THE RELIGION AND CUSTOMS OF THE URAONS. 137 



The great feast of the Pachbal is the Naya or the eating of the new rice. This is a 

 day of rejoicing among the Uraons, who generally have been fasting for several months. 

 Sweetmeats in profusion are prepared for the children, and it is certainly the best day of 

 the year for them. It is touching to see the old people remember those days with grati- 

 tude to their old departed parents. As they were fed so liberally on that day by their 

 now departed parents when they were helpless, so they now in their turn want to feed 

 them (namely the Pachbal) by offering them sacrifices ; and no one will partake of the new- 

 rice before xhejirmitka are offered to the ancestors. A handful of it is made into chura 

 and spread on the ground. A hanria, or pot of rice-beer, is prepared, and before any- 

 one drinks of it some is spilt on the ground, and everyone afterwards dips his fingers in 

 his cup and lets fall some drops also in honour of their ancestors. A fowl, neither white, 

 nor red, nor black, but whity grey, is offered in the old way, namely crushing the head 

 with the fist. The eldest of the family then says, " O old mothers and fathers, you 

 have always been so good to us on these days. Here we are rejoicing : we cannot forget 

 you : come and rejoice with us." 



They invoke their ancestors — 



i. When they give a name to a newborn child. They always choose the name of 

 an ancestor with much ceremony, which will be described afterwards. When the name is 

 chosen they invoke him, put the child under his protection and say, " See, now this child 

 has taken your name, protect him." 



2. In time of sickness or difficulties they have recourse to them and say, " You have 

 left us your children ; you see in what difficulties we are ; help us and do not forget us, for 

 we do not forget you and always give you your dasturi," meaning the sacrifice. Generally 

 they promise to give them a fowl if they are helped. 



3. At the time of marriage twice — when the fathers of the bride and bridegroom 

 join arms and when they drink two pots of rice-beer in their honour and spill some on the 

 ground and say : " Now we have married this couple : you, their ancestors, help them and 

 protect them." 



4. At the time of the koman as it has been described. To be recognized and ad- 

 mitted into the other world by their forefathers, boys burn five spots on their arms. This 

 is very painful, and to help them to be courageous the others say: " Look at the burial 

 place; there are your ancestors ; if you are not courageous they will not receive you." The 

 girls also for the same reason have three vertical lines tattoed on their forehead and I three 

 smaller ones on each of their temples with a little spot on the hollow of the nose and the chin. 



When they build a new house the ancestors are invited to go to it, and a sacrifice is 

 always offered to them the first day the house is occupied. Their devotion to the Panch- 

 6a I goes so far that many of them will never drink rice-beer without letting some drops 

 fall on the ground for their benefit. The teachings of the Panch represented by the 

 Sankatalas also being now exhausted, let us come now to the religious practices which are 

 common to the Uraons and all the other tribes of Chota Nagpur, namely, the teachings of 

 the Pahan or village priest and of the Ojha or Exorcist. It is almost certain that the 

 Uraons before their arrival in Chota Nagpur knew and practised only what has been ex- 

 plained before, and had neither Pahan nor Ojha. 



