234 THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ETHNOGRAPHY, BENGAL, ON 



Sometimes no metal case is used but the charm is covered with a yellow rag or tightly 

 bound with indigo coloured thread spun by a virgin. This form is used both by Hindus 

 and Muhammadans and may be consecrated either by texts from the Quran or by mantras. 

 It is known as Jap in Bengal and as Gutika in Orissa. A somewhat similar form, 

 peculiar to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which, contains mantras written on palm leaves, is 

 known as Laphua l and is believed to have been introduced from Burma. 



Any of the rules and restrictions prescribed for the wearing of Kavac may be 

 applied equally to Maduli. There are, however, additional rules which may be prescribed 

 for the latter. They must sometimes be first put on a Tuesday or Saturday, the 

 first thing in the morning before ablutions have been performed ; or at an altar or temple, 

 whilst the owner faces northwards 2 with his clothes still wet and utters a prayer. 

 Hindus are often directed to fast on the eleventh day of the moon. In the case of women, 

 a fast may be prescribed on Mondays, after which habisya anna (boiled rice and ghi) must 

 be eaten at sunset. Or the amulet is purified every eighth day by being passed 

 through the smoke of dhfip incense. Purity is, as usual, essential, as dirty people 

 are held to be specially liable to the attacks of evil spirits. The restrictions of diet 

 are sometimes similar to those which would be ordered by a doctor ; for example, when 

 the use of tobacco is forbidden in the case of lung diseases. In other cases they 

 are exactly the reverse, as, for instance, when a person suffering from fever is allowed 

 to bathe or eat any kind of food or when tnuri (parched rice) is given in case of diarrhoea 

 and dysentery. These rules are discretionary with the giver of the amulet, and entirely 

 different restrictions may be imposed with two different amulets for the same disease. 

 For example, in the case of hysteria, sak, acids, and certain fish are forbidden with one 

 amulet, whilst with another the only rules are that the Maduli must never be allowed to 

 touch the ground, or the patient her mother. 



Maduli and the allied amulets, which contain miscellaneous objects, unlike those 

 which contain only sacred writings, may be worn on any part of the body, though gold 

 amulets are not worn below the waist. They are generally attached by red or blue thread, 

 which should have been spun by an unmarried girl to give the best results, but sometimes 

 with a yellow cotton thread, a gold chain, gold or copper wire or a silk thread of any 

 colour. For the cure of illnesses they are usually worn as near as possible to the seat of 

 the disease. Thus they are worn round the waist for bowel complaints, for urinary and 

 other diseases affecting the parts below the navel, or to prevent miscarriage ; on the thigh 

 or round the loins to hasten delivery ; round the ankle for elephantiasis or gout ; on the 

 chest for asthma and diseases affecting the heart or lungs ; on the head, tied to the hair 

 or theflagri, or stuck in the ear, for brain and eye diseases, or for toothache. For 

 constitutional diseases, for general protection, and for special objects, they are, as a rule, 

 worn round the neck or on the arm Sometimes several Maduli are strung together and 

 worn as a necklace. Men usually wear them on the right arm and women on the left. 

 Women often wear amulets for diseases connected with childbirth in the hair. Children 

 generally have them tied round the neck or waist, or, less often, round the arm. For an 



1 The term is used by the Maghs to denote every kind ot amulet. 



2 North and east are regarded as lucky and pure. 



