142 Wilher Theodore Elmore 



There are many customs practised by the people to prevent the 

 return of a ghost after the burial ceremony. The Lambadi people 

 allow only one person from each family to go to a funeral. After 

 performing the last rites those who have followed the corpse steal 

 quietly back to the camp by various paths. Immediately they 

 break camp and move far away so that the ghost of the departed 

 one may not follow them. Some other classes make a hole in 

 the wall or roof of the house through which the dead body is 

 taken. This opening is then closed up so that the ghost may not 

 be able to return. The Valaiyans place a pot of dung and water, 

 also a broom and firebrand, at various places along the road to 

 the burying ground to prevent the return of the ghost.^^ 



In the funeral ceremonies and other rites for the dead such as 

 the taddinum, there are many acts performed with the one in- 

 tention of preventing the ghost from returning. On the last day 

 of the ceremonies the friends go to a sacred jammi tree and tak- 

 ing little pots in their hands, they pretend to throw something 

 into the air. This is probably a remnant of a former food-offer- 

 ing to the spirit of the departed. This done, they put out the 

 lights, and in perfect quietness come again to the house by various 

 paths so that the spirit may not follow them. After they have 

 arrived at the house some outsider often appears and apparently 

 becoming possessed with a spirit asserts that it is the spirit of 

 the dead person which has come upon him. A substantial pres- 

 ent persuades the possessed person to leave. Otherwise the 

 spirit would probably ask for worship. This final act seems to 

 assure the people that they are forever rid of the ghost of the 

 dead person. 



Among the Gulgulias there is a custom of pouring liquor into 

 the mouth of the corpse. A chicken is killed and is then burned 

 and the ashes thrown into an irrigation tank, in the hope that the 

 ghost will be satisfied. ^^ The Palyans, a jungle tribe, leave the 



nature worship among the Dravidians. " Nature worship is Aryan. 

 Among the Dravidians, on the other hand, religion seems to have com- 

 menced with a belief in ghosts." 



^1 Gazetteer of Tanjore District, I, p. yy. 



52 Census of 1901, p. 407. 



142 



