DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0103
Saivism. Saiva Ceremonies. 91
posed to possess cooling properties grateful to the god Siva.
Some of these the priest placed in the hands of each wor-
shipper, at the same time muttering prayers and texts. Next
he dipped his finger in a vase of holy water and touched the
two eyes and breasts of each. To me, a spectator, it seemed
exactly as if he were making the sign of a cross on their
bodies. Then each of the worshippers heaped the leaves
received from the priest on the head of the bull. I noticed
that some also besprinkled it with saffron (kunkuma) powder,
which they purchased from a man standing near.
This preliminary ceremony ended, all entered the shrine,
and after ringing the bells at the entrance, prostrated them-
selves before the central symbol, touching the ground with
their foreheads. Their next act was to pile more Bilva
leaves on the stone symbol. Then taking small lotas of holy
water, they poured abundance of the sacred liquid over both
leaves and symbol. All the worshippers then seated them-
selves in a circle round the central stone while the priest
lighted lamps and waved them before it. Every now and
then a fresh worshipper entered the shrine, ringing one of the
bells at the door before entering. Moreover, in the shrine
there was a constant ringing of small portable bells and clap-
ping of hands, as if to draw the attention of the deity wor-
shipped to the prayers muttered by his worshippers, while a
number of priests in another part of the sanctuary intoned
texts and chanted hymns in chants very like Gregorian.
Outside the shrine, on one side, sat a nearly naked ascetic,
with long matted hair coiled round and round into a high
peak, his face and body covered with white ashes. On the
other side sat a Brahman with a little wooden table before
him, on which was a lota of holy water, several implements
of worship, and a copy of one of the Puranas or ancient
sacred scriptures. He had three white streaks on his fore-
head and the same on his shoulders- to denote his devotion
to Siva. Hanging over his left shoulder and under his right
posed to possess cooling properties grateful to the god Siva.
Some of these the priest placed in the hands of each wor-
shipper, at the same time muttering prayers and texts. Next
he dipped his finger in a vase of holy water and touched the
two eyes and breasts of each. To me, a spectator, it seemed
exactly as if he were making the sign of a cross on their
bodies. Then each of the worshippers heaped the leaves
received from the priest on the head of the bull. I noticed
that some also besprinkled it with saffron (kunkuma) powder,
which they purchased from a man standing near.
This preliminary ceremony ended, all entered the shrine,
and after ringing the bells at the entrance, prostrated them-
selves before the central symbol, touching the ground with
their foreheads. Their next act was to pile more Bilva
leaves on the stone symbol. Then taking small lotas of holy
water, they poured abundance of the sacred liquid over both
leaves and symbol. All the worshippers then seated them-
selves in a circle round the central stone while the priest
lighted lamps and waved them before it. Every now and
then a fresh worshipper entered the shrine, ringing one of the
bells at the door before entering. Moreover, in the shrine
there was a constant ringing of small portable bells and clap-
ping of hands, as if to draw the attention of the deity wor-
shipped to the prayers muttered by his worshippers, while a
number of priests in another part of the sanctuary intoned
texts and chanted hymns in chants very like Gregorian.
Outside the shrine, on one side, sat a nearly naked ascetic,
with long matted hair coiled round and round into a high
peak, his face and body covered with white ashes. On the
other side sat a Brahman with a little wooden table before
him, on which was a lota of holy water, several implements
of worship, and a copy of one of the Puranas or ancient
sacred scriptures. He had three white streaks on his fore-
head and the same on his shoulders- to denote his devotion
to Siva. Hanging over his left shoulder and under his right