30 Wilher Theodore Elmore 



Mathamma. She then runs about among the people, touching them 

 with her stick, spurting toddy from her mouth over them, and 

 backing up against them, all the time uttering strange wild cries. 

 Not only the Madigas, but the higher castes, even Brahmans, 

 stand in line, as anxious to be spat upon and touched by her 

 stick and her person as are the lowest. There is a current story 

 of a rajah who was omitted by the Matangi, she thinking that he 

 was too great for her humiliating ceremonies, but he insisted 

 upon sharing the blessing. 



At some parts of the ceremony she speaks things that are well 

 understood. As she rushes about spitting on those who under 

 ordinary circumstances would almost choose death rather than to 

 suffer such pollution from a Madiga, she breaks into wild, ex- 

 ulting songs, telling of the humiliation to which she is subjecting 

 the proud caste people. She also abuses them all thoroughly, 

 and as in the worship of Bangaramma, they appear to expect it 

 and not to be satisfied without a full measure of her invective. 



After this ceremony she visits the homes of the Brahmans,^'' 

 and the visit does not appear to be a pleasant one for them. She 

 comes into the courtyard and smears a spot with cow-dung, on 

 which she places her basket. The inmates of the house at once 

 fill the basket with food and cover the top with a layer of pow- 

 dered rice. Then a small lamp is placed on top of this and lighted. 

 This appears to be the nearest approach to worship the Matangi 

 receives. She then holds out a pot and asks for toddy. Water 

 is usually brought instead and filling her mouth with this she 

 again goes through the process of spattering them all. The 

 women give her their bodices, and the head woman of the house 

 gives her the cloth which she is wearing. The men give her 

 their sacred threads. She then leaves the place, still singing her 

 wild songs telling of the humihation to which she has reduced 

 the Brahmans.^® 



-5 E. Thurston, Castes and Tribes of Southern India, IV, p. 297. 



28 Thurston thinks but few Brahman families now acknowledge this 

 allegiance to Matangi; Castes and Tribes of Southern India, IV, p. 297. 

 So far as I can find, Brahmans are loth to acknowledge any connection 

 with the Matangi, but some form of tribute to her seems very general. 



30 



