hich is nominally presented to the god himself. In the worship
of those village godlings whom the Brahmans disdain to recognise
and whom the Gosain is not permitted to honour the Mali is sometimes
employed to present the offering. He is thus the recognised hereditary
priest of the lower and more ignorant classes of the population." In
the Central Provinces Malis are commonly employed in the temples of
Devi because goats are offered to the goddess and hence the worship
cannot be conducted by Brahmans. They also work as servants in Jain
temples under the priest. They sweep the temple, clean the utensils,
and do other menial business. This service, however, does not affect
their religion and they continue to be Hindus.

His services in providing flowers for the gods would be remunerated
by contributions of grain from the cultivators, the acceptance
of which would place the Mali below them in the rank of a village
menial, though higher than most of the class owing to the purity of
his occupation. His status was probably much the same as that of the
Guraos or village priests of Mahadeo in the Maratha country. And though
he has now become a cultivator, his position has not improved to the
level of other cultivating castes for the reasons already given. It
was probably the necessity of regularly watering his plants in order
to obtain a longer and more constant supply of blooms which first
taught the Mali the uses of irrigation.

3. Flowers offered to the gods

Flowers are _par excellence_ suited for the offerings and adornment
of the gods, and many Hindus have rose or other plants in their houses
whose flowers are destined to the household god. There is little reason
to doubt that this was the purpose for which cultivated flowers were
first grown. The marigold, lotus and champak are favourite religious
flowers, while the _tulsi_ or basil is itself worshipped as the
consort of Vishnu; in this case, however, the scent is perhaps the more
valued feature. In many Hindu households all flowers brought into the
house are offered to the household god before being put to any other
use. A Brahman school-boy to whom I had given some flowers to copy
in drawing said that his mother had offered them to the god Krishna
before he used them. When faded or done with they should be consigned
to the sacred element, water, in any stream or river. The statues of
the gods are adorned with sculptured garlands or hold them in their
hands. A s