126 Wilher Theodore Elmore 



noted for having the least sense of all domesticated animals. To 

 call one a buffalo is to offer the greatest insult. Before it was 

 domesticated it may have been a terror to the people, for the 

 buffalo was the vehicle of Yama, the god of death." This is not 

 the kind of an animal to become a totem. The monkey, which is 

 never killed or used as a sacrifice, but which is often worshiped, is 

 a much more probable totem. It appears, therefore, from the 

 foregoing reasons, that the buffalo sacrifice at least did not orig- 

 inate in totemism. 



Fetishism in the Dravidian Religion. Much of the Dravid- 

 ian worship is often classed as fetishism. The fetish worshiper 

 of Africa selects any object which strikes his fancy, especially an 

 unusual object, and makes it his fetish. When it appears to be 

 no longer helping him, he throws it away, thinking that its spirit 

 has left it. The objects of worship of the Dravidians bear some 

 resemblance to the fetishes of Africa. Often the idol is a shape- 

 less stone.^^ Like the African, the Dravidian deserts his god, 

 leaving it on the boundary of the village, or the rubbish heap." 



1* Ibid., p. 461. Crooke, The Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern 

 India, II, p. 169, tells the same, and also says that at times the buffalo is 

 made a scapegoat to carry away disease. 



15 In Chagollu, Nellore District, I found Vinaiyakudu, the god of the 

 grain, represented by some dried cow-dung tied together with a saffron 

 colored string. Men were taking rice from the bin, and this image, which 

 had been kept in the bin, was carefully placed at one side to be used 

 again. I was informed that the image would double the crop. This seems 

 much like fetishism, but while the people were Dravidians, it appears that 

 Vinaiyakudu is more Hindu than Dravidian. I can find no local stories of 

 his birth, but he is said to be the son of Iswara. He has no bloody 

 offerings. 



18 Sir Alfred Lyall, Asiatic Studies, First Series, p. 10, gives an exhaus- 

 tive classification of the worship in Berar, Central India. It is as follows. 



1. The worship of mere stocks and stones, and of local configurations, 

 which are unusual or grotesque in size, shape, or position. 



2. The worship of things inanimate which are gifted with mysterious 

 motion. 



3. The worship of animals which are feared. 



4. The worship of visible things, animate or inanimate, which are directly 

 or indirectly useful and profitable, or which possess any incomprehensible 

 function or property. 



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