28 Wilber Theodore Elmore 



given a bath, a sheep is offered, and there is the usual buffalo 

 sacrifice with the ceremonies already described. On the last day 

 the pujari, who is always a Madiga, takes a fowl, cuts off its 

 head before the idol, and, holding it by the legs, brushes away the 

 muggu, or sacred marks before the idol, thus removing the last 

 vestiges of the evil which may come from Mathamma. 



But Mathamma has another form which is far more important, 

 and this is as a Matangi. A Matangi is a Madiga woman who 

 is supposed to be possessed with the spirit of Mathamma, She is 

 one of the most interesting characters in this Dravidian worship, 

 and later the stories concerning her origin will be given at some 

 length.2i 



The selection of a new Matangi is an important ceremony. 

 The Matangi holds her position for life, and her successor is 

 usually not chosen until after her death. One method of making 

 the choice is to bring all the unmarried girls of the village before 

 the shrine of Mathamma. Songs are then sung, drums are 

 beaten loudly, and the goddess is invoked to descend upon the 

 chosen one. Soon one of the girls will act as if possessed with 

 the spirit, and it is understood that the choice has fallen on her. 



There are other ordeals for the new Matangi to pass. The 

 test appears to be that she shall be able to control herself when 

 the possession comes upon her. She is seated on the sacred 

 muggu beside a pot of buttermilk, and four other pots of butter- 

 milk are placed around her. Strings are tied from the pots to 

 the roof so close to the girl that if she moves she will spill the 

 buttermilk. Then the possession is invoked. If she passes this 

 test successfully she is invested with the insignia of her position, 

 a basket or sieve, a snake-headed bamboo stick, a bunch of mar- 

 gosa leaves, and a rope with cowrie shells attached. 



There are many variations in these ceremonies.^^ At times if 

 a woman simply sits apart and acts strangely, they say the pos- 

 session is coming upon her and they put her through the tests. 

 In the village of Chendulur the custom is to dig out an ant-hill 



21 See page 93. 



22 E. R. Clough, While Sewing Sandals, pp. 62 sq. ; E. Thurston, Castes 

 and Tribes of Southern India, IV, pp. 303 sq. 



28 



