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Beliefs about Re-Birth
Practitioners of astrology, disclosing the past-births of
their clients and predicting their destinies in future births, are popular among the lower strata of Tamils. It is said that breaking
a coconut before the images of deities is a remnant or a substitute for
human sacrifice and the spilling of arti or reddish
water, consisting of slaked lime and turmeric, performed at the
commencement and conclusion of ceremonies is substitute for blood-spilling to ward off evil-spirits.
Beliefs about Travel
The itching of the sole of the foot indicates a
forth coming journey. It is considered a good omen if a Garuda
is seen hovering in the sky when one goes about on an
important assignment. The ordinary folk are keen on hearing
good and cheerful words as promise of success. On a person leaving
home on a significant mission, it is auspicious if an
unknown voice is heard to say 'my cow gave abundant milk this
morning'. This is called Virichi.
At the commencement of a trip is a good augury
to see flowers, a married woman or a pot full of water. The sight
of a Garuda, a dog or a squirrel crossing from the traveller's
sight to his left indicates success. A cow, a parrot, a peacock, a
fowl, a deer, a tiger, or buffalo, augur will for the traveller, if they
cross from his left to his right.
Umbrella,
flag, Chamaram or giant sized whisks form
the temple, sugar-cane, meat, milk,curd, honey, bull, cow, elephant, prostitute, horse,
and fruits are welcome if they come towards the traveller. It is also lucky to hear the sound of a bell or cannon, the
braying of an ass, the cry of Garuda or the recitation of the
scriptures at the commencement of the journey .
It is the tradition
to return home drink a cup
of water, rest for a while and resume the trip, if
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one is
crossed by a snake, a cat, a monk, a lonely Brahmin, a barber, a
widow or an oil-monger
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an unpleasant sound is heard
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there is a slip of the leg or accidental
fall
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the head is hit by
the top of the door-frame or by some other obstruction
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some
unknown voice says "don't go"
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there is unusual or abnormal
rain or drizzle .
One should not carry oil and dirty
linen in
one's baggage. There are several other restrictions on travel. It is not
customary for husbands to start on important errands,
when the wife is having her menstruation period. Like wise, there
are the soolam rules prohibiting travel in particular
directions on each-week day. One should not go north ward on
Tuesdays and Wednesdays, southward on Thursdays, eastward on
Monday and Saturdays and westward on Sundays and Fridays. Every rule has
an exception and in an emergency one can leave in the late afternoon,
after offering curd to the deity. Owing to the wide observance of this
soolam rule, trains from Madras bound for the south are not crowded on
Thursdays .
Another prohibited period for travel is Rahu Kalam
or in auspicious part of the day. It duration is an hour and a half. It is
unwritten rule not to commence any venture during
this period. People carry with them the Rahu Kalam time table
for ready reference. There are code sentences in English and Tamil to
denote these timings like "Mother saw the father wearing the
turban on Sunday". Mother stands for Monday, saw for Saturday, father for Friday and so on.
The auspicious period occurs in this
order starting at 7.30 on Monday and ending at 6.00 hours on
Sunday evening.
Some hill-tribes of Madurai under take
journeys before sunrise on Mondays, after mid-day on Tuesdays, after
dusk on Wednesdays, after breakfast on Thursdays, and journeys after
sunrise on Fridays and Saturdays are avoided.
Beliefs about Numbers
There are several theories about numbers. Number
'one' is sometimes avoided by folks. They substitute it by the word
'first'. When measuring paddy, the villagers say by 'profit' for the
first measure in many places. The name of the local deity is mentioned
to denote the commencement of measuring first measure. It is thought that,
if the first attempt in any venture fails, success is possible only after third attempt.
There is a feeling that '3' is not good number and people
avoid going in groups of three. Since any association with that number is
supposed to defeat the purpose of the journey. Some persons say 'six plus one'
to indicate seven. Number 8 has an unlucky sound and so in measuring paddy,
the villager says 'eight measures' and not simply eight.
Generally,
people prefer odd numbers. In making donations, a
round sum is first thought of and a small figure added to make it
odd e.g. Rs.1001,5005
Several persons wait,
until they can get the number
of their liking in the securing telephone connections or a motor-car
registration .
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