The Ear-piercing Ceremony
The ceremony of piercing the ears is called kevi kûtiti, and may be done at any time from infancy up to even twenty years of age. The ceremony is often delayed until it can be performed for several members of a family at the same time in order to avoid the considerable expense connected with it. The ceremony must be done on a Sunday or Wednesday, and there must be no kedr in the clan, i.e., it must not be performed if the funeral ceremonies of a member of the clan are still unfinished.
On the day appointed for the ceremony many guests assemble at the village, and the boys whose ears are to be pierced are dressed in their best clothing. The piercing is performed by two men, one for each ear. One is the mother’s brother (mun) of the boy, while the other is a man of the division to which the boy does not belong—a Teivali man if the boy is one of the Tartharol and vice versa.
The piercing is done with a piece of a small ring, so fine that it is like a needle. The ring used in this way may be of silver or gold, the latter only being used by the richer members of the community.
Each boy then salutes (kalmelpudithti) all those present older than himself, both male and female. Each man as he raises his foot to the head of the boy says:—
Tânenmâ, May it be well, târmâmâ, may it be well, pathk mâ, may he prosper, peda mâ, may he prosper, îr buffaloes anûr 100 òl mâ, may he rule, âr mokh pai mâ. six sons may he have. [[335]]
Each man also gives four annas to the boy and each chief Toda may give one rupee.
The salutation of their elders seems to be conditional on this gift of money. One of the most recent cases in which the ceremony has been performed was when the ears of six of the sons of Tikievan of Kuudr and his brothers (56) were pierced. On this occasion Tikievan refused to take any money from those present, and the boys only saluted those men who had celebrated the occasion by giving buffaloes to their father.
As the kalmelpudithti salutation was omitted, the words given above as usually said by each person were on this occasion said collectively by all present while the six boys bowed down their heads to the ground. The ears of these boys were pierced by Teikudr (63), the first cousin of Sulnir, the mother of the boys, but regarded according to the Toda system as elder brother of the mother.
The representative of the Tartharol who pierced the other ear was Pidrvan (9), probably chosen because he was one of the oldest and most influential of the Todas who lived at Pakhalkudr, not far from Peivòrs, the home of the boys.
After the ceremony all those present receive two balls of the food called ashkkartpimi, even a young child receiving his two balls of food. Each person then makes a hole in his food, into which ghi is poured, and all eat, washing their hands afterwards in water brought from the ars nipa.
Only the ears of boys are pierced, and a boy may not enter upon the more sacred offices of the dairy till this ceremony has been performed. Among the Teivaliol, he cannot become palol, wursol, or kaltmokh, but he may be palikartmokh. Among the Tartharol, a boy cannot become palikartmokh at any kind of dairy till the ear-piercing ceremony has taken place.
In the case of the ceremony for the sons of Tikievan I inquired into the actual expenses of the day. These were as follows:—
| grain | 17 | rupees |
| jaggery | 10 | rupees,, |
| rice | 7 | rupees,, |
| 10½ kudi of ghi | 21 | rupees,, |
| tobacco and salt | 2 | rupees,, |
amounting to 57 rupees. [[336]]
On the other hand, six buffaloes were given to Tikievan; two by the Badaga Monegar of Tuneri; one each from Perner and Tebner (68), whose daughter Sinmokh had married Piliagar, one of the boys. The other two buffaloes were given by Teikudr, the uncle of the boys who had taken part in the ear-piercing.
Several of these buffaloes were either given in return for buffaloes which Tikievan had previously given, or Tikievan would be expected to give buffaloes in return when any suitable occasion arose in the families of the donors. [[337]]
[1] It will be noticed that the patatpun are placed in the inner room and the ertatpun in the outer room. In the ordinary dairy both would be placed in the inner room, though in different places. The procedure of this ceremony seems, therefore, to resemble that of the ti rather than of the ordinary dairy. It suggests that we have here a relic of a time when every dairy had at least two rooms, one for the things of the patatmar and another for the things of the ertatmar. [↑]
[2] I was told at first that it might be done by her husband, but this appeared to be a mistake. [↑]
[3] The fact that the people of Melgars and Kwòdrdoni are not allowed to intermarry suggests, however, that there is some relation between these clans which is the cause of the exception. [↑]
[4] This may possibly be a corruption of perithtòr. [↑]
[7] Andropogon schœnanthus. [↑]
[8] See the bow in the hand of the boy in [Fig. 57]. This bow is the same as that used in the pursütpimi ceremony. [↑]
[9] The buffalo given in this way is called pulkwadr, or bow and arrow gift. [↑]
[10] My notes do not make it absolutely clear as to whether he may not also salute the female relatives of his wife, but I do not think that he does so. [↑]
[11] According to a recent account given to me by Mr. Thurston, the people leave the spot about six o’clock in the evening. The time is determined by the opening of the flowers of Ænothera tetraptera which is called by the Todas âr mani pûv, or six o’clock flower. This flower is a garden escape, so that this special practice must be recent, but it suggests that the general practice of telling the time of day by means of flowers may be an old Toda custom. [↑]
[12] Mr. Natesa Sastri (Madras Mail, August 28th, 1894) states that the bow and arrow are tied round the neck of the woman, so that they definitely take the place of the tali. [↑]
[13] This seems to have occurred in a similar ceremony practised by the Badagas, among whom it is said that a woman is not fully considered a wife till about the seventh month of the first pregnancy, when a cord is put round her neck by the husband and the legal marriage becomes complete. (See Thurston, Bull. IV., p. 167.) [↑]
[14] Called by the Todas tòri or tòrimul (Berberis nepalensis); its leaves are used in the ordination of the kugvalikartmokh. [↑]
[15] Possibly this means “calf of tuni.” [↑]
[16] It will be noticed that the woman puts the fragments of tuni in her waist-string on the right side, while the various dairymen who wear petuni put it on the left side. [↑]
[17] I am doubtful whether this is essential. [↑]
[18] Fawcett, Bull. Madras Museum, vol. iii. p. 242. [↑]
[19] According to one account the ceremony takes place on the fortieth day after birth. [↑]
[20] For the nature of the name see [Chapter XXVI]. [↑]
[21] Rosa Leschenaultiana. [↑]
[23] Probably here pei = demon (see p. [180]). [↑]
CHAPTER XV
FUNERAL CEREMONIES
The funeral ceremonies of a Toda may be prolonged over many months. Soon after death the body is burnt and the general name for the ceremony on this occasion is etvainolkedr, the first day funeral (literally, “first which day funeral”). After an interval which may vary greatly in length, a second ceremony is performed connected with certain relics of the deceased which have been preserved from the first occasion. The rites on this occasion are more elaborate than at the etvainolkedr. The Toda name for this second funeral ceremony is marvainolkedr, the second day funeral, or “again which day funeral.” The final scene, in which the relics are burnt and the ashes buried, takes place before daybreak on the morning following the marvainolkedr, and this part of the ceremony is known as azaramkedr, the name being derived from the azaram, or circle of stones within which the final cremation takes place.
The funeral ceremonies are open to all and visitors are often invited by the Todas. In consequence, the funeral rites are better known, and have been more frequently described than any other features of Toda ceremonial. Like nearly every institution of the Todas, however, they have become known to Europeans under their Badaga names. The first funeral is called by the Badagas hase kedu, the fresh or green funeral, and the term ‘green funeral’ has not only become the generally recognised name among the European inhabitants of the Nilgiri Hills, but has been widely [[338]]adopted in anthropological literature. The second funeral is called by the Badagas bara kedu, the ‘dry funeral,’ and this term also has been generally adopted. I never heard these terms used by the Todas themselves, who always spoke of the etvainolkedr and the marvainolkedr, though it seemed that the first funeral might sometimes be called karchokedr, which probably means fresh or green funeral.
The funeral ceremonies have undergone some modification in recent times owing to the intervention of the Government. Formerly it was the custom to slaughter many buffaloes at every funeral. This impoverished the people and was prohibited by the Government about forty years ago, and since that time the number of buffaloes killed at each ceremony has been limited to two for each person. This has had most influence on the second funeral ceremonies, which, largely owing to this prohibition, are now much less elaborate and prolonged than in former times.
The funeral ceremonies are held at certain appointed places called kertnòdr, different for each clan. Sometimes these places are at, or close to, villages where the people are now living; sometimes they are at places which were formerly inhabited; while in other cases, again, there is no evidence that the funeral places have ever been inhabited. In every case, whether inhabited or not, the place where a funeral is held is called a mad, the same name as is used for a village.
Each clan has at least two funeral places, one for males and the other for females, and in several cases a clan has more than one funeral place for each sex. Some clans have different places for the two funeral ceremonies, and the Piedrol, who have one outlying branch of their clan at Kavidi in the Wainad, have special funeral places for the first funeral of members of this branch, the second funeral, or marvainolkedr, being held at the chief funeral place of the clan. Others, again, have a special place for boys who have not passed through the ear-piercing ceremony.
In general, a funeral hut (see [Fig. 48]) is specially built for the reception of the dead body, this hut being usually erected within a stone circle found at the funeral place. At the funeral of a male, this hut is called kertnòdrpali or neilpali. It is [[339]]left standing after the funeral and may be used on a second occasion if it has not fallen into too great disorder.
FIG. 48.—FUNERAL HUT ROUND WHICH WOMEN ARE LAMENTING. SEVERAL PAIRS ARE PRESSING THEIR FOREHEADS TOGETHER. THE HUT IS NOT WITHIN A STONE CIRCLE, SHOWING THAT THE FUNERAL IS NOT BEING HELD AT AN OLD FUNERAL PLACE.
Five clans of the Tartharol possess special dairies, each with three rooms which are used as funeral huts. These buildings are habitually or occasionally used as dairies; but when a man of the clan dies his body is laid in the outermost of the three rooms, either on the day of the funeral or for two or three days before it. While a dead body is lying in the dairy, women are allowed to enter the outermost room just as they may go into any other funeral hut, but they may not pass beyond. Men are allowed to enter the middle room, but the innermost room is only entered by the dairyman, who carries on his dairy work as usual. [[340]]
The five villages at which these three-roomed dairies now exist are Nòdrs, Taradrkirsi (Kars), Keradr, Tim (Pan), and Akirsikòdri (Nidrsi). At Taradr a temporary funeral hut with three rooms is constructed within a circle of stones near the village. In the outermost room of this hut the corpse is placed, and women may only enter this room, while men may enter both outer and middle rooms as in the three-roomed dairies. In the innermost room the palikartmokh of the village places a vessel of the kind called mu, and he only is allowed to enter this room.
This temporary building is almost certainly the representative of a three-roomed dairy which at one time existed at this village; and it is probable that at other male Tarthar funeral places the funeral hut should be made with three rooms, though at present this is not done.
In every case the funeral hut which receives the body of a man is called pali, or dairy, and it is probable that at one time among the Tartharol it was the universal custom to place the body of a man in a dairy before the last rites. It is possible that the stone circle within which the funeral hut is built is the representative of the wall surrounding a dairy which formerly existed on the spot. Among the Teivaliol the funeral hut is also called pali, but there is no instance among them of an actual dairy being used to receive the dead.
At the funeral place of women a hut is specially built for the reception of the body, but it is always burnt down after each funeral. This hut is called ars, or house, and has a different name for each ceremony, being called nersars for the first funeral, and kursars for the second. Each kind of hut is constructed within a circle of stones, and the name seems to indicate that at one time the body of a woman was placed in the house of the village. Here again the stone circle may possibly be the representative of an actual house which once existed at the funeral place.
If, for any reason, the funeral of a person is not being held at the proper place, the funeral hut is not constructed within the circle of stones; thus at the funeral of a girl, Sinerani (see p. 392), the hut was placed by the side of the stone circle [[341]]because her funeral was being held at the kertnòdr of her father and not at that of her husband.
At every funeral place there should be a second circle of stones forming a tu, or buffalo-pen. These pens are now rarely, if ever, used, and are a relic of the time when the ceremonies of the marvainolkedr were prolonged over two days, the buffaloes being caught and penned on the first day, and killed on the second. A third ring of stones is the azaram, at the opening of which the ashes are buried at the final scene of the funeral rites.
There are specially appointed days for the funeral ceremonies. These days differ to some extent for different clans and for the two sexes. Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday are the most general days for the funerals of males, only two clans having Saturday as a funeral day for men. For females Thursday and Saturday are most frequently chosen, two clans only holding the funerals of women on Tuesdays. In no case could I find that funerals are performed on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. These days are, on the other hand, the most usual days set apart as madnol or palinol,[1] and villages which have their madnol or palinol on Sunday or Tuesday do not appear to have their funerals on these days. The general rule is that a funeral must not take place on a madnol or palinol. In several cases I was told that if the mani, or sacred bell, were used, the funeral must be on one day of the week; thus for the Karsol, it must take place on Sunday; for the Kwòdrdoni people, on Tuesday. These obligatory days of the funeral ceremonies often involve the necessity of keeping the corpse for several days.
I did not make special inquiries into ceremonies of the deathbed, but Marshall states (p. 171) that a man who is not expected to recover is dressed in the ornaments and jewellery of his house, which he will wear till he dies or recovers; and Marshall mentions an instance of a man who had revived from what was thought to be his deathbed who paraded about, wearing the finery with which he had [[342]]been bedecked. In this case, it was said that he would be permitted to carry the ornaments till his death. Marshall also states that the relatives give the dying man milk to drink when on the point of death.
After death the body should be wrapped in a dark cloth called än, which is of the same material as the tuni worn by the palol and other dairymen, and, like the tuni, is procured from the Badagas of Jakaneri. It is doubtful, however, whether this custom of enwrapping the body in the än is now kept up with any regularity. Outside the än should be an ornamented mantle (pukuruputkuli) and then a mantle of the ordinary kind.
The body of a woman is kept in the hut in which she has died till the day of the funeral, and, with special exceptions, this is also done with the bodies of men.
When a man dies at the village of Nòdrs, his body is taken into the three roomed tarvali and placed on the right-hand bed (meitün) of the outermost room. While the body is lying here, the building is still used as a dairy, but women are allowed to enter the outermost room except when the palikartmokh is actually engaged in the business of the dairy. It is only when it is being used as a funeral hut that women are ever allowed to enter a dairy, and then they may only sit on the left-hand bed—the kitün.
On the day appointed for the elvainolkedr, the body is carried to the funeral place. In some cases certain ceremonies are performed at the village at which the death has taken place; thus, at Kars, the body of a man is first laid in front of the kudrpali and then on one of the two eminences called imudrikars (see [Fig. 21]), which stand near the dairy, and from this it is taken to the other imudrikars, and after lying here for a while it is borne to the special funeral village of Taradrkirsi. At Kuzhu, another village of the Karsol, the body is taken from the hut and laid by the side of the stone called menkars; then it is taken to a stone called imudrikars in front of the kudrpali, and laid with the head at the stone and the feet towards the dairy. A buffalo of the ordinary kind (putiir) is then milked; the milk is put into a vessel and from this poured into a leaf cup of kakud leaves, and [[343]]from this cup milk is poured three times into the mouth of the dead man.
In other villages at which there is no imudrikars, the body is laid in front of the dairy and fed with milk in the same way.
The body is borne from the village to the funeral place on a wooden bier, called mänpedrkudr (wood bier). It is taken by a specially appointed route, and in some cases certain ceremonies are performed by the way. Thus, when the body of a man is taken from Kars to Taradrkirsi, earth is thrown at two places. We shall see shortly that one of the most important features of the funeral of a man is that earth is dug at the entrance of a buffalo pen at the funeral place and thrown on the corpse and into the pen. On the way to Taradrkirsi this is also done at two places, which are probably the situations of the old buffalo pens of villages which have now disappeared. I did not hear of any similar practices for any other clan, but Kars is probably not exceptional in this respect.
Before the body arrives at the funeral place the people will have begun to assemble, and when the funeral procession reaches its destination all those present go one by one to the corpse, bow down by the side of the bier, and touch the body with their foreheads. Those older than the deceased and those related in certain ways (see [Chap. XXI]) bow down at the head of the corpse. Those younger and those related in certain other ways bow down at the foot. When all those present have saluted, the body is placed in the funeral hut, or in the dairy if the funeral is being held at one of the places where funeral dairies still exist, and late-comers enter the hut or dairy to perform their salutations. As soon as the body is placed in the hut or dairy, the female relatives and friends of the dead person collect round the hut and lament together in the characteristic Toda manner, arranging themselves in pairs and pressing their foreheads together while they wail and weep ([Fig. 48]).
While this is going on the men are busied in making preparations for the cremation. A place is cleared in a wood near the funeral place—the methkudi—and here a pyre is [[344]]built of wood, some of which has been brought by the funeral party, while the rest is found near the burning ground. The wood used on this occasion must be of the kind called kers[2] and the pyre is built of an oblong shape, rising about three feet above the ground.
The first of the funeral ceremonies is different for the two sexes. At the funeral of a male the ceremony of puzhutpimi, “earth we throw,” or kedrpuzhutpimi, “funeral earth we throw,” is performed, while the corresponding ceremony for a woman is to place certain leaves in the armlet on the right arm of the corpse.