IDNO

LS.100466.WHR

Description

On Catalogue Card: "India, S. Toda. 120.75, 76
Divination
Midjkudr and Mongudrvan divining at a funeral
-another slide showing divination
W.H.R.R. fig. 36, 253"

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.6261.ACH1: Todas. Rivers
Published as fig. 36, in The Todas and captioned "Midjkudr and Mongudrvan divining at a funeral" (1906: 253). One of the diviners (Midjkudr) has been outlined in ink in the published image. The same figure in the photograph and the lantern slide is without any pen lines.
The only occasion at which Rivers saw a divination was at the funeral of Sinerani, the two-year old daughter of Kuriolv. The two diviners, Midjkudr and Mongudrvan, were called to discover the cause of the obstinacy of the buffalo. Rivers mentioned that Midjkudr while dancing attained a semi-hypnotic state (see The Todas, 1906: 253-55, 391-395).

Place

S Asia; India; South India; Nilgiri Hills

Cultural Affliation

Toda

Named Person

Midjkudr; Mongudrvan

Photographer

?Rivers, William Halse Rivers

Collector / Expedition

Rivers, William Halse Rivers

Date

18 September 1902

Collection Name

Rivers CollectionTeaching Slide Collection

Source

Rivers, William Halse Rivers

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

It is not certain whether these lantern slides were part of Rivers bequest, or were already a part of the Museum’s teaching collection before Rivers died.

Publication: Image published in Rivers, W. H. R. The Todas. (London: Macmillan, 1906), p.253 and captioned: "Midjkudr and Mongudrvan divining at a funeral." [JD 09/12/2021]

This photograph may have been made by Rivers.
This record was updated during research supported by Getty Grant Program One.