302 



Topographical Report on the Neilgherries. [July 



carcasses and devour them. Before the body is burned, a lock of hair 

 and a nail are cut off, and brought into a new hut, where the widow is 

 left ; if he had no wife, his son remains there, but, if he be not inclin- 

 ed, one of his relations lives in it for a month. During this time a col- 

 lection of grain, &c. is made from all the villages. When the month 

 expires, the hair and nail are taken to the funeral pile, accompanied 

 by Koters, music, dancing and singing, and, having laid them on the 

 spot where the body was burned, they dance round for some time, and 

 then all the buffaloes intended for this sacrifice are driven into the 

 woods. Several of the men follow them with large clubs, and beat 

 them cruelly on their backs, and when severely injured they are 

 brought back to the pile and their heads cut off. The Koters and Cur- 

 rumbers, as on all occasions of the kind, divide the carcasses among 

 themselves. The majority of the buffaloes sacrificed on the above oc- 

 casions are the property of the deceased, the remainder are presented 

 by their relatives, as a mark of respect. These ceremonies being per- 

 formed they shave their heads, and cook the rice, &c. which had been 

 previously collected, and after partaking of them return home. 



The Todars live on ghee, milk and a small grain, which they do not 

 cultivate, but receive as lords of the soil from the Burghers, who pay 

 this tribute partly from old custom, but chiefly through fear of en- 

 chantment, which they imagine the Todars to exercise over them, and 

 to their detriment, if they do not give what is thus expected of them. 

 The Todars deny that they eat animal food, but there is reason to doubt 

 this assertion. On one occasion, when looking into one of these coni- 

 cal temples, in company with two other gentlemen, I saw a calf's head 

 roasting in the embers of a small wood fire, and there is every reason 

 to think that a people, who have some ideas of Hindooism, would not 

 defile their temple in such a way, if they did not gratify their palates 

 with animal food. As far as it was possible to judge by the gestures 

 of the Todar who found us examining the place, he certainly was not 

 pleased at first, but afterwards he laughed good humoredly at our dis- 

 covery. 



A bachelor is selected as a priest, to whom a piece of cloth of the 

 value of two fanams, and a certain number of buffaloes, are given^ 

 also a monthly allowance of grain. He is to remain at the principal 

 temple of the district, without approaching any house or imind. After 

 some stay there, in a state of celibacy, should lie be inclined to leave it, 

 he is allowed to do so, and another is substituted in his room ; if he 

 be desirous to have a son he may adopt one of his brother's children. 



