Note 7 — Chapter VII · TREE AND SERPENT WORSHIP.

There is an Awdumbar tree of the god Dattátraya at Bhillawadi, and a big Banian tree near the math of the Lingáyat swámi named Kadappa near Kolhápur, which are worshipped by the people of the neighbouring villages. The Saundad tree, better known as Shami, is worshipped once a year on the Dasara, the 10th day of the bright half of Ashvin (October). It is said that Ráma, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, kept his arms on the Shami tree during his fourteen years’ exile, and took them back again when he marched upon Lanka or Ceylon to kill Ráwan, the demon king of Ceylon. While going to Lanka he bowed to the Shami tree, and as he was successful in his undertaking, the Maráthás used to start for a campaign on the Dasara day after worshipping the Shami tree, and distributing its leaves among their friends calling it Suwarn or gold. This is said to be the origin of the festival of Dasara. A species of the tamarind tree called Gorakh Chinch is said to be connected with the Hindu saint Gorakhnáth. For this reason this tree is worshipped by the people. A great fair is held every year at Battis Shirále in the Satára District, which is situated at a distance of about ten miles from Kolhápur.7