ANGAM CHARMS. 



85 



arms of three or four people, who were supporting him from falling 

 down, and apparently senseless. His great velvet coat was now 

 removed, and the shirt collar opened to give him the benefit of air. 

 In another moment a man was seen pronouncing in an inaudible 

 voice (the motion of the lips alone could be seen) his charms, first 

 over a lock of hair of the sick man, which he formed into a knot 

 after his mutterings were concluded, and then over a cup of water. 

 In 5 or 6 minutes more, some of the charmed water was sprinkled 

 over the man's face, and some poured down his throat. He almost 

 immediately recovered, and the procession again moved on. When 

 the incantations were over, I heard the Cattadiya say, with an air 

 of confidence and triumph. "Now, don't fear, he will be all right 

 soon," and sure enough he was, which even then, young as I was, 

 I thought was more owing to the refreshing coolness of the water 

 he drank, than to any supernatural virtues imparted to it by the 

 incantations. Several members of the procession, especially the 

 nearest relatives of the bridegroom, gave vent to their feelings of 

 resentment in dark, mysterious hints, expressed in obscure and 

 sententious language, such as "Very well" with a peculiar shake 

 of the head, " Well, let us see," " You can see," " We are also still 

 living/' and other similar expressions, quite intelligible to a Sin- 

 ghalese, and which boded no good to the culprit, who had brought 

 this Angam on the bridegroom. 



We can adduce instances like this in great numbers; but the 

 above will suffice to give an idea of a Wedding procession afflicted 

 by what is supposed to be an Angam charm. 



In 99 cases out of a hundred, it is the bride, and not the bride- 

 groom, who displays these symptoms of what is supposed to be 

 Angam influence. 



Whether a Cattadiya forms one of the procession or not, certain 

 precautions are always taken against the bridegroom or the bride 

 falling under the influence of an Angam. These precautions con- 

 sist in pronouncing charms over one end of the handkerchief which 

 they carry in their hands, and then tying up that end into a knot. 

 Sometimes other amulets called Yantra are worn about their persons. 



