Chapter XXI

).

[147] At the azaramkedr (see p. 381) these boxes are only burnt at a woman’s funeral, their place at a man’s funeral being taken by bamboo vessels called wak. This is probably also true of the etvainolkedr.

[148] Loc. cit., p. 176.

[149] Ind. Antiq., 1874, iii. 274.

[150] P. 21.

[151] Letters on the Neilgherries, 1829, p. 81.

[152] This experience gave me a very striking object-lesson, showing how easy it is to make mistakes in anthropological investigation. The first account given to me seemed to make it absolutely clear that the removal of the relics was made the occasion of a feast.

[153] Kûdri is the generic word for creeper.

[154] See Thurston, Bull., ii. p. 4.

[155] See Chap. XXV.

[156] Probably Olea robusta.

[157] Bull., i. 176.

[158] As I have already pointed out, this would only happen if the people were of the same clan and sex.

[159] My notes do not make it absolutely clear who lights the fire at the funeral of a male. The puntüt is lighted by a man of the same clan, and this is probably also the case with the azaramtüt. Owing to the fact that a woman becomes a member of her husband’s clan, the daughter-in-law who lights the fire at a woman’s funeral will also be of the same clan as the deceased.

[160] There was some question as to whether the ceremony did not begin as soon as the fire was lighted.

[161] This would seem to indicate that when the fire is extinguished, the objects burnt with the relics are far from being consumed by the fire.

[162] See p. 365.

[163] Ind. Antiq., 1874, vol. iii. p 35.

[164] This is also the usual vocative termination.

[165] Kakoji is the Kota name for a toe-ring worn on the second toe of the right foot by Kota women (see Breeks, p. 123). A similar word is used for bracelets of vine made by the Todas as a game.

[166] In some cases Samuel could not give the literal meanings, and has only given the general sense of the kwarzam.

[167] A play on Pidrvan’s name.

[168] As both these funeral laments were obtained from Samuel, I cannot guarantee that the method of spelling adopted is the same as that used elsewhere in the book; this is especially the case with the sign ‘th,’ which, in agreement with the practice customary in South India, was used by Samuel for the lingual ‘ṭ,’ and sometimes for a sound for which I have used the letter d.

[169] For the story to which this refers, see