sky-god, Perkunas.[1] A similar rite is performed by the Navajo Indians of North America.[2]
In the present time the Vedic Parganya is represented by Indra, Varuna, and Rudradeva. At Murshídâbâd, the deities worshipped are Rudradeva and Varuna, while Indra is neglected.[3] But Indra is worshipped for this purpose at Orissa, as will be seen from the following extract from an Indian newspaper: "The wealthy merchants of the town of Puri, in Orissa, the zemindârs (landowners) and the mahâjans (bankers), lately raised Rs. 700 among themselves, and entertained the services of twenty-one Brâhmans who enjoy the reputation of special sanctity and are versed in the Vedas, to appeal to Indra, the god of rain, to avert the impending famine and scarcity. It was a curious sight to see so many Brâhmans standing in water up to their necks, singing the Vedas and praying to Indra to give rain soon. During these days a shower or two fell in the Mofussil (country district), though no rain fell in the town."[4]
The second part of the Murshidâbâd rite is an example of what is called "mimetic magic." There is, first, the formation of a well-like reservoir of water within the temple, and, secondly, the pouring of water over the idol, or rather its immersion in the reservoir.
The conception of the well, as the supposed residence of the rain-god, has been fully illustrated by Mr. G. L. Gomme.[5] In the present case, the formation of a reservoir in the temple of Rudradeva is, perhaps, analogous to the Irish and Scotch ceremonies of the propitiation of the well-god. This instance of "mimetic magic " recalls practices (founded on similar reasoning) of "sympathetic magic" in various parts of the world, such as the performance of magical rites by means of hair-parings, clothes, and similar things. As examples from India, we have the case of the Bengali woman, who, when enceinte, will not allow the clippings of her hair or any part of her wearing apparel to be taken by a strange woman. Under the same belief, a Bengali
- ↑ India, What it can teach us, p. 192.
- ↑ Eighth Annual Report Bureau of Ethnology, U.S.A., p. 277.
- ↑ For Brâhmanic prejudice against Indra, Crooke, loc. cit., vol. i., p. 66.
- ↑ Statesman and Friend of India, 20th November, 1896.
- ↑ Ethnology in Folklore, pp. 94, seqq.
