Vol. I, No. 8.] The People of Mungeli Tahsil. 187 
[N. S8.] 
deep whole was dug on the bank of the tank and the body was 
placed in this hole in a sitting posture with legs crossed as 
represented in the figures of Buddha. (3) The face was toward 
the north. (4) The body had a langotc, a meagre loin cloth. 
(5) Another piece of cloth was cut open in the centre and the 
head was put through this opening in the cloth, so that the cloth 
rested on the shoulders. It was coloured with a red earthen 
dye (gern). See Haod. xxviii. 31,32, R. Version. ‘“ Thou shalt 
make the robe of the ephod all of blue. And it shall have a hole 
for the head in the midst thereof.” (6) Under the shoulder was 
placed a jholi or bag of cloth, the string of which went around the 
shoulder. (7) The right hand was placed to the mouth and in the 
hand was a chappatie (loaf of unleavened bread) touching the 
lips. (8) Inside the mouth was an wdraj (the sacred bead which 
mendicants or those of the priestly castes wear around the neck. 
In the mouth was also a leaf of the Baei tree (Alyle mar- 
melos). (9) By the side of the body was placed a stick such as 
mendicants carry and also a kamandal or water-vessel made from 
a gourd. (10) There were placed by the body a pair of wooden 
sandles. (11) A piece of cloth was tied carelessly around the 
head, and over this was placed an earthen plate turned upside 
down. (12) The body was then surrounded with fifteen katas of 
salt (something over a maund.) (13) When the earth had been 
filled in there was a Stv (stone image of of the Linga) placed over 
the grave, and the fellow-caste-men went around the grave seven 
times and sprinkled rice on the Siv. (14) Every night a lamp is 
lighted at the grave for one year and a lota of water and some 
rice is sprinkled over the Siv daily. In connection witii this burial 
T should mention that a short distance (five miles) from the village 
(Heraspore) in which this burial took place, is another village 
(Dharampura) which for many decades past has been the residence 
of Gosais. On the banks of the tank of this village are five different 
temples. I was told that each of the temples is built over the 
grave of a man buried as described above. My informant was 
able to give me the names of four of the Gosais buried there, but 
he said the name of the man buried under the fifth temple 
(certainly the oldest and now in a delapidated condition) was un- 
known to the village people. They had forgotten the name. 
62. Birth Practices—Immediately on the delivery of a child 
the mother has cotton stuffed into herears. Thisis said to “ keep 
out the wind.” ‘This is also done when one is expiring. There 
is a belief that a male child comes into the world the face upwards, 
and the female with the face downwards. It is said that if a male 
is born face downwards, he will be effeminate, and vice-versa. The 
hair is never allowed to remain knotted during delivery, and if 
delivery is prolonged and painful, the woman is taken into another 
house as it is believed the house has something to do with the delay 
in the child being born. 
63. Sworn Friendships.—These are known by various names, 
which are usually connected with the object employed in sealing 
the friendship. One of the most common names is Mahaprasad, 
