MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRl DISTRICT. 199 



have been chiefly economic, but Governinent^ have also stepped CHAP, ix, 

 in to restrain the reckless slaughtering of buffaloes which was PART i. 

 customary on these occasions, on the ground of the cruelties etu^ooy. 



practised, and this action may have helped to the same result, 



None were gainers by the death of the poor animals except the 

 Kotas, who attend on these occasions as musicians and claim the 

 carcases of all the buffaloes. When the Todas are asked why they 

 give them all to the Kotas, the stereotyped reply is " It is 

 ■m/imid shdstra." " When the buffaloes are alive they are ours, 

 when they are dead they are the Kotas'," 



The ceremonies are spread over three days. On the first the 



Todas assemble in large numbers at a Kedvianei or funeral-house. 



" Each clan has its own and different ones for men and women. 



They are like ordinary Toda huts, but are sometimes decorated at 



tlje time of the funeral with siHer coins." 



' Kota musicians are in attendance as well as Badagas and other 

 natives, and sometimes shopkeepers from Ootacamand selling 

 biscuits and sweetmeats. The scene is busy and animated, 

 singing and dancing go on; to pass the time panchayets^ a,re 

 held, and occasionally a Toda becomes possessed of his god and 

 makes a variety by doing a little prophesying in a wild and ecstatic 

 manner, but like such '' mediums " from the Pythian down to 

 those of modern times, his communications are not of a very 

 exalted nature, nor do they convey information which would be 

 otherwise unattainable, but generally consist of denunciations of 

 the present and praises " of the good old times.'' ^ 



Nothing further is done on the first day except the driving in 

 of the buffaloes intended to be sacrificed. When they are safely 

 enclosed in the kraal — two or three for each of the dead 

 commemorated — the young men throw off their jjutk illis and rush 

 among them, hanging on to the animals by the neck and horns, 

 whilst a bell is tied round the neck of each. At this point the 

 women begin to lament, but though the tears flow down their 

 cheeks they are soon dried, and the rest of the day is spent in 

 feasting. 



The ceremonies of the second day are the most important. In 

 the first place the Ked is brought out, wrapped in a new piitMli 

 and placed within the stone wall which encloses the Keclmanei. 

 Twenty or thirty men stand round it shouting the apparently 

 irrelevant sentence " Hah, Boh, er Mr uUama/' " May the 

 I buffaloes and calves be well," after which each lays his hand on 

 ; the remains, bowing until his forehead touches the cloth in which 

 they are wrapped. The Ked is then carried to where a hole has 



• Permission has to be obtained from the Commissioner before slaughtering 

 the animals. 



* Juries ^f five men to settle disputes. 



