ouse. Some people
look for handprints, some for footprints, and some for both, and the
Nais look for the print of a cow's hoof, which when seen is held to
prove that the deceased in consideration of his singular merits has
been reborn a cow. If a woman has died in child-birth, or after the
birth of a child and before the performance of the sixth-day ceremony
of purification, her hands are tied with a cotton thread when she is
buried, in order that her spirit may be unable to rise and trouble
the living. It is believed that the souls of such women become evil
spirits or _Churels_. Thorns are also placed over her grave for the
same purpose.

25. Mourning

During the days of mourning the chief mourner sits apart and does
no work. The others do their work but do not touch any one else,
as they are impure. They leave their hair unkempt, do not worship
the gods nor sleep on cots, and abjure betel, milk, butter, curds,
meat, the wearing of shoes, new clothes and other luxuries. In these
days the friends of the family come and comfort the mourners with
conversation on the shortness and uncertainty of human life and
kindred topics. During the period of mourning when the family go
to bathe they march one behind the other in Indian file. And on the
last day all the people of the village accompany them, the men first
and after they have returned the women, all marching one behind the
other. They also come back in this manner from the actual funeral,
and the idea is perhaps to prevent the dead man's spirit from following
them. He would probably feel impelled to adopt the same formation and
fall in behind the last of the line, and then some means is devised,
such as spreading thorns in the path, for leaving him behind.

26. Shaving, and presents to Brahmans

On the ninth, tenth or eleventh day the males of the family have the
front of the head from the crown, and the beard and moustaches, shaved
in token of mourning. The Maha-Brahman who receives the gifts for the
dead is shaved with them. This must be done for an elder relation,
but a man need not be shaved on the death of his wife, sister or
children. The day is the end of mourning and is called Gauri Ganesh,
Gauri being Parvati or the wife of Siva, and Ganesh the god of good
fortune. On the occasion the family give to the Maha-Brahman [68]
a new cot and bedding with a cloth, an umbrella to shield the spirit
from the sun's rays, a copper vessel full of water to que