Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism 109 



as usual, her husband fell on him and killed him. He also killed 

 his guilty wife near the same spot.^ 



Soon after this the villagers heard a voice rising from the place 

 where the blood fell. The voice threatened them with destruc- 

 tion if they did not build a temple and institute worship for the 

 murdered man whose blood was crying to them from the ground. 

 The temple was built for Kotiah to whom the name of Kotappa 

 Konda Swami was now given. A shrine was erected to the mur- 

 dered woman who is now worshiped as a Sakti. The ceremonies 

 connected with the Sakti are, however, unimportant as compared 

 with those of the other deity. His worship is strictly Hindu with 

 no bloody sacrifices. 



There is an annual tirunalla^ at which often as many as one 

 hundred thousand people are present. This festival begins on 

 Siva Ratri.^ The object of the worship is to secure productive- 

 ness in both people and cattle. For some weeks prior to the fes- 

 tival the farmers drive their cattle around the hill, and husbands 

 and wives desiring children tie their clothes together and walk 

 around it. 



The most characteristic feature of the festival is the number of 

 prahhas which are brought to honor the god. A prabha is a tall 

 structure of bamboo poles erected on a cart and decorated with 

 fantastic banners and pictures of the gods. In this case some of 

 them reach a height of ninety feet, and it takes much ingenuity to 

 manage them in heavy winds. From all quarters of the land these 

 prabhas converge on the hill, accompanied by great crowds of 

 men, women, and children, running and shouting, while bands of 

 music precede them.^ 



^ Another story is that the man, Kotiah, was a rishi who was living in 

 the hill, and that the woman in the case was a shepherd girl who daily 

 brought him buttermilk. She had seven brothers, and when they heard of 

 the sinful relations, they slew them both. 



^ See page 20, note 5. 



^ Siva Ratri, meaning Siva's Night, is the most important festival for that 

 god. It usually takes place in February. For a description of the cere- 

 monies see John Murdoch, Hindu and Muhammadan Festivals, Madras, 

 1904, pp. 28 sq. 



8 The offerings at this festival are large. They belong to the ex-zemindar 



109 



