DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0320
308 Sraddha Ceremonies.
earthen plates. Every Brahman before leaving the house is
presented with a money gift (dakshina) of one or two annas.
The next day, a similar entertainment with similar gifts is
given to Kayasthas and members of inferior classes.
And here it may be noted that time and place are im-
portant factors in the due performance of Sraddhas. As to
time, the month Bhadra—from the middle of August to the
middle of September—and especially the Pitri-paksha (Pitri
fortnight) in that month or in the beginning of Asvina, are
believed to be the most auspicious seasons for Sraddhas.
As to locality, the banks of sacred streams or pools, and
places consecrated by the footsteps of Vishnu, are sought for
as the most favourable spots. Sraddhas are also performed
in cow-houses. No place can surpass in suitability the
neighbourhood of some of the holy tanks at Benares, except
it be the temple built over the footstep of Vishnu at Gaya,
which is more frequented than any other spot in India for
the performance of particular Sraddhas.
At Benares on the Ghat near the pool of Mani-karnika, on
the day I visited it, a man was performing a Sraddha for his
mother. The officiating Brahman began by forming a
slightly elevated piece of ground with some sand lying near
at hand. This was supposed to constitute a small altar
(vedi). It was of an oblong form, but not more than ten
inches long by four or five broad. Across this raised sand he
laid three stalks of Kusa grass. Then taking a number of
little earthenware platters or saucers, he arranged them round
the sand, putting tila or sesamum seed in one, rice in another,
honey in a third, areca or betel-nut in a fourth, chandana or
sandal in a fifth. Next, he took flour of wheat or barley and
kneaded it into one large Pinda, rather smaller than a
cricket-ball, which he carefully deposited in the centre of the
sand-altar, scattering over it jasmine flowers, khaskhas grass,
and wool, and placing on one side of it a betel-leaf with
areca-nut and a single copper coin. Then having poured
earthen plates. Every Brahman before leaving the house is
presented with a money gift (dakshina) of one or two annas.
The next day, a similar entertainment with similar gifts is
given to Kayasthas and members of inferior classes.
And here it may be noted that time and place are im-
portant factors in the due performance of Sraddhas. As to
time, the month Bhadra—from the middle of August to the
middle of September—and especially the Pitri-paksha (Pitri
fortnight) in that month or in the beginning of Asvina, are
believed to be the most auspicious seasons for Sraddhas.
As to locality, the banks of sacred streams or pools, and
places consecrated by the footsteps of Vishnu, are sought for
as the most favourable spots. Sraddhas are also performed
in cow-houses. No place can surpass in suitability the
neighbourhood of some of the holy tanks at Benares, except
it be the temple built over the footstep of Vishnu at Gaya,
which is more frequented than any other spot in India for
the performance of particular Sraddhas.
At Benares on the Ghat near the pool of Mani-karnika, on
the day I visited it, a man was performing a Sraddha for his
mother. The officiating Brahman began by forming a
slightly elevated piece of ground with some sand lying near
at hand. This was supposed to constitute a small altar
(vedi). It was of an oblong form, but not more than ten
inches long by four or five broad. Across this raised sand he
laid three stalks of Kusa grass. Then taking a number of
little earthenware platters or saucers, he arranged them round
the sand, putting tila or sesamum seed in one, rice in another,
honey in a third, areca or betel-nut in a fourth, chandana or
sandal in a fifth. Next, he took flour of wheat or barley and
kneaded it into one large Pinda, rather smaller than a
cricket-ball, which he carefully deposited in the centre of the
sand-altar, scattering over it jasmine flowers, khaskhas grass,
and wool, and placing on one side of it a betel-leaf with
areca-nut and a single copper coin. Then having poured