(Paalaguttapalle, Dalitwada) ... the hinterlands of the country, the small villages, the tribal belts are the last spaces which may yet give us a direction to reclaim ourselves, and the earth. If we have the humility to listen humbly ... Lessons of time and timelessness, of what really matters, of the significance and insignificance of money ...
"Vaidudus who treat, especially with mantrams, maintain purity and practice austerities. Sankaraiah, Chinna Guruvakka, Lakshmamma, Bhagavanthayya and others would face the rising sun daily and pray to it. Before praying, they would wash their faces, hands and legs with fresh water from the tap, not stored water. In the days of the well, they used to go to the well early in the morning, draw out water, and wash with that before saying the prayers. Thathappa does Shakti pooja regularly. Bhagavanthayya used to say elaborate prayers daily. He practiced many other austerities. Vaidudus avoid eating in public places such as in marriage feasts. Drink is also proscribed for vaidudus when they treat.
Not asking for money is another code many vaidudus follow. Bhagavanthayya would also not ask for any money for treating snake bites, and would only take what was given. This was one of the requirements for this treatment, he said. When people go for mantram, they usually take betel leaf, betel nut, camphor, incense and kaanika or small money.
When people go for seetu to Daamalcheruvu to address the sandulu of infants, again the people there do not ask for money. They also do not take money by hand. The people who go for the seetu place some money down , maybe five rupees or more these days, and the people take it from there later. The elder bone setter at Kallur, now dead, would not even look at the money given, but would just stuff it into his pocket. He did not care to know who gave what. "
No comments:
Post a Comment