1885.] 
of Religion in the Himalaya. 
11 
ing and dedication to tlie first sraddha in honour of the deceased. Hither¬ 
to only the ceremonies known as kiriya-karmahaeve been performed whilst 
the spirit of the deceased remained a pret, but now in order that he may 
be numbered amongst the pitris or ancestors, the formal sraddlia is under¬ 
taken in his honour and for his benefit. Dry, clean clothes are worn and 
the celebrant proceeds to the ghat and rinses his mouth with the usual 
formula. Then rice is cooked and five small bundles of husa are washed 
and anointed with oil and set up to represent the Brahman on the part of 
the deceased with the nimantrana or invitation : —Gat o' si divyaloke train 
kritdntavihitdt pathah , manasd vayubhutena vipre tvdhayi nimantraye — 
you have departed to be away having your way prepared by the god of 
death with a mind turned into wind. I would invite you. Similar bundles 
are consecrated to represent the spirit of the deceased and water and the 
argha are offered with the prayer that they may be accepted. In silence 
the karmapdtra is placed on the ground and offerings of sandal, &c., made 
as before.* The dedication is then made for the purpose of performing 
the ceremony as if it were the ekoddislit a-sraddha. f For this purpose a 
seat is placed and the argha is consecrated and dedicated to the spirit of 
the deceased. Gifts are then presented to both the symbolised Brahman 
and preta and both are reverenced. A brazen platter is then smeared 
with clarified butter and the rice placed on it and dedicated to the 
acceptance of the spirit. A circular altar a span in diameter is next 
made and smeared with cow-dung. Bice is also mixed with milk, sesa- 
mum, clarified butter, and honey and made into round balls about the 
size of a bel fruit and with husa , sesamum and water are taken in the 
hand and dedicated to the first sraddha. The altar is covered with husa 
and on it a single pinda is placed, then water, sandal, rice, flowers, in¬ 
cense, lamps, sweetmeats and woollen thread are each presented with a 
dedication as offerings to the spirit of the deceased. The bundles of 
husa which represent the Brahman are then addressed and told that the 
preceding offerings have been made to the preta and to grant that they 
may be accepted and for this purpose water is offered to him. Gifts are 
then made to the symbolised Brahman which are kept until the next day, 
as gifts made during the first eleven days cannot be accepted by a puro- 
hita. The water in the Jcarm-patra is then poured out at the feet of the 
Brahman and the janeo is changed to the left shoulder. This is followed 
* See previous page. 
f The ekoddishta or tithi-sraddha is that performed on the anniversary of a 
father’s death, whilst the general ceremony which takes place during the dark half 
of Kuar is called the pdrvan or kanydgata-sraddha. If the father dies during this part 
of Kuar the ceremony is called Kshaydha-sraddha. In the pdrvan the usual fifty- five 
pindas are offered ; in the elcoddishta only one. 
