorded, in connection with the legends of the Badaga of the Nllgiris, that "in the heart of the Banagudi sho (grove), not far from the Dodduru group of cromlech is an odd little shrine to Karairaya, within which are tiny cromlech, some sacred water-worn stones, and sundi little pottery images representing a tiger, a mounted mai and some dogs. These keep in memory, it is said, Badaga who was slain in combat with a tiger ; an annually a festival is held, at which new images are place there, and vows are paid. A Kurumba (jungle trib makes fire by friction, and burns incense, throws sanctifie water over the numerous goats brought to be sacrifice( to see if they will shiver in the manner always he) necessary in sacrificed victims, and then slays, one aft( the other, those which have shown themselves dul qualified." In many villages, during the festival to the villag deity, water is poured over a sheep's back, and it accepted as a good sign if it shivers. " When the peop! are economical, they keep on pouring water till it dot shiver, to avoid the expense of providing a second victii for sacrifice. But, where they are more scrupulous, if does not shiver, it is taken as a sign that the goddes will not accept it, and it is taken away."t Before the thieving Koravas set out on a predator expedition, a goat is decorated, and taken to a shrint It is then placed before the idol, which is asked whethe the expedition will be successful. If the body of th t Biskop Whitehead, Madras Museum Bull., 1907, No. 3, v. 134.
 * " Gazetteer of the Nilgiris," 1908, i. 338.