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the rice allows it to pick a grain from the centre of the square. Then grasping it in his left hand he goes three times round the assembled company. This is repeated thrice, and the fowl is sacrificed by having the head severed from the body by the neck being pressed against the sharp edge of a battle-axe.

The pieces of bone rescued from the ashes of the funeral pyre are euphoniously called the jang baha, or the bone flowers, and are treated with the utmost respect and reverence. Preparatory to taking the jang bāhā to the Damuda river the following ceremony is observed: The eldest son of the deceased takes the pieces of bone out of the earthenware vessel in which they were placed at the cremation ground and holds them in his hand. Three of the saplings cut on the way home by the cremators are tied together near the top and fixed in the ground over the hollow already referred to, and the earthenware vessel which contained the jāng bāhā is placed on the top of them. The pieces of bone are held over this vessel and the women pour first water, then milk, and again water over them. The pieces of bone are then put into the cloth bag and the eldest son of the deceased ties them up in a corner of his loin cloth, and taking the fourth sapling in his hand goes three times round the sticks on which the earthen vessel rests. On completing the third circuit he aims a blow with the stick at the earthenware vessel, and if it be broken to pieces it is supposed that there will be no more deaths in the family at present, but should it not be shattered to pieces, one or more deaths may be expected in the near future.

It falls to an eldest son, if there should be one, to take the jang baha to the Damuda river. Having selected his companions he sets out on his way to perform this, the most important rite, in connection with the disposal of the dead. If the river is a long way off they go a little distance in the direction in which it lies and then return home and wait until suitable provision can be made for the journey.

The articles which were found on, or sent with the corpse to the burning-ground are sold and the money given to the

cremators. With it they purchase materials for a meal, not forgetting a moderate supply of liquor. A goat is killed, but only the head is cooked and eaten on the spot, the carcase is divided and each man carries his share home in a raw state.

The party who go to the Damuda take with them parched rice, bread made of rice flour, rice, cloth, a wristlet and some shell money. These are required in connection with the ceremonies which are observed on the occasion of consigning the jāng bāhā to the waters of the Damuda river. The Damuda is the sacred river of the Santāls, and in their language is known as the Nai is the old name in Santali for a river, but it has entirely disappeared from modern Santāli. It is, however, retained in connection with the Damuda which is known as the Nai. Sometimes Nai is used as a proper name having the modern Santali word for river added to it. It is then the Nai river. After leaving home the party never look behind in the direction from which they have come. On reaching the Nai the shell money and the wristlet are deposited on the bank. After bathing an altar is constructed and on it parched rice and bread are offered. Then taking the jāng bāhā or bits of bone in his hand the eldest son of the deceased enters the river facing up stream, and going under the water he turns his face down stream and at the moment of rising he lets go the pieces of bone which sink into the sand. At times when the river is low the pieces of bone are buried in the sand. Individuals of the Dōm or Hāri caste are always near and they appropriate the garment, which has been discarded by him who took the bones into the river, as also the money and wristlet, which were deposited on the river bank, and the parched rice and bread left on the altar.

This over, they turn their steps homewards. Nothing that they brought with them from home can be taken back. Food must be consumed, and whatever money they have is spent in liquor; sometimes wealthy people, whose homes are at a distance from the Nai, observe the Karam festival at some convenient place during the return journey.

On the Nai party reaching home three of their number are supposed to become possessed of Marang Buru, Porodhol and the spirit of the person who had died and whose jāng bāhā has recently been consigned to the sacred waters of the Nai. The men who are supposed to be possessed by Marang Buru and Pórodhol, each receive a winnowing fan with some rice in it, and to a question they put to the third man he replies, "I am dead." He is then asked to state how his death was brought about, to which he answers," There was no room for me in the eyes of a certain man, and for that reason I died, " The meaning of this is that through envy some person had brought about his death. He is then told to ask for water, and on his doing so the eldest son of the deceased gives him water which he drinks. The other sons also give him water one after the other according to their ages. Milk is sometimes given instead of water. He is then asked, "Is there any danger in the future?" and he replies, " There is danger, but consult the ojhas or medicine men, propitiate and sacrifice fowls and nothing evil will happen to you." The men possessed recover their identity and the end is reached.

The Chore sept of Santals do not consign the jāng bākā to the waters of the Nai. They stuff them into a crab's hole on the bank of the Gua Nai, an affluent of the Nai or Damuda river. This fact may account for the Chore sept calling themselves Gua Soren when in search of wives.

The jang baha of children are not taken to the Nai, but are disposed of at the place of cremation.

The last of all the rites for the dead which are observed is known as the bhandan. It generally takes place ten days or so after the return from the Nai, but the time depends very much upon the convenience of the parties concerned. The bhandan is a family gathering and all relatives are invited to be present.

The bhandan proceedings are commenced by the dead man's relatives giving an account of what has taken place in the stereotyped form usual on such an occasion. The guests reply also in a like form expressing their sympathy with the family

and acknowledging the hospitality which has been shown towards them.

Then three men are chosen to adopt the means whereby they shall become possessed. One is to be possessed by Marang Buru, another by Porodhol and the third by the man whose bhandan ceremony is being performed. Each man is given a katak or winnowing fan in which is some rice which has been husked without boiling. They sit in a row rubbing the rice in the hatake and shaking their heads frantically from side to side. When they are believed to have become possessed they are regarded as having lost their identity in that of him by whom they are possessed, and are addressed as bongas or gods. The term Gosãe is used indiscriminately by Santals when addressing the objects which they worship. Some one addressing the men says, "Come "Come Gosãe, you are now holding haṭaks made by Mahlis from hill bamboos; your disciples are seated. Come like a cow returning to her calf." The men with their long black hair hanging down frantically shake their heads and sway their bodies from side to side and in a short time the Gosues invoked are supposed to possess them. Then some one addressing them says, "Oh! Gosue, you have come to your disciples and pupils, tell us about your tribe and origin and then we human beings will know that it is this god that has come, then Oh! Gosae, we will place stools under a Hesak or Baṛe tree and worship." Then those possessed reply, "As you human beings are questioning us we will tell you who and what we are. Oh! human beings, I have come ". (The spirit of the dead man is supposed to speak.) Then they say, "Oh! Gosae, tell us truly why you left us ", to which he, sobbing, replies, "Oh ! human beings, I am dead and fallen, my lease of life was only for so many days. They again say, "Oh! person from whom you require something. water from his son, who gives it to him in a leaf cup. asks it from each of his relatives (or sons) in turn. water he is regaled with handi liquor. A hatak is given to him, the rice in which he offers to the bongas. The eldest

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son asks for assurance that no deception has been practised upon them. This given, the possessed are reminded that the day is far spent and that the time has arrived when they should return to the sky, which advice they are supposed to follow.

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A cow is then brought in to the courtyard of the house, and the deceased's eldest son scatters some rice on the ground for her, and says, "See, I am giving thee thy share; see it and listen to it. I offer an oblation of cooked rice and a sacrifice. See that you accept them. Watch over the children and guard them. See to it that no sorrow or sin enters this house. cow is then killed as an offering to the spirit of the deceased. The relatives also bring goats and fowls which are similarly offered, each offerer saying, "Take note, this is offered to you by so and so. The carcases of the animals offered in sacrifice are cooked with rice and the night is spent in feasting.

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