Omens and Superstitions of Southern India

This book deals mainly with some aspects of what may be termed the psychical life of the inhabitants of the Madras Presidency, and the Native States of Travancore and Cochin. In my "Ethnographic Notes in Southern India" (1906), I stated that the confused chapter devoted to omens, animal superstitions, evil eye, charms, sorcery, etc., was a mere outline sketch of a group of subjects, which, if worked up, would furnish material for a volume. This chapter has now been remodelled, and supplemented by notes collected since its publication, and information which lies buried in the seven bulky volumes of my encyclopaedic "Castes and Tribes of Southern India" (1909). The area dealt with (roughly, 182,000 square miles, with a population of 47,800,000) is so vast that I have had perforce to supplement the personal knowledge acquired in the course of wandering expeditions in various parts of Southern India, and in other ways, by recourse to the considerable mass of information, which is hidden away in official reports, gazetteers, journals of societies, books, etc.

To the many friends and correspondents, European and Indian, who have helped me in the accumulation of facts, and those whose writings I have made liberal use of, I would once more express collectively, and with all sincerity, my great sense of indebtedness. My thanks are due to Mr L. K. Anantha Krishna Iyer for supplying me with the illustrations of Malabar yantrams.

CONTENTS

Page I. Omens 13 II. Animal Superstitions 73 III. The Evil Eye 109 IV. Snake Worship 121 V. Vows, Votive and other Offerings 137 VI. Charms 180 VII. Human Sacrifice 199 VIII. Magic and Human Life 224 IX. Magic and Magicians 237 X. Divination and Fortune-Telling 273 XI. Some Agricultural Ceremonies 289 XII. Rain-Making Ceremonies 305 Index 312

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Malayan Exorcist with Fowl in Mouth (see p. 246) Frontispiece Page Sacred Vultures, Tirukazhukunram 86 Evil Eye Figures, Malabar 112 Evil Eye Figures Set Up in Fields 114 Impressions of Hand on Wall of House 119 Praying for Offspring before Lingam, Snake-Stones, and Figure of Ganesa 124 Pulluvan with Pot-Drum 129 Vettuvans Wearing Leafy Garments 152 Silver Votive Offerings 160 Clay and Metal Offerings, South Canara 162 Subramaniya Yantram 185 Hanuman Yantram 186 Meriah Sacrifice Post 202 Jumadi Bhutha, South Canara 237 Figure Washed Ashore at Calicut 249 Korava Woman Telling Fortune 283

OMENS AND SUPERSTITIONS OF SOUTHERN INDIA

I

OMENS

In seeking for omens, Natives consult the so-called science of omens or science of the five birds, and are guided by them. Selected omens are always included in native calendars or panchangams.

To the quivering and throbbing of various parts of the body as omens, repeated reference is made in the Hindu classics. Thus, in Kalidasa's Sakuntala, King Dushyanta says: "This hermitage is tranquil, and yet my arm throbs. Whence can there be any result from this in such a place? But yet the gates of destiny are everywhere." Again, Sakuntala says: "Alas! why does my right eye throb?" to which Gautami replies: "Child, the evil be averted. May the tutelary deities of your husband's family confer happy prospects!" In the Raghuvamsa, the statement occurs that "the son of Paulastya, being greatly incensed, drove an arrow deep into his right arm, which was throbbing, and which, therefore, prognosticated his union with Sita." A quivering sensation in the right arm is supposed to indicate marriage with a beautiful woman; in the right eye some good luck.