Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism 115 



story-teller. His son must guard the light on the head of the 

 buffalo, and his wife must take the place of the Matangi. All of 

 these offices are performed by Madigas. 



The Brahman was further informed that later in the ceremony 

 he himself must be killed, his membranes made into drums, his 

 arms cut off and placed in his mouth, his fat spread over his eyes, 

 and the usual features of the buffalo sacrifice performed. All 

 castes were then to worship Mathamma in her Matangi form. 

 This was all done, and afterwards the Brahman was brought to 

 life, and these various things were done to a buffalo. According 

 to this story the buffalo sacrifice thus originated. 



In the greater part of this mixed worship, it appears that the 

 Brahmans are connected with it against their own wishes. Some- 

 times, however, they appear to profit by the combination, and this 

 is no doubt the reason which has induced them in such instances 

 to interest themselves in ceremonies which they must find re- 

 volting. 



In the village of Chenduluru, in the Ongole Taluq of Guntur 

 District, is a goddess who is called Maha Lakshmi by the Sudras 

 and Siva Lakshmi by the Brahmans. She is said to have been a 

 Brahman woman who was killed and thrown into a pond because 

 of her evil life. She appeared afterward in the usual way of 

 Dravidian goddesses, and demanded that she be worshiped. 



When the goddess is worshiped, the Sudras make an earthen 

 image and the Brahmans one of wood. A booth with two com- 

 partments is erected in the center of the village, and the images 

 placed one in each compartment. The Sudras say that at one 

 time they proceeded with the worship of their image without se- 

 curing the attendance of the Brahman goddess, but the plague 

 was not stayed, and their cattle continued to die in great numbers. 

 After this experience they never again attempted to conduct the 

 worship by themselves. There is a Brahman pujari for the 

 wooden image, and he insists that his goddess has not spoken to 

 him until a sufficient amount of money is placed in his hand. 

 The goddess then communicates her wishes and all proceeds. 

 The Sudras must bear all the very considerable expense of the 

 worship. 



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