No, 56.— 1905.] PADDY CULTIVATION CEREMONIES. 427 
The ritual begins at about eight. The dbarana are kept 
in the smaller building (kqvil), which is an upstair building 
on a small scale. The kapurdla is in the top storey, and the 
dbarana are wound up in a great turban and arranged on his 
head. The largest of the three elephants available was 
brought alongside, and the kapurdla with some difficulty 
climbed on to its back without upsetting the erection on his 
head. A procession of three elephants, tom-tom beaters, 
dancers, and boys with lighted candles then proceeded 
round the field outside the enclosure. On returning, the 
kapurdla dismounted outside the larger building, and very 
slowly and solemnly conveyed the dbarana (which was kept 
in round lac-painted boxes) to the Pattini tor ana within. 
Each elephant was made to kneel towards the altar before 
being led away. 
There were eight dancers, wearing coats and skirts with 
good applique decoration (two of the coats were embroidered 
with cobras), and also belts, turbans, and bell-covered 
leggings. The operation of dressing was very casually 
performed in public, and several were not ready until the 
ceremony had begun some time. The remainder of the 
night was occupied with songs and offerings (betel), &c., 
made to the dbarana^ and dances both under cover and 
outside. The fire dance with dummala dust was very well 
done, an interesting and beautiful variation being seen 
when the men stooped opposite each other and threw fire 
over each other's heads. These fire dances on a dark night 
are really splendid. The men also repeatedly extinguished 
the burning torches in their mouths. 
Towards morning a fire is lit and burns down to red hot 
glowing ashes, whjch are arranged in a circle about a yard in 
diameter ; the ashes are about 6 in. thick in the middle and 
1 in. at the edge. The heat is tested from time to time by 
laying a spray of areca flower on the ashes. Presently the 
chief kapurdla present (in this case a man who had arrived 
unexpectedly, and not the officiating kapurdla) jumps first 
on the red hot ashes two or three times, and finally all the 
dancers and the kapurdla do so until they are extinguished. 
