CHAPTER XVI

FUNERAL CEREMONIES—continued

THE MARVAINOLKEDR

The second funeral may be held little more than a month after the etvainolkedr, or there may be an interval of a year or more, and in the case of a child both funeral ceremonies may be performed on one day. In the old days the marvainolkedr was a great occasion. The proceedings lasted for two whole days, and were prolonged till daybreak of the third. Many buffaloes were slaughtered; they were caught on the first day, when they were shut up in the circular pen and bells put on their necks. On the second day they were taken from the pen to the slaughtering place, and various ceremonies took place in connexion with and after their deaths. This kind of funeral was called tuütthkedr, meaning “the putting in buffalo-pen funeral.” In the old days this putting into the pen was sometimes omitted, especially in the case of poor or unimportant people, and the catching and killing of the buffaloes were both carried out on one day, and this kind of funeral was known as marppitkedr. At the present time the Todas only have the marppitkedr, owing to the restrictions on the number of buffaloes killed. The Todas seem now to believe that the Government have actually prohibited them from putting the buffaloes into the pen at the funerals, but I could not find that this was the case.

It is now the custom, and seems long to have been so, to hold the marvainolkedr of several people at the same time. The Government allows two buffaloes to be killed for each person, and if two or more funerals are held simultaneously it gives an appearance of the olden times. So far as I could ascertain, however, the funerals of two or more people only take place together when they belong to the same clan.

In some cases, however, the funeral places of two or more clans are very near one another. In such a case there might be a certain amount of combination of the different ceremonies, but some of the rites would be carried out at different spots for each clan. Something of this kind appears to have happened at the funeral ceremonies recorded by Mr. Thurston (Bull. i., p. 176). Similarly the marvainolkedr of a man or woman of the same clan may be held simultaneously owing to the fact that the funeral places for the two sexes are usually close to one another. The buffaloes would, however, be killed at different places, and the remains would not be burnt and buried at the same azaram.

Owing to the custom of having the marvainolkedr of several people simultaneously, it has often been supposed that the Todas have a kind of anniversary ceremony for all those who have died during the year, but there is no doubt that this is wrong. There was a large marvainolkedr soon after I left the hills (in January, 1903), but it was a ceremony for two women only, Narskuti (63 and 56), and Tersveli (63 and 52), both belonging to the Kuudrol, and it was held at Kurkalmut, the proper funeral place for the women of Kuudr. It is quite possible that owing to the restrictions on the slaughter of buffaloes it may become more and more the custom to hold several marvainolkedr simultaneously, and that this custom may develop into an anniversary ceremony. This could only come about, however, by throwing over the custom that the funerals of each clan should be held at a definitely appointed place, and there is no doubt that this has not yet happened.

At the second funeral ceremony the relics are placed in a special hut, and at a man’s funeral the hut has the same name as at the etvainolkedr, and apparently it may sometimes happen that the same hut is used at both ceremonies. The second funeral is not always held, however, at the same place as the first, and the interval between the two ceremonies may be so great that it may have become necessary to rebuild the hut. At the only marvainolkedr at which I was present a new hut had been built for the occasion.

The hut at the second funeral of a woman differs in name from that of the first funeral, being called kursars instead of nersars. After the second funeral the kursars is burnt down, but my notes do not make it clear whether the nersars is always burnt down after the first funeral, or whether it may not sometimes be kept for the second ceremony. The difference of name, however, makes this improbable.

If the marvainolkedr of two or more people are held simultaneously, a hut is built for the remains of each; thus, at the ceremony in January, 1903, there were two huts, one for Narskuti and the other for Tersveli.

The relics, now called the narskedr, are brought to the funeral place on a bier made of bamboo, and called kailpedrkudr instead of mänpedrkudr (wood bier) as at the first funeral. The narskedr is wrapped in an embroidered mantle (pukuruputkuli) and placed in the hut, and then all the women of the dead person’s division who are present cry together, forehead to forehead, in the usual manner. The chief things to be burnt with the remains are also placed within the hut.

At a funeral witnessed by Mr. Thurston the relics were taken from a hole cut at the base of a tree, and the hair was unwrapped from off the skull, burnt in an iron ladle, and anointed with clarified butter before being placed in its cloth. This was probably a ceremony which should have been performed on the following morning at the azaramkedr (see p. 379).

As on the former occasion, a man’s funeral begins with the ceremony of earth-throwing, which is carried out in the same way as at the elvainolkedr. The narskedr is laid at the entrance of the buffalo pen, and earth is thrown into the pen and on the remains in the manner already described. There is nothing corresponding to the tiveri tur ceremony of the woman’s first funeral.

At the present time the driving, catching, and killing of the buffaloes are carried out in very much the same way as at the etvainolkedr. At the funerals of Teivaliol the buffaloes are caught by Tartharol and killed by Teivaliol of a clan different to that of the deceased. At the funerals of the Tartharol the buffaloes are caught by Teivaliol, and killed by the wursol or by a Tarthar man of a different clan, according as they are of the sacred or ordinary kind.

As the buffalo dies, the narskedr is brought up and laid by the head of the animal, and the lamenting and saluting take place around the buffalo and the remains, exactly as at the first funeral.

Sometimes a ceremony occurs immediately before the buffalo is caught. A man takes a ring of the creeper called kakhudri and throws it at one of the driven buffaloes. It should fall on the horns or neck of one of the buffaloes, but it does not matter whether on a buffalo which is to be killed or on another.

This throwing of the creeper, which is called kakhudri erspimi, or kudri erspimi, [153] “we throw the creeper,” is done by the wursol at a Tarthar funeral, while at the funeral of the Teivaliol it is done by a palikartmokh of the same clan as the deceased. This ceremony used not to be performed at those funerals which lasted two days, when the buffaloes were shut into a pen on one day and killed on the next, but it should always be performed when the funeral ceremonies are limited to one day. It seems possible that the circular ring of creeper may be intended to represent the act of putting the animals in the circular pen, but the Todas could give me no information on this point. It seemed clear that it is only done at those funerals in which the buffaloes are not put into the pen.

THE KOÒTITI CEREMONY

Among the Tartharol, with the exception of the people of Melgars, a ceremony is performed at the funeral of a male which is called koòtiti. In this ceremony blood is used which in the present day is drawn from one of the slaughtered buffaloes, but formerly a special buffalo was killed for this purpose.

According to the old custom the buffaloes were killed about four o’clock in the afternoon. About an hour later another buffalo of the ordinary kind was brought to the funeral place and killed by striking it on the head with a stone, and not with the back of an axe, as in the case of the other buffaloes. It might be killed by any Tarthar man, and then the wursol made a cut in the right side of the animal at the part called kegampkwûdr (over the ribs near the forelegs). The blood which ran from the wound was received into a cup made of tudr leaves, and powdered tudr bark was mixed with the blood in the cup. It is to this part of the ceremony that the name koòtiti (“blood he takes”) is properly applied. At the present time the blood is drawn from one of the buffaloes killed in the ordinary course of the ceremony. However the blood may be obtained, the next step is to bring a female buffalo calf less than one year old. The mantle with which the remains have been covered is taken off, and is worn by a Teivali man who has adorned himself with many ornaments, including those ordinarily worn by women, such as the chain (tagars), necklace (keiveli), earrings (kevthveli), and bracelet (pulthi). He also holds a long pole called tadri. The remains, which are now covered with a loincloth (tadrp) only, are carried by two women to the place where the calf is standing.

The wursol and Teivali man then walk to the calf, the former throwing before and behind him as he walks the mixed blood and tudr bark from the cup. When the wursol comes to the calf he throws down the leaf cup, and the Teivali man then hangs on the neck of the calf a bell of the kind called tukulir mani, and, taking a bow and arrow in his hand, he says three times to the Tartharol, “purs adikina?”—“Shall I touch with the bow?” Each time the Tartharol reply, “Purs ad!” The Teivali man then touches the remains with the bow and arrow. He puts down the tadri on the ground, and the calf is driven away from the spot on which it had been standing. As soon as it begins to move all present, Tartharol and Teivaliol, cry out, “ua! ua!” and fall down and touch the earth with their foreheads. The bell is then removed from the calf, which is not killed, but is allowed to go free. The bell (tukulir mani) is kept by the Kotas or Badagas till it is required by the Todas for another funeral.

The assumption of the cloak covering the remains by the Teivali man is called ârtûrverutiti, and the throwing of the mixed blood and bark by the wursol is called kedrkarchiti—i.e., funeral (or remains) purifying. Either at this stage or later the blood and tudr bark are rubbed on the piece of skull and hair which form the narskedr.

One of the most important features of this koòtiti ceremony is that the sacred tudr bark is used. The ceremony is not performed at the funerals of the Teivaliol or of the Melgarsol, because they may use tudr in the ordination ceremonies for the offices of palol, wursol, or kaltmokh.

The object of the ceremony appears to be that members of those clans who have no chance of being purified with tudr during life shall be purified with this substance before they go finally to Amnòdr. A Teivali or Melgars man, however, has only used tudr if he has been ordained to one of the three offices above mentioned. If the dead man has not been through an ordination ceremony, however, the purification does not take place at his second funeral, but a Tarthar man puts a piece of tudr bark into his right hand at the first funeral (see p. 367).

In the account which Breeks gives of this ceremony he states that certain formulæ are said, including “Karma odi pona,” “May the sin run away.” I could not confirm this, and I do not believe that karma is a Toda word. It is probable that the use of these or other formulæ is an innovation.

The Badagas of the Nilgiris let loose a calf at a funeral to bear the sins of the deceased. [154] It is possible that the calf in this Toda ceremony may have the same significance. If so, the practice has not improbably been borrowed, and the fact that the bell which is hung on the neck of the calf is kept by Kotas or Badagas suggests that the whole incident may have been borrowed by the Todas from one or other of these races.

After the buffalo is killed dancing takes place at the funeral of a male. The men only dance and they may begin soon after the killing of the buffalo, while other ceremonies are still in progress. In the dancing the same tall pole (tadri or tadrsi) is used as is carried by the Teivali man who wears the cloak of the narskedr. It is a tall pole which, it was said, might sometimes be as much as 39 feet in length. I only saw a tadri at one funeral, when it was much smaller. It is decorated with rings of cowries, which are called nîrpul, the ornaments in general being called tadri asteram (see Fig. 67).

The pole is procured from Malabar through the Kurumbas. It is used at the funeral of males only of both the Teivaliol and Tartharol, and is burnt at the end of the azaramkedr.

In the only dance which I had the opportunity of seeing, the men danced within the circular wall surrounding the funeral hut. In this case the floor of the enclosure was below the general level of the ground. The men formed a circle and danced round in slow step; one man said the name of the slaughtered buffalo—in this case, Purkirsi—and another repeated this name; then the first man said “hau! hau!” which was repeated by the second man.

After a time one of the men took the tadri and they danced round in a similar way, taking the pole with them as they danced (i.e., they did not dance round the pole).

After the dancing is over, food is distributed to all the people present and most return to their homes, while the remainder wait at the funeral place till the following morning, when are held the final ceremonies, which are known as the azaramkedr.

THE AZARAMKEDR

This is the name applied to the ceremonies connected with the final burning of the remains and burial of the ashes. After food has been distributed at the marvainolkedr, many of those attending the funeral return home. The remainder stay at the spot during the evening, those nearly related to the deceased lamenting in the usual fashion almost continuously. At a funeral attended by Samuel, the people took the setting of Kadsht and the appearance of Keirt [155] as the indications that the final ceremonies were to begin, and this was about two o’clock on the following morning.

At every funeral place used for the marvainolkedr, there is a circle of stones, smaller than that in which the hut is built, with an opening which in some cases faces the east. This circle of stones is the azaram, and before the ceremonies begin, a man digs a hole by the opening in its side. The various objects to be burnt with the remains are now brought from the hut in which they had been placed on the previous day, and are laid outside the azaram and the narskedr is laid by their side. As the remains are removed from the hut, the wailing becomes louder and the people cry bitterly. Outside the stone circle a fire is made of the wood called kidmän, [156] upon which clarified butter is poured. This fire, which is known as the puntüt, is lighted by a man of the same clan as the deceased. At the funeral of a male, there is burnt on this fire the dairy vessel called ertatpun which had belonged to the dead man, and the imitation buffalo horns called petkuter, about ten in number for a man and five for a boy. At the funeral of a woman, I think that a majpatitthpun is burnt, viz., a vessel used for fetching buttermilk from the dairy, but I am not certain of this.

There now follows the ceremony called narsatipimi, i.e. “the nars we rub,” in which the leading part is taken by a person of the same sex as the deceased. I only have a full record of this ceremony at a woman’s funeral, and in this case a woman took the relics out of their covering, and threw away the pieces of bark in which they had been enclosed. She rubbed butter on the pieces of skull and the hair, put the hair between two pieces of skull, tied them together with thread, and replaced them in the ornamented cloak (pukuruputkuli). She then bowed down and touched the remains with her forehead, and then this salutation was performed by all those present.

At a funeral seen by Mr. Thurston, [157] this ceremony was performed on the previous day at the marvainolkedr, and in this case the hair was burnt in an iron ladle before the clarified butter was applied.

This ceremony of narsatipimi is performed by the daughter-in-law of a woman, or by the mother-in-law of a girl or woman who has no daughter-in-law. At the funeral of Narskuti (56 and 63) it was performed by Piliurs, the wife of Tüliners (56), the son of the dead woman. At the funeral of Tersveli (52 and 63), a much younger woman, who had no daughter-in-law, the relics were anointed by Muteimi (52 and 69), the mother of Teitnir, Tersveli’s husband. I have no record of the person who performs this ceremony at the funeral of a man.

The next step in the proceedings is to light a fire within the circle of stones, this fire being called the azaramtüt. Firewood is put within the azaram and the narskedr in its covering is placed on the wood. If the azaramkedr is being held for two or more people simultaneously, the remains of all are put on the wood together. [158] In the pockets of the mantles forming the coverings are placed grain, jaggery, and coins. The azaramtüt is then lighted by taking three firebrands in succession from the puntüt. The firebrands are placed on the firewood and on the remains by the daughter-in-law or mother-in-law of a female as in the last ceremony. [159] Then all the people take up the burning wood from the puntüt and place it within the azaram over the remains. The various objects previously brought from the funeral hut are now placed on the fire and burnt, and the special food known as ashkkarthpimi may be thrown into the fire. Then all the people cry together, forehead to forehead.

The following are the objects burnt with the remains on the azaramtüt, at the funeral of a male:—

(a) In the pocket of the cloak, jaggery, the husked grain called patcherski, husked barley (kodjerski), and rupees in two bags, one called tinkani, made by the Todas themselves, and the other called katshiram, procured from Hindus.

(b) Sticks of the following kinds of wood: pars, karneizi tavat, kali, toarsmitch, kar.

(c) A nanmakud, a club or stick cut from the pars tree (Fig. 67).

(d) A tadri, or long pole used in the dance and in the koòtiti ceremony of the previous day.

(e) Several wak, bamboo vessels filled with grain, butter, ghi, honey, &c., usually ten in number for adults and five for children.

(f) A tek, a basket made by the Kotas in which barley or poppy heads are put.

(g) A bow (purs) and three arrows (ab) (Fig. 67).

(h) A kafkati, or knife, called on ordinary occasions kudrval.

(i) A masth, the axe used to kill the buffaloes on the previous day, called on this occasion îrkîpmasth.

(j) A miturkwadr, the palm-leaf umbrella, so called because procured from Mitur in the Wainad.

(k) A kudshmurn, a special kind of sieve made by the Kotas and not used in ordinary life.

At the funeral of a woman boxes called pettei or miturpettei are burnt instead of the wak. These are small boxes made of rattan, covered with cloth and adorned with cowries. There are also burnt the three objects especially connected with women, the pounder (wask), sieve (murn), and broom (kip), but the pounder is only burnt after the following ceremony has taken place.

As soon as the things have been placed on the fire, there follows the ceremony [160] called îrsankâti. At the funeral of a male, the matchuni, or cousin, of the dead man puts on the woman’s ornaments known as tagars, keiveli, and pulthi, and stands at the opening in the circle of stones with his right arm outside his cloak (kevenarut). He is joined there by the man who has lighted the fire, and they cry together, both standing at the entrance of the azaram, where they remain till the fire is extinguished. Owing to the fact that the fire is lighted by a man of the same clan as the deceased, the two men who cry together will also be matchuni—thus, at the funeral of Karspisti (12), the fire was lighted by his half-brother Karzo. Pakhwar (16), who performed the irsankati ceremony, was the matchuni of both Karzo and Karspisti, being the son of the brother of Tedjveli, the mother of Karzo and stepmother of Karspisti.

At the funeral of a female, the woman who stands at the entrance should also be a matchuni of the deceased. She is decorated with ornaments, in this case proper to her own sex, and she stands at the entrance of the azaram holding the pounder. She is joined by a woman closely related to the deceased and the two women cry together. After crying together for a while, they go round the circle and then put the pounder on the fire, after which they take off their ornaments.

At the funeral of Narskuti (56 and 63), Mutkadrk (56 and 72) stood in front of the circle holding the pounder, and was joined by Munat, the daughter of the dead woman.

At the funeral of Tersveli (52 and 63), Edjog (56) stood at the entrance; she was the matchuni of the dead woman, being the daughter of Tüliners, the brother of Tersveli’s mother. She was joined by Teimidz (52), the sister of the dead woman’s husbands.

The fire is now extinguished by pouring on water (kêdr tüt ârs kudrchi). Some of the food put into the pocket of the putkuli and in the various vessels may now be taken out [161] and given to the Kotas, who up to this time have been playing the special funeral tunes called sagerthkwelv.

The ashes are now swept into the hole which had been dug at the opening in the stone circle. They are covered with earth dug from elsewhere and the spot is covered with a stone.

At the funeral of a male, a man of the same clan as the deceased then brings a bell (kwungg) and goes round the burial-place three times ringing the bell, while another man goes with him holding him by the waist. The man who rings the bell then takes a new pot, ordinarily used for carrying water, and, raising it over his head, brings it down and breaks it on the stone covering the ashes. He bows down and touches the stone with his forehead, gets up, and goes away to the funeral hut without looking back toward the azaram. All the others present bow down to the stone in the same way and go away from the spot without looking back. The ceremony of bell-ringing and stone-saluting is called kwungg tûki kârs nersatiti, “bell lift, stone he salutes.”

At the funeral of a woman, the bell is rung and the pot broken by her husband or by one of his brothers if he be dead. If it is the husband, he will have been wearing the cloak over his head [162] up to this time, and he takes it off just before he bows down to salute the stone. At the funeral of her husband, a widow will similarly remove the cloak from her head before she salutes the stone.

After saluting at the azaram, all go to the funeral hut, where they take food, having fasted during the night. Each person cuts a lock of hair from the head as a sign of mourning and then all return home.

At the funeral of a woman, the funeral hut is burnt before the people leave, this being called ars pon atipimi, “house up we send.” It is the duty of the woman who first lighted the azaramtüt to set fire to the hut.

The foregoing account of the second funeral ceremonies is that of the proceedings at the present time. When the marvainolkedr was prolonged over two days, the proceedings of the first day opened with the capture of the buffaloes, which were put in the pen, and then followed a scene in which the Todas entered the pen, flourishing heavy clubs. The animals were belaboured and driven round and round the pen, and at intervals several men would catch and hold down a buffalo. According to some accounts the bells were hung round the necks of the buffaloes during this performance, but at a funeral witnessed by Mr. Walhouse [163] this was not done, and he believed that the object of the fray was that the men might exhibit their agility and skill. There is little doubt, however, that the bells were put on the buffaloes at some time on this day. The remainder of the first day was occupied with dancing, singing, and feasting. On the second day, the proceedings began again in the middle of the day with more dances and with a repetition of the driving and catching within the pen. In the afternoon, after the earth-throwing ceremony, the buffaloes, now wearied and subdued, were dragged from the pen and killed, and then followed the ceremonies which have already been described.

At the funeral witnessed by Mr. Walhouse, part of the second day was occupied by the proceedings of a diviner, and divination seems to be a frequent feature of funerals, having been also seen both by Mr. Thurston and myself. In the latter case, the occasion of the divination arose directly out of the proceedings, but it is probable that the gatherings are used as opportunities of consulting the gods on other matters. A funeral may also be used as an occasion for settling disputes, especially those which concern the people especially connected with the funeral.

FUNERAL LAMENTS

At some stage in both funeral ceremonies laments for the dead may be sung or said which consist of sentences praising the virtues of the deceased and recounting incidents of his or her life. To these sentences the same term kwarzam is applied which is used for the words and clauses of the prayers. I am not certain at what stage of the proceedings the recital of these laments takes place, but it is certainly after the killing of the buffaloes, probably in many cases during the general wailing round the buffalo and the remains. At the second funeral of a male, however, I believe that the lament is recited during the dancing.

I did not succeed in obtaining any examples during my visit, but soon after my departure Samuel sent me two laments, one composed by Teitnir (52) and uttered by him at the second funeral ceremony for his wife Tersveli. The other was also composed by Teitnir for the first funeral ceremony of Pidrvan (9) of Kars.

The Toda name for these laments is kunedstkin or kunedsti, and certain men have great reputations as composers both for funerals and on other occasions, and Teitnir was one of these. The following is the lament for Tersveli:—

Iza kûgh ia, [164] iza kutei, atâth atia, pervoth O woman oh! O woman, not born before you were born, renowned

perpia, pûv îrsimitch ia pûv elet ia, you were born, flower lime oh! flower (a bush) oh!

kavath kud katethik, patath kud patiathenk, proper husband (?) found you married, proper wife found I married,

tevukhk nurs îr notei kadrthenk, (kwarzam of Piedr) to beautiful buffalo looked I gave,

âtthkark nurs mokh notei patiathenk, kuteia mun (kwarzam of Kuudr) to beautiful woman looked I married, built house

kutenathuk, kokiji [165] kis narsiathûk kûter we built, imitation bracelets made we played, imitation buffalo horns

kis narsiathûk, âr mokh puchiathûk, âr îr tû made we played, six children we would produce, six buffalo pen

odethûk, orppasan (?) oithîk pudrkwadr ners oithîk, we would enjoy, liberal you were, umbrella tree shade you were,

irom ed ithotkûk, pukkom ed peithûk, kalav we will live that we thought, we will go together that we went, strong

îr kadathûk, pûa tadri pusiathûk tudm athi ed kadrtethûk, udi buffalo we bought, ? pole we beat, fine it is that we gave, have

athi ed kadrtethûk, kutei ath kotei peithûk, keirtith it is that we gave, built bungalow we went, running waters

keir peithûk, ö katcheri peithûk, ö kapel peithûk reservoir we went, seven courts (law) we went, seven ships we went,

pedrk muri ituthûk, pash it pudth kisthûk pudth Tamil to complaints we spoke, words spoke prize we won (made), prize

it pudth kisthûk, ûkudrem ed thûk, kan spoke prize we won, we will not be shaken that we said, eye

udjem ed thûk, mûn ânem ed thûk, en it we will not fear that we said, face ? that we said, me here

puchvînia, en it pîshvînia, purs kan nîr pîrevînen, purs keep you went, me here leave you went, right eye water I shed, right

metûvi kurseivînen, patnenk kanânen, pesoduthenk nostril I smart, I bewailed I could not find, I called out

kanânen, enk ud swâmi aivînen. [166] I could not find, to me one god I have.

The free translation of this is as follows:—

“O woman of wonderful birth, renowned were you born, O flower, lime, O flower, tree. Having found a proper husband you married; having found a proper wife I married. I gave my best buffalo to Piedr for you. I took you as a beauty to Kuudr. A house we built, bracelets and buffalo horns we made in sport. I thought we should have had many children and many buffaloes should we have enjoyed. Liberal you were and refreshing like the shade of the umbrella tree. We thought that we should live long. We went together as we willed. We bought strong buffaloes and we prevailed over injustice. Peacefully we paid our fine. We lent to those that had not. We went to see the bungalows and the reservoir. Many courts we visited and ships also. We laid complaints before the native magistrate; we made bets and we won. We said that we would not be shaken and would fear the eye of no one. We thought to live together, but you have left me alone, you have forsaken me. My right eye sheds tears, my right nostril smarts with sorrow. I bewailed but could not find you. I called out for you and could not find you. There is one God for me.”

This translation is based partly on the literal meanings of the kwarzam, partly on explanations and renderings given to Samuel by Teitnir. The dead wife was a Piedr woman and the husband a Kuudr man. The mention of injustice refers to trouble which arose when other men wished to take his wife from Teitnir. The visits to bungalows, &c., probably refers to a time when Teitnir and his wife lived in Ootacamund under the protection of the Zenana Mission. The ships must be purely imaginary on Teitnir’s part, unless he is referring to boats on the lake at Ootacamund. The numbers six and seven are those generally used for ‘many’ under ordinary conditions, and there is a clause towards the end which probably refers to the evil eye. Teitnir was under, or pretended to be under, missionary influence, and his reference to “one God” at the end is certainly due to this.

The following is the lament composed by Teitnir for Pidrvan:—

Epukers ia! elipukers ia! Pedth tedshk îr ia! Pekh Kwarzam of maiir oh! kwarzam of maiir oh! rattan ring buffalo oh! ?

kudeik kinim ia! peivalei muk ia! keiveli mêdr ia! kapasth kal ia! ? plate oh! ? ? oh! necklace neck oh! trousers leg oh!

kûdukatith kûdr ia! âna metu ia! arshan mudr ia! etamâv ia! car horn oh! elephant foot oh! European walk oh! sambhar oh!

nurs îrk kan âkithenk, kalochikum ed thînk, beautiful buffalo to eye I kept, old woman to (?) that they said,

kalòlkum ed thînk inâtvidshti inâtvan, iza kâra ö old man to (?) that they said, kwarzam of Kars clan, O chief seven

vûr kada, pûrvunkâra! pudrvantol [167] ia! kavatkâra! village chief, conqueror oh! peace-loving man oh! strong man oh!

Kavanadi pali put oia! tû vut tüli ia! atâth ud Kavanadi dairy carried oh! pen carried posts oh! not born before one

atithîk, pervoth ud pertithîk, pûa kûtm paneithîk you were born, renowned one you were born, ? council you held,

saver òkithîk, ter ud òlk edstethîk mokh ud money fine you imposed, buffalo fine one man to you told, girl one

òlk kisethîk, maiîr kodtk peithîk, pîrer to man you made, barren buffaloes in the midst you went, buffalo

nòdik peithîk pudr òdichi peithîk, pan to the neck you went, chosen number beat you went, chosen number

ertevîthîk, kal òt òdithîk peiveli pileidik ninth ud you ran before, leg dance you danced ? ? your one

kalvi kisethîk, ninth ud kek kisethîk, id kan mûn new things you made, your one invention you made, to-day eye face

âvini, Kars kazun podstha? parsners podstha? I saw, Kars kazun has it come? kwarzam of kazun has it come?

methkûdis mai kooisivini âzâratrs kargh patevini. [168] burning-place at ashes heaped, azaram at grass grew up.

The first part of this lament begins with the kwarzam of the maiir, or barren buffalo, slaughtered at the funeral. It is not quite clear which of the clauses at the beginning refer to the buffalo and which to the man. I do not know the meaning of the second clause. The free rendering of the third and fourth was said to be, “Your horns crept so well; your horns crept well to the front.” The general sense of the other clauses was said to be as follows: “O, your leg like trousers, your horns like a car, your foot is like that of an elephant, you walk with a step like a European soldier, your appearance is like that of a sambhar. I saw you were the most beautiful buffalo of all.” It seems probable that the lament so far refers altogether to the buffalo. Then follows, “They said that you would be the parent of the dead, but now you are dead yourself”; or, “When old people are yet alive, why are young ones taken?” Then follows the kwarzam of the Kars clan, and the rest obviously refers to Pidrvan himself: “O chief of many villages, conqueror, peace-loving and yet strong man. You were like Kavanadi, who carried the posts of the buffalo-pen. [169] O man of wonderful birth, renowned you were born; you held councils; you fined some by money and some by buffaloes; you settled who should marry the women. In the midst of barren buffaloes you went; you caught the throats of the buffaloes; you ran first and caught the buffaloes before the chosen men; well you danced and shouted finely; you invented new things. To-day for the last time I saw your face. Has the angel of death come to you? I see nothing but ashes in your burning-place. In your azaram place I see nothing but grass growing.”

PURIFICATION CEREMONIES

Certain further ceremonies are performed about the time of the first new moon after the marvainolkedr.

At one or both of the funerals of a Tarthar man a sacred buffalo will have been killed by the wursol and the sacred bell (mani) will have been used. By his acts at the funeral the wursol loses his office, and by its use on the same occasion the mani is defiled. On the day before the new moon following the funeral all the things in the dairy of the wursol are thrown away. Either a new dairyman is appointed and goes through the usual rites, or the old wursol is re-appointed and has to repeat his ordination ceremonies. This is done on the Sunday after the new moon, which is the proper day for the ordination of a wursol, exactly the same ceremonies being performed as those described in

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