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superstitions and ceremonies, which have nothing to do with Hinduism; they have little or no reverence for Brahmins, what thore is indeed being sparingly affurded, except by the higher classes among them, who have adopted them as priests. The Snake festival, therefore, has very little of the elements of Brahminism in it, if there are any. The ceremonies are very simple : the worshippers bathe, mark their foreheads with red colour, and in small parties, genetally families who know each other, go. to places where Cobras (Nags) are known to live or to frequent, There are generally sacred stones in such places, to which offerings of flowers, ghee, &., are made, and the stones are anointed with red colour and ground turmeric, prayers and invocations being made to the local spirit of the place and +o the Serpents. Simall new earthen saucers, filled with milk, are then placed near the stones, or near the Snake’s hole, if there be one.. Cobras are fond of milk, and are believed to watch the ceremony, coming out of their holes and drinking the milk, even while the worshippers are near, or sitting at a little distance to see if their offering is received. Should the Snake appear and drink, it is esteemed a very fortunate circumstance for the worshippers. Should the Snake not appear, the worshippers, after waiting awhile, depart, and visit the place next morning, when the'result is anxiously examined ; if the milk has disappeared, the rite has been accepted, but not in so marked a degree : as if the reptile had come out at onee. These ceremonies end with a feast, Snake Worship is especially. resorted to on. behalf of children; and the women and children of a family invariably accompany the male héad, not only at the annual festival, but whenever a vow has been made toa Serpent Deity. The first hair of a child which is shaved off when it has passed teething, and other infantine ailmerits, is frequently dedicated to a Serpent, On such occasions the child is taken to the locality of the vow, the usual ceremonies are performed, and with other offerings of flowers, &e., thé child’s hair is combined. In every case a feast follows, cooked near the spot, and Brahmins who attend receive largess and alms, and relations and friends receive invitations. ‘In the Shakti ceremonies, Pseeacapmiay which belong, I think, to aboriginal customs, the worship of. the Snake forms a portion, ‘as emblematical of energy and wisdom. Most of these ceremonies are, however, of an inconceivably obscene and licentivus. character: They are not confined to the lowest classes, though rarely perhaps resorted to by Brahmins; but many of the middle class sects, of obscure origin and denomination, practise them in secret, under @ strange aa’ APPENDIX D. 237 delusion that the divine energy of nature is to be obtained thereby, with exemption from earthly troubles. _ Although Snake Worship ordinarily belongs roleedly. to the. descendants of aboriginal tribes, yet Brahmins never or rarely pass them over, and the Nag Panchmee is observed as a festival of kindly greeting and visiting between families and friends—as & a day ‘of gifts of new clothes or ornaments to wives or children, &c. The worship of Gram Deotas, or village divinities, is wiayernl all over the Deccan, and indeed I believe throughout India. These divinities have no temples nor priests. Sacrifice and oblation "ig made to them at sowing time and harvest, for rain or fair weather, in time of cholera, malignant fever, or other disease or pestilence. The Nag is always one of the Graém Deota, the rest being known by local names. The Grim Deota are known as heaps of stones, generally in a grove or quiet spot near every village, and are smeared some with black and others with red colour. Nag is a common name both for males and females among all classes of Hindus, from Brahmins downwards to the lowest classes of Sudras and Mléchhas. Nago Rao, Nagojee, &c., are common Mahratta names, as Nagappa, Nagowa, and the like among the Canarese and Telugoo population. ‘No Hindu will kill a Nag or Cobra willingly. Should any one be killed within the precincts of a village, by Mahomedans or others, a piece of copper money is put into its mouth, and the body is burned with offerings to avert the. evil. It is, perhaps, remarkable that the Snake festival is held after the season or at the season of casting the skin, and when the Snake, addressed or worshipped, is supposed to have been purified. ‘Some Brahmins always keép the skin of a Nag in one of their sacred books. In reference to the lower castes alluded to, 1 may mention those who practise Snake Worship with the greatest reverence:—1, Beydars. 2. Dhungars or shepherds, Aheers or milkmen, Waddiwars or stone-masons, Khungins or rope-makers, Brinjaras and other wandering tribes, Mangs, Dhérs, and Chumars, Ramoosees, Bhils, Gonds, and Koles, all which I believe, with many others, to be descendants of aboriginal tribes, partly received within the pale of Hinduism. Lingayets, who are schismatics from Hinduism, and who deny ix toto the religious supremacy of the Brahmins, are nevertheless Snake worshippers, many of them eine the name Nag, both male and female. I cannot speak of the North of India, but in the whole of the South of India, from the Nerbudda to Cape Comorin, Snake Worship is now. existent. , Meapows Taytor, Col. M. N. 1. The festival of the Moonsa Poojah takes place each year, about the end of August. The tribes that I have seen present at it were Bhowries, Dhangas, and Santhals, and the locality was at a large jungle village beside a range of low hills, to the west of the hill Beharinath, and to the south of the hill of Pachete. The snake catchers and charmers, at this period of the year, assemble and make a tour. of the neighbouring villages, carrying snakes twisted around their necks and bodies, the chief of the procession being either carried on men’s shoulders, or riding on a buffalo, He generally has a rock boa or python hanging over his shoulders. The usual amount of beating of the Nagara, playing the flute, and singing, attends the procession, and large. dopenuirs of the favourite spirit “Mowha” and sweetmeats are consumed. Presents are also made to the snake bearers, and general dissipation prevails. : A. Vans Best, M.D. Bengal Establishment. 238 on the eth tribes ‘of Cashniere SES he. had fy f Holstein, who was then residing in the valley. My inte: ‘ion Appendix, but it now turns out most unfortunately that it This is to be regretted; not only because it Sas Ateaiitisat 0 Nagas most intelligent and competent observer, but also because the P Prince insisted medical qualities of the tribe, and their possession of nostrams which lad 1 ah remote antiquity... This retention of) the Esculapian character by the snake vO the most curious points conneeted gwith the subject, but. it is O that, - ; directed to it, will T trust meet with full elucidation from. some nbabitant. Stunen a and Monasteries at Bhilsa and other aera They a are all written in the where not injured by weather or breakage, they are generally clear and legible. they have been all copied by myself from the sculptured slabs, and have sinee the photographs. The two exceptions are Nes. IL and XI, which have hee Mackenzie's drawings. The former is a good copy, and is mostly legible 5 but tunately a very corrupt transcript of the most important of all the Amravati r contains the name of @ King, which, if it had heen faithfully copes s enabled us to fix the date of the inscription. * ie P nal be The following translations are not offered as cuititel renderings of the inserip | free versions conveying their general meaning, which is usually confined to” thes gifts made to the sacred edifice by various individuals, both priests and laymé frequently jomed by their wives and children. . The same practice is st in other Buddhist countries. PB OT Be Some of the words which are of unusual occurrence require oe ae In rendered gharani, by “ wife,” that is, the mistress of the house. The present’ Hindi fo om The word patd occurs three times in Nos. IL, XL, and XX., and the word pataka Nos, TV., XIV,, and XX. As both words are combined with figures in No. XX, T take the names of the particular gifts thus recorded, and consequently that they refer to the s¢ themselves. Pafd is most probably the same word as the present Hindi Pujao,” “broad stone slab,” and is*specially applicable to the Amravati railing stones, in whi is equal to three times the depth. Both names are derived from the Sanskrit patu,. 12 . root pata, to. spréad or extend. The word pataka, or in No. XX. bateka, is spelt with | he and is most probably therefore not connected with pata, which invatiably has the cerebra clade that it must be the name for a railing pillar, because it is found in Nos. IV. and on the tops of two of them. The hame used for a square or octagonal pillar is ¢ fvom the Sanskrit stambha. In No. XX. we haye a record of two Pajas and th I believe to refer to three broad slab pillars of the railing, and the two architré them. I cannot suggest any explanation of the-word vetika, which occurs in Ni that it is the name of some one ef the asia slabs, as it is eee with pit, TOPE, AMRAVATY ) y NOI_ PL,LXIV, Fie, ie *owuaey DAVE Prb2sNFuw Wy) FROME FUN 68 PLvAKY ALs CONGUE BUSA NOIL—PL,LXXXIN, FIGH, - | obvzrflugolxoduybeuiglinuellaas Eoagiaahs aq pieua yotreAwon mannan vomue une RuCR an : Noll, PL,XC FIG? ‘ NOIV_PL,LIN, Fic 2, N° V_PLIXXXIX. ; laythenogs le ae Saapyjponon Rexyialay nundsgswussa adeupuy wque wilundEnCOh! wi 2osyaT wmHacsenagEnywoednvea — *YAFOtet Anwar axeno dae? #, Wo “lm WAKUVEAVT pgquo FUSE Mo USE Ev GK AAW op ei | Ago NOVI-PL,XC, FG2, NOVIL— PL.XC, Fre 4, No VIIl—PL,LXXVIN, NP IXd.A.S.