1849.] Kdcch, Bodo and Dhimal People. 723 



the numerous gods Jupiter Pluvius, as typed by the rivers, commands 

 a reverence, second to none with the Dhimals, second to one or two only 

 with the Bodo. All the rivers between the Cosi and the Torsha are 

 chief divinities of the Dhimals — all those between the Konki and the 

 Bar nadi, prime deities of the Bodo. Fire, however, indispensible 

 agriculturally for the clearing of the forest, is by no means equally re- 

 verenced ; nor the earth, which yields all ; nor the noble forest, so 

 cherished and so many ways indispensable ; nor the mountains whence 

 come these very rivers ; nor even the sun and moon, which alone of 

 the starry hosts are worshipped at all. All these deities are worship- 

 ped devoutly indeed, but none with such earnestness as the rivers : 

 and yet the rivers flow too low to allow of their waters being turned 

 to irrigation, so that it is as an index of copious rains, upon which 

 exclusively Bodo and Dhimal crops are dependant, that the rivers are 

 entitled to this reverence, though crossing as they do so frequently 

 and so directly the route of communication through the country of 

 these tribes, 'tis no wonder that they have unusually commanded at- 

 tention. When I first obtained lists of the Bodo and Dhimal divinities, 

 at once so numerous and so devoid of attributes, I was exceedingly per- 

 plexed what to make of these gods, how to render them at all intelligi- 

 ble to myself or others. But one key to the enigma was soon found in 

 the Hindu pantheon — another in the best frontier maps, especially 

 those of Rennell, where the rivers proved to be so many Dii majores. 

 A third class of gods, and a very important and characteristic one, in 

 regard to the Bodo more particularly, remained, however, for solution. 

 These following the people themselves, I have denominated the ' house- 

 hold gods,' because their worship is conducted inter parietes. f Nation- 

 al,' however, were the fitter term, for these are the original deities of 

 the whole people, and though their worship be conducted at home, 

 or in each house, the whole neighbourhood participates through the 

 medium of the accompanying sacrifice and feast, and reciprocally at 

 every householder's of the village, once a year in solemn pomp, and 

 more frequently and quietly as occasion may require. Not to men- 

 tion that these deities likewise share with the elemental gods the high 

 triennial festivals above adverted to ; for how ample soever the Bodo or 

 Dhimal pantheon, their practical religion is as simple as their manners, 

 and they dispose of their superfluous divinities by adoring them all in 



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