Omens
The Todas do not pay much attention to omens, but meeting certain animals is regarded as lucky or unlucky. The most definite instance of an omen-animal is a black bird called karpüls, which is said to be the Indian cuckoo. If a Toda is going on an errand and sees this bird on the left side, he takes it as a bad omen and turns back; if on the right side, it is a good omen. This bird appears twice in Toda legend. It warned Püv, the son of Ön, and in the last scene of the life of Kwoten, it appeared going from left to right. It is noteworthy that when Erten is interpreting the omen in this legend, he brings in Naraian (Narayan), who is certainly not a Toda deity, and this suggests that the whole incident of the omen-bird may be an accretion to the legends, and that the belief in omens has been borrowed from the Badagas or other Hindus. [[274]]
[1] From the account of Finicio ([Appendix I]), it would seem that at one time the palol and wursol possessed the power of divination. [↑]
[2] For an account of what Midjkudr seems to have said and the consequent proceedings, see p. [392]. [↑]
[3] I am very doubtful whether the meaning of this and the preceding clause is correctly given in these words. [↑]
[4] The middle room of a three-roomed dairy is the nedrkursh. [↑]
[5] For the meaning of this see above. [↑]
[7] The leaves of this plant, Solanum indicum, are used in the ordination of the kugvalikartmokh. [↑]