No, 29. — 1884.] PADDY CULTIVATION CUSTOMS. 



323 



Attam, Visakam, Tiruvonam, the ilakkinams Idapam, Karkkada- 

 kam, Chinkam,Viruchchikam, Kurapam, at the rising of Iraku and 

 Kulikan, the grain may be brought home. 



8. — Storing the Paddy in baskets, bins, fyc. — On four occasions 

 in January, seven in February, and four in March — any day 

 except Sunday and Tuesday, — 'generally at sunset or night. 



9. — Eating the new rice % — On eleven occasions in January, six 

 in February, and two in March, — generally at night. 



10. —- Distributing the Grain. — Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 

 and Saturday; the asterisms, Achchuvini, Urokini, Mirukasiridam, 

 Punarpusam, Pusam, Makam, Puram, Uttiram, Attam, Chittirai, 

 Suvati, Visakam* Anusham, Uttiradani, Tiruvonam, Aviddam, 

 Uttiraddati Revati ; the lunar days (titi) Tutiyai, Tirutiyai, 

 Panchami, Saptami, Tasami, E'katasi, Tuvatasi, Tirayotasi ; the 

 ilakkinams Idapam, Mitunam, Chinkam, Kanni, Viruchchikam, 

 Tanusu, Kumpam, Minam ; the eighth house being vacant, are 

 the best times for distributing for household purposes the grain 

 stored up in baskets, &c, and for giving and receiving grain. 

 On the above-mentioned lunar days, week days, and asterisms, in 



Sinhalese lagnaya. The laknams are synonymous with the twelve rdsi, 

 (See C. A. S. Journal, 1883, p. 66 note.) 



" On Wednesday one-third, omitted from the Almanac. 



Irdku (Sinhalese, Rdhu, Grahct), Caput Draconis, the ascending node 

 which, with Ketu, Cauda Draconis, the descending node, is feigned to 

 cause eclipses by endeavouring to swallow the sun and moon. 



Kulikan, "one of the seven invisible planets said to be the son of Saturn 

 — of special importance in astrological calculations." If it is invisible, 

 it does not seem clear how the agriculturist is to know when it is 

 rising. 



Although we have thirty lunar days, yet we have names for sixteen 

 tithis only, because the month being divided into two fortnights, fourteen 

 of the names are common to both fortnights. (Ind. Ant., loc. sit.) It 

 seems that the Sinhalese have names for fifteen only. (C. A. S. 

 Journal, 1883, p. 64.) The Tamil names are : — 



1 Piratamai 



2 Tutiyai 



3 Tirutiyai 



4 Saturtti 



5 Panchami 



6 Sashdi 



7 Saptami 



8 Ashdami 



9 Navami 



10 Tasami 



11 E'katasi 



12 Tuvatasi 



13 Tiray6tasi 



14 Saturttasi 



15 Pournimai 



16 Amavasiyai 



