© 2023 Dr. M. Sheppard

Special Tovils Baby Tovil Fishermen's Tovil Bali Tovil Family Tovil Sesanthi Pujah

Offerings to the Ghosts

As household ghosts had been diagnosed as the problems for  the family, this offering was very important.For example they had experienced dreams and sleeplessness. There were strange noises etc.

The other Tovil dancer was in the bedroom where the family had been most troubled - bad dreams, nightmares, sleeplessness, lack of concentration on school homework etc.


This Tovil dancer was addressing his intonations to Kalu-yakka. There was a very elaborate basket here on which had been placed a black (kalu) cloth.


The Tovil dancer  was smoking underneath  the basket with dummala  and  blowing on his pipe to call Kalu-yakka to come and accept his offerings and then to leave the family alone.


N.B. This offering basket is placed on the floor, not raised up as are the other offering baskets. This shows the much lower status of ghosts compared to demons and Deities.