DEMON POSSESSION. 



103 



yellow with saffron, and knotted during the Jeewama, is coiled 

 round the nail, the Cattadiya the whole time muttering charms. 

 The demon is supposed by this means to be "bound and nailed." 

 Sometimes, instead of nailing the demon to a tree, he is " impri- 

 soned" in a small box made of lead, which is then thrown into the 

 sea or a river. If neither of these avail, the last resource is to go 

 to the temple called Gala Cappu Dewale at Alut Nuvera. What 

 takes place there we have already described in a previous chapter. 

 There the exorcism is supposed to be complete. But some women 

 even after this last exorcism, get a relapse which then is considered 

 to be incurable. 



Demon possession is however not confined to Buddhists; women 

 of the Roman Catholic faith are equally subject to it. When a 

 Roman Catholic is suffering under demon possession, the exorcism 

 is performed by the Annevy, a native officer of the Roman Catho- 

 lic Church, or, if he fails by the Roman Catholic priest himself. 

 On these occasions the cross and the images of the Saints being 

 shewn to the woman, she is asked what they are. At this question 

 some women begin to tremble, and try to avoid looking at them. 

 By and bye by threats and prayers she is brought both to look at 

 them, and to acknowledge what they are. The Lord's Prayer and 

 the Prayer to the Virgin Mary are then read over her, each seven 

 times; after this, the charm called Rattu Mandiram, or binding 

 charm, is written on a piece of paper, which, having been folded 

 up into a small bundle and sprinkled with Holy Water, is suspended 

 from the neck of the woman ; and the same charm is again pro- 

 nounced o ver her . Some frankincense is then burnt and its smoke 

 held under her face. The Annevy then addresses her in nearly 

 these terms — "Leave this woman and go thy way. I charge thee, 

 demon, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 

 in the name of the Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints. Leave her 

 this instant, or thou shalt be punished severely." Sometimes the 

 woman says, "No, I won't leave her." On one occasion about two 

 years ago, a woman, being asked during the exorcism why the de- 

 mon would not quit her, replied, "because she is the most beautiful 



