62 MR. R. B. BAINBRIDGfi ON 



XIII. Death and Burial. 



The dead are buried ; the ancient custom is interment. After death the corpse is 

 washed and oiled by the relatives. It is then clothed in its best apparel, sindur is 

 placed on the forehead and chest, one line down the nose and one line down the 

 chest. Bows, arrows, all personal property, are brought and placed with the corpse. 

 In the case of a woman, all her jewellery is put with the corpse ; only one article belong- 

 ing to the deceased is retained and produced on days of festival and ftujahs as a 

 "souvenir." After this the corpse is carried outside the house, and placed with its 

 head towards the west, the feet being towards the east. Before taking the corpse 

 outside, grain is scattered within and without the house, and, as a rule, the path taken 

 by the corpse to the graveyard has grain scattered along its length for some distance. 

 There is general lamentation. The corpse is carried by four individuals, relatives or 

 others. A fowl is killed and is cooked with makai (Indian corn) and put in an earthern 

 plate. On the way to the graveyard the khalia (bed) is placed on the ground and all the 

 relatives have one last look. From this point all the women-folk return. On reaching 

 the graveyard, the grave is dug in depth to the height of an ordinary man, the bottom 

 of the grave is laid out with poles, and leaves, and the corpse is taken off the khaiia 

 and placed at the bottom of the grave on the poles and leaves. Then one of the 

 relatives takes two leaves of the bhelua plant (Semecarpus anacardium) and places them 

 over the face of the corpse. Poles are then driven in horizontally about half-way up 

 the grave so as to make a platform over the dead body. After this the grave is 

 filled in. The corpse is rifled of its jewellery and brass plates by the bearers. All the 

 clothes of the corpse are torn in pieces and buried with the body. The grave finally 

 has stones put on the top and the cooked makai and fowl are placed at the four corners 

 of the grave, saying, " This is for you, O son, or wife; may your ancestors eat this 

 and keep you in safety with them." The party then bathes and returns home. 



A corpse is buried on the day of death. Arrows and bows, sticks and bead neck- 

 laces are buried : articles of real value are brought away. The grave is dug east and 

 west and the body is placed with its head to the west. No prayers or mantras are 

 repeated and the D emtio is not required to be present. All articles taken away 

 by the bearers are sold and a khassi (goat) is bought by them with the proceeds and 

 eaten. 



When the bearers return they receive a bull, cow, goat, pig„ or fowl, according 

 to circumstances. The animal is killed outside the village, and cooked rice is provided 

 by the relatives of the deceased. The party eats, and, after eating, the leaves used 

 as plates are collected by the Banddri, who places a wattle screen thereon ; he then 

 sits on it with two other persons— five persons may sit but not more ; everyone is brought 

 forward and asked, " What claims have you against the deceased and what suspicions 

 have you regarding his death ? " Claims not put forward at this time receive no 

 recognition afterwards. Suspicion as regards witchcraft, or death by poison, 

 also must be put forward at this time. This being done, the Banddri collects 

 the leaf plates and carries them, with the receptacle in which they are carried, 



