Vol. i ay 10.| Miniature Tank Worship in Bengal. 507 
[N.S. 
plantain leaf beside it. Fruit is presented by being laid on one 
side of the tank. It is then moved to the other side and eaten, 
at midday by mothers for the welfare of their children because the 
oddess Subaan4i is believed to have the power of restoring life 
to the dead. The story, which is recited by the oldest woman 
present, is that a certain Raja threatened to put a Brahman’s son 
to death for killing his ducks. The boy’s mother appealed to 
Subacanai, the ducks were brought to life and the child was 
saved. 
A ceremony of the same name is performed in Purnea in the 
second or light half of any month, but it bears no resemblance to 
that just described. It is performed by unmarried girls only, 
with the object of attaining wealth, happiness and good husbands, 
and lasts for a fortnight. Four tanks are dug and filled with 
milk, water, dirbb@ grass and vermilion. They are worshipped 
with flowers, rice, plantains and sandal-wood, whilst rhymed 
mantras are recited. 
It is not easy to trace any idea which is common to all the 
tank ceremonies. The objects of several of them are identical, and 
on 
sible at present to arrive at any very definite conclusion as to the 
reason for the introduction of the tank, which in some cases 
_does not seem to be an essential at all. 
Pe ae a geo Se ae ane: re ee - 
