HILLS NEAR RA'jAM AHALL. 49 



to the village, and undergoes no alteration in its form 

 from the chissel. 



Among the preparations for the Chit aria -festival, 

 the Maungy must provide a cow and a piece of 

 red silk, previous to the day fixed for prayer. 

 The Satane, as usual, is performed, to find out what 

 two of the Mating/* vassals will be most acceptable 

 to the godhead, to pray. This point being settled, 

 and every thing ready, a day is fixed \ on the eve 

 of this holiday, the piece of siik is cut in two, and 

 one part given to one of the wives of each of the 

 preachers, with whom their husbands have not coha- 

 bited for ten or fifteen days previously. The Demount)* 

 Maungy, Cutival, Phojedar, Jenmiadars, and Bunda* 

 reensy having been invited into one of the preachers 

 houses, the Demauno gives water to two Kaleivars, 

 one Do/eivar, one Mangeera, and one Jelaum, to wash 

 their hands ; and these musicians are taken into the 

 house : a feast is served, of which all present partake, 

 as soon as the chiefs have thrown a little of each 

 dish away, in the name of Chalnad. I must here 

 digrees, to observe, that it is a custom through all 

 the hills, to throw a little of their meat away at 

 every meal, previous to their eating 5 and the same 

 rule is observed in drinking; the intention of which 

 isj to avert any bad consequence from any devil or 

 evil spirit having defiled it. The Bandareens> whose 

 particular province it is at all festivals to serve out 

 the toddy \ or spirits, perform that office ; and the 

 ph'iefsj having spilled a little also in the name of 

 Chalnad for a libation, the party drink and sing 

 l. IV. E all 



