At this festival, soldiers offer sacrifices to their weapons, in order to obtain success in war.  On such occasions, a ram is offered in sacrifice to their armor.

In November, a festival is observed, which is called the feast of lamps.  At this season, the Hindoos light lamps, and place them around the doors of their houses.  This festival was established to commemorate the deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to the people.  He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle.  In many places, on this day, a sacrifice is offered to the dunghill which is afterwards to enrich the ground.  In the villages, each one has his own heap, to which he makes his offering of burning lamps, fruit, flowers, etc.

The most celebrated of all the festivals, is that which is held in the end of December.  It is called the feast of Pongul, and is a season of rejoicing for two reasons:  the first is, because the month of December, every day of which is unlucky, is about to end; and the other is, because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is fortunate.  For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the door of the house, upon which they draw white lines, with flour.  Upon these they place several little balls of cow-dung, sticking in each a flower.  Each day these little balls, with their flowers, are preserved, and on the last day of the month, they are thrown into tanks or waste-places.

The first day of this festival is called the Pongul of rejoicing.  Near relatives are invited to a feast, which passes off with mirth and gladness.

The second day is called the Pongul of the sun, and is set apart to worship that luminary.  Married women, after bathing themselves, proceed to boil rice with milk, in the open air.  When the milk begins to simmer, they make a loud cry, “Pongul, O Pongul.”  The vessel is then taken from the fire, and set before an idol.  Part of this rice is offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is given to the cows.  The remainder is given to the people.  This is the great day for visiting among friends.  The salutation begins by the question, “Has the milk boiled?” To which the answer is, “It has boiled.”  From this, the festival takes the name of pongul, which signifies to boil.

The third day is called the Pongul of cows. In a great vessel, filled with water, they put saffron and other things.  These being well mixed, they go around the cows and oxen belonging to the house several times, sprinkling them with water.  After this, the men prostrate themselves before them four times.  The cows are then dressed, their horns being painted with various colors.  Garlands of flowers are also put round their necks, and over their backs.  To these are added strings of cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon