Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 177

THE HINDU NEW YEAR'S DAY
On
137
Hindu year, called Ugadi \ which
of the March moon, the purohita
summons all the principal inhabitants of the neighbourhood
to his residence, and there solemnly announces, amidst
much music, singing, and dancing, who will be king of the
falls
the
first
on the
day
first
of the
day
gods and who king of the stars for the year, who will be
their prime ministers, and who will command the army
who will be the god of the harvest, and what crops will be
most plentiful. He foretells, too, whether the season will
be wet or dry, and whether locusts or other insects will,
whether
or will not, attack and devour the young plants
the insects and vermin, which disturb the repose of the
poor Hindu, will be more or less troublesome, more
whether it is to be a healthy or
or less numerous
unhealthy year whether there will be more deaths
than births whether there will be peace or war from
what quarter the country will be invaded who will be
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
victorious, &c.
Those who ridicule the purohita
and his predictions are
the very first to have recourse to him if the country is
threatened with any great calamity, such as war, famine,
drought, &c. Thus powerful is the sway which supersti-
tion exercises over the whole land.
It is not only the
idolatrous Hindus who give credence to these absurdities
;
Mahomedans, Native
Christians, half-castes,
and sometimes
even Europeans, are not ashamed to consult the astrologer
or purohita.
The high-class purohitas only expound to Brahmins the
oracles contained in the almanac, but many less fortunate
Brahmins procure copies for themselves, and reap a rich
harvest from the credulity of the lower classes. The
panchangam serves as an excuse, but it is only another
way of demanding alms. This method of earning a liveli-
hood, however, causes them to be despised by persons of
their own caste, and they only resort to it when other
resources have failed.
They always quote their favourite
axiom
In order to fill one's belly one must play many
'
:
parts.'
1
The purohitas appear to date back to very ancient times.
Ugadi is the Telugu New Year's Day. Nowadays there is no music
or dancing on the occasion of the purohita reading the almanac.
F
3
Ed.