Note 222 — Chapter I · NATURE POWERS.
Reading edition
The people of the Thána District believe that distinct deities preside over distinct seasons, e.g., Mars presides over the spring (Vasant), Venus over summer (Grishma), the moon over autumn (Varsha), Mercury over sharat, Saturn over winter (Hemant and Shishir).222 When the people are in need of rain they say to the god of rain “Let us have plenty of rain to-morrow and we will give thee, Oh! God of rain! rice mixed with curd.” The same offer is made to the god of rain even when they do not want it. In order that there should be no scarcity of rain, some people perform the rites of Laghu-rudra and Mahá-rudra.223 The following measure if adopted is said to cause rain. The villagers go from house to house with boughs of the Limb tree on their heads, and water is then poured upon them by the inmates.224 The fall of rain is supposed to cease if a person born in the month of Fálgun extinguishes burning coals in rainwater when his garments have been removed.225