42 THE JUNGLE- GOD KOOMBAPPAIL 



not conducted properly, it would be a poor look-out for himself. I have 

 often witnessed the doings at the shrine when, after a morning's work or 

 sport in tlie jungles, I have been enjoying a cheroot after breakfasting under 

 the trees near the temple. The proceedings are conducted as follows: — 



The priest, an ordinary ryot, turns up about mid-day after having his 

 breakfast comfortably, usually attended by a few villagers who have 

 requests to make. Company is desired by all, as the last incumbent, the 

 present one's father, was carried off by a man-eating tiger on his way to 

 conduct service, and a tigress which was killing when I arrived at Morlay 

 kept the present divine in a lively state of trepidation. With him the cry 

 of the " Church in danger " means more than it often does elsewhere. 



The first thing to be done by the Poojaree after opening the door of the 

 temple with a crooked piece of iron in lieu of a key, and sweeping out 

 the first of the two chambers into which it is internally divided, is to go 

 down to the river with a brass vessel, and after performing his ablutions in 

 the stream, to bring back water for sprinkling within the holy of holies, 

 into which he alone may enter, and before which a cloth is kept suspended. 

 He then places incense and a light in the inner chamber, and whilst giving 

 Koombappah time to contemplate these, the Poojaree adjourns to a shed 

 near, where he commences cooking rice and vegetables. Whilst the pot is; 

 boiling the service is begun by his taking the plantains and cocoanuts, or 

 handfuls of grain, brought by those present, and placing them before the 

 god, mentioning the worshippers' requests at the same time. One promises 

 to feed a dozen poor people before the temple if he is relieved from fever 

 or other ailment ; another to give a small brass bull, the emblem of Shiva, 

 if disease leaves his cattle ; and so on. The Poojaree the while tinkles a 

 cracked bell in his left hand ; and as he is not very well up in the ritual 

 and psalmody which are the fashion in more important Eeshwara temples, 

 he confines himself pretty much to vociferating " Shivan^ Gooroo ; avana 

 padave gatie " (Shiva is our teacher ; his feet are our salvation). The 

 congregation respond in similar phrases. 



The rice being cooked by this time, is placed before the god, after which 

 it is distributed, and every one eats. The offerings of fruit are then returned 

 to the offerers, together with a consecrated flower out of the temple ; the 

 latter is put into their turbans. Of the fruit, some is occasionally given back 

 by the people to the Poojaree, or they eat it themselves. The fear in which 

 Koombappah's power of good and evil is held in the neighbourhood is very 

 great. 



In these gatherings at the temple there is, as in most Hindoo religious 

 ceremonies, none of the penitential dejection and show of remorse which- 



