Castes and tribes of southern India Assisted by K Rangachari . eak,the whole gang had disappeared. The murdered manwas found by the villagers, who have, since that time,scrupulously avoided the Koravas. The victim is saidto have turned into a Munisvara, and for a long timetroubled those who happened to go near the spot atnoon or midnight. The Koravas are said to haveperformed the sacrifice so as to insure their cattleagainst death from disease. The ground, on whichthey encamped, and on which they offered the humansacrifice, is stated to have been barren prior thereto,and, as the result thereof
Castes and tribes of southern India Assisted by K Rangachari . eak,the whole gang had disappeared. The murdered manwas found by the villagers, who have, since that time,scrupulously avoided the Koravas. The victim is saidto have turned into a Munisvara, and for a long timetroubled those who happened to go near the spot atnoon or midnight. The Koravas are said to haveperformed the sacrifice so as to insure their cattleagainst death from disease. The ground, on whichthey encamped, and on which they offered the humansacrifice, is stated to have been barren prior thereto,and, as the result thereof, to have become very fertile. It is said that Korava women invoke the villagegoddesses when they are telling fortunes. They use awinnowing fan and grains of rice in doing this, andprophesy good or evil, according to the number ofgrains found on the fan.* They carry a basket, winnow,stick, and a wicker tray in which cowry shells areimbedded in a mixture of cow-dung and turmeric. Thebasket represents Kolapuriamma, and the cowries * Madras^Census Report, -az I—I 465 KORAVA Poleramma. When telling fortunes, the Korava womanplaces on the basket the winnow, rice, betel leaves andareca nuts, and the wicker tray. Holding her clientshand over the winnow, and moving it about, she com-mences to chant, and name all sorts of deities. Fromtime to time she touches the hand of the person whosefortune is being told with the stick. The Korava womenare very clever in extracting information concerning theaftairs of a client before they proceed to tell her fix the auspicious hour for marriage, andChettis are invited to act as priests at the purificationceremony for re-admission into caste of a man or womanwho has cohabited with a Paraiyan or Muhammadan,or been beaten with a shoe, etc. For the purpose ofre-admission, a panchayat (council) assembles, at whichthe headman presides. Enquiries are made into theconduct of the accused, and a fine of two rupees this sum
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