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



331 



For threshing, Thursdays are considered the best days to com- 

 mence, and certain charms and ceremonies are performed to keep 

 off "Putams," or devils, from carrying away the fruits of their 

 labour. The charm is called "xlrakku," which consists of the 

 following stuffs shut up in a box, viz., silver, copper, iron, coral, 

 pearl, chank, valampuri (a fruit), chadaimudi \a vegetable), and 

 some arrack in a vial, and buried in the centre of the threshing- 

 floor with margosa leaves, &c, over which the sheaves are heaped 

 and the cattle turned on them for threshing. In addition to these 

 charms and ceremonies, to keep off the devil from stealing the 

 paddy they begin to use a peculiar slang to keep the devils igno- 

 rant of what is spoken. For instance, the threshing cattle, 

 instead of being termed "Madu" as usual, go by the name 

 " Varikkalan," the meaning of which is "productive-legged" ; the 

 "Marakkal," or the measure, is termed " kanakkan," meaning 

 "accountant"; the baskets are called "Peruvayan,'' or "broad- 

 mouthed," and every implement has a different name in the thresh- 

 ing-floor. All expressions that have meanings suggestive of 

 decrease or other ill-jomened significations are avoided, and the word 

 u multiply " is always substituted. For instance, the expression : — 



Drive the bullocks is rendered Multiply the " Varikkalan." 



Sweep the corn „ Multiply the "Poli." 



Bring the " Marakkal " ... „ Multiply the " Kanakkan." 



Fill the basket „ Miilriply the " Pernvayan." 



Bring some water.. „ Multiply some " Vellam." 



Go home for rice „ Multiply home for " Veliai." 



Call him to take this and . 



deliver it at home „ Multiply him to multiply this 



and to multiply at home. 

 &c, &c, 



In threshing, cattle are driven with a song, the purport of 

 which is to invoke the deities to give them a good produce. 



The perquisites of the field-servants are the following : — At the 

 reaping of the "Vayals," each field-servant is entitled to eight 

 bundles of the best crop of his "vayal," by way of "Putir"; and 

 further, four bundles of corn, called "Kuruvimulai " (bird nook). 

 " Paiyali " (the " pallam " of the water-course in the "vayal"), 

 two " Marakkals' " exteut of the " vayal," is sown for the field- 

 servant, to the produce whereof he is solely entitled. Besides, he 

 gets "Adichchudu" (bottom of the stack that is wet), being 

 sometimes three bundles, " Mannankaddi " (bits of earth), the 



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