killed by wild animals or snakes. The spirits of such
persons are supposed, on account of their untimely end, to entertain
a special grudge against the living.

29. Beliefs in the hereafter

As regards the belief in the hereafter Mr. Gordon writes: [69] "That
they have the idea of hell as a place of punishment may be gathered
from the belief that when salt is spilt the one who does this will
in Patal or the infernal region have to gather up each grain of salt
with his eyelids. Salt is for this reason handed round with great
care, and it is considered unlucky to receive it in the palm of the
hand; it is therefore invariably taken in a cloth or vessel. There
is a belief that the spirit of the deceased hovers round familiar
scenes and places, and on this account, whenever possible, a house
in which any one has died is destroyed or deserted. After the spirit
has wandered round restlessly for a certain time it is said that it
will again become incarnate and take the form either of man or of
one of the lower animals." In Mandla they think that the soul after
death is arraigned and judged before Yama, and is then chained to
a flaming pillar for a longer or shorter period according to its
sins. The gifts made to Brahmans for the dead somewhat shorten the
period. After that time it is born again with a good or bad body and
human or animal according to its deserts.

30. Religion. Village gods

The caste worship the principal Hindu deities. Either Bhagwan or
Parmeshwar is usually referred to as the supreme deity, as we speak
of God. Bhagwan appears to be Vishnu or the Sun, and Parmeshwar is
Siva or Mahadeo. There are few temples to Vishnu in villages, but
none are required as the sun is daily visible. Sunday or Raviwar
is the day sacred to him, and some people fast in his honour on
Sundays, eating only one meal without salt. A man salutes the sun
after he gets up by joining his hands and looking towards it, again
when he has washed his face, and a third time when he has bathed,
by throwing a little water in the sun's direction. He must not spit
in front of the sun nor perform the lower functions of the body in
its sight. Others say that the sun and moon are the eyes of God, and
the light of the sun is the effulgence of God, because by its light
and heat all moving and immobile creatures sustain their life and
all corn and other products of the earth grow. In his incarnations
of Rama and Krishna there are temples