level, sloping to the east, producing a hard sound when struck; there should be a stream close by running from left to right; the earth should be sweet and fertile, of uniform colour, with water a cubit from the surface—a curious rule which shows how little questions of health affect the matter. Dangerous symptoms are that the ground is circular or semi-circular, in shape like a trident, the back of a fish, an elephant, a turtle, or the face of a cow. It should not be near a place abounding in human skulls, stones, worms, anthills, slimy soil, ashes, or other unclean things.[1]
The site is often fixed by a process of divination. When the site of the city of Mandalay was being selected, a few persons were chosen who had to purify themselves by prayers and incantations. They were sent out at night in various directions, usually to the south. When they arrived at the point fixed they were ordered to wait till they heard someone speak. Whatever was said was carefully recorded and taken to an expert, who interpreted the purport.[2] A common belief is that when one of the local animals shows extraordinary bravery, the site is lucky. When Rājā Darrāva was hunting, a hare turned and killed one of his dogs. Admiring his bravery, he chose the spot as the site of the town of Dhārwār. He thought that a place which bore brave animals would bear brave men.[3] Some Kallans, a vagrant tribe in Madras, were once out hunting, when a peacock attacked their dogs. They believed the land to be so fortunate that they migrated there in a body.[4] A man in Ratnagiri vowed that he would build a mosque wherever a bull that he let loose stopped. Hence the mosque at Bālapur was built on its present site.[5]
- ↑ Anantha Krishna Iyer, op. cit. ii. 11. For similar customs in Northern Europe see P. B. Du Chaillu, The Viking Age, ii. 273.
- ↑ Gazetteer Upper Burma, part i. vol. i. 42.
- ↑ Bombay Gazetteer, xxii. 707 note.
- ↑ Thurston, op. cit. iii. 56.
- ↑ Bombay Gazetteer, x. 320 note; cf. W. Crooke, Popular Religion and Folk-lore of Northern India, 2nd ed. ii. 50.
