I have some reason to think that it is the custom to catch the buffaloes at different places at the funerals of males and females (see p. [393]), but my information on this point is not satisfactory.
The captured buffalo has next to be led to the spot appointed for its slaughter. The people of both divisions drive the animal, beating it with sticks, while the course taken by the animal is directed by the two men hanging on its horns and round its neck. The buffalo is beaten much more vigorously than ever happens on ordinary occasions, and it has seemed to many who have watched a Toda funeral that this vigorous beating must have some significance, and the idea of vicarious punishment is naturally suggested. I could obtain no information from the people on this point, and I am doubtful whether the beating means more than that, under the exceptional conditions, the animal requires much more vigorous driving than usual. Ordinarily the buffalo follows out its daily routine with little interference; it goes to its usual pasture, and, as I have seen myself, it [[352]]may return to the dairy of its own accord at the proper time.
At one funeral at which I was present the buffalo was so alarmed or so infuriated by the proceedings that it lay down and absolutely refused to move, and the efforts of all present were insufficient to drag the animal to the slaughtering place. This incident will be described more fully later, but I mention it here to show that it may often be difficult to drive the buffalo, and that the unaccustomed vigour with which the animal is beaten may have a natural and not a ceremonial reason.
Before the buffalo is killed two things have still to be done. A bell or its substitute has to be hung on the neck of the buffalo, and butter rubbed on its back, head and horns.
If one of the wursulir is to be killed there is hung on its neck the sacred bell called mani, while the ordinary buffalo or putiir is given only the kwungg or household bell. A mani may also be used for the varieties of sacred buffalo called nashperthir, persasir, &c. Probably at one time there was a mani for each kind, but some of the sacred bells have been lost, and it is only in some clans that a bell can now be used. Those clans which have no mani do not use an ordinary bell, but they tie the sacred buffalo to the teiks by means of a piece of the creeper called kakhudri, about two yards in length. This is the case with all the Teivaliol except the people of Piedr and with the Melgarsol among the Tartharol. The kakhudri is said to be used in place of the mani.
FIG. 52.—LEADING THE BUFFALO TO BE KILLED.
The details as to the use of the mani differ somewhat in different clans. The Nòdrs people have two mani, called Kòdj and Kagur, which are now kept at Òdr. When a Nòdrs man dies these bells are fetched from Òdr by the wursol and one is hung on the neck of one of the mersgursir and the other on the neck of one of the nashperthir.[9] After the etvainolkedr these bells are kept outside the conical dairy at Nòdrs in a special hole in a stone called karsalb. The people of Kars similarly take their mani to Taradrkirsi for the [[354]]first funeral and keep it there till the funeral ceremonies are completed.
Among the Teivaliol the Piedrol are the only clan to possess a mani, which is called Kerâni. It is kept in a wood or shola near the funeral place and lies in an earthenware pot buried in the ground. At the funeral of a Piedr man the bell is hung on the neck of a buffalo belonging to the kudeipir (the special name for the pasthir of this clan). It is dug up by the Teivali palikartpol and given by him to a Nòdrs man, who ties it on the neck of the buffalo. The Nòdrs man chosen for this office must bathe on the morning of this day and must go without food till after the funeral.
Just before the buffalo is killed butter is smeared on the back of the animal, on the horns and on the part of the head between the horns. This should be done by a man of the same clan as the dead person.