  The worship of totems is not known to prevail in Gujarat, but the names of persons and clans or families are occasionally derived from animals and plants. Instances of names derived from animals are given below:—
The Kali Paraj or aboriginal tribes in Gujarat give such names as Kagdo (crow), Kolo (Jackal), Bilado (cat), Kutro (dog) to their children according as one or other of these animals is heard to cry at the time of birth. The following are instances of names derived from plants:—
Instances of family or clan names derived from trees and animals are as follows:—
The cow, the she-goat, the horse, the deer, peacock, the Tilad or singing sparrow, the goose, the Nag or snake, the eagle, the elephant and the male monkey are believed to be sacred by all Hindus. Of these, the greatest sanctity attaches to the cow. Her urine is sipped for the atonement of sins. The cow is also revered by the Parsis. The mouth of the she-goat and the smell of the horse are considered sacred. An elephant is considered sacred, because when the head of Ganpati was chopped off by Shiva, the head of an elephant was joined to his trunk. The peacock is considered sacred on account of its being the conveyance of Sarasvati, the goddess of learning. A male monkey is held holy, because it is supposed to represent the monkey god Maruti. Some sanctity attaches to the rat also, as it is the conveyance of the god Ganpati. He is called Mama or maternal uncle by the Hindus. The pig is held taboo by the Musalmans. Brahmans, Banias, Bhatias, Kunbis, Sutars and Darjis abstain from flesh and liquor. Some Brahmans and Banias do not eat tadias (fruit of the palm tree) as they look like human eyes. Some Brahmans abstain from garlic and onions. Some do not eat Kodra (punctured millet). The masur (Lentil) pulse is not eaten by Brahmans and Banias, because, when cooked, it looks red like blood. The Humbad Banias do not eat whey, milk, curdled milk and clarified butter. The Shravaks abstain from the suran (Elephant foot), potatoes and roots that grow underground. Mahomedans abstain from the suran, because “su” the first letter of the word suran is also the first letter of their taboo’d animal the pig. There are some deities associated with the worship of animals. These animals, with the deities with whom they are connected, are given below. 1. Pothio or the bull is believed to be the vehicle of god Shiva. In all temples of Shiva its image is installed, facing the image of Shiva in the centre of the temple. 2. Sinha or the lion is believed to be the vehicle of Parvati, the consort of Shiva. The lion is also connected with the demon planet Rahu. 3. Hansa the goose is associated with Brahma the creator. 4. Gadhedo the ass is believed to be connected with Shitala, the goddess of small pox. 5. Undar the mouse is the conveyance of Ganpati. 6. Mor the peacock is the conveyance of Sarasvati, the goddess of learning. The peacock is also associated with Kartik Swami. 7. Garud the eagle is the conveyance of the god Vishnu. 8. Pado the male buffalo is the conveyance of Devis or goddesses. 9. Ghodo the horse is the conveyance of the Sun. The horse is also associated with the planet Guru or Jupiter and Shukra or Venus. 10. Mrig the deer is supposed to be the conveyance of the Moon as well as of Mangal or Mars. 11. Balad the ox is connected with Mars and Shani or Saturn. 12. Hathi the elephant is supposed to be the conveyance of Indra. It is also connected with Budha or Mercury. 13 The tiger is the conveyance of the goddess Ambaji. The animals mentioned above are worshipped along with deities and planets with whom they are associated It is generally believed that the earth is supported by a tortoise. So, whenever the goddess earth or Prithvi is worshipped, the tortoise is also worshipped. In the temples of the Matas cocks and hens, and in the temple of Kal Bhairav, dogs, are worshipped. For the propitiation of goddesses and evil spirits, male goats, he-buffaloes and cocks are sacrificed. In his first incarnation, the god Vishnu was born as a fish, in the second as an alligator, and in the third as a boar. For this reason the images of these animals are worshipped. All the gods, goddesses and spirits mentioned in the preceding pages are represented by idols made of stone, metal or wood. In addition to stone idols of gods there are certain stones which are considered to represent gods and worshipped as such. Some of these stones are described below. All the stones found in the river Narbada are believed to represent the god Shiva and worshipped. There is a kind of stone found in the river Gandaki which is smooth on one side and porous on the other. It is either round or square and about five inches in length. This stone is called Shaligram and is believed to represent the god Vishnu. It is kept in the household gods and worshipped daily. There is another kind of hard, white, porous stone found near Dwarka. It is also worshipped along with the idol of Vishnu. Sometimes tridents are drawn with red lead on stones to represent goddesses. There is a tank near the Pir in Kutiana in which bored stones are found floating on the surface of the water. These stones are considered sacred. Certain stones are considered sacred on account of their supposed curative properties. One of such stones is called Paro. It is believed to be efficacious in curing rheumatism. There is also a kind of red stone which is supposed to cure skin diseases. Each of the nine planets is supposed to be in touch with a stone of a particular colour. For instance, the stone in touch with Shani or Saturn is black, and that with Mangal or Mars is red. These stones are bored, and set in rings which are worn by persons suffering from the influence of these planets. A kind of stone called Akik, found in abundance in Cambay, is considered sacred by the Mahomedan saints, who wear garlands made of beads carved out of these stones. In ancient times human sacrifices were offered on certain occasions. Now-a-days, in place of a human being, a cocoanut or a Kolu (Cucurbita maxima) is offered. At the time of making the offering, the cocoanut is plastered with red lead and other holy applications and covered with a silk cloth. The Kolu is offered by cutting it into two pieces with a stroke of a knife or sword. Sometimes an image of the flour of Adad is sacrificed in place of a human being. This sacrifice is generally made on the eighth or tenth day of the bright half of Ashvin. In place of human blood, milk mixed with gulal (red powder) and molasses is offered. In ancient times, when a well was dug, a human sacrifice was made to it if it did not yield water, with the belief that this would bring water into the well. Now-a-days, instead of this sacrifice, blood from the fourth finger of a man is sprinkled over the spot. It is also related that in ancient times, when a king was crowned, a human sacrifice was offered. Now-a-days, instead of this sacrifice, the king’s forehead is marked with the blood from the fourth finger of a low caste Hindu at the time of the coronation ceremony. There are a few stones which are supposed to have the power of curing certain diseases. One of such stones is known as Ratvano Paro. It is found at a distance of about two miles from Kolki. It is marked with red lines. It is bored and worn round the neck by persons suffering from ratawa There is another stone called Suleimani Paro which is supposed to have the power of curing many diseases. There is a kind of white semi-circular stone which is supposed to cure eye diseases when rubbed on the eyes and fever when rubbed on the body. Sieves for flour and corn, brooms, sambelus or corn pounders, and ploughs are regarded as sacred. Sieves are considered sacred for the following reasons. 1. Because articles of food such as flour, grain, etc., are sifted through them. 2. Because, on auspicious occasions, when women go to worship the potter’s wheel, the materials of worship are carried in a sieve. 3. Because the fire used for igniting the sacrificial fuel is taken in a sieve, or is covered with a sieve while it is being carried to the sacrificial altar. 4. Because at the time of performing the ceremony when commencing to prepare sweets for a marriage, a sieve is worshipped. 5. Because, in some communities like the Bhatias, the bride’s mother, when receiving the bridegroom in the marriage booth, carries in a dish a lamp covered with a sieve. The flour collected by Brahmans by begging from door to door is supposed to be polluted. But it is considered purified when it is passed through a sieve. The sambelu is considered so sacred that it is not touched with the foot. If a woman lie down during day time, she will not touch it either with her head or with her foot. One of the reasons why it is considered sacred is that it was used as a weapon by Baldev, the brother of the god Krishna. A sambelu is one of the articles, required for performing the reception ceremony on a bridegroom’s entering the marriage pandal. It is believed that a fall of rain is expedited by placing a sambelu erect in a dish when there is a drought. Among Shrigaud Brahmans, on the marriage day, one of the men of the bridegroom’s party wears a wreath made of a sambelu, a broom and other articles. Some special marks are also made on his forehead. Thus adorned, he On the marriage day, after the ceremony of propitiating the nine planets has been performed in the bride’s house, in some castes three, and in others one sambelu, is kept near the spot where the planets are worshipped. Next, five unwidowed women of the family hold the sambelus and thrash them five or seven times on the floor repeating the words “On the chest of the ill-wisher of the host.” The sambelus are bound together by a thread. If a woman has to take part in an auspicious ceremony on the fourth day of her monthly period, she is made to thresh one maund of rice with a sambelu. Her fourth day is then considered as the fifth The plough is considered sacred, because it is the chief implement for cultivating the soil. It is worshipped on the full-moon day of Shravan which is known as a Balev holiday, the worship being called Grahan-pujan. Some people consider the plough sacred because Sita, the consort of Ram, was born of the earth by the touch of a plough. On account of the sanctity which attaches to the plough, it forms part of the articles, with which a bridegroom is received in the marriage pandal by the bride’s mother. It is related that king Janak ploughed the soil on which he had to perform a sacrifice. Hence it has become a practice to purify with a plough the spot on which a sacrifice is to be performed. In some places, on the Balev day, a number of persons gather together near a pond, and each of them fills an earthen jar with the water of the pond. Next, one of the party is made to stand at a long distance from the others with a small plough in his hands. The others then run a race towards the latter. He who wins the race is presented with molasses and a cocoanut. It is customary among Brahmans to perform the worship known as Balevian after the performance of a thread ceremony. In Native States, the prime minister and other State officials and clerks join the ceremony, the principal function of the ceremony being performed by the prime minister. In villages, this function is performed by the headman of the village. The party go in procession to a neighbouring village or a pond where an earthen image of Ganpati besmeared with red lead is installed on a red cloth two feet square. Near this image are installed the nine planets, represented by nine heaps of corn, on each of which is placed a betelnut. This is called the installation of Balevian. A plough about two feet in length is kept standing near the Balevian with its end buried in the ground. The prime minister or the village headman worships the plough, after which, four Kumbhars or potters wash themselves, and holding four jars on their heads, run a race. Each of the Kumbhars is named after one of the four months of the rainy season. He who wins the race is presented with the plough. The expenses of the ceremony are paid from the State treasury or the village fund. According to a popular saying, a broom should not be kept erect or trampled under foot. This indicates that brooms are held sacred. When a newly-born infant does not cry, the leaves of a broom are thrown into the fire and their smoke is passed over the child. It is said that this makes the child cry. Some people consider brooms sacred, because they are used in sweeping the ground In some places, children suffering from cough are fanned with a broom. In some castes, a broom is worshipped on the marriage day. Many people deny any sanctity to a broom. A belief is common that if a man sees a broom the first thing after getting up in the morning, he does not pass the day happily. Some believe that if a broom be kept erect in the house, a quarrel between the husband and wife is sure to follow. There is also a belief that if a person thrashes another with a broom, the former is liable to suffer from a gland under the arm. Fire is considered to be a deity by all Hindus. In all sacrifices, fire is first ignited with certain ceremonies of worship. The Agnihotris keep a constant fire burning in their houses and worship it thrice a day, morning, noon and evening The Parsis consider fire so sacred that they do not smoke. Neither do they cross fire. In their temples called Agiaris a fire of sandal wood is kept constantly burning. It is considered a great mishap if this fire is extinguished. Fire is specially worshipped on the Holi day, that is the full-moon day of the month of Falgun. Other special occasions on which it is worshipped are the thread ceremony, the ceremony of installing a new idol in a temple, the first pregnancy ceremony, and the ceremony performed at the time of entering a new house. Fire is also worshipped in Maharudra, Vishnuyag, Gayatri-purashcharan, Nilotsarga, Vastupujan, Shatachandi, Lakshachandi, and the sacrifices performed during the Navaratra and on the Dasara day. Fire is considered to be the mouth of God, through which he is supposed to receive all offerings. The offerings made to fire generally consist of clarified butter, cocoanuts, sesamum seed, the Java, chips of the wood of the Pipal and the Shami, curdled milk and frankincense. The fire to be used for sacrifices and agnihotras is produced by the friction of two pieces of the wood of the Arani, |
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