Folk Lore Notes. Vol. II—Konkan

by A. M. T. Jackson

[94] School Master, Achare, Ratnágiri. [↑]

CHAPTER VII.

TREE AND SERPENT WORSHIP.

Groves of mango trees are considered to be sacred as they have a pleasing appearance, and afford grateful shelter against the heat of the day. It is a general belief among Hindus that trees from which such pleasure and protection are derived must naturally be the abode of the gods. There are many such groves in Satára. During the spring season people go to these groves and worship the trees. The Hindus have a general prejudice against cutting living trees which yield fruits, and it is considered specially inauspicious to cut the following trees:—

Umbar, Vad or Banian tree, Pipal, Saundad or Shami, Palus, Bel, Rui, Avali and the Tulsi plant, for it is believed that these trees are the abode of deities, e.g. the god Dattátraya resides under the Umbar tree, the goddess Párvati on the Banian tree, and the god Vishnu resides near the Tulsi plant. The god Brahma, the creator of the world, is found in the Pipal tree. The plantain tree is also considered to be sacred. While gathering a bunch of plantains, the tree is first cut before the bunch. It is considered inauspicious to gather the bunch without so doing.[1]

There are certain groves at Ubhádánda in the Vengurla taluka of the Ratnágiri District which are supposed to be haunted by Devachárs, and are therefore not cut by the people.[2]

The people of Ibrámpur in the Chiplun taluka consider it inauspicious to cut the Vad and Pipal trees of which the thread ceremonies have been performed. After the thread ceremony of these trees is over, a stone platform is raised around them.[3]

At Fonda in the Devgad taluka, it is considered inauspicious to cut the trees and the groves that surround the temple of a village deity, for they are believed to belong to that deity.[4]

At Padghe in the Thána District, the trees which are supposed to have been haunted by evil spirits such as Sambandh, Munja, Devachár, etc. are not generally cut by the people through fear of these spirits. When any tree is cut down, the custom is to keep a stone at the root of the tree in order that the place may no longer be affected or haunted by the spirit in the tree.[5] There are certain families who do not burn Pipal, Khair, or Shiwani wood. They believe that the burning of these trees causes harm to their families. It is said that the burning of the Apta tree causes the breeding of the insect known as Gochadi, i.e., the cattle or dog louse.[6]