40 Wilber Theodore Elmore 



Kati Ankamma, and so they must first be propitiated. Accord- 

 ingly the day before that set for Kati Ankamma, these gods, such 

 as DilH Polasi,^ have their ceremonies. 



The household gods are taken to the water in the evening, and 

 kept submerged all night. The next day the pujari comes with 

 the musicians, and also with any persons who are possessed by 

 demons, and joining with the worshiping household, they go to 

 the water. After removing the gods from the water they burn 

 incense and sacrifice a sheep. The procession then starts and 

 when the people reach the middle of the village they offer another 

 sheep to the household gods, and when they arrive at the house 

 still another sheep. The gods are then replaced with much cere- 

 mony, are smeared with saffron, and worshiped. It is hoped that 

 by these attentions no harm will result from the impending wor- 

 ship of Kati Ankamma. 



The next day the worship of Kati Ankamma begins, and is of 

 short duration, for it is not pleasant enough to be extended any 

 longer than is actually necessary. The Madiga story-teller goes 

 to the burial ground accompanied by the people in whose inter- 

 est the worship is conducted, together with a crowd from the 

 village. The story-teller disguises himself by dressing as a wo- 

 man, for he has no desire to be recognized later by any of the 

 other deities as the one who did honor to the Sakti. He takes 

 earth and with the help of cotton to make it stick together without 

 unnecessary delay, he hastily makes a rude image. Eggs are 

 placed in the head for eyes, and shells for teeth. The image is 

 dressed with a bodice and koka, and glass bangles are placed on 

 the arms. 



After preparing the image, food is cooked and a heap of it 

 placed before it. A black goat is brought and killed and its blood 

 is caught and poured into the mouth of the image. This is an 

 unusual proceeding, and shows the terrible nature of the Sakti 

 and its thirst for blood. The image is then worshiped with many 

 prostrations, while the musicians keep up a turbulent drumming 



^ See page 26. 



40 



