Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism gy 



town called Oragallu, and was accompanied by Matangi. On the 

 way Matangi's feet blistered, and she sat down with Ellamma be- 

 neath a margosa tree. She then asked permission from Ellamma 

 to get some toddy from a toddy drawer. He became angry at her 

 request, evidently because she was a Madiga, and tying her to a 

 date palm tree, beat her and gave her basket and cane to his groom. 



Matangi escaped and went to a brother of this man, who treated 

 her kindly. He had sixty bullockloads of toddy and offered 

 some to her. She held a margosa shell to receive it. The shell 

 would not contain twenty drops, yet he poured the sixty bullock- 

 loads into the shell without being able to fill it. He then brought 

 fresh toddy from some palms near by, and the shell was filled. 

 Matangi blessed him and ordered that in every grove three trees 

 should be left untapped for her.^* Matangi now returned to 

 Ellamma and they determined to punish the first toddy-drawer. 

 Matangi went to him once more, but this time as a young woman 

 selling cosmetics. He purchased them but upon applying them 

 was immediately attacked with all sorts of terrible diseases. Again 

 Matangi appeared, this time as a diviner, and told him the reason 

 for his affliction, whereupon he became her devoted follower and 

 was healed. 



This story gives the reason for her worship. It is the same as 

 the reason for the worship of all Dravidian deities, the fear of 

 disaster. This is probably a story of Madiga origin, as it depicts 

 the victory of Matangi over higher castes. The following story 

 is still more evidently an attempt, from the Dravidian point of 

 view, to account for her worship by higher castes. 



In former times there was a Brahman named Vera Kalita Raja. 

 He was a beggar^^ and worshiped Poleramma, an unusual practice 

 for a Brahman. In the course of time six sons were born to this 

 Brahman and his wife. Before the seventh son, Pattadhi Rudra, 

 was born he felt the disgrace of his father being a worshiper of 

 Poleramma, and made a vow that he would never worship any of 



38 This is still a common custom, but the toddy-drawers leave trees un- 

 tapped in the names of other goddesses beside Matangi. 



39 The profession of begging is as honorable in India as is any other 

 method of making a livelihood. Those who adopt it are usually religious 

 mendicants. 



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