124 Wilber Theodore Elmore 



The gods of the Dravidians are ahnost universally human be- 

 ings returned to earth. As in their lifetime the triumph over an 

 enemy was the greatest of honors, so now as gods a sacrifice 

 representing such honors would be thought to be of all things most 

 pleasing. After the head of the buffalo has been cut off the eyes 

 are often watched until they blink in death. A great shout is then 

 raised, as the blinking of the eyes is said to be a sign that the offer- 

 ing is now acceptable to the goddess. May not the blinking of 

 the eyes be the last act of submission by the conquered enemy ? 



The peculiar features of the sacrifice which are explained by 

 totemism may perhaps be as well explained by this theory of a con- 

 quered enemy. The buffalo has a garland placed about its neck, 

 hotlu are placed on its head, and as it is led about the village, 

 people bow before it placing their hands in the attitude of wor- 

 ship. This apparent worship is often omitted, and does not appear 

 to be an essential. This procession about the village in which the 

 buffalo is led with a garland about its neck, may very possibly 

 be the remnant of a triumphal procession in which the enemy was 

 exhibited before the disgraceful death. The only explanation 

 which the people appear to know is that this makes the oft'ering 

 acceptable to the goddess. This explanation agrees better with 

 the theory of a conquered enemy than with the theory of totemism. 

 The apparent worship of the animal, when it occurs, may very 

 possibly be a later addition, arising from the Hindu idea of pan- 

 theism and the sacredness of all life. 



The feast in the presence of the deity, according to the totem- 

 istic hypothesis, is for the purpose of communion with the deity. 

 This no doubt is the object of the feast, or perhaps to indicate 

 that peace has been established. It is communion or peace with 

 the deity, not with the sacrificed animal, however, which is desired. 

 This feast does not often take place in direct connection with the 

 buffalo sacrifice, and probably needs no further explanation than 

 that in all lands a common meal is the seal of friendship, and 

 as the Dravidian gods are exceedingly anthropomorphic, naturally 

 such a feast would help to avert any evils which they were plan^ 

 ning. It is quite probable that the buffalo sacrifice and the feast 



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