46 Wilber Theodore Elmore 



who took him as far as the Malabar coast in western India. He 

 was stolen for the purpose of sacrifice, and was given into the care 

 of an old woman until he should be of sufficient age. When the 

 boy was ten or twelve years old, the sacrifice was about to be 

 made. But the old woman who had been caring for him had 

 developed a genuine affection for the boy, and while arrangements 

 were being perfected, she warned him of his danger, and helped 

 him to escape. He had lived a roaming life with the Lambadis 

 long enough to be familiar with the forests and the main roads of 

 travel. Secreting himself in the forest by day and traveling by 

 night, he made good his escape, and at last arrived again at his 

 native village. 



The account which this man gives of the human sacrifice, which 

 he saw performed, is that it takes place once in three years if a 

 victim can be obtained, but now, since there is more difficulty 

 in securing the victims, not so frequently. He says that they 

 buy or steal a boy from any caste and raise him for the purpose. 

 At the appointed time they select a secret place deep in the forest. 

 The hole is dug, the victim buried, and the lights placed on his 

 head, as described by the Abbe Dubois. A muggu is drawn on 

 the ground a little to one side, and on it are placed the various 

 offerings. Mantrams are recited to the Sakti, and then the wild 

 cattle-call of the Lambadis rings through the forest. In response 

 all the cattle come running to the place, and trample down victim, 

 muggu, and offerings. This ends the ceremony, and immediately 

 they break camp and move on. Fear of detection may be one 

 reason for the sudden removal, but the original idea was probably 

 to leave the region where the Sakti would be likely to remain for 

 a time. 



It is a common custom of the Lambadis to bury a pig, leaving 

 the head above ground, when they are about to start on a journey. 

 The cattle are then driven over it and trample the pig to death. 

 This appears to be a survival of the practice of human sacrifice. 

 The same custom of burying pigs alive was noticed above in con- 

 nection with the worship of Nadividhi Sakti.^^ The similarity in 

 that they steal children, and that some of these children are secured with 

 the intention of ofiFering them as human sacrifices. 



15 See page 44. 



46 



