THE SAORIAS OF THE RAJMAHAL HILLS. 73 



questions being repeated. After this the Cham-das are hung up once more and the" 

 pujah is at an end. 



The Sdhdri Ndddu henceforth accompanies the householder to all pujahs ) and it 

 is oiled and marked with sindur. The Demno's perquisites are the breast and loins 

 of the he-goat — Tokereh (Malto) — rice and oil, and etc., pochai. ■ ' 



Gumo Gosain or Nadd 



u. 



In the case of illness, should the Demno or Charri Beddu advise a pujah to Gumo 

 Ndddu, the householder takes rice and water and sprinkles them on the patient and in 

 his house, saying, " If recovery takes place, I will sacrifice to thee, O Gumo Gosain." 

 The year having gone by, the date and name of the Tdllu Beddu are ascertained and 

 pochai is made ready. Two sal trees ' are selected and the Tdllu kills a fowl and sprin- 

 kles them with the blood. He then paints them with sindur and offers rice, pochai 

 and patki taddi (daru). After this the trees are felled and the bark is taken off.' 

 They are then carried and placed in front of the householder's dwelling in line on the 

 ground. The height of the house is measured while the Demno starts his incantations. 

 When the poles are ready, the Demno gets astride of them and he is carried round the 

 house five times. Before taking him round, however, his body is covered with the red 

 ants found on mango trees, in order to ascertain whether the spirit has really entered, 

 or, whether the Demno is shamming ! The bite of this large red ant is excruciating ! 

 The poles are then taken inside the dwelling, and fixed to, and lashed side by side 

 with the central post of the house on the south. 2 A mud altar is erected and sindur is 

 applied thereon. Offerings of rice and makai are scattered and daru is sprinkled. 

 The Demno does not allow the liquor to be wasted, he also eats the offerings in his 

 excitement, saying, " The god comes from this path," and other matters. Then the 

 goat is brought and its head is taken off, the Demno drinking the blood as usual from 

 the severed neck. This finishes the pujah and the feasting and carousals begin. Men 

 and women dance together and the festival ends in a licentious orgie ! 



Dal Erwe. 



Dal Erwe takes place in Mdgh, Jeyth and Akhdr. Disease or trouble is the origin 

 of this worship. The Demno is consulted and he finds out from the oracle that Ddld 

 Gosain has to be propitiated. On his return from the Demno, the householder scatters 

 rice and water over the sick person and in the house, saying, " If the sickness disappear, 

 I will sacrifice to thee, O Ddld Gosain." The patient having recovered, the householder 

 collects materials for the pujah, which takes place about a year after the consultation 

 with the Demno. The Charri Beddu or Demno are again approached, and the woman 

 who is to brew the first pot of pochai, is selected, also the man who is to perform the 

 pujah, Tdllu Beddu. The procedure already described is followed. A white she-goat is 



1 One tree for the wife and the other tree for the husband. 2 Gumo Gosain pufah takes place in February and March, 



