60 
E. T. Atkinson —Notes on the history 
[No. 1, 
prayed the Raja to aid them and ho consulted the Muni Narada, who 
directed them to go forth in full confidence on the last day of the light 
half of Phalgun and laugh, sport and rejoice. Then they should set up a 
bonfire and circumambulate it according to rule, then every one should 
“ utter without fear whatever comes into his mind. In various ways and 
in their own speech let them freely indulge their tongues and sing and 
sing again a thousand times whatever songs they will. Appalled by 
those vociferations, by the oblations to fire and by the laughter of the 
children,” the Rakshasi was to be destroyed. “ Inasmuch as the oblation 
of fire (homo) offered by the Brahmans upon this day effaces sin and 
confers peace upon the world (loka), therefore shall the day be called 
hoUkd.” The Kumaonis take full advantage of the license thus afforded 
and under the infiuence of hhang proceed from village to village singing 
obscene songs and telling stories. The red-powder or giildl which is 
used in the sports during the festival is made from the flowers of the 
rhododendron. Although preparations commence on the eighth or ninth, 
the real festival does not begin until the eleventh, known as the chirban- 
dan day, or amardaM ehddasi. On this day, people take two small pieces 
of cloth from each house, one white and the other coloured, and after 
offering; them before the SAkti of Bhairava make use of them thus :—A 
pole is taken and split at the top so as to admit of two sticks being placed 
transversely at right angles to each other and from these the pieces of 
cotton are suspended. The pole is then planted on a level piece of 
ground, and the people, singing the Holi songs in honour of Kanhaiya 
and his Gopis, circumambulate the pole and burn it on the last day. This 
ceremony is observed by the castes who assume connection with the 
plains castes, but the lower class of Khasiyas, where they observe the 
festival, simply set up the triangular standard crowned by an iron tri¬ 
dent, the special emblem of Pasupati, which they also use at marriage 
ceremonies. The Holi is chiefly observed in the lower pattis and is un¬ 
known in the upper hills. The Tihd holi takes place two days after the 
chharari or last day of the Holi, when thankofferings are made, accord¬ 
ing to ability, on account of the birth of a child, a marriage or any other 
good fortune. The expenses of these festivals are usually met by a cess 
on each house which is presented to the officiating Brahman for his 
services, and he, in return, gives to each person the Utah or frontal mark, 
made from a compound of turmeric. The practice of the orthodox and 
educated in no way differs from that current in the plains. The Holi is 
clearly another of those non-Brahmanical ceremonies connected with 
the montane Pasupata cult which have survived to the present day. 
Festivals regulated by the solar calendar .—Bach sanhrdnta or the 
passage of the sun from one constellation into another is marked by festi- 
