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Section 7. (2) - The Kukis |
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The Kukis recognise a Supreme God and Creator whom they call Puthen. He is regarded as a benevolent deity, but he is the omniscient judge of man's actions, and awards punishments both in this world and in the world to come to those who deserve it. His wife Nongjar is adored in consequence of her own power to remove or inflict disease, and is also appealed to as an intercessor. They have a son Thila, a harsh and vindictive god with a vixen of a wife, called Ghummoo. But the spirit of evil is Ghumoishee, who is represented as an illegitimate son of Puthen's! He has a wife Khuchoan, as malignant as himself; (46) prayers are never offered to them, but sacrifices are made to appease their wrath. Their daughter Hilo possesses the mischievous power of making food unwholesome when eaten by those who offend her. The household god is called Khomoungno. Then there are forest gods and river gods, and gods of the mountains and rocks, and a god for each kind of metal. |
