320 On the Huli in Malwa. [No. 99. 



The customs above described as practised on this day, may be con- 

 sidered (independently of trifling local differences) as common both 

 here and in Upper India, but there are others peculiar I believe to this 

 part of the country or Rajpootana, which must not be omitted; one of 

 them is very pleasing. Visits are paid by the head of the village 

 " with his tail on," to any house in which there may be mourning ; the 

 owner of it if a man, comes out, and being reminded that all sorrow 

 should be extinguished with the Huli, some of its ashes are sprinkled 

 over his head; processions of women pay similar visits of condolence to 

 females in distress. 



But the favourite sport of the day is in the afternoon. In most of the 

 market villages may be observed erected two poles, about fourteen feet 

 high, with small sticks stuck into them to be used as steps to mount by, 

 these being painted red and repaired for the occasion, a great crowd 

 collects around them, where some bhil or bulai (village guide) having 

 a hook let into the flesh of his back, is swung round as at the Siva 

 Sanyasas in Bengal; but here more considerate and humane than in 

 Bengal, they place a charpae under the turning cross pole, which 

 receives the sufferer, and prevents a dangerous fall, in case of the flesh 

 giving away. 



At the foot of the poles they place any old image, generally some 

 fragment of sculpture from a ruined temple, which is called for the day 

 Megh Nath, and it is in his name that this cruel Parikrama* (for Pa- 

 rikrama it is considered) is undertaken ; sometimes in performance of a 

 vow, or to get cured of a disease, or even for the petty subscription 

 which is raised for the victims from the spectators. The deity wor- 

 shipped is said to be Bhairava, but I do not remember why on this par- 

 ticular day he should be called by the name of the cloud lord, the son 

 of Rawun. In the Deccan they seem to have wrestling, &c. as a substi- 

 tute for this, and the place where the wrestlers assemble is dedicated to 

 Vetal, the prince of the devils. Between the poles a chool (pit) is some- 



Ramsane is indeed the Phul dool, and like Mrs. Wilson's dinner, serves as business for 

 the whole year, six months being occupied in talking of the past, and the other six 

 in preparations for the coming festival. Its celebration on this particular day, and 

 the general belief to be found in many books (seethe Hindu selections,) that Ram 

 instituted the Huli, induced me to tax the Baba-gee of a Ramdwara at Indore, 

 with observing that superstition, which he indignantly denied; he gave me however 

 a short but suspiciously sect-spirited history of that festival, which will be mentioned 

 in its place. 



* Note.— A Parikrama is the act of going in a circle round any object. It is an 

 act of adoration, performed in various ways, and varying with the Deity who for the 

 time is adored. 





