JOURNAL 
OF 
THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 
No. 24.—December, 1833. 
1.—A short Account of the Charak Puja Ceremonies, and a Description of 
the Implements used. By Ram Comul Sén, Native Secretary, Asiatic 
Society. 
(Read before the Asiatic Society, in 1829.] 
In describing the instruments used in the Charak Sanydsa presented 
by me for the Museum of the Asiatic Society, a short notice of the origin 
and practice of the ceremony appears to be necessary to illustrate 
the subject. 
The word Charak is derived from Chakra or Charaka, which means a 
circle, and is used to signify moving or swinging in acircular direction ; 
Charak Sanydsa implies leaving off worldly business, living abstemi- 
ously, observing austerities, for the propitiation of Siva. Itis a festi- 
val improperly termed by many Charak Puja, perhaps from the notion 
that every ceremony observed by the Hindus of Bengal, is a puja or 
religious worship; and whether it be performed by a muchi or 
chandala, is considered as Hinduism, and the whole body of the Hin- 
dus are charged with the absurdity of the act. 
There are two kinds of Sanydsas, called Siva Sanydsa, and Dherma 
Sanydsa ; the first is celebrated in the month of Chaitra, and the second 
in Baisdkha ; the people who practise these Sanydsas are termed 
Sanydsis, and the priest who presides in the ceremony is called a 
Gajaneya brahman: the Charak festival is also called Gajana, (Gad or 
Grama, village; jana, people,) being observed by the villagers. There 
are several ranks amongst the Sanydsis, such as Mila or head; 
Dhula, or subordinate ; Sain, or followers. 'The time occupied by the 
Charak Sanydsa is a whole month, and that of the Dherma is a fort- 
night; during this time the Sanydsis live abstemiously, and observe 
various ceremonies to be noticed below. 
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