Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism 6y 



milk over the dried grass, which is then ignited. While the fire 

 burns the women sing amorous songs to awaken Gonti, and call 

 her by name. When at last the milk in the pot begins to bubble, 

 they raise a great shout, thinking that Gonti has heard them. 

 After worshiping the image, remembering that Gonti once ran 

 away and probably still wants to do so, they place the image in a 

 basket and after passing it from hand to hand, deposit it on the 

 rubbish heap. 



One unusual feature in this story of Gonti is that there is no 

 account of her death. Almost universally it is the ghost of one 

 who has died who returns and becomes the deity. 



Podilamma is a goddess of more than usual importance. Her 

 temple is near the village of PodiH, a taluq town in the Nellore 

 District. She is the tutelary goddess of this town, to which she 

 has given her name. They tell the following story of her origin. 



Some Sudra farmers lived in a hamlet at some distance fromi 

 the present village of Podili. One day they were treading out 

 the grain with the oxen in a distant field. Their sister was to- 

 bring them the midday meal. On the way in a lonely place she 

 met a man. She put down her basket and was late in arriving 

 with the food. When she arrived, her brothers caught her and! 

 threw her beneath the feet of the oxen, for they had been watch- 

 ing her while she came, and believed her to be guilty. 



The girl, evidently killed, disappeared under the feet of the 

 cattle among the sheaves. Later when they removed the straw to 

 winnow the grain they did not find the body, but found a stone. 

 A man standing near became possessed with the spirit of the girl 

 and she spoke through him. She said that she had been unjustly 

 killed, and that they must worship her or great evils would fol- 

 low. All the people who heard this were terrified, and placing: 

 the stone in a desirable place they began its worship. 



Podilamma, for such was the name of the girl, had now be- 

 come a deity and soon became noted for power to cure sickness. 

 A rich man who had some serious illness made a vow to her, and 

 was cured. In payment of his vow he had an image made for 

 Podilamma, but it was hideous and all the people feared it. Then 



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