Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/254

 might be noted that Buddha is called Muni in the lexicon Amarakdsa and that the forms of Siva known as Dakshinamurti, Bhikshatana, Vlrabhadra, etc., are often those of wandering mendicants.

Heroes (virulu) who have given up their lives under romantic circumstances, in the cause of their native village or province, are also honoured as village deities and festivals are celebrated to propitiate them. Madurai-Vlran mentioned above was one of this kind. In the Palnad taluk of the Guntur district, temples for heroes are quite a common feature.

Devil-dances in connexion with the annual festivals of village deities are common in Malabar and South Canara. The figures of the devils as represented by the Tuluva devil- dancers are described in detail with illustrative plates by Dr. Burnell in his article entitled "Devil Worship of the Tuluvas," in Indian Antiquary, Volumes XXIII and XXIV.