Vol. I, No. 8.] The People of Mungeli Tahsil. 185 
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he takes it as a sign that his entertainment has now come to an end, 
and the next day he takes his departure. 
52. The Spindle and the Panchayat.—When a panchayat or 
meeting of the leading men in a village is in progress, it is consi- 
dered unwise to have anyone present who is twirling a spindle. 
It is said that as the spindle keeps revolving, so will the discussion 
move in a circle and fail to come to a decided issue. 
53. Vermin from the Clouds.—There is a very prevalent belief 
that worms, frogs and snakes drop from the clouds. After cloudy 
weather, when insects appear on certain vegetables, it is said that 
they have dropped from the clouds. Strange as this idea may 
seem to us, we have a phrase whichis even still more strange, for 
we sometimes say, ‘It is raining cats and dogs.” 
54. Tattooing.—This is done by the Gond women who usually 
travel through the district during the harvest time. The tattooing 
is not as elaborate as is seen in other parts of India. In fact, it 
appears to me to be strikingly meagre. The most common figures 
are those of two deer facing each other, and also the figure of a 
chain or part of a chain. Itis said that if a woman is not tattooed 
in this world, she will be marked with a Sabar or crow-bar by the 
gods in the next world. A woman will on no account allow her 
husband to pay for any tattooimg she may have done, lest he should 
say to her when displeased, “I have not only paid for you at our 
marriage, but I have paid for your tattoo marks as well.” Rather 
than give occasion for this taunt, she will beg of a friend to pay 
for the tattooting she may have done after leaving her parents’ 
home. 
55. Some Matrimonial Beliefs and Practices—(1) In the event 
of a bachelor marrying a widow, he alone goes through the 
marriage ceremony, for a woman never goes through the marriage 
ceremony more than once. The bachelor in this case would be 
wedded to a dagger, and the dagger will take the place of the bride 
throughout the ceremony. (2%) Ifa couple should have twenty-one 
children, it is said that they would go through the marriage cere- 
mony together a second time. Or if a coupie should live to see a 
grandchild’s grandchild, they will do the same. I was told 
that acouple in a certain village lived to see their grandchild’s 
grandchild; and my informant claimed to have been present at the 
marriage ceremony which was performed. I will not vouch for 
the truthfulness of my informant. 
56. Lippoing.—When a house is Jippoed, i.e., the floor 
plastered with cowdung, it is customary to begin at the doorway 
and do the plastering inwards. Never is the house lippoed out- 
wards except after a death. 
57. Hiffects of an Hclipse.—An eclipse, it is said, has a detvi- 
mental effect on granaries and on animal life not yet born. In 
order to avoid the grain in the granary losing its germinating 
power, a mark is made on the side of the granary with cow-dung, 
The same means is employed to remove the evil influence from 
pregnant animals. A mare would have a mark made on the side 
with gobur (cow-dung) and a pregnant woman has a mark made 
