THE SAORIAS OF THE RAJMAHAL HILLS. 75 



Drums, cymbals and conch shells are used while the dancers slap their buttocks and 

 thighs shouting : — 



" Nin oho lalla enoho lalen 

 Lekureh ! laleh chamen para." — (Malto.) 

 Translation : 



" L/O I dance, then dance thou well, 

 While shout and song united swell I" 



The women-folk look on and some even join the dancers. Makai is scattered all 

 round the house during these rites. The dance goes 1 on the whole night and 

 the Ddld Gosain is placed on the makai thek outside the house. Pochai is given 

 to everyone, and in the morning offerings are made; and then, on a sudden, 

 the Demno springs on the top of the makai thek. The she-goat is killed and 

 he drinks the blood and produces a stone Gosain from the thek, which the 

 Tdllu takes. This stone is placed inside the house. The Ddld Gosain is now 

 brought within and is placed beside the Gumo Gosain ; the Demno takes his seat 

 beside it. Offerings, as usual, are made and the white he-goat is killed. The Demno, 

 who has been calling on the Gumo Gosain and the Ddld Gosain to come and be pleased, 

 drinks the blood as usual. The Ddld Gosain is then hung on the two Gumo Gosain 

 poles, and the Demno has water sprinkled over him to bring him back to consciousness. 

 The Ddld Gosain becomes the receptacle for all the stone godlings produced by the Demno. 

 The Demno gets the breast of the goat and the Tdllu Beddu the forequarter. The 

 puj ah is concluded by the Tdllu Beddu who has to eat, at least a part, of the testicles 

 of the he-goat broiled ! After this the feast and the dance take place, and presents 

 are given and received as already described. These carousals also end in an orgie and 

 in licentious indulgence among the young men and maidens. 



Order of Worship — 



(i) Pau Duri Gosain — Erwe or Naddu. 



(2) Konra Gosain or Barya Chuki. 



(3) Tand Kutti Naddu or Erwe. 



(4) Gumo Gosain — Erwe or Naddu. 



(5) Chamda Gosain or Chamd Erwe. 



(6) Dala Gosain or Dal Erwe. 



(7) Kando Gosain or Naddu. 



These are the chief godlings and Chamda holds the highest rank. Others outside 

 this list are godlings and demons. The chief godlings require a great deal of expenditure. 

 The other godlings and demons maybe sacrificed to, by poor people, and they are not 

 worshipped in any regular order. 



Chal Naddu-Jahirthan Godung (Village grove). 



The villagers gather at the Jahirthan and, as a rule, the Demno performs the pu- 

 jah. Fowls, pigs, pochai, ddru, new grain of all kinds or fruit are offered. 



