DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3461#0168
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES, CREEDS, ETC. 155
high to be beyond the reach of the flame. On the
following1 day the sunnyasees dance aud roll themselves
upon the downy beds of various descriptions of prickly
plants. Their next ceremony is called the Jump
ftonya, or jumping on a couch of pointed steel, which
has been thus described. A bamboo scaffolding- of
three or four stages is erected, on which the sunnyasees
stand, tier above tier, the principal and most expert
occupying- the upper row, which is sometimes between
twenty and thirty feet high. A kind of bedding, sup-
ported by ropes, is stretched beneath the scaffolding
Dy a number of men. Upon the mattress are attached
several bars of wood, to which are fixed very loosely,
aild in a position sloping forward, semicircular knives,
Upon which the sunnyasees throw themselves in suc-
cession. In general the effect of the fall is to turn the
knives flat upon the bedding-, in which case they do no
harm, but occasionally severe wounds, and even death,
**&_ the consequences of this rite. Before they take
their leap the performers cast fruits, as cocoa-nuts,
oels, plantains, <fec, among- the crowd, among- which
there is a great scramble for them, as they are sup-
Posed to possess much virtue. Women desirous of
progeny are very anxious to get these donations; and
jfoose of the first families send persons to obtain and
bring them for their private eating-.
The next is the day of the ehuruh, or swinging
ceremony. Posts, about thirty feet in height, are
ei'ected in the suburbs of a town, across the upper
Part of which are loosely suspended long bamboos, so
as to enable them to traverse freely. To one end of
'he bamboo two hooks are fixed by ropes, which are
run through the fleshy parts of the back, near the
shoulders. A rope is also fastened to the other end
ot the bamboo, which as soon as the party who is to
swing is secured to the hooks, is pulled by several
foen, who thus raise the other end somewhat higher
high to be beyond the reach of the flame. On the
following1 day the sunnyasees dance aud roll themselves
upon the downy beds of various descriptions of prickly
plants. Their next ceremony is called the Jump
ftonya, or jumping on a couch of pointed steel, which
has been thus described. A bamboo scaffolding- of
three or four stages is erected, on which the sunnyasees
stand, tier above tier, the principal and most expert
occupying- the upper row, which is sometimes between
twenty and thirty feet high. A kind of bedding, sup-
ported by ropes, is stretched beneath the scaffolding
Dy a number of men. Upon the mattress are attached
several bars of wood, to which are fixed very loosely,
aild in a position sloping forward, semicircular knives,
Upon which the sunnyasees throw themselves in suc-
cession. In general the effect of the fall is to turn the
knives flat upon the bedding-, in which case they do no
harm, but occasionally severe wounds, and even death,
**&_ the consequences of this rite. Before they take
their leap the performers cast fruits, as cocoa-nuts,
oels, plantains, <fec, among- the crowd, among- which
there is a great scramble for them, as they are sup-
Posed to possess much virtue. Women desirous of
progeny are very anxious to get these donations; and
jfoose of the first families send persons to obtain and
bring them for their private eating-.
The next is the day of the ehuruh, or swinging
ceremony. Posts, about thirty feet in height, are
ei'ected in the suburbs of a town, across the upper
Part of which are loosely suspended long bamboos, so
as to enable them to traverse freely. To one end of
'he bamboo two hooks are fixed by ropes, which are
run through the fleshy parts of the back, near the
shoulders. A rope is also fastened to the other end
ot the bamboo, which as soon as the party who is to
swing is secured to the hooks, is pulled by several
foen, who thus raise the other end somewhat higher