Note 82 — G

Religion. 12. Golapûrabs invariably belong to the Vaishnava sect, and employ as their priests Sanâdhya Brâhmans. In common with other and lower castes they worship the village godlings, Châmunda Devi, a form of Durga, Pathwâri Devi, who is the guardian of roads (patha) and the protectress of travellers. Hardeo Bundela, the cholera godling; Sîtala, the goddess of small-pox;82 and Bhûmiya, the guardian of the village site. Cows and bullocks are worshipped on the Govardhana day in the middle of Kârttik (October–November), and horses at the Dasahra in Kuâr (September–October). The animals are smeared with colours, and are given a special feed of grain. The only means of propitiating the ghosts of the dead is by the ordinary srâddha. They believe in dreams and visions in which the spirits of the departed appear to their relations, and there are certain places which are specially haunted by malignant ghosts, which very often appear in animal forms, such as those of the dog, cat, buffalo, etc. The appearance of such malignant ghosts is generally understood to imply that their obsequies have not been duly performed; and this can be remedied by a performance of the srâddha, or pilgrimage to Gaya, and by erecting a tomb or platform in the name of the deceased, or by planting one of the varieties of fig tree (pîpal, bar, gûlar) in his honour. The ghosts of persons who have died childless are much dreaded and are known as aût, or those who have none to pour water for their refreshment in the world of the dead. The only trace of special tree worship is the veneration felt by some of the gotras for the nîm tree. They believe in astrology and the influence of evil stars: these are propitiated by worship (pûja) and by giving food and presents to the low class of astrologer Brâhmans, known as Bhaddri, Bharâra, Parokhiya, or Dakaut. They believe in the usual meeting omens. When a first child dies, the next baby is given an opprobrious name as a protection against the Evil Eye and demoniacal influence generally. Such names are Tînkauri or Pachkauri (“bought for three or five cowries”); Kanchheda (“ear-pierced”), Nathua, Nakchhed, Chhidda (“nose-pierced”); Bhika or Bhikâri (“beggar”); Chhitariya, Ghasîta, Kadhera (“one put in a basket immediately after birth and dragged about the house”); Ghâsi (“cheap as grass”); Jhâu (“valueless as tamarisk”); Phûsa (“cheap as straw”); Mendu (“one taken immediately after birth and partly buried on the boundary of the field as if it were already dead”); Ghûri (“thrown on the dung-hill”); Nakta (“without a nose”), and so on. These practices are rarely employed in the case of girls, who are considered naturally protected.