A STRANGE CEREMONY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2119, 6 February 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A STRANGE CEREMONY.

The Madras Times of December 23rd, states that the Assistant-Superintendent of Police at Baliguda has sent to the Inspector-General of Police the following report of a ceremony among the Khonds : — "I witnessed a curious ceremony today. An old Khond claimed certain lands from three other Klionds, and they agreed to settle their disputes by taking what is called .sidrc xtirada (or the water oath). Tins consists in sitting immersed in water, and the man who can remain in this position longest gains the day. The spot where this judicial proceeding took place is about a mile from Udayagiri, at a pool of water supposed to be the abode of one of the numerous Khond gods ; the water in the pool is about sft deep. Each party concerned brought with him to this place a couple of eggs, some rice carried on a couple of leaves, and a brass lota full of milk. A Khond priest, who is paid one rupee by each of the litigants, commenced proceedings bj taking one egg and one leaf with rice thereou from the plaintiff, and the same from each of the defendants ; he then removed himself to the jungle to offer up prayers and these offerings to the water god ; meantime, plaintiff and defendants bathed, and each cut for himself a slick about 6ft. long. The priest had by this time returned; the plaintiff and one defendant then walked into the water followed by the priest and his assistant, whosp duty it is to hold the sticks, one in each hand, in an upright position, planting the ends firmly into the bottom of the pool. The plaintiff then enumerated the boundaries of the land he claimed, and the grounds on which he based his claim ; the priest, repeating plaintiffs statement, invoked the water god and prayed that, if his statement waa true, water should not suffocate him. Defendant made a similar statement to that of the plaintiff, aud his reasons for claiming the land. The priest again supplicated the water god on his behalt. Each party then dropped an egp and the rice carried on a leaf mto the water, each seized a stick held by the priest's assistant (in the manner described) with both hands, and both disappeared under water. As their heads went under the priest poured milk over them from the two brass lotas which he held in either baud. After some seconds the old Khond plaintiff, very much blown, jumped up suddenly, much in tho style of a jack-in-the-box ; he had lost his case, and, unlike some decisions given in courts of law, there was no mur.miring against this judgment — it was the decision of the god. The old Khond pleaded his age and the severe test he had to undergo, and wished for the postponement of the decision in the remaining two suit", but the Khond priest was inexorable, so suit No. 2 was proceeded with, the same forms being observed and proceedings gone through. The old Khond won this case, beating his opponent hollow. He was also successful in suit No. 3."