No. 26.— 1883.] PADDY CULTIVATION CUSTOMS. 41 



In the preparation of the kamata, scrupulous attention is 

 paid to minute details, which vary considerably in different 

 districts.* 



In the Rayigam Korale, before the sheaves are removed 

 from the ricks, five, seven, or nine large mats (mdgal), 

 about 4 feet 6 inches by 25 feet, are spread on the ground, 

 and three concentric circles traced upon them with ashes 

 (alukan vadanavd.) Two straight lines bisect the circles at 

 right angles, E. to W. and N. to S., and within each segment 

 of the innermost circle are drawn representations of four 

 agricultural implements, viz., porum or scraper, deti-goyvya 

 or pitch-fork, kulla or winnowing basket, and a Idka mea- 

 sure. [Diagram No. Lj At the centre of the figure is 

 placed the mutta. This consists of a large conch shellf (with 

 seven points, whenever procurable), into which are stuffed a 

 little gold (beads, &c), silver, copper, brass, iron, ashes, 

 cowdung, a jak flower (warakd-mala), and, if obtainable, a 

 gongohore — or clot of hair which certain bullocks are sup- 

 posed to vomit — w r rapped together in white rag. A smaller 

 conch serves as stopper to keep all in ; after which both 

 shells are further covered with tolabd leaves, kiressa, and 

 three sheaves ( iippidi) of paddy, and tied into a bundle with 

 baravd-madu-vel creeper. 



At the lucky hour, a goyiyd, reputed fortunate, placing a 

 sheaf of corn on his head walks thrice solemnly round the 

 mutta, bowing towards it each time at the four corners of the 

 mats. Then, looking in the direction fixed by the astrologer 

 with reference to the nekata, he deposits it upon the mutta 

 and thrice salutes it with joined palms. After this, the 

 corn is brought in by the rest and spread out on the mats, 

 round and over the mutta, the ears pointing upwards. Six, 

 or sometimes seven, bullocks yoked with ropes in two lots, 

 are now driven over the corn round the mutta, until all is 

 roughly trampled out. 



A ceremony termed dndu-karanavd is next performed. 

 The chief goyiyd on the kamata taking deti-goyiya lays it 



* Note 5. 



f Conch shells may be commonly noticed on the necks of bullocks as 

 talismans against the power,? of evil. 



G 



