No. 26.—- 1883. J PADDY CULTIVATION CUSTOMS. 



the centre. Inside this hole are arranged seven divi-kaduru 

 leaves, and upon them is placed either a small margosa-wood 

 plank ( kokomba-lella ) 3 by 4 inches (on which two circles 

 to represent sun and moon have been described), with a knot 

 of korasa creeper (korasa-gete), a pointed conch shell 

 (katu-hakgediga) , and a stone — or, more common!}', outline 

 representations in ashes of these articles and of a scraper 

 (poruva), flail ( deti-gogiga), broom (bolatta), measure (gdla- 

 pogiga), andura, and Buddha's foot (Budu-sri-patula). 

 [Diagram No. 2.] 



The cultivator at the fixed time looking towards the field 

 from which the paddy was reaped, and reciting the Nava- 

 guna-gdtkdwa, walks with some corn on his head seven times 

 round the arakvala, and, once more looking at the field 

 places the corn into the hole. The whole of the corn is 

 then put onto the kamata, and some six pairs of bullocks 

 driven over it. Within a short time the corn on the borders 

 of the threshing-floor is tossed onto the centre heap wit h the 

 deti-gogiga, the bullocks made to trample it, and the straw 

 (mta-kedu-meduvan) thrown outside the kamata. 



Of the corn that remains unthreshed, two-thirds are 

 separated and winnowed (haZdbdnavd) and again thrown 

 under the bullocks' feet, and the resulting straw fmaka- 

 meduvan) removed as before. 



The rest of the corn is once more tossed about, winnowed, 

 and made into a heap, over which the bullocks are a third time 

 driven, and the straw ( gogikame-meduvan) finally cast aside. 



The paddy is then collected ( rdhi-karanavd ) into the heap 

 f m-varuva) ready to be measured. 



To return to the Kalutara District. At the conclusion of 

 the dndu-kerima ceremony — during which the bullock-drivers 

 run the risk of getting a sound rap on the head with the 

 deti-gogiga should they forgetfully shout to their animals 

 (andaherati ganavd)-—th.e threshed corn is piled in heaps 

 at the four corners of the mats, and the men begin to win- 

 now (kaZdbdnavdj the seed (beta) from the straw (mediwan.) 

 Every time the men stoop to remove the grain from the 

 straw ( medimaii-karanavd ) or to sweep the paddy towards 

 the mutta (bolati-yanavd) they bow in adoration of the corn- 

 heap in the centre. 



