Chapter V · THE WORSHIP OF THE MALEVOLENT DEAD.
Reading edition
The following are the principal malignant spirits of the Konkan.
(1) Vetál, (2) Brahmagraha, (3) Sambandhas, (4) Devachár, (5) Munja, (6) Khavis, (7) Girha, (8) Chetak, (9) Zoting, (10) Vir, (11) Cheda, (12) Mhasoba, (13) Jákhin or Alwant, (14) Lávsant, and (15) Hadal.
The special precautions that a father has to take at the birth of a child are:—
To arrange for a suitable place or a room provided with the materials required for the occasion, and to ensure the correct moment for the birth of the child. No person other than a midwife is allowed to enter the room for the first ten days. A pot is kept filled with water and a twig of the nim tree in the entrance of the house, and all persons entering the house have to wash their feet with this water.
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 2 · School Master, Mithbáv, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 3 · School Master, Fonda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 4 · School Master, Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 5 · School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 6 · School Master, Basani, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 7 · School Master, Kálshe, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 8 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 9 · School Master, Poládpur, Kolába. ↑Note 10 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 11 · School Master, Birwadi, Kolába. ↑Note 12 · School Master, Málád, Thána. ↑Note 13 · School Master, Belápur, Thána. ↑Note 14 · School Master, Bhuwan, Murbád, Thána. ↑Note 15 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 16 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 17 · School Master, Adivare, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 18 · School Master, Kálshe, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 19 · School Master, Chaul, Kolába. ↑Note 20 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke. ↑Note 21 · School Master, Bankavali, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 22 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 23 · School Master, Mithbáv, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 24 · School Master Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 25 · School Master, Náringre, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 26 · School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 27 · School Master, Vijayadurg, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 28 · School Master, Basani, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 29 · School Master, Chawl, Kolába, ↑Note 30 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 31 · School Master, Poládpur, Kolába. ↑Note 32 · School Master, Akshi, Kolába. ↑Note 33 · School Master, Vávashi, Kolába. ↑Note 34 · School Master, Shirgaum, Thána. ↑Note 35 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 36 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 37 · School Master, Málád, Thána. ↑Note 38 · School Master, Dahigaon, Thána. ↑Note 39 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 40 · School Master, Achare, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 41 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 42 · School Master, Rái, Thána. ↑Note 43 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 44 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 45 · School Master, Anjarle, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 46 · School Master, Rái, Thána. ↑Note 47 · School Master, Bándivade, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 48 · School Master, Fonda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 49 · School Master, Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 50 · School Master, Mithbáv, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 51 · School Master, Chawl, Kolába. ↑Note 52 · School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 53 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 54 · School Master, Bándivade, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 55 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 56 · School Master, Chawl, Kolába. ↑Note 57 · School Master, Vavanje, Kolába. ↑Note 58 · School Master, Umbergaon, Thána. ↑Note 59 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 60 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 61 · School Master, Fonda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 62 · School Master, Adivan, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 63 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 64 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 65 · School Master, Anjarle, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 66 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 67 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 68 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 69 · School Master, Basani, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 70 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 71 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 72 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 73 · School Master, Anjarle, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 74 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 75 · School Master, Chowl, Kolába. ↑Note 76 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 77 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 78 · School Master, Anjarle, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 79 · School Master, Bankavli, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 80 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 81 · School Master, Basani, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 82 · School Master, Basani, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 83 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 84 · School Master, Anjarle, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 85 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 86 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 87 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 88 · School Master, Khopol, Kolába. ↑Note 89 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 90 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 91 · School Master, Basani, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 92 · School Master, Vijayadurg, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 93 · School Master, Poládpur, Kolába. ↑Note 94 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 95 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 96 · School Master, Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 97 · School Master, Medhe, Kolába. ↑Note 98 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 99 · School Master, Dahigaon, Thána. ↑Note 100 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 101 · School Master, Mithbáv, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 102 · School Master, Fonda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 103 · School Master, Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 104 · School Master, Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 105 · School Mister, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 106 · School Master, Murbád, Thána. ↑Note 107 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 108 · School Master, Achare, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 109 · School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. ↑Note 110 · School Mister, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 111 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 112 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 113 · School Master, Bankavli, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 114 · School Master, Achare, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 115 · School Master, Ibrámpur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 116 · School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 117 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 118 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 119 · School Master, Bankavli, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 120 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 121 · School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 122 · School Master, Medhe, Kolába. ↑Note 123 · School Master, Shirgaon, Thána. ↑Note 124 · School Master, Adivare, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 125 · School Master, Devgad, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 126 · School Master, Chauk, Kolába. ↑Note 127 · School Master, Umbergaon, Thána. ↑Note 128 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 129 · School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 130 · School Master, Adivare, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 131 · School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 132 · School Master, Vijayadurg, Ratnágiri. ↑Note 133 · School Master, Poládpur, Kolába. ↑Note 134 · Ráo Sáheb Shelke, Kolhápur. ↑Note 135 · (1) Vetál is believed to be the King of Spirits.65 Vetál is considered to be a deity and not an evil spirit. It enters into the body of an eNote 136 · (2) Brahmagraha is the ghost of a Bráhman well versed in the Vedas, but who is over proud of his education.67Note 137 · (3) Sambandha is the spirit of a person who dies without an heir, and whose funeral rites have not been performed by any member of his familNote 138 · (4) Devachár is the spirit of a Shudra who dies after his marriage.71 These (Devachár) spirits are said to reside on the four sides of a vilNote 139 · (5) Munja is the spirit of a Bráhman boy who dies immediately after his thread ceremony, but before the final ceremony called Sod-munj is coNote 140 · (6) Khavis is the spirit of a Musalmán or a non-Hindu.74 It is also the spirit of a Mahár or a Máng.75Note 141 · (7) Girha is the ghost of a person who dies by drowning, or of a murdered person.76 Girha is not very powerful, and obeys the orders of the Note 142 · (8) Chetak is the ghost of a person of the Kunbi or Shudra caste.79 This spirit is also known as Dáv.Note 143 · (9) Zoting is the ghost of a man belonging to the Khárvi or Koli caste.80 It is also said to be the ghost of a Musalmán.81Note 144 · (10) Vir is the ghost of an unmarried person belonging to the Kshatriya community.82 It is also said to be the ghost of a Rajput or a PurbhaNote 145 · (11) Cheda is the ghost of an unmarried Mahár. It resides on mountains, in jungles, and the outskirts of the village.83 Cheda attacks domestNote 146 · (12) Mhasoba is the lord of the ghosts, and is equal in might to Vetál.85Note 147 · (13) Jákhin or Alwant. Jákhin is the ghost of a woman who has a husband alive. Alwant is believed to be the spirit of a woman dying at childNote 148 · (14) Lávsat is the ghost of a widow. It generally resides in burial and burning grounds, and attacks domestic animals and their calves. It iNote 149 · (15) Hadal or Hedali is the ghost of a woman who dies within ten days of childbirth or during her menses. It is supposed to be an evil spiriNote 150 · This spirit is also known as Dákan in the Kolhápur district.89 Satavi is the ghost of a woman. It troubles women in childbirth, and kills thNote 151 · The spirits known as Kálkáiche Bhut and Bahirobáche Bhut are not troublesome. When they favour any person, he enjoys health and happiness foNote 152 · At Ibrámpur in the Ratnágiri District it is said that the evil spirit Zoting goes about headless.96Note 153 · The people of Medhe in the Rohe taluka believe that the spirit known as Girha, which resides in water, goes about headless.97Note 154 · At Shirgaon in the Máhim taluka it is believed that the spirit Hirwa goes about headless. It troubles human beings and animals. The sea and Note 155 · The people of Dahigaon in the Murbád taluka believe that the Bhut known as Peesa goes about headless.99Note 156 · Some evil spirits haunt trees such as the Pipal, Bábhul and Adulsa. Some have their haunts on a public road where three streets meet, or in Note 157 · Many spirits dwell in burial or cremation grounds. Among them are Vetál, Jákhin, Khavis, Kháprya, Zoting, Dáv, Girha, Alavat and Lávsat.101Note 158 · The spirits Munja and Sambandh are said to reside near houses and old trees that produce sweet smelling flowers. The spirits Devchár and CháNote 159 · It is believed that all kinds of spirits assemble at night at the funeral ground when a body is burnt or buried.103Note 160 · The evil spirits known as Khavis, Zoting and Kafri are said to dwell on mountains and in jungles; while the others named Sambandha, Jákhin, Note 161 · Munja resides in the Pipal tree. Sambandha dwells in the Banyan, Pipal and Umbar trees. It is supposed to be a guardian of buried treasure.1Note 162 · At Murbád in the Thána District, it is believed that an evil spirit known as Hadal infests the tamarind trees.106Note 163 · In the Kolhápur District it is believed that the ghosts of persons dying on battlefields infest mountains and jungles, and the evil spirit kNote 164 · Generally in the Konkan, and specially in the Ratnágiri District, young mothers and their children are supposed to be liable to the attacks Note 165 · At Khopoli in the Kolába District it is believed that a young mother and her child are generally attacked by the spirit of the dead wife of Note 166 · The people of Shirgaon believe that the fiend known as Hedli attacks a young mother and her child. The Bhutya, or the sorcerer, makes use ofNote 167 · The fiend known as Hadal, and other evil spirits of the female sex, generally attack a young mother and her child. They are generally attackNote 168 · At Ubhádánda in the Vengurla taluka it is believed that those who are killed by tigers or other wild beasts are born as kings in the next geNote 169 · At Achare it is believed that persons killed by lions and tigers attain salvation, while those killed by inferior beasts go to hell.114Note 170 · The people of Ibrámpur believe that unmarried persons killed by tigers or other wild beasts take the form of a ghost. Males become Girhas anNote 171 · At Pendur it is believed that persons killed by tigers and other wild beasts become Brahma Rákshasa. The same form is assumed by those who dNote 172 · In the District of Kolhápur a belief prevails that the spirits of those killed by tigers or other wild beasts assume the form of ghosts. It Note 173 · The ghost of a woman dying in childbirth or during her menses assumes the form of Alwant. For the purpose of preventing the dead woman turniNote 174 · At Bankavli it is believed that the ghost of a woman dying in childbirth or during her menses assumes the form of Jákhin, while the people oNote 175 · A knife or some other sharp weapon is kept under the bed of the woman in order that the mother and her child may not be attacked by a spiritNote 176 · The chief reason for ensuring the correct moment for the birth is that, if the birth takes place at an unlucky hour, special rites are necesNote 177 · At Medhe in the Rohe taluka, it is customary for the father to throw a stone in a well, a pond, or a river at the birth of his son, and thenNote 178 · An owl is considered to be a bird of such evil repute that, in all parts of the Konkan, it is considered necessary to perform expiatory riteNote 179 · If an owl sits on the roof of a house, it is a sure sign of coming death to a member of the family.124Note 180 · At Devgad in the Ratnágiri District the sound of a bat or an owl is considered inauspicious, and indicates the death of a sick person in theNote 181 · At Chauk an owl is said to have some connection with spirits. Its sound at night indicates the approaching death of a sick person in the houNote 182 · At Umbergaon people do not throw stones at an owl. For it is considered that the owl might sit and rub the stone, and that the person throwiNote 183 · The people of Kolhápur do not believe that there is any connection between the bat or owl and the spirits of the dead, but they believe thatNote 184 · It is generally believed that old unoccupied houses are haunted by evil spirits. Persons who wish to inhabit such houses first perform the VNote 185 · The evil spirits which haunt ruins and guard buried treasures and old forts are known as Mahápurush, Khavis, Brahma Rákshasa and Sambandh.13Note 186 · If there be any buried treasure in an old unoccupied house, the owner of the treasure remains there in the form of a ghost. If the treasure Note 187 · At Vijayadurg it is believed that a person who builds a house in the days of his prosperity and does not survive to enjoy it, becomes a SambNote 188 · Unoccupied houses are generally haunted by evil spirits. At certain forts in the Konkan where battles were fought, the souls of those slain Note 189 · In the Kolhápur District there is a village Nigve beyond the river Panch Ganga at a distance of three miles from Kolhápur, where the soul of