15 



(No. 4.) 



This very singular Palmyra I discovered accidentally in the midst 

 of a thick boundary fence of common Palmyra trees, belonging to 

 the village of Dhirmaram, near the sea coast, and about 5| milei 

 South Easterly from Chicacole. 



The most respectable Inhabitants of the village say that this tree ig 

 about 25 years old. It is considered by them a barren tree, 

 from not having yet produced fruit although they affirm that another 

 tree precisely of this description in the village of Darsam about 15 

 miles distant, bears fruit which is eatable. The leaves are like those 

 of the common Palmyrahs, and are ^periodically cut from the large 

 stems, and used for covering the roofs of houses. 



The Natives do not perform any ceremony before this tree, al- 

 though from its singular construction, 'and the central cluster con- 

 taining at least one hundred small 'fteads, they hold it sacred, con- 

 ceiving that it must contain some holy hidden mystery. 



Excepting in its many heads it differs in no respect from the com- 

 mon Palmy rah. 



The height of the tallest stem is 1 8 feet. 



The within drawings give the appearance of the tree on each 

 side of the fence. 



Chicacole. W. S. BOWLER. Major 



1st February 1826. Supt. of Roads N. D, 



An Account of the Hindoo Holy days and Festivals, by Venket 

 Row, late Interpreter to the Officer Commanding Vellore, with 

 considerable alterations and additions by the Editor. 



(Read at a meeting of the M. L. S & A. R. A. S. held on the 21st Feb. 1833.) 



It is necessary to premise that the Teloogoo year consists of a 

 certain number of lunar months reckoned from new moon to new 

 moon, and the Tamil year, of solar months, containing as many days 

 and parts of days as the sun stays in each sign of the zodiac. 

 To prevent confusion, the solar festivals and the feasts governed by 

 the Lunar Calendar have been treated of in the following pages un- 

 der distinct heads. 



Feasts governed by the lunar Calendar. 

 1. Oogady Pundaga — The first day of the increasing moon 

 in the lunar month Chaitra is the commencement of the Teloogoo 

 year. The Teloogoo people celebrate its return as a holiday by of- 

 fering, (after having anointed themselves and bathed) the flower of 



