Muni or Munisvara, 177, 209, 258, 295
Munro, Sir Thomas, 34
Murrel (Ophiocephalus), 102
Museum, visit unlucky, 54
Musk in agricultural ceremony, 293
Mustard in evil eye ceremony, 119
Nail-cuttings burnt against evil eye, 115;
in lying-in chamber, 53
Nalke devil-dancer, 237
Nambiathy priest at snake shrine, 125–6
Names, lucky and unlucky, 20, 34, 55, 56, 133–4, 143
—— of holy persons drunk as charm, 187
Nandi (sacred bull), 154, 304, 308
Nāttukōttai Chetti, 117
Nayādi, curse, 119
Nāyar, 16, 17, 18, 111, 118, 128–9, 138, 161, 193, 256
Nētra mangalya, 167
Nīm or margosa (Melia Azadirachta), 36, 53, 55, 94, 105, 115, 133, 144, 149, 150, 151, 156, 214, 254, 285, 304, 306
Nobili, Dr, and magician, 271–2
Nudity, 37, 104, 151, 224–5, 227, 309
Numbers, lucky and unlucky, 23, 26, 30, 31, 33, 34, 49, 52, 56, 68, 75, 117, 133, 135, 136, 184, 186, 194, 228, 229, 248, 249, 251–2, 253, 299, 309
Odi cult, 226–30 Odina
Wodier, abode of devils, 286;
milk-post, 49
Odiyan, 226
Offspring, desire for, 218;
cocoanut broken on head, 146;
diet of monkey flesh, 73;
ear-boring ceremony on doll, 159;
eating cakes, 54;
offerings and vows, 40, 72, 124, 132, 133, 141, 142, 143, 147–8, 150,
151, 155, 158–9,
164, 166, 185;
snake songs, 128
Oil, ceremonial use, 18,
29, 40, 45, 50, 119, 178, 201, 243, 282, 292;
magic oil, 96, 97, 226–9;
marks on door, 119;
omen, 40;
reflection of image, 45, 55
Oleander (Nerium), used in anointing body, 45
Omens, good and bad, 15–7
Ordeal, charcoal, 286;
fire, 146;
iron, 52, 154;
oil, 146, 197, 264, 282;
rice, 285, 288;
sieve, 288;
snake-bite, 123
Ordure, omen, 59;
pelting with, 303;
thrown into houses, 145
Owl, 65–7
Palli, 49–50, 52, 117, 133, 152, 153, 216
Palm-leaf book (graāndha), 18, 225, 253, 275, 293;
charm, 43, 189, 246, 253;
scroll, 172
Palmyra palm, climbing, 84;
fruits to ward off evil eye, 113;
leaf charm, 187;
many-branched tree worshipped, 177–8
Pāampanmekkat (snake guardian), Nambutiri, 126–8
Pāanchagavyam, 79
Panchamritham, 78 Pandanus fascicularis, believed to harbour snake, 96
Pāndavas, 79, 85, 152, 265, 305, 309
Pāndu kuli supposed to contain treasure, 215–6
Pāno, 221
Paraiyan (Pariah) Malayaālam, 83, 225, 227–8, 232, 246, 255
Paraiyan, Tamil, 17, 27, 51, 57, 84, 117, 118, 133, 148, 158, 194, 197, 240, 244, 297, 309
Parava devil-dancer, 237
Parivaram, 254
Partridge, 88
Pavai (sorcery effigy), 247
Pepper in magic ceremony, 253
Periyapālayam, leaf festival, 148–51 Phaseolus Mungo, thrown into ant-hill, 136
Pig, 83;
sacrifice, 56, 65, 165,
189, 201, 211, 284, 305
Pipal (Ficus religiosa), 118, 133, 138, 288
Placenta, burial, 55; tied to tree, 81
Plantain, 65, 78, 117, 121, 131, 147, 160, 185, 202, 212, 251, 252, 293, 294 Plumbago zeylanica, in magic, 228
Pollution and purification, 26–7, 28, 29, 34, 40, 43, 59, 67, 79, 81, 83, 110, 121, 123, 131–2, 159, 179, 200, 297, 298, 301
Pompada devil-dancer, 237
Porcupine, 85
Portuguese, spirits propitiated, 179
Possession of men by gods, 56, 142, 144, 147, 172, 213, 255, 267, 278, 279, 282, 284, 287, 301, 308
Pot broken at boundary, 37;
to cure disease, 243;
to scare away owls, 66;
offered to cholera god, 176;
to ward off evil eye, 112,
113, 114;
worn as charm, 194
Prayogasara, 181
Pregnancy 44, 53–4, 70, 85, 100, 246
Pregnant corpses exposed in jungle, 74–5
Prehistoric stone celts offered at shrines, 178
Priapi to ward off evil eye, 112, 113, 114
Puberty, 46, 57–8, 117, 255–6, 284
Puri, car festival, 142
Quail, 88
Quivering of animals, 14–5, 295;
of human body, 13
Raāgi (Eleusine Coracana), 301
Rags tied to bushes and trees, 155–6;
to scare away owls, 66;
torches, 147
Raāhu, 43
Rain caused by monsters in the air, 310–1
Rāma, legends, 17, 24, 83–4, 87
Rāmānuja, 297
Rāma tanka, 235
Rat-snake (Zamenis), 25, 71, 98
Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), wooden figures carved at Tirupati, 159
Reptiles, omens, 70–1;
superstitions, 89–100
Rice at agricultural ceremonies, 290, 291, 293, 294, 295, 300, 302, 304;
at Badaga festival, 116;
at Koyi festival, 303;
at meriah sacrifice, 201, 202;
at rain-making ceremony, 309;
at Vishu festival, 18, 289;
effigies, 130, 185, 244,
245;
in fortune-telling, 283;
in learning alphabet, 30;
in parturition, 54;
offerings, 15, 68, 73,
125, 133, 134, 135, 147, 150, 156, 175, 221, 243, 287, 299;
omens, 20, 33, 34–5,
36, 37, 65;
ordeal, 146, 285, 288;
pot smeared with, 170;
poured over bullock, 166;
Russell’s viper stuffed with, 98;
thrown on corpse, 264;
tied to marriage cloth, 49
—— balls, 22, 26, 67, 86, 115, 117, 253, 262
——, charred, charm, 187
—— ears, food for sparrows, 87
—— unhusked (paddy), 27, 136, 169
Right and left hand factions, 222
Rings worn as amulets, 95,
191, 192, 193;
as vow, 161
Roller or blue jay, 88, 279–80
Russell’s viper, 98
Sahavāsi, 102
Sakti, 220
Sālagrāma stone, 288
Sandal (Santalum), 20, 41, 120, 123, 222, 251, 293
Sandals offered to deity, 157–8, 160
Sand-snake (Eryx), 97–8
Savara, 33, 73, 75, 155, 164, 165, 189, 262
Sēdan, 144
Sembadavan, 118
Servile classes, privileges, 27, 296–8 Setaria italica (tenai), 300
Seven, number, 26, 30, 31, 33, 34, 49, 52, 56, 68, 186, 228, 229, 253, 291, 299, 309
Shadow of European thrown on a feast, 109
Shark-charmer, 198
Sheep, 14, 22, 52,
191;
sacrifice, 37, 38, 41,
119, 137, 148, 149, 150, 176, 183, 214, 249, 287, 302
Shoe-leather, omen, 57
Shoes in lying-in chamber, 53;
unlucky, 29
Sickle, unlucky for cutting crop, 59