d after this
(religious) ceremony a bonfire[54] is made, and an effigy, Holik[=a],
is put upon it and burned. The figure is carried to the fire in a
religious procession headed by Vishnuite or Brahman priests, of course
accompanied with music and song. After seven circumambulations of the
fire the figure is burned. This is the united observance of the first
day. At dawn on the morning of the second day the image of Krishna is
placed in a swing, _dol[=a]_, and swung back and forth a few times,
which ceremony is repeated at noon and at sunset. During the day,
wherever a swing is put up, and in the vicinity, it is the common
privilege to sprinkle one's friend with the red powder or red
rose-water. Boys and common people run about the streets sprinkling
red water or red powder over all passengers, and using abusive
(obscene) language. The cow-herd caste is conspicuous at this
ceremony. The cow-boys, collecting in parties under a koryphaios,
hold, as it were, a komos, leaping, singing, and dancing[55] through
the streets, striking together the wands which they carry. These
cow-boys not only dress (as do others) in new clothes on this
occasion,[56] but they give their cattle new equipments, and regard
the whole frolic as part of a religious rite in honor of Krishna, the
cow-herd. But all sects take part in the performance (that is to say,
in the Hol[=i] portion), both Civaites and Vishnuites. When the moon
is full the celebration is at its height. Hol[=i] songs are sung, the
crowd throws _ab[=i]r_ the chiefs feast, and an all-night orgy ends
the long carousal.[57] In the south the Dol[=a] takes place later, and
is distinct from the Hol[=i]. The burning here is of K[=a]ma,
commemorating the love-god's death by the fire of Civa's eye, when the
former pierced the latter's heart, and inflamed him with love. For
this reason the bonfire is made before a temple of Civa. K[=a]ma is
gone from the northern cult, and in upper India only a hobgoblin,
Hol[=i], a foul she-devil, is associated with the rite. The whole
performance is described and prescribed in one of the late
Pur[=a]nas.[58] In some parts of the country the bonfire of the
Hol[=i] is made about a tree, to which offerings are made, and
afterwards the whole is set on fire. For a luminous account of the
Hol[=i], which is perhaps the worst open rite of Hinduism,
participated in by all sects and classes, we may cite the words of the
author of _Ante-Brahmanical Religions_: "It has