Chapter II · THE HEROIC GODLINGS.

In the Konkan the deities of the Hindus are divided into the following five classes, viz.:—

(1) The Grámadevatás or Village deities,

(2) The Sthánadevatás or Local deities,

(3) The Kuladevatás or Family deities,

(4) The Ishtadevatás or Chosen deities, and

(5) The Wástudevatás or Grihadevatás, that is, the class of deity which presides over the house and is established at the time of the housewarming or Wástu ceremony.

The principal Gráma-devatás are Hanumán or Máruti, Kálika, Amba, Wághoba, Chedoba, Mhasoba, Bahiroba or Bhairav, Ganesh, Vira, Mhálsa or Maha Lakshmi, Chámunda, Vetál, Khandoba Malhári Jogái, Bhawáni, and Wágeshwari and Shiva. In most villages the chief village god is Máruti or Hanumán, whose temple is situated at the entrance of the village. Máruti is considered to be an avatár or incarnation of Shiva, and is held in great reverence by all classes. A festival or jatra is held in honour of Hanumán on the bright half of the month of Chaitra. On this occasion the temple is decorated with ever-greens, and flowers, the stone image of the god is newly painted or covered with red lead and oil, and garlands of the Rui (Gigantic snake wort) flowers are placed round the neck of the image, cocoanuts, plantains, betelnuts and leaves are offered to the god, camphor is lighted and waved round the image, incense is burnt, cooked food and sweets are offered, and money presents are made. Every worshipper brings with him some oil, red-lead or Cendur, a cocoanut, a vidá-supári, i.e., two betel leaves, one betelnut and a copper coin, and a garland of Rui flowers. These are given to the temple ministrant, who offers a part of the oil and red lead to the deity, places the garland round the deity’s neck, and, breaking the cocoanut into pieces, gives a piece or two to the devotee as the prasád or favoured gift of the deity. Saturday is the sacred day of the monkey god Máruti. Every Saturday fresh oil and red lead are offered to the god by the devotees. The Pujáris in most of the temples of Máruti are Guravs, Ghádis, Maráthás or Gosávis.

The Local deities are generally found in special localities or sacred places called Kshetras or Punya sthánas. Thus the god Ráma at Násik, Vithoba at Pandharpur, Krishna at Dwárka, Mahálakshmi at Kolwan, Wájreshwari at Nirmal (Thána), Mharloba in the Ratnágiri, Shitala devi at Kelwa Máhim, and Khandoba or Khanderái at Jejuri.

Khanderái is said to be an incarnation of the god Shiva. Khanderái killed the demon Mani-Malla who was devastating the earth, and he is therefore called Mallári or Malhári. Kunbis and lower class Hindus in the Konkan as well as in the Deccan occasionally make a vow to the god Khandoba that if their desire is fulfilled they will offer their first born male or female child to the service of the god. The male child thus dedicated to Khandoba is called Wághya and the female is called Murali. The Wághya and Murali do not engage in any business, but maintain themselves by begging in the streets in the name of the god Khanderái. Though they are not actually married, the Wághyas and Muralis live as husband and wife, and their progeny are also called Wághyas and Muralis. They repeat the sacred cry jai khanderáyácha Elkot, and give to people bel-bhandár of Khanderái consisting of the sacred Bel leaves and turmeric powder. The god Khanderái is the family deity of some Deshasth Bráhmans, who perform a family rite called Tali bharane तळी भरणे on every purnima or full moon day. The rite is as follows:—