42 SOCIAL SOIENTIST The hcrostone ceremonies assume significance in the light of the anthropology of rituals, magic and worship. The first ritual of discovery consists in choosing the stone to be put up. Why should the oracle choose a particular stone to be deified? The answer is to be found in ancient be» lief in the divisible nature of the souls, a part of which may be deposited safely in a place outside the body. "Primitive man takes his soul out of his body and deposits it for security in a safe spot intending to replace it in his body when the danger is past." Evidence of this primitive belief is abundantly furnished by folk stories. As J G Frazcr observes: "On the theory here suggested wherever totemism is found, and wherever pretence is made of killing and bringing to life again the novice at initiation, there may exist or have existed not only a belief in the possibility of permanently depositing the soul in some external object—animal, plant, or part of a plant/' Frazer gives illustrations in hundreds of tribal legends and folk tales. We can extend this theory to the soul that has left its body for gbod. A part of it can reside in a favourite haunt even After death. It could be persuaded to visit a particular spot and temporarily r Significance of Observances Later, it was considered unnecessary to discover the favourite haunt because the soul could as Well be persuaded to enter a particular stoner by means of sacrifices and rfFerings. Believers ^t this modified theory arb to be found among Tamils even today. They maintain that a disembodied soul can sojourn in a stone foi* a few days till the earthly obsequies are over. The two initial herostone rituals listed in Tolkappiyam could well be the identification of a stone where the soul docs or can resided Neerpatai., the third rite is the ceremonial baih. Ancients believed that water possesses magical properties. Observing that waiter enriches and fertilizes the soil, they ascribed man»9 mysterious powers to it. Thus water from particular spots was considered a cure for barrenness in womea^ A prince before he assumed kingship was bathed in sacred water which was believed 10 endow him with divine powers. Thus if the stone was washed to the accompaniment of specific ceremonies it was supposed to become a home fit for the heroes soul to live in. Setting up the stone (natmhal) is followed by pwumpatai and valthu^ offerings and invocation respectively* The stone js put lijgiin^ place chosen by the oracle and offerings arc pre&cn^d. Ttien is the time for invocatory songs and ritual danping. : A later text of the eighth century me^tiems s^ rites of which fopr