1875.] T. H. Hendley— An Account of tie Maiwdr Mils. 349 



destructible monument. The favourite deities are Mahadeva, Ruclra, the 

 god of terror who is to be appeased with blood, and his even more awful 

 consort Parvati, Devi, Mata. Malcolm says — " They reverence chiefly Ma- 

 " hadev, and Sitala Mata, also Phulbai Mata, in cholera and epidemic sick- 

 " ness — Kalibai Badribai, and Gunabai, small-pox." In the tracts the first 

 of all goddesses is Samuda Mata ; her stlidn is near the village of Dhelana, 

 about eight miles north of Khairwara. Mahadeva and Hanuman are wor- 

 shipped in every village. Local deities are numerous, and are named after the 

 hill or neighbouring village ; the most-famed in the Khairwara district are* 

 Kaniala-bapji, one of the largest pals, or villages, in the tracts, and Vajar 

 Mata,f at Jawara, where are the famous silver and lead mines. The Bhi'l 

 women worship this, their Juno Lucina, for offspring ; the temple is in the 

 valley ; and in the outer hall, by favour of the priest, British officers often 

 spend the hot part of the day, when on the march. The Bhil sipahis salam 

 to the image within the cell, but say it is of little use doing so, as the power 

 of the goddess has failed since British influence became supreme ; as proof 

 they mention the desertion of the mines. Most Bhils think the strong 

 English Gods too much for the weak deities of their country, hence their 

 desire to embrace Brahmanism, which comes within the scope of their under- 

 standing, raising them in the social scale, and, where there are Brahman 

 native officers, giving them, in their opinion, a better chance of promotion. 

 This feeling the Brahmans are not slow to take advantage of, and it requires 

 great vigilance to defeat them. Such a readiness of adaptation would no 

 doubt, as in the case of the Santals, render them eager listeners to Chris- 

 tian Missionaries, but their circumstances require that the teaching should 

 be of the simplest form, directed to them as a whole tribe rather than to 

 individuals. Their main object is social advancement, and this they may well 

 think would be most easily secured by reverencing the strong English Gods ; 

 their character would lead, however, to the conclusion that interest alone 

 would not long remain the ruling motive. 

 Other local deities are — 



Ambao Mata, at Limbarwara on the Gujarat border. 



Thur Mata, at Thur. 



Bhar Mata, at Amajra. 



Karah Mata, at Dankiwara. 



Piplahin Mata, on the Thur Hill. 



Bholiya Dewat, at Bilak. 



Dor Mata, at Dailana. 

 Here might be noted that the tombs of fakirs, bairagis, &c, are re- 

 spected. These individuals, called Bhabha, meet with some attention in life. 



* Named after the hill on which it stands. 

 t Near Eiri village hi the Diingarpur state. 



