(i^acneU UtiiuerHita ffitbtartj

Jlttrata, SJetu

^nrk

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE

SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND

THE GIFT OF

HENRY W. SAGE
1891

Cornell University Library

DS 413.K64
Among

the aods :scenes of India

with

3 1924 022 898 021

The

original of this

book

is in

the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright

restrictions

the United States on the use of the

in

text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022898021

AMONG THE GODS

GOPUKA OF THK (;REAT PAGOUA. MADURA.

AMONG THE GODS

SCENES OF INDIA: WITH LEGENDS BY THE

AUGUSTA KLEIN

WITH FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS

EDINBURGH AND LONDON

MDCCCXCV

WAY

At

^o\%'\Z

En memortam

SOROKIS

NOSTEAE

QUAE OLIM NOBISCUM PEREGEINATA

NUNC DOMI NOS EXSPECTAT.

CONTENTS.

CHAP.
I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.

IX.

X.

FROM LONDON TO THE

KANDT AND NUWAEA ELIYA

XIII.

XIV.

XV.
XVI.

GEMS
as

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA

TINNEVELLI

THE CITY OF SWEETNESS

TEIOHINOPOLI

TANJOR

....

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS

FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA

DAEJILING

....

XL THE CITY OF FLOWERS

XII.

ISLE OP

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TREE

BENARES

....

MOTHER GANGES

THE CITY OF AKBAR

GWALIAR

....

CONTENTS.

Vlll

XVII.
XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

THE PEACOCK CITY AND THE FOREST OF VEINDA

267

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY

284

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBER PASS

300

FROM SIMLA TO JAIPUR

312

XXL BOMBAY
XXII.

BOMBAY

THE OAVES OF ELEPHANTA

329

THE TOWERS OP SILENCE

339

ILLUSTRATIONS.

rontisp.

ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE TAJ MAHALL, PROM THE TOP OP THE GATEWAY

244

JAINA SCULPTURES IN THE URWAHI VALLEY, GWALIAR

264

THE TEMPLE OP GOVIND DEO, BINDRABAN

274

THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, AMRITSAE

294

VIEW PROM JAKO, SIMLA

312

HALL OF THE WINDS, JAIPUR

TRIMURTI, ELEPHANTA

...
...

ONE OP THE TOWERS OP SILENCE, NEAR BOMBAY

316
332

346

Tlie

Bourne
and

Author begs

&

to acknowledge her indebtedness to Messrs

Shepherd of Calcutta, Messrs Wiele

others,

tratiua this

for

&

Klein of Madras,

permission to reproduce the photographs

Work.

illus-

AMONG THE GODS.

CHAPTER

I.

FROM LONDON TO THE ISLE OF GEMS.

November morning in the year

London never was smokier or smuttier in all its
dingy life. A drizzling rain comes down unceasingly from
the low and colourless sky, and the gloom of a chill and
It

is

a cold and melancholy

1891.

clinging fog

is

in the ends of the

shadowy platform in Charing Cross

On

streets.

Station, hard

by the

and his three daughters

train for Dover, stand a father

and his daughters' Welsh maid,

muddy

"

an English family," saith

a critic of their former travels, "whether real or fictitious

Pray, Mr Critic,
we know not." This is really too bad
insinuated
that you were
to
have
it
would
yom
like
how
a figment of your own imagination?
The travellers are already known to such as have perused
!

their Palestine wanderings,^

be a lengthy one.

There

and

is

their introduction

Irene the tender-hearted, and

Philippa the business-like, and Sebaste,

*

need not

who

gathers

much

See "Sketches from Eastern Travel," 'Blackwood's Magazme," 1892.

"

AMONG THE

GODS.
There, too, presiding over

wool in the course of every day.

a small mountain of rugs and handbags, stands Elizabeth

And now they have bestowed
of cheerful countenance.

themselves in their train and set forth on their six months'

journey.

Overland they travel as far as Brindisi, where lies beside

the quay the good ship Britannia, looking very proud indeed
of her

6000

out to

sea,

And

tons.

Now, forasmuch
is

late

on a Sunday night she steams

carrying our travellers with her.

as the business of this present scripture

to describe the travellers' adventures in India

and Ceylon,

the sea-voyages thither and thence might with great pro-

But though

priety be omitted.

sea- voyages in general

may

be but tedious things to write about, yet these particular

specimens of that kind are so prosperous and so delightful

that to pass

them over

in silence

would be ungrateful indeed.

Ungrateful, and, moreover, untrue;

when the journey

of India which,

Memory's echoing
framed

for the

hall,

is

must, with

done, will hang in

its

for ever in the shining blue of

and the radiant, cloudless

mental picture

brilliant

hues,

be

foam-fleck:ed seas

glories of boundless

and sunlit

skies.

"Very

poetical,

tropics are too

warm, I think,

How

eloquence.

no doubt," says Philippa dryly; but the

the flying

such soaring

for

fish

flights

of

can go on as they do,

Look at that little twinkling constellaThey have kept up with the ship for two
tion of them.
minutes at least, and we are making sixteen knots an hour
I cannot imagine.

Under the

cool shade of a double

awning the

travellers,

reclining in their deck-chairs, are looking languidly forth

on a world

of golden sunshine

and bright-blue sea and sky.

is the Arabian Sea on a

Truly a region of peace and quiet

FROM LONDON TO THE

hot December day

mind
the dreamy

ISLE OF GEMS.

All through the glowing hours of sun-

light the

reposes in a delightful inactivity, revelling

in

sense of having left

and

of

it

But when evening comes,

awakening and reviving, and then our

eyes, gazing

it

the like of which, even

sea,

Egypt or Nubia, they have hitherto never dreamed

It is not

till

after the

Then a haze

purple hangs from above, and beneath

and on

daffodil sky,

gold,

now

of.

sun has vanished below the horizon

that the real splendours begin.

and

brings

travellers'

no longer on vacancy, are intent on the gorgeous

pageant of a tropical sunset at

in

the

all

the land,

of

life

having floated forth into boundless freedom where

space and time are not.

with

behind

far, far

complicated problems and the intricate

all

sides are

gauzy

is

luminous

of

an expanse

veils

of

piled in folds of deepening colour,

of

crimson

now wav-

ing and floating and dissolving in clear and rosy light.

Gradually the arc of colour contracts, growing ever more

intense, ever
light

more

definite in form, while

stream forth great pencils of

daffodil

hue

and the

is

i-ose

burnished

from the central

coloured rays.

a glowing gold, and the gold

is

surface

The

is rose-colour,

crimson, each mirrored in turn on the

of

the

deep and waveless

night-sky, wherein swims the

sea.

The

clear,

deep blue of the

new moon's

delicate crescent,

purple haze has dissolved into the

the radiant rim of the disc that the bright earth-shine

completes with a
climes.

And now

brightest of

them

soft,

clear

light

unknown

in northern

the great stars shine forth, and all the

cast eacli a distinct path of light across

the shadowy waters.

To .watch on such a night the

vision never to be forgotten.

over his

own

rising of Sirius is to see a

Like a flaming lamp he hangs

shining reflection, shooting forth his bright

AMONG THE

Well may

marvel to behold.

of prisroatic light, a

beams

GODS.

him "the bright and glorious

Holy One hath " established
the
Mazda
Ahura
whom
star
North of him shines
as a lord and overseer above all stars."
forth Procyon, while Castor and Pollux preside in state over
the Zarathustrian scripture call
"

the hosts of the north-east heavens.

Capella darts her col-

oured 'rays from far above the horizon

away

glows and scintillates the glorious Aldebaran

It is a scene that calls to

mind

Indian wisdom, which

how

all

southward

and Canopus

beams in a gleaming path along the

casts his calmer

prepared

to

tells

sea.

that strange similitude of

the Supreme Being " having

created things, hath inserted and united Himself

to them, but

same time

at the

is

distinct

from them

all.

Just as the figures of the stars appear in water, but,

any one seeks

Such

to extract a star

his essence."

is

from thence,

it is

Strange and unnatural look the brilliant constellations

many

are new,

if

absurd.

and the familiar ones are fantastically out

for
of

Orion reclines on his back, Cassiopeia stands on

position.

her head, and the Great Bear, that generally well-conducted

beast, is balancing itself on the

other things which

with the splendour

make

end

But there are

of its tail.

the night stranger yet.

of the planets

Contending

Venus and Jupiter shines

the faint radiance of the Zodiacal Light in the west, and

below in the water are the balls and streaks of

phosphorescence which

prow

of the ship

stretching

whereon
'

and there is that mysterious,

away and away

rests the

From "TheVendidad,"

From

Halhed's

'

like a vast

mighty dome
translated

of the East.

Sheeve Pouran,'

soft,

bright

and dance backward from the

float

starlit distance

gleaming pavement

of the dark-blue, starry

by James Darmesteter.

sky

Sacred Books

FROM LONDON TO THE

summer

while the

ISLE OF GEMS.

lightning from beyond the utmost horizon

runs and gleams and flickers in weird and

elfin light.

Long, long ago the shores of the western lands sank down

beneath the horizon.

They

from the

sea,

brilliantly

and

of

and dazzlingly

far-off

dreamland

dreams will soon

will prove itself, for

many a month

rise

up

to come,

real.

But we have had enough

picture

some

are like

now, and what was once the land

Let us come to the

of the frame.

itself.

It is early

on a Sunday morning, and the sun

glow of liquid gold, when our travellers awake

selves floating at anchor

on the smooth waters

All around them

harbour.

is

of

in a

them-

Colombo

an expanse of sparkling blue,

and beyond, agaiust the background

light, lies

is rising

to find

of the golden sunrise-

the coast of that Fairyland of ancient story, Simhala,

Thickly fringing the water's edge stand

the Island of Gems.

deep groves of coco-nut palms, luxuriant and graceful beyond

the imagination of those

who draw from

manner

Egypt

their

N"ot all

growing perpen-

of date-palms,

but bending and

notions of southern vegetation.

dicularly, as is the

rainless

crossing one another in curving lines, the coco-nut palms

are a thousand times

it is

more beautiful and

Truly

fairy-like.

an alluring land, an enchanted island just risen in fresh-

ness and beauty from the depths of the shining sea.

This

is

that

ered so

many

dition.

Of

Kingdom

of the

Lion round which are gath-

wonderful myths of immemorial Buddhist tra-

old, in

the long-past days, no

therein, but spirits

and serpent-princes

human
and

beings lived

theirs

the countless wealth of this the Sorrowless Land.

their great iron' city the Eakshasl

merchants came to

traffic

was

all

Here, in

demons dwelt; and when

with the friendly

spirits,

then

AMONG THE

GODS.

would come forth those demon-women to the sound of the

sweetest music, holding flowers and scents in their hands.

But those whom they enticed within the walls of their city
they " shut up in an iron prison," and devoured them every
one.

men

After those days the island was inhabited by

wholly human, the

They were small

descendants of the Lion King, a

fierce

who knew nought

savage and cruel race

not

of stature

and

mercy or

pity.

of black complexion, in

form

of

human beings, and having the hearts of lions.

But already our travellers are rowing ashore in a quaint
and curious boat propelled by oars which are poles terminat-

like

ing in discs of wood

and presently they

good time for Service in the

sweep and

flap of the

sense of

fortable

Forfc

find themselves in

Church, where even the

punkahs cannot

com-

dissipate the

home, latitude and longitude notwith-

standing.

The

travellers establish themselves in the

Grand

Hotel.
Oriental

it

it is

may

fairly

be called by virtue of

comfortable absence of furniture,

and

lizards
figures

shine.

its

its

cool

and

multitudes of amiable

airy corridors.

bedrooms have no

to the roof of the house,

as to let in

its

human
With a view to

majestic beetles, and the outlandish

which haunt

coolness, the

upward

Grand Oriental

not (except so far as mere size goes), but

welcome

Instead of a

air

ceilings,

which roof

the soft balmy air

so constructed

while excluding the terrible sun-

window

are folding-doors, always wide

open, and leading into a shaded balcony.

almost out of doors, and

and one gazes

is

Thus one

sleeps

awakened in the morning by

blowing across the coco-nut palms, from

whose leafy crowns the

is

rising

sun

is

just disentangling

himself.

When

the glorious sunrise has been sufficiently admired.

FROM LONDON TO THE

one claps one's hands
appears.

CJiota hazri

for

ISLE OF GEMS.

chota hazri,

which presently

(which signifieth Little Breakfast)

is

the daintiest refection of the day, consisting of Ceylon tea

and fresh bananas, with other local delicacies. It is brought

by one of the white-robed Singhalese folk, a strange figure

that,

with

its

bare brown

The

softly glides along.

feet,

makes no sound

face is dark brown,

The

black beard and quick, shining eyes.

glossy with coco-nut

twisted

up

the head

encircled

it

black hair

is

and, being long like a woman's,

is

knob behind, while the top

of

by a narrow tortoise-shell comb

of

oil,

into a neat little

is

fine

at all as

with a silky

which the ends touch the forehead.

Now

is

the time for sightseeing, for later in the day the

sun will be too powerful

to be

braved out of doors; and

accordingly the travellers sally forth to see the town of

Colombo.

"Walking in this heat

neither pleasant nor

is

prudent, and, they therefore patronise the jinrickshas.

a jinricksha

is

Now

a light chair on wheels furnished with two

small shafts between which runs a native, pulling the con-

veyance after him at a fabulous and exhilarating rate of

progress.

There are always dozens of these

men

hovering

about the hotel door and anxiously waiting to be hired, so

that there will be no difficulty in getting about the town

but to find the town

is

very

difficult

indeed

in fact, through-

out their stay in Colombo our friends cannot honestly say

that they ever have found

it

at

all.

a small nucleus of native shops,

as to be altogether intangible.
acres of ground,
also a lake

and

it

"With the exception of

is

so widely scattered

Colombo extends over 6415

consists chiefly of coco-palms, including

and other natural

features.

Here and there one

comes upon a house in wide grounds of

its

own, or a few

native cottages, or a large park with a public building in

it

AMONG THE

GODS.

away from everything else, and no

two points of interest lie in the same direction.
The travellers give up the town in despair, and console
themselves by visiting the Cinnamon Gardens instead. As
but everything

miles

is

they approach the part of the Gardens devoted to cinnamongrowing, a spicy fragrance ^ fills the air that is everywhere

and always strangely balmy and sweet.

The cinnamon-plant

cultivated as a bushy shrub, every part whereof has a

is

strong and delicious scent.

In the Gardens

mens

of all

is

Museum

an excellent

the animals

known

containing speci-

in the island,

quaint, un-

canny-looking beasts, and unfamiliar birds, and brilliant

butterflies;

gigantic buffaloes, and

turtles,

and

sea- crea-

One can travel all over Ceylon within

Here are many skeletons of elephants,
the Museum walls.
of whom the personal history is related by the intelligent

tures innumerable.

Tamil Christian whose duty

Museum

to visitors.

One

it is

to

do the honours of the

of the skeletons is that of a faith-

and trusted elephant who spent thirty-seven years

ful
life

esteemed of

all,

at the age of fifty.

that

"rogue" elephant

is,

Another

is

of his

and died

as a Carrier in the service of Government,

that of a

an unfortunate beast

afflicted

with a monomania which impels him to make for any

human

creature

who comes

trample him to death.

in his way, and immediately

Well-conducted elephants are ac-

customed to go about in herds, but the furious "rogues"

are excluded from all circles of jungle society,

and rampage

through the world alone, a terror to encounter.

More
1

interesting than outlandish beasts are the models

Bishop Heber was perfectly correct about the " spicy breezes," notwithall that has been said to the contrary by contentiously - minded

standing

travellers unblessed

with poetical noses.

PROM LONDON TO THE

ISLE OF GEMS.

representing types of the island's various native races with

and

their proper costumes;

some

especially attractive are

resplendent specimens of native jewellery,

among which

conspicuous the wedding-necklace of gold, which

is

fastened

is

by the bridegroom on the bride's neck, and must never be

removed so long as he lives.
The strangest objects in the Museum are the masks of
native "devil -dancers"

the sick, and

who wear

who

are called in to dance before

different

masks (each more hideously

grotesque than the others) for the different demons to be

propitiated,

the disease

and the various diseases

is

hatred of an enemy, the

his face with the appalling effigy of a

When

to be cured.
"

devil-dancer " covers

demon whose

terrific

teeth and claws are in the act of crushing to death

little

He

then

human

figures of

wretched and helpless aspect.

dances before the vindictive patient, and sticks pins into

diminutive

effigies of

the ill-fated

enemy

in question.

Leaving the Museum, our friends pursue their way under

the towering coco-palms with their far-off crowns of foliage

overhanging the giant bunches of slowly maturing

very brown

little

boy waylays them with a couple

fruit.

of unripe

coco ^ nuts, and the travellers, having purchased the same

for

two coppers, refresh themselves with the

which

At

is

so-called milk,

in fact a sweet juice not unlike that of a melon.

length they return to the hotel for breakfast, and

become

initiated in the mysterious delights of

prawn and

pumpkin curry seasoned with chutnee and grated

while overhead the great punkahs sweep to and

coco-nut,

fro,

and

all

around a multitude of white-robed Singhalese waiters scud

noiselessly over the polished floors, proffering in obsequious
silence all kinds of dainties to everybody.

Every day spent in Colombo and

its

neighbourhood brings

AMONG THE

10

GODS.

to our travellers fresh impressions of the profuse

and ex-

The

uberant beauty of this wonderful hothouse country.

roads,
colour,

made

loamy

of the red

soil,

are of a rich crimson

which contrasts picturesquely with the lively green

By

of the luxuriant vegetation.

(vulgarly so

tulip-trees

called)

the roadside grow Indian

with their delicate yellow

flowers blushing crimson just before they fade; while here

and there
foliage,

is

a flaming mass of the lettuce-tree's yellow-green

Everywhere are

good to eat as well as to look upon.

thick groves and forests of stately coco-palms, with a rich

undergrowth entangled with bright flowering creepers which

hide the bushes with trailing veils of crimson and purple

Gayest of

blossoms.

with

man

that heart of

all

are the shoeflower-bushes covered

blooms of the most luminous carmine hue

large, lily-like

can imagine.

Here and there the darker

and

foliage of the bread-fruit tree relieves the dazzled eye,

contrasts with the vivid groups of bananas that shade with

their broad drooping leaves great clusters of

As they wander day

of enchanting

crowded

fruit.

day among such surroundings

after

and unfamiliar

loveliness, the travellers find

themselves haunted by clouds of innumerable butterflies of

large size

(when

and many

their

life

colours.

is

Their assembling at this season

nearly finished)

preparatory, saith

is

native tradition, to their taking flight for

Adam's Peak

iil

the interior, whereon they will worship the footprint. of

Buddha, and thereafter die content.

For the Buddha came,

in the days of old, to visit the Isle of

Gems and

to

war

against the spirits therein and the wicked serpent-princes.

And when

he was come to the island he " planted one foot

to the north of the royal city," and the other many miles

away on the summit

of

Adam's Peak.

top of that high mountain a footprint

To
is

this

day

at the

seen in the rock,


PROM LONDON TO THE

11

ISLE OF GEMS.

more than five feet loug and about two feet and a half in
width.
The Muhanimadans deem it the trace of Adam's
foot,
of Siva's the Hindus fancy
but the Buddhists aver
and the butterflies know it to be Buddha's most sacred

footprint.

Perhaps the most beautiful road in the neighbourhood of

Colombo

is

with

tall

bend

far across the road,

flecked

Here and there

the highroad to Point de Galle.

by the wayside are palm-thatched native

cottages surrounded

bananas; and overhead the thronging coco-palms

making a welcome coolness

shadow through which pass brightly clad

white-robed Singhalese

Muhammadans

caps of plaited silk;

clad in their graceful robes of the

Through many

sacred golden colour.

Arab descent with

and

turbaned, grave -faced Tamils;

monks

stately Buddhist

of

of sun-

natives,

centuries,

through age-

long changes, those yellow robes have endured, ever since,

in the third century

the teaching of the

B.C.,

Buddha was

brought by Mahendra, the mighty Arhat, from the

land of Magadha to Simhala the Island of Gems.

was he
of

of the royal house of Pataliputra, a

the great Asoka;

and the excellent

dom

means

fruit of Arhatship.

from distant Magadha he came

and here he taught

all

gain in their stead the " six

spiritual powers," together with the " eight

of time

A Prince

younger brother

but he banished from his heart

worldly desires, that he might

tion,"

far-off

to the

Lion King-

to all the people the

sacred doctrine.

Then

this island a true

and believing

there fell

of libera-

In a moment
Buddha's

on those that dwelt in

heart, so that they builded

an hundred monasteries that were filled with 20,000 monks

" distinguished for their power of abstraction " and for their
eminent wisdom.
continued

and

Prom

still,

that day to this their order has

in their graceful robes of yellow, they


AMONG THE

12

GODS.

walk through the sun-flecked shadows

of the road to Point

de Galle.
All things are strangely dream-like in these enchanted

always

regions,

excepting the vigorous and interesting

Church -work which

carried

is

Tamil and Singhalese Services

small measure of success.

many native Christians

and there is much pastoral and
for

in

the

it

is

on in Colombo with no
are a matter

of

necessary to use no less than four languages

English, Singhalese, Tamil, and Portuguese.

The inmates

of the prisons are not neglected, nor those of the

and leper hospitals

among

and

is

carried

still

found to be a very valuable

ary enterprise in Colombo

on by various
Close

to

is

the educational

the

enter the

work

carried

Calcutta.
;

for

contains'-

in
Its

by the

1864 was
object

affiliated

the

is

first

Bishop
to

education

the
of

and the foundation includes, besides

the College proper, a

candidates

of rich verdure, stands

It was founded

Colombo in 1851, and

high - class natives

surrounded by great

Cathedral,

and undulating lawns

Thomas's College.

which

gaining

whereof one or two are visited

institutions,

Christchureh

University of

of

agency in

who would never

inquisitive friends the travellers.

tropical trees
S.

on by the Clergy, and

Perhaps the most important branch of Mission-

churches.

of

work

Open-air preaching, begun under

attention of the heathen folk

by our

pauper

special attention is given to

the Tamil coolies.

Bishop Claughton,
is

course;

evangelistic work, where-

Divinity School

for

Holy Orders, and a

300 pupils.

There

is

the

Collegiate

also, in

training

School

connection

with the College, a native Orphan Asylum for the plain

Christian education of twenty orphan boys.
1

1892.

The boarders

FROM LONDON TO THE

number more than
for the

13

ISLE OF GEMS.

Pupils are prepared every year

100.

Cambridge Local Examinations, and for those of the

Calcutta ITnivei"sity.

The Di\anity School

is

doing a most

important work ia training candidates for the Native Miaistry,

which

is

found to be as needful and as invaluable

in Ceylon as in every other Missionary Diocese.

to be

from the formation in the island

of a

It

seems

Native Minis-

try that there dates that steady

and progressive advance

which has brought the number

of

Christians in

the

Propagation

to

The Society

150,000.

for

Ceylon
of

the

Gospel alone supports in the Diocese eight Native Clergy

as

well

as

200 lay agents.

Thomas's

S.

College

owes

much to the liberal support of that Society,^ and so do

I know not how many other beneficent and useful instituColombo and the

tions ia

the S.P.G.,

a distinctly

impressed on

tlie

work

Thanks to

rest of the island.

missionary
of

Ceylon

the

has

character

been

Church, so that

the labours of almost every Chaplain and Catechist have

now

their Missionary counterpart.

Tet so unobtrusive are

the Society's doings that one hears not

seeing that in every place

Church organisation already

according to

it

identifies

existing,

Church, not a substitute for it"

S.P.G.,"

and

vm\'arying rule, "the

its

much

in itself

"'We owe

work in Ceylon ;
^

That other most

an important contribution

it

we
S.

of

to

not

the

the

only

Thomas's

to the Church's

for it is impossible to estimate the

u^ol and

the

content to be,

handmaid

wrote the Bishop in 1881, "that

is

with

itself
is

have Missions, but are a Missionary diocese."

The help which the Society has given to
College

about them,

amount

adniuraMe institation, tbe Society for the

Promotiou of Christian Knowledge,

of S. Thomas's College.

also contributed

2000 to the endowment

AMONG THE

14

GODS.

emanating from this

of the widespread Christiau influence

one centre of high and

at

S.

All the pupils

efficient education.

Thomas's receive a Christian training, and these dark-

faced students form a large and very reverent part of the

Heathen pupils

congregation at the daily Cathedral Services.

attend the College for the sake of the secular education, but
all alike are instructed in Christian doctrine

and many are

a step which often

thus led to offer themselves for Baptism

involves the sacrifice of every worldly prospect, and the

casting off of the convert

by

all his

heathen relatives.

Bishop's College, for high-class girls and for boys under

ten, is also doing
is

very good work.

The standard

of teaching

being raised year by year; pupils are prepared for the

Senior and Junior Cambridge Local Examinations, and the

school will soon begin presenting candidates for the Matriculation Examination of the

Madras University.

The course
High School curriculum, as Well as careful religious instruction. Our travellers
are present at the annual prize-giving, and a very pretty

includes all the subjects of a complete

sight,

on

this

festal

occasion,

is

the schoolroom with

decorations of bright-hued flowers and

its

its

further adorn-

ment with the dark -brown, intelligent faces of the pupils

and the smiling countenances of all their delighted parents.
One of the most charming sights in Colombo is S. Michael's
School and Orphanage, over which preside some
Sisters sent out to

six native orphans

Ceylon from East Grinstead.

some are hardly more than

dark-brown things with silky black

lustrous eyes beaming with happiness

hair,

S.

Margaret's

Of the

fifty-

babies, little

and wonderful

and with very un-

mistakable affection for their kind and devoted guardians.

Youngest and prettiest

of all the

brown

faces is that of

FROM LONDON TO THE

15

ISLE OP GEMS.

the Tamil babj', christened Dorothea, and

now ^

three years

old.

"Make
Sister;

a salaam to the

visitors,

Dorothea," says

over her face, and then removes them with a

a baby-smile delightful to see

arms

the

whereupon Dorothea clasps her tiny brown hands

ai-e

after

which the

held out to "Sister," and Dorothea

bow and

little
is

round

rewarded

witli a kiss.

Close by

is

S.

Michael's Churdi, wherein the travellers

are present one afternoon at a Xative

Confirmation, and

are greatly struck with the reverence of the forty or fifty

candidates and of the

many

other Native Christians present

There are numberless other things (including the Tamil

boarding-schools founded by the Church Missionary Society)

which undoubtedly ought

to be described;

but

it is

to leave the seaboard now, and to hurry our friends

into stranger

and

still

regions of jungle-forests
1

time

away

more beautiful scenes, the interior

and towering mountain-peaks.
Christmas 1S91.

16

CHAPTEE

II.

KANDY AND NUWAEA

The journey from Colombo

long,

Kandy

to

and a wonderful journey

engineering achievement such as

it
is

are.

seventy -five miles

is

The railway

is.

creatures to contemplate, impressing

very clever creatures they

ELIYA.

exhilarating for

upon

Kandy

their

is

is

an

human

minds what

about 1700 feet

and the scenes passed through in rising

to that altitude form a succession of the most marvellous
above the

sea-level,

pictures, for northern eyes to look upon, that northern

minds

could imagine or desire.

The

first

part of the way, following the course of the

Kelani-Ganga,

lies

through forests of tropical trees broken

by verdant expanses

of padi (padi, be it observed, stands

to rice in the relation of sheep to mutton)

lake-like glades

by exquisite groups of palms

that stand out from the deep forest beyond in ever-varying
combinations of light and shade and majesty of graceful
The coco -nut palms predominate, but here and
form.
of soft, vivid green, bordered

there

is

a group of slender

areca

palms, their straight

white stems contrasting with the background of luxuriant

foliage;

and then there

is

the darker green of the bread-

KANDY AND NUWAEA

fruit

and the

trees,

brilliant

17

ELIYA.

colours

ilowering

of

trees

innumerable.

The moist and low-lying

plains are left behind at length

the native cottages, thatched with palm-leaves, appear no

more

bananas and coco-palms become

into the
rising

sunlit

air

from depths

less frequent

high

tower the rocky peaks of mountains

of

the shadowy

pathless jungle into

recesses whereof even the glowing southern sunshine can

never penetrate, and wherein prowl unseen cheetahs and

elephants, and milk-white

monkeys have

home, and

their

lizards four feet long.

There

is

a majestic mystery about these jungle-forests,

a wild beauty and exuberance of teeming

life,

unintelligible intricacy, not to be described in

mazy and
words. The
a

giant forest-trees rise in stately grandeur, and spread them-

mighty glow

selves abroad, glorying in the

sunshine;

of the tropical

but beneath their venerable branches

fathomable depths

undergrowth,

of

tangled

lie

un-

and massed

together in formless wealth of verdure, and covered with

So weirdly beautiful

brightly blossoming creepers.

scene, that one is

tempted

is

the

to fancy it belongs not at all to

the present world, but to some allegoric land wherein

earthly things are ideally reflected.

It is almost as

all

though

one were to look into some profoundly subtle mind, and to

see the

mighty thoughts

therein, rooted deep in living ground,

spreading themselves abroad and rejoicing in the

beneath them wild masses of formless, exuberant

wayward

fancies lightly flinging here

rainbow colours, and to see

unifying stream of

an unseen

life

up with

faith

can reach.
B

and

veils of

with one strong,

deathless energy from

source, whither consciousness

and which only

and

and there bright

all these instinct

welling

light,

feeling,

may

not penetrate,

AMONG THE

18
,"

My

dear," says Philippa, "

GODS.

your misty imaginings, and help

we may

that

The

investigate

travellers

are higher than

we

but not quite up in the clouds yet

him by

You had

me

we

were,

better dismiss

to capture this firefly,

daylight."

have arrived, long after sunset, at their

and are wandering by moonlight beside the

Great clumps of bamboo shoot high above

destination,

lake of Kandy.

their heads, spreading ai)road their gigantic, feathery leaves

before

them

lies

countless

float

The

berless life

unknown

lovelier

is

wealth of num-

a marvel of loveliness

and our

still,

telling of a

in the temperate zones.

Night in the tropics

is

air is

shadowy spaces with

soft and fragrant, and

multitude of sounds, low chirpings and croakings

and whisperings innumerable,

ing

the

filling

twinkling stars of light.

full of a

them

the gleaming lake, and all around

fireflies,

travellers

but morn-

awake on the

fol-

lowing day to gaze on a scene of unsuspected beauty which,

every morning of their stay at Kandy, will be a fresh
surprise of unimaginable, incredible
to be a

swamp

at

Kandy, but the

delight.
last of

There used
the

Eajas, in the beginning of the century, converted

lake with a

little

it

into a

island therein crowded with tropical trees.

Closely shutting in this

hills

Kandyan

lovely sheet of water, rise high

covered to their very summits with the most exquisite

foliage in bewildering variety of

form and colour.

coco-palms stand out in delicate loveliness

Graceful

against

the

cloudless sky, broad-leaved trees laden with strange fruits

or flowers crowd around them, luxuriant bananas

their curving leaves, trailing creepers

hang out

wrap themselves round

the lesser trees and bushes in deep folds of living green,

and on
fusion.

all sides

bloom gorgeous flowers in wonderful pro-

One has but

to

wander forth and gather

wild,

way-

KANDY AND NUWARA

side flowers to obtain in a
of liothouse blooms,

snow-white

bells

few minutes a glowing bouquet

and many others such

houses never dreamed

of

19

ELIYA.

of.

J.ust

as English hot-

overhead hang the great,

the datura; traihng Ceylon "sun-

flowers" cover the undergrowth with brilliant masses of

gold; the rich orange of the lantana blossoms

is

scattered

thickly over their soft green foliage; the crimson shoe-

bloom forth from

flowers

darker leaves

their

creepers clothe the banks with purple

lesser blossoms

show

wayside grass.

Never again in

flowering

and hundreds

of

gems

in the luxuriant

all their

journey will our

like burning

travellers see such flowers.

It

the combination of

is

all

with

this softer loveliness

Kandyan
One after-

the grandeur of mountain scenery which gives to

landscapes their magic and inexplicable charm.

noon's drive, wherein the travellers make, by the upper

road, the circuit of the lake, they will always

remember

as

an expedition made through some enchanted country or

perhaps in Elfland itself.
The heat of the day is over,
and the reddening sunbeams slant softly across the summits of the

hills,

golden splendour.
heights

all

flooding the rich scene with a glow of

Far into the

around throngs a wealth of flowers, and sun-

flecked foliage stirred

far

below

clear air rise the stately

lies

by t^e fragrant evening breeze

brightness which belongs of right to lakes

of sunset is near.

waters

when

tell

a gold-mine.

may

search

the hour

you that beneath their

glancing ripples they hide a fearful mystery.

lies

and

Fair and peaceful seem those radiant

yet would any native

Below that

down in the shadowy depths of the lake,

No human hands may reach it, no human
therein for gold. The dim recesses of that

sunlit surface, far

eyes

the lake, shining with that ethereal and rosy

AMONG THE

20

GODS.

mine are ringing with the tools of demon workmen,

an awful company who haunt the lake and dwell therein

far-off

And

at home.

year by year at this present time they seize

upon some human victim

some

heedless one bathing in

the bright waters or launching a boat thereon

and

they

drag him down to the depths below and gloat upon his

drowning

struggles.

the season

is

but

who

shall be

it

By way

of

Every year have they done

come round again

so,

and

soon must one be drowned,

none yet can

tell.

improving their minds, the travellers seize an

early opportunity of visiting a neighbouring tea-estate

and

manufactory; and here should follow an elaborate account

of tea-estates in general,

an

historical review of the circum-

stances which led in Ceylon to the supplanting of coffee

tea,

by

an economic dissertation setting forth the quantity of

tea produced and the

amount

of

labour required, with a

minute investigation into the condition and prospects of the

coolies

employed in tea-growing, and the manner in which

they and their families are housed and fed.

Also there

should be given an exact account of the processes through

which the tea must

rolling

with

pass,

of

and fermenting and

many

the picking and drying and

firing

and

sifting,

and

other matters of the utmost interest.

so forth,

But we

will omit that part.

Let us consider the tea-estate as having been thoroughly

investigated,

and join our friends in

their subsequent

wander-

ings through that more poetic region, the great Gardens of

Peradeniya, the "Place of

Guavas."

They extend over

nearly 150 acres, and are encircled on three sides by the

Mahaweli Ganga, the

largest river in Ceylon.

Guarding the

entrance stands a majestic company of india-rubber trees.

KANDY AND NUWAKA

21

ELIYA.

planted in 1833, huge forest giants, with great snake-like

roots that twist

and

coil in

mazy

folds far over the surface

And beyond lies a scene fairer than ideal

what Eden may have been. Dora's drawings of

of the ground.

dreams

of

the foliage of Paradise are poor and

Wide expanses

this.

mean compared with

lawns

of undulating, soft green

alter-

nate with groves of palms and spice-trees, where mighty

creepers climb and wreathe themselves to the very tops of

the tall trees, clothing

them with broad green

leaves and

blooms of gorgeous colour.

Down
little

amongst the grass grows an abundance

the lightest

at

the

of

"sensitive plant," whereof the tiny acacia-like leaves

touch

suddenly shut themselves up and

drop close to the stem, so that the whole plant seems

The

have withered in a moment.

to

seen in London one precious

little

and guarded with the utmost

travellers,

who have

specimen thereof nursed

care, smile a little

when

the

native superintendent of the Gardens complains that this

a very bad weed and most

Having

sufficiently

tormented the poor

little leaves,

turn away to admire the grander things which on

they

all sides

There are coco-palms and date-

claim their attention.

palms and areca-nuts

is

difficult to get rid of.

jaggeries

and katu-kituls

the royal

palm from Cuba, the sago-palm and the durian fan-palms

and palmyras; cinnamon and allspice and cloves; screw;

doum palms; white-blossomed Indian

pines and Egyptian

cork-trees

fern-trees

and climbing ferns

ai-oids

and ground-

orchids; and climbing palms that grapple with the tallest

trees.

juice
tlie

There

fruit

vitfe,

is

the upas-tree from Java with

wherewith arrows are poisoned

and

and

its

deadly

cacao-trees

from

whereof cocoa and chocolate are made; lignumjak-trees,

and calabashes

the fan-shaped travel-

AMONG THE

22
ler's tree,

hoarding

wanderers;

red

its

GODS.

copious supply of water for thirsty-

and

cedars,

and vegetable

candle -trees,

ivory; mangosteens, and mangos, and alligator pears; and

nutmegs with their dark -brown fruit embedded in scarlet
mace. There is the double coco-nut, which puts forth but

one leaf in the year and lives for forty years before

stem

its

begins to appear, and yet will reach at length a height of

100

feet,

and produce nuts that take ten years to ripen

there are beautiful Alexandra palms, and

upward

that grows

for forty- or fifty years,

the stupendous height of

its far-off

and

and then, from

crown of

forth one majestic flower said to measure 40

^a

the gigantic talipot

leaves, sends

feet in height,

pyramidal, snow-white bloom like a gigantic spirea-

blossom of the richest luxuriance

of fruit

grow

but as the huge clusters

and

ripe, the vast tree withers

dies.

The river-bank is crowded with fantastic growth sandalwood trees, and great tufts of feathery bardboos, including
the "giant

upward

bamboo"

of

Burmah, whose culms, shooting

at the rate of a foot in twenty-four hours, reach a

length of nearly 100

feet,

spreading forth on all sides thick

fronds of dark-green foliage that the mighty sunbeams

may

not penetrate.

But no enumeration

of details

of the loveliness of these

can give the faintest idea

magic scenes, and a sorry

failure

theirs who try to copy the stately forms of Nature in

mean and sordid heaps of heavy, piled-up words
More-

is

over,

some there are whose

satisfied

minds cannot long remain

with even the refined society

tinguished

town

restless

and

it is

interests of a

time that

we

of trees the

most

dis-

should seek in the native

more human kind.

The crowds that haunt the bazaars

as those of Colombo.

of

Kaiidy are as varied

There are the grave-faced Tamils, and

r.UDDHl^^r .MOXk.s,

kANUV.

KANDY AND NUWAEA

23

ELIYA.

the Singhalese with their tortoise-shell combs

an increased

Muhammadan Moormen, the descendants of Arab

traders and many " Burgher " folk who trace their descent
from the Dutch and the Portuguese. And everywhere in

number

of

twos and threes walk the picturesque figures of dignified

Buddhist monks.

The head

and shoulder are

down

to the feet,

Some

robe.

shaven, and the right

is

bare, but the rest of the figure is

arm

covered,

with the flowing folds of the sacred yellow

of these robes are of silk, the fine soft texture

thereof enhancing the beauty of the dull, rich, golden colour.

In his right hand the devotee

carries

his

begging-bowl,

wherein he collects fragments of food for his daily meal, and

in his left
lest

hand a palm-leaf fan

to

guard his mouth from

he should headlessly cause the death of the

flies,

least of living

things.

These monks have their abode in the famous Buddhist

temple near the lake.
Temple, and therein

Buddha

of old the

doctrine,"

left to

is

It is

known

as the Dalada-maligava

enshrined that venerable tooth which

himself, " in order to disseminate the true

be preserved in this country

of miraculous properties

which

is " firm as

that

relic

a diamond, inde-

structible through ages," ever " scattering its light like the
stars or the

ness

moon

" brilliant as

in the sky," shining in the night of dark-

the sun " himself.

To the temple our

travellers repair after sunset

night of the full-moon feast

and as

on the

they walk thither beside

the gleaming waters of the lake, their thoughts elude the

grasp of the Present, and wander away backward for nearly

fifteen centuries, picturing that ancient

worship of the Tooth

which Fa-hien the Chinese pilgrim saw, and described

'

From

Beal, B.A.

so

the travels of Hiuen Tsiang, translated from the Chinese by Samuel

AMONG THE

24

"In the middle

well.

was held

feast

GODS.

of the third

and, ten days before,

month "^ the solemn

there moved through

the streets of the capital a great elephant

trappings bearing on his back one

who

"

with gorgeous

dressed in royal robes,"

loudly proclaimed the same, beating a great

drum

as he

went.
" Bodhisattva,"

future
kaljpas

gave up kingdom,

out his eyes and gave

head and gave

starving tigress

Behold
out.

So

(for

such was the

title

during three Asanhhyeya-

all

it
;

as

city, wife,

them

the

of

own

manifested his activity, and did not spare his

He

life.

he cried

Buddha), "Bodhisattva

and son

to another

he plucked

... he

cut off his

an alms; he gave his body

to feed a

he grudged not his marrow and brains.

ten days after this Buddha's tooth will be brought

."

the people arose, and

made the

roads smooth, and

adorned them with gorgeous hangings, amassing merit

themselves.

for

Then, "on both sides of the road," the king

placed wondrous

effigies of

those 500 different forms wherein

the Bodhisattva has appeared.

And when

the Tooth was at

length brought forth and carried in high procession along the

middle of the way, then

store of flowers

all

the people went forth with great

and incense, bringing

it

on

its

way with

eager

devotion and the offerings of zealous worship.

Arrived at the temple, the travellers find

its

entrance

guarded by 'two pompous but not ungracious elephants of

stone, carved in relief

one on each side of the gateway.

Above them stand two

great brazen lamps presented

former governor of Ceylon, who,

if

by a

he thereby enlightened

the Buddhists, must have somewhat bewildered his fellow^

See 'Fa-hien's Travels,' translated by James Legge, M.A., LL.D.

hardly to be expressed in figures.

A fabulous number of years,

Christians, of

KANDY AND NUWAKA

ELIYA.

25

whom

Kandy.

Passing the

there are

many

in

" door-keepers,"

carven figures of two

the travellers cross an

outer court, and begin the ascent of a flight of steps leading

up

to the

verandah of the temple

Overhead they hear

itself.

a loud voice holding forth with the utmost vehemence, and

looking up they behold the extraordinary figure of a Buddhist
devotee, who, with wild gesticulations,

He

world in general.

is

has gone mad, and

haranguing the
addressing, in

is

flowing Singhalese, a large phantom-audience visible only to

himself.

The

now

visitors

and then make

with

its

pass some white-robed Buddhist nuns,

way

their

pillared

to the octagonal tower which,

balcony and pointed

the most

roof, is

Herein

picturesque feature of the temple buildings.

is

an

oriental library of Buddhist scriptures, a quaint treasure-

house of ancient

The books

lore, like

some

are mostly written in

The pen

the talipot palm-leaf.

is

scholar's wistful dream.

P,li

on narrow

little

strips of

iron stylus, with

the sharp point whereof the letters are cut into the surface
of the prepared palm-leaf, as demonstrated to the travellers

by one

of the yellow-robed devotees, who, resting the

on the thumb of his

left

benefit a sentence in

manuscript
tected

is

pen

hand, slowly inscribes for their

Singhalese.

The

leaves,

when the

completed, are fastened together, and pro-

by narrow

these coverings

boards, or plates

are

of

of metal.

silver or silver-gilt,

Many

of

adorned with

exquisitely delicate chasings, and with rubies and emeralds

set therein.

While the
the devotees,

visitors,
ai-e

strange thing happens.

know

surrounded by the stately figures of

admiring these beautiful works of

Suddenly and

not, appears in their midst

silently,

art,

whence they

an elderly Buddhist

monk

AMONG THE

26

whom

GODS.

apparition of gracious countenance;

the chief and holiest of

answer

the

all

but he

Kandyan

in reality

is

In

Buddhists.

questions of the visitors, they

the astonished

to

some long-robed

lilie

shown an unsuspected trap-door by which

are

His

the others regard with the utmost reverence.

mysterious entrance makes him seem

this illus-

trious devotee has arisen through the floor of the library.

Beneath

is

a narrow stair leading

he spends the greater part of his

down

to the

life.

He

room wherein

greets the Father

with courteous kindliness, but, being too holy to touch

a

hand, gently refuses to take any notice of his

lady's

daughters.
It

seems

that,

having heard that the travellers have come

way from England

the

all

are

of the library

not generally privileged to

dainty

little

other books, but

is

thin plates of gold.

same

memory.

long,

of

to

visitors

these

of the

is

Buddhist

narrow shape as the

not on palm-leaves, but on

written,

and presented

Englishman,

One

which

Another treasured possession

is

a leaf

of

Anuradhapura, mounted in

the

temple by a distinguished

from the sacred bodhi-tree

silver

see.

volume containing some part

It is of the

scriptures.

he desires

to visit the temple,

show them some treasures

to

a graceful and poetic tribute

to the

Buddha's

Unfortunately there are performances of exquisite

grace and poetic merit which do an altogether astonishing

amount

of

The

harm.

beautiful offering

is

illustrious

Poet

who made

this

openly claimed by the Buddhists as a

convert from Christianity, and

it

would be hard

to estimate

the injury to the Christian cause arising from this one act of
refined

and delicate compliment.

Leaving the Library, the travellers descend to the interior

of the

temple

itself,

and find

it

crowded with worshippers,

KANDY AND NUWARA

27

ELIYA.

and ringing with the deafening minstrelsy of conches and

Here and there stand flower-sellers, from whom

tom-toms.

the worshippers huy baskets

flow- ers"

and

white,

of

beautiful " temple-

the

yellow -centred blossoms with a

delicious fragrance.

strong

These are reverently poured out

before the images of the Buddha, and especially before the

famous tooth- reHc

was builded.

for

the reception whereof this temple

Buddha would

doubtless have disapproved,

since in his Godless scheme of philosophy

worship of any kind; but the instinct of

tion, it seems, is too

is

no room

sacrificial

for

devo-

fundamental a part of human nature

to be got rid of so easily,

and apparently Buddhism

to

is,

the generality of unlearned Buddhists, neither more nor

less

than an atheistic idolatry.

but

relics

There

is

nothing to worship

and images, the Buddha himself having long ago

passed away " with that kind of passing away in which no

root remains." ^
" If the

from

Buddha," said King Miliuda of

all existence,

then

becomes empty and vain.

two horns."
jSTagasenas in
till

Yerily

it

any act done

This

hath,

old, "

is

to

be escaped

him

a dilemma which has

and not

all

the Venerable

the world have been able, from that day

now, to "tear asunder that net of heresy," to "make

in that jimgle an open space," or to

show how Buddhist

worshippers can consistently suppose that "Blessed

One"

of theirs to heed their oflFerings or hear their cry from the

depths of voiceless, unconscious

Xirvana, his heaven of

non-existence.

"When

I have passed away," said the "Blessed

One"

as death drew near, "think not that the Buddha has

1

TV.

From The Questions of King Milmda,'

Rhys Darids. Sacred Books of the East.
'

translated fi-om the PSli

left

by T.

AMONG THE

28

GODS.

you;" but he added, in interpretation of that saying, only

He himself is gone whence
this, "Ye have my words!"
he

left his followers comfortless,^

and has

shall not return,

save only for that one stern counsel,

Be ye

yourselves.
for refuge to

a refuge to yourselves.

such as

Look not

any one besides yourselves."^

All of which considerations let us

of

"Be ye lamps unto

commend

to the notice
of " Esoteric

by the lordly dogmas

feel attracted

Buddhism," and Theosophy falsely so called

Meanwhile the crowd

worshippers in the temple pre-

of

and animated

sents, in the flickering lamplight, a strange

It

picture.

impressive to see the devotion wherewith

is

who have made

those

trate themselves

Buddha

sitting

tation.

The

under

gold, each with its little

and

silver

in the conventional attitude of medi-

it

visitors are also

shown an image

cut out of a single crystal, which,

behind

it,

pros-

some sacred bodhi- trees

of these are

in

humbly

the beautiful objects of worship.

before

The most charming

delicately carved

their fragrant offering

when

shines with a dazzling brightness,

Buddha,

of

a light

is

placed

and they are

from a single emerald, which they

told of another, carved

are not permitted to see.

Finally, they

make

way toward

their

It

most holy

that

chamber where, enclosed in successive shrines

of jewelled

hath been written, by no casual or superficial observer, but by one of

the greatest authorities on the Buddhism of Ceylon

sidered a

mark

Christianity,

if

of culture in

not almost as good

either in theory or practice.

" It

is,

I fancy, con-

England to say that Buddhism

,

In theory

if

Buddhism

is

is

very like

not like Christianity

like Christianity at

all,

it is like

without a Creator, without an Atoner, without a Sanctifier ; in

is a thin veil of flower-offering and rice-giving over a very real and

Cliristianity

practice it

degraded superstition of astrology and devil-worship."

2 From
The Book of the Great Decease,'
W. Rhys Davids. Sacred Books of the East.
'

translated from the

P.li

by T.

KANDY AND NUWARA

gold, is treasured the sacred tusk, half

29

ELIYA.

an inch thick and an

inch and a quarter long, said once to have adorned the jaw
of the great

Lord Buddha himself.

has had since then.

A checkered

history

Concealed in the hair of the pious

Princess of Kalinga,

arrived in Ceylon at the beginning

it

of the third century of our era.

Captured in 1315 by the

Malabars, and borne away to India, and thence recovered,

eventually

fell

it

it

into the hands of a Portuguese Archbishop of

Goa, who in 1560 pounded the same in a mortar and burned

the dust thereof.

From

lously recovered

itself, to

splendour of

all of

its illustrious

The narrow

which vicissitudes

it

miracu-

repose at length in the peaceful

Kandyan home.
up to its abode

steps leading

are blocked with

an eager crowd of worshippers, who, having reached an anteroom separated by two curtains from the inner chamber of
the relic, are allowed to go no further, but must surrender
their offerings to one of the yellow-robed

pours them out before the shrine.

through the kindness

of the

community, who

The English

visitors,

Apparition of the Library, are

admitted by another staircase into the immediate presence

of the relic.

flowers,

Here

is

and behind

splendid shrine of

an altar covered with fragrant temple

it

a glass screen, and behind that the

gilded silver which incloses

six

other

shrines of gold placed one within another, and adorned with

emeralds, pearls, and rubies innumerable.

smallest and

last is laid

up the

And

bit of ivory for

within the

which are

poured forth day by day the reverence and devotion of countless

earnest worshippers.

Other costly shrines there are

whereof one contains a hair from Buddha's head.

While the

travellers are regarding the beautiful display

of precious metals

and

fine

constant accession of fresh

workmanship, and watching the

floral offerings

from the crowded

AMONG THE

so

GODS.

ante-room, some privileged worshippers of evident distinction

are solemnly ushered into the

dim and

chamber.

silent

party consists of a native gentleman of rank, his

wife,

and

who

ladies,

robes

his little son in the

of

young and

are

splendid

white;

arms

The two

of a servant.

handsome, are dressed in rich

jewels

surround

their

bronze-hued faces, and their glossy black hair

Having presented

with twisted pearls.

The

sister, his

is

their offerings of

flowers, they prostrate themselves before the shrine

utmost grace, and a rapt devotion that

is

gentle,

adorned

with the

touching to behold.

Their awestruck faces and earnest, lustrous eyes are the most
beautiful things

be seen to-night in

to

the crowded

all

temple.

Before leaving

Kandy

our travellers duly

other objects of interest.

temple,

dome

solid

of

There

masonry said

buried of old in the ground

Buddhist school
state,

and

grows a venerable pipal or

to

and there

close beside
"

it,

visit

various

the dagoba near the

is

cover treasures

the thriving

is

planted on a

bodhi tree "

mound

of

with massive
trunk and luxuriant foliage of broad, heart-shaped leaves,
whereof each one terminates in a long, thread-like acumen.
^

These leaves are joined to their stalks in such a manner as

cause them, at the least breath of
motion,

reminding

monarch
"being

our

of antiquity,

terrified,

air, to

travellers

the great

of

to

quiver with restless

that

faint-hearted

King Hari-scandra, who

suddenly trembled exceedingly like the

^
This Kandyan bodhi-tree is greatly

leaf of the pipal-tree."

revered,

and

for every

funeral ceremony

is

branch of

it

that falls to the ground a

solemnly performed.

The

fallen

bough

Ficus

religiosa.

From

the 'Markandeya Purina,' translated by F. E. Pargiter,

C.S.

KAKDY AND NUWAEA

is

wrapped

in a cloth

31

ELIYA.

and cremated, and the ashes thereof

are buried.

There

moreover, to be seen the Audience Hall of the

is,

ancient

Kandyan Kings, adorned with

wood.

It

is

pillars of

carven teak-

part of the palace builded about the year 1600

by Wimala Dharma.
S. Paul's

Church

is

at so little distance

from the Buddhist

temple that the worshippers at the daily Services can hear

the din of the temple tom-toms.

and devout, and the Church-work

Its congregations are large

is

carried on with vigour

The mission-work assumes to a great extent

an educational form. The Industrial School for boys is a
and

success.

very useful factor in this kind of enterprise.

forty-six boys, all of
of five

who

whom

One of
BuddMst devotee

are to be baptised on Christmas Eve.

and the story

and

are Christians, with the exception

these five once wore the yellow robe of a

dress,

It contains

from the temple in a servant's

of his escape

his presenting himself for Christian instruction, is

a romantic episode in native

life.

There are also vernacular

and English schools wherein over 100 pupils are educated.

Moreover, the Church Missionary Society has in Kandy a
girls'

boarding-school, and a College which, since 1878, has

been

afiiliated to

the University of Calcutta.

Nor must we

forget to mention another most useful Church-school for very

poor children, conducted with expenditure of

much

labour

and some money by a Burgher lady and her seven daughters,

whose noble devotion to Christian work is stimulating to
behold,

and whose constant kindness to our travellers during

Kandy is an instance of Christian charity of the

their stay in

warmest and most delightful kind.

S.

Stephen's Church
'

is

served by a Tamil Clergyman

December 1891.

AMONG THE

32
("

Father Barnabas

Christians, all of

where
It

all

who has

")

whom

have been baptised in

S. Stephen's,

Kandyan

to dismiss the subject of

connecting therewith the well -loved

Christianity without
of

a congregation of 200 Tamil

the Services are in Tamil.

would be unnatural

name

GODS.

Archdeacon Matthew.

His grave

is

in the Chris-

Kandy and if any one desire to know what

it is like to leave a loving memory behind, he should mention that name to any Kandyan Churchman he pleases, and
tian cemetery at

watch the expression

At length

of the

more than 6000

far as IsTanuoya, the elevation

addressing.

is

the travellers set forth on their

to cold IvTuwara Eliya,

As

countenance he

upward journey
above the

feet

whereof

is

over 5000

they travel by railway, passing through scenery

and more grand than that below Kandy.

The

still

sea.
feet,

wilder

jungle-forests

grow darker and more northern in character, tea-plantations

abound on the bare

hill-slopes,

grow ever bolder and more

appears, rising in sheer
of

7352

feet

above the

and

while the rocky mountains

fantastic, until

Adam's Peak

isolated grandeur to its height

sea-level.

Gazing at that steep and terrible mountain

friends recall strange Buddhist legends

crag,

our

which in the course

many centuries have gathered thickly round it, old tales

of how the Eakkhasa demons brought sickness and fever on
this land of Lanka, and how the " divine sage " Kakusandha
of

journeyed hither through the air with 40,000 of his disciples,

and, perching on the top of

Devakuta

(the

same

is

Adam's

Peak), subdued by his power the raging fever throughout

the Island of

Gems

Konagamana, of eminent
wisdom, and other worthies beside, whose deeds were told
long centuries ago by that incomparable Thera, the wise
;

stories, too, of

KANDY AND NUWARA

Maliinda,

who

in the hearing of thousands " poured out the

sweet draught of his discourse."

may

33

ELIYA.

And even now the learned

read them in that fifteenth chapter of the

"

composed equally
men."

At

length

for the delight

and

'

Mahavansa,'

affliction of righteous

Xanuoya is reached, and there follows a

to Xuwara Eliya through cool mountain-

walk

five -miles'

breezes (sueli as seem unnatural so near the equator), blow-

ing over dark rhododendron forests that cover the mountainslopes.

For rhododendrons are great

regions,

and often reach a height

of

forest- trees in these

no

less

than 70

feet.

So unfamiliar are the scenery and the vegetation that one

may

well believe that pious Chinese pilgrim

in Ceylon in the seventh century, and tells

regions are " high crags and deep valleys,

spirits that

come and go

"

who live on the fruit of the

But we must hasten upward

birds

whence

rise

Of DUX

friends

men

an

with the beaks of

coco-palm.
to

Xuwara Ehya's

grassy

the lordly mo\mtain summits in the dis-

ti-avellers'

to the

haunted by

hills.

experiences there,

made

(as that pilgrim did in

island to the south of Ceylon) those

guise of wooded

and scarcely would our

be surprised were they to meet

plain,

who journeyed
how in these

stay in this lofty region and all their

we

summit

that

will record but one expedition

of Pidurutalagala

(called

Pedro by

Europeans), the highest mountain in Ceylon, boasting an

altitude of

about

is

8295

feet above the sea.

five miles long,

and

is

The walk

to the top

achieved by our friends

See the 'Mahavansa,' translated from the original PSli by George

Tumour, CCS.
*

Prom

the travels of Hiuen Tsiang, translated from the Chinese bv Samuel

Eeal, B.A.

KANDY AND NUWAKA

35

ELIYA.

toward the mysterious blue of dim and

distance.

infinite

Only on the eastern horizon, seventy-five long miles away,

lies

the Indian Ocean's hound-

one radiant thread of light

less plain.

Such
is

is

the view.

may

It

be right to add that a cloud

resting on Pedro's summit, so that of all this extended

prospect our friends see absolutely nothing.

Soon they must bid farewell

mas Day

is close

spending

it

to

Nuwara

at " Nazareth,"

for Christ-

one of the most interesting Mis-

sion stations in all the South of India.

to

Eliya

at hand, and they have set their hearts on

Colombo they spend a

delightful

On

their

way down

Sunday in Kandy, and

take this opportunity to attend one of the Tamil Services in

S.

After the Lesson (read by a

Stephen's Church.

of the congregation) Father Barnabas

member

moves down from the

Chancel to the Font, and there follows the Baptism of a Tamil

a lad

convert,

and home and

confession.

of sixteen

all

who has had

to give

up parents

worldly prospects for the sake of this good

According to a Church custom among the Tamils,

a freshly-plucked rose
Otherwise the Service

is laid
is

on the surface of the water.

exactly the same as our own, and

the travellers find no difficulty in following with their Eng-

The worshippers, who,

lish prayer-books.

are all barefoot

for to enter a

be the grossest irreverence

the singing

is

most hearty.

are

like their Priest,

church wearing shoes would

attentive

and devout; and

The Service ends with a sermon

from Father Barnabas, delivered with so much eloquence

and such sweetness

seem

of

gentle dignity that the travellers

to themselves to understand every word.

After the Service they are most kindly welcomed by

Father Barnabas, who speaks excellent English, and by

AMONG THE

36
and

his wife

sons,

GODS.

who, understanding no European tongue,

converse in the universal language of friendly smiles and

pressings of hands and other signs of kindness.

Mrs Bar-

nabas, to do honour to the visitors, has donned her festal

Tamil robe

of soft, rich, apricot

coloured

silk,

whereof well becomes her bronze complexion, and

by a

the colour
is

relieved

snow-white muslin wound about the head.

veil of

beautiful wedding-necklace of gold

The

conspicuous, and she

is

weareth ear-rings and anklets, and toe -rings very many.

The

be allowed to congratulate the newly

travellers ask to

baptised; but he

shy and

is

silent,

and soon shrinks away

them many
things of Nazareth, where he himself was educated, and of
his interesting work here in Kandy.
into the background, while Father Barnabas tells

This
of

scene

little

Ceylon.

ISText

is

almost our travellers' last impression

Friday

is

Christmas Day, and on the

Wednesday afternoon they embark

corin on a certain small steamship,

vocation in

life

is

at

Colombo

Amra

to carry loads of

for Tuti-

by name, whose

Tamil

coolies

from

Southern India to Ceylon, and back again when they have

made

On

their

modest fortunes on the tea-estates

of the island.

the present occasion 400 coolies are returning to Tuti-

corin; but the English travellers see little of them, being

fenced in with a canvas screen on the

Too soon the faery mountains

of

little

quarter-deck.

Ceylon fade away in the

distance,

and the steamer

below

out of the question, and, mattresses being brought

is

is

alone in a tumbling sea.

on deck, our friends go into a kind

Nominally

reclining,

ward

instead.

they are in fact standing on their feet

and heads alternately

may

of hospital

Going

while overhead (or

feet, as

the case

be) the blessed stars dance reels the long night through.

It is as

when

the gods and

demons churned the ocean long

KANDY AND NUWAEA

ago, with

Mandar

the

King

serpent Vasuki for a rope

wlailst violently agitated

Mandar, was

Good
1

of
;

ELIYA.

37

mountains for a churn and the

when

" the roaring of the ocean,

with the whirling of the mountain

like the bisllowing of a

mighty cloud." ^

night, dear friends, good night

See the episode from the 'MahAbharata,' translated by Wiikins, quoted

by Foley on the

"

Devimahatmyam.

''

38

CHAPTER

III.

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

It

is

about eleven o'clock in the morning of Christmas

Even when,

some twenty -two hours' enjoyment of

that rhythmic and vibratory motion which is the outcome
after

and expression

of polarity, our

of the universal principle

friends

the travellers set

long - in

vain - looked - for,

foot

on the much -desiderated,

sometime - almost - despaired

now -at -length -with -rejoicing -attained -unto

whereon having landed, they find themselves too

the

morning train

present out of the

to

Tinnevelli,

question.

determine to spend Christmas

is

of,

shore of India,

and Nazareth

late for

for

the

Wherefore they reluctantly

Day

in Tuticorin.

Truly

it

not a lovely place, nor in any respect famous except

with regard to

its pearl-fishery.

Year by year are dragged

from their peaceful homes, and in

slaughtered,

thousands

whom

upon

this

place ruthlessly

thousands

of

unoffending

number

are

nocent of pearls, but must nevertheless

fall

victims to the

man by

reason of those

oysters,

of

the greater

grasping, undiscriminating greed of

altogether in-

hypothetic pearls which they might contain, but don't.

Yet though

Tuticorin,

qud Tuticorin, cannot honestly be

called attractive, our travellers have only to take a wider

"

CHEISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

view

39

of their position in order to find themselves in one of

the most interesting places of the East

To

India.

to wit, in Southern

Christian folk the history of

its

extensive and

would alone indue

it

with interest

prosperous Missions

enough.

From very

ancient times there has been in this part of

the world a Christian Church

tians of S. Thomas,"

by

known by

and claiming

Thomas the Apostle during

S.

to

the

title "

Chris-

have been founded

his visit to India.

Many

quaint Church legends there are concerning that same

all

adopted by Catholic Christians in the fourth century.

forasmuch as the original

is

we may be
Some there

this, like all

may

not unto every one accessible,

allowed, perhaps, to translate one of

are to

whom

But

them

here.

other such legends,

appear absurd, and therefore irreverent; but that

from want

The

is

of education:

Apostles,^ being

assembled at Jerusalem, did cast

lots for the regions of the earth, that

Thomas, who

is also

each might go to that

him and India fell by

Didymus. But he would not go

nation whither the Lord should send

lot to

visit,

which may be found in those Gnostic Acta Thomae

of

"I cannot go by reason of the weakness of

and how can I, being an Hebrew, journey to the

thither, saying,

the flesh

country of the Indians and there preach the truth

And the Saviour appeared unto him by night and said

unto him, " Fear not, Thomas, but go thou to India." But he
was disobedient and

said, "

And

Indians I go not."

Send me elsewhither,

for to the

there chanced to be a merchant in

Jerusalem whose name was Abbanes, and he was come from

King Gondophares, having received commandment

buy for him a carpenter. And the Lord met him

India, from
of

him

to

Abridged from the Greek text.

"

AMONG THE

40
as he

GODS.

walked at noon in the market-place, and said unto him,

thou to buy a carpenter ? " And he said, " Yea."

" Desirest

And

the Lord said unto him, " I have a bond-servant that

is

And when He had

so

a carpenter, and I desire to

sell

him."

him Thomas afar off. And He agreed

certain
sum of silver. Then He took Thomas
with him for a
and brought him to Abbanes the merchant. And Abbanes
said,

He showed

to

looked upon him, and said unto him, " Is this thy master

And
And

He

the Apostle answered and said, " Tea,

he

said, " I

is

my

Lord."

And

have bought thee at His hand."

the

Apostle kept silence.

And

on the next day, early in the morning, he prayed,

said, " I

and

go whither Thou wilt,

Lord."

And

he went

Abbanes the merchant, and took nothing with him but

to

only the

money

of his price

for the

And they journeyed to India.

And when the Apostle came unto

Lord had given

it

unto

him.

the cities of India with

Abbanes the merchant, Abbanes went

to salute

Gondophares

the King, and asked his pleasure concerning the carpenter

him and the King was glad, and

commanded that the carpenter should be brought in. So,
when he was come in, the King said unto him, " What craft
understandest thou ? " The Apostle said unto him, " The
carpenter's and the builder's craft."
And the King said,
that he had brought with

"

Wilt thou build

I will accomplish

am

me

a palace

the

building

"

And he
thereof,

answered, " Yea,

for

to

this

end

I come."

Now

King was departing on a journey. And he gave

the Apostle much wealth, and departed. And from time to
time he sent him money and provisions and whatsoever
was requisite for himself and his workmen. But Thomas
took these things and distributed them, giving alms to
the

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

the poor and the distressed

41

and he brought comfort unto

them.

And the King wrote and sent unto him, saying, " Tell me
what thou hast done, or what things I shall send thee, or of
what thou hast need." The Apostle sendeth unto him, saying,
"The palace is builded, but there remaineth yet the roof
And

thereof."

like

when he heard that, sent unto him

and this also did Thomas distribute in

the King,

again gold and silver

manner.

But when the King was returned

and found

to the city

not the palace that should have been builded, he covered his
face with his hands,

And

and did shake his head a great while.

being very angry, he ordered both the merchant and

Thomas to be bound and cast into prison. And he sought

by what death he should destroy them. But when he had
determined to flay them and to burn them with fire, in that
same night the King's brother died. And the Angels took him
and brought him up to Heaven, and showed him the places
and the dwelHngs

tliere,

place wilt thou dwell

palace,

he sedd

and asked bim saying,

And

"

to the Angels,

to dwell herein."

But they

dwell in this house, for this

biiUded by

my lords,

Thomas the

suffer

me

"I pray you,

me

my

And he said, "I pray you,

may buy this
let his soul go
and as men

brother, that I

of burial, his soul

And

came

he said to the King, " I beseech thee to

that palace which thou hast in Heaven, that

for thee

canst not

Christian."

to go to

Then the Angels

were putting upon him the garment

And

Thou

thy brother's palace that was

palace of him."

into him.

In which

my lords, suffer me

said unto him, "

is

"

seeing a great and splendid

by the Christian

that

is

now

sell

was builded

in the prison."

immediately the King sent and brought out

prison both the merchant and the Apostle.

And

of the

he said unto

AMONG THE

42

GODS.

Thomas, " I beseech thee that thou wouldest make supplication for

me and

He may

forgive

Him whose

servant thou
done
unto thee."
that I have

pray unto

me

all

that

art,

Then did the Apostle preach the truth unto the King and
unto his brother, and they were converted to the truth of the
Gospel.

And by

reason of this legend

S.

Thomas

is to this

day rep-

resented in paintings with a carpenter's rule in his hand.

"Would

more

there were space wherein to set forth the

authentic and not less interesting doings of that later Indian

Missionary,

S.

Francis Xavier, the " Apostle of the Indies,"

who

in 1542-44 preached the Gospel at Goa, and to the fisher-

folk

on the

coast,

best

have no great appetite for those dry bones,

read, in Torsellino's Life

studious youth,

merry boyhood, and

cannot be helped, we must translate a

"For

let them' rather

and of that strange compassion

heathen India which haunted him so long

it

of

(published not in these matter-of-

fact days, but in 1596), of his sweet,

his

But
him had
Or if any

and in Travancore and elsewhere.

we have not, and those who wish to know

look him up in encyclopsedias, and suchlike.

space

often in sleep

and

of

for

Nay,

of

little

seemed unto Xavier that he was

it

carrying upon his shoulders an Indian

who was

so

heavy that

he would awake from sleep exhausted by that weight.

And

the event afterwards showed that this thing was no freak

of the

mind

in sleep, but rather a sign of

what was

to

come."

For long afterwards Ignatius Loyola, his Superior,

cheerful countenance
'

'

De

as his

Vita Francisoi Xaverii

Jesu,' Antuerpias, mdxovi.

manner was,
libri

said

"

with a

unto him,

sex Horatii Tursellini, e Sooietate

"

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

'

43

God Himself hath intended

... Go, follow thither His

Doubtless, Francis,

province of India.

for thee the

voice

Who

calleth thee.'
"

Whereat Xavier, blushing

joy, replied, 'I

am

like a maiden,

ready to do

and with

all things, for

tears of

the sake of

Christ.'

And

finally,

would that we could

relate the labours of that

modern Missionaries whose devotion has been

crowned with such manifest and tangible results, and suc'Ii
far-reaching success, as the most unsympathetic mind can
neither deny nor explain away.
But historic disquisitions must be left to mightier pens
succession of

and more ambitious pages.

Our task

is

rather to describe

with faithfulness the scenes and incidents actually beheld by

our travelling friends of the present day.

They take up

their abode in Tuticorin at the delightfully

primitive hotel, where the rain, finding

its

way through

the

them to sleep under open umis kept by some native Christians who
please, and do all they can to make their

interstices of the roof, obliges

brellas.

are

The

hotel

most anxious

to

stay a pleasant one.

The

travellers attend their first Christmas Service after

sunset, on the

day

of their arrival, in the chapel of the S.P.G.

Missionary College, which bears the well-loved name of

Bishop Caldwell, who founded

it.^

This College

excellent work, and boasts 120 pupils, of

are

Christians.

The standard

of

whom

education

is

is

doing an

90 per cent
high,

and

students are prepared for the B.A. degree of the Madras

'

All pni-ticulars of Mission-wort given in this and the following chapters

refer to the time of tlie ti-avellers' visit

wise specified.

(i.e.,

Christmas 1S91), unless other-

44

AMONG- THE GODS.

University.

There are also several outlying schools in con-

number

nection therewith, bringing the total

of pupils

nearly 700, exclusive of the boarding-school for

by Mrs Caldwell, which

home

for the

up

to

founded

good attendance.

also has a

boys of Caldwell College have gone

girls,

The

Christmas

members of the Tamil choir,

who have been so carefully trained by the Principal ^ of the
College that very few English choirs could sing more beautifully.
To see the procession of Choir and Clergy entering
holidays, but there remain the

the decorated church, while every voice joins in the most

familiar of our Christmas

hymns,

is

a strange and beautiful

The ordinary white cassocks have been replaced by

sight.

scarlet ones in

honour

of the Festival,

and the glowing colour

snowy surplices, and with the

brown feet which make not a single sound as they
slowly move along.
Very impressive are the quiet reverence
and earnestness of the grave Tamil faces, and the devout

brightly contrasts with the

bare,

sweetness of the singing.

The procession

closed

is

College Principal and a barefoot Tamil Clergyman

who

by the
assists

in the English Services.

At length the rainy night

of

warmth and
The choral Services

gives place to the

light of a tropical Christmas morning.

the English chapel begin at seven o'clock, and more

beautiful

or devout Christmas

Services

our friends have

never attended.
Later on they are hospitably entertained at tif&n by the
College Principal,

who

is

also the presiding Missionary of the

Tuticorin group of mission stations.

come

to India

The

travellers

have

with a great desire to see (among other things)

something of Indian Missions

bnt forasmuch as to gain a

general idea of those same Missions would be the work of

^

The Rev.

J.

A. Sharrock, B.A., of Jesus College, Cambridge.

45

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA,

many

winters instead of one, tliey will for the most part

confine themselves to visitins; a few mission stations of the

Working

Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

does

"on Church

lines always,

on party

as

it

lines never," this

all who desire
home and abroad.

venerable Society has a very special claim on

unity for the Anglican Church both at

The Society disclaims any spiritual authority over its Missionaries, and any kind of interference with the rights of
Bishops abroad would be utterly contrary to its principles.
Every S.P.G. Missionary who

is

sent out places himself at

once under the authority and direction of the Bishop in whose

diocese he

be

felt

is to

authorities of

natural rule

may

work, so that nothing like friction can ever

between the managers

of the Society at

the Church abroad.

is of

home and the

This very simple and

the utmost importance

for the

harm

that

be done by party feeling and disloyalty to Bishops

(and that in the very face of the heathen)

is

altogether

incalculable.

Our

friends accordingly persecute their kind host with

innumerable

questions,

and learn much

of

the

efficient

and prospering mission-work carried on by the S.P.G-. in

Tuticorin and in twenty of the surrounding villages, and
very much, alas! about the want of

whereby the work

is

men and

of

funds

sadly crippled and impeded.

The

workers, including the native Clergy, are but very, very

few; but what has been achieved by their means is very

All the pupils of the Mission schools receive
notable.
careful Christian instruction,

and the native Christians be-

longing to this one Mission already number 1356.

In the afternoon our friends attend the Evensong and

Baptismal

Service in the

Tamil church, which

is

gaily

decorated in the native fashion with long, pendent garlands

AMONG THE

46
of flowers.

This church

GODS.

the place of worship for 1000

is

Tamil Christians, and the congregations have been

The Tamils dearly love very early church-going,

began at three o'clock this morning. At

large to-day.

and

very-

their Services

eight o'clock there

was a congregation

Now,

Service was held at two.

and a

of 700,

children's

at the last Service of the

day, most of the dark-brown faces look, for all their happi-

somewhat

ness,

who

Priest,

which

is

Not

tired out.

so,

however, that of their

receives our travellers with a kindly

welcome

most refreshing.

The day comes

an end with English Evensong

to

not

Evensay, but a beautiful Service of choral praise long to be

remembered.

Day

Stephen's

S.

unfestival-like

is

manner

spent by our travellers in a very

that

is,

in the long journey from

Tuticorin to Tinnevelli and thence to Nazareth.

Tinnevelli they travel
first

glimpses of South Indian landscapes.

grow silver-green

aloes,

far as

of their

Beside the railroad

with here and there a great candel-

abra-like flower towering high into the air;

them

As

by railway, taking eager note

and beyond

stretches forth a boundless plain of soft green

stretches of padi alternating with

wide

strange trees. Palmyra

palms, and feathery "umbrella-trees," and

many more

of

unfamiliar names.

On

arriving at Tinnevelli, they are

greeting
inviting

New

letter

them

Year's

from the

stay with

all to

Day

if

S.P.G-.

possible.

kind welcome from one who

{except that his

name ^

of Indian missions),
1

him
The
is

met by

a very charming

Missionary at Nazareth,
as long as they can, over

delight of receiving this

an entire stranger to them

who know anything

can only be appreciated by those who
is

Eev. A. Margoschis of

familiar to all

S.

Augustine's College, Canterbury.

47

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

have wandered about, in a homeless manner, through strange

and distant

It is specially comfortable

lands.

now

that the

travellers are bidding farewell to all that savours of Euro-

pean

civilisation,

and intend

up

to take

their abode in a

far-off native village.

The twenty-two

miles' journey thither

plished in bullock-bandies

must be accom-

quaint and original conveyances

wherein our travellers presently dispose themselves.

It is

now mid -day, and the bullocks handsome and amiable

ei-eatures with humps and soft dew-laps and sweet brown
eyes

being somewhat feeble-minded

beasts, will take nine

houi's to achieve the aforesaid journey.

At

first tlie

way

is

haunted by picturesque native

^men with variously coloured turbans, and women

bright-hued

saris,

figures

clad in

that most graceful of garments, which

consists of one broad length of cotton stuff twisted about

whole

so as to envelop the

figure.

First it passes

round

the head (with one end thrown back over the shoulder),

then drapes

arm

itself

and

free,

in classical fashion, leaving one brown

finally,

fastened round the waist, falls to the

ankles in graceful folds.

And

commonly a deep crimson

the colour thereof

is

very

that is a feast to the eyes of

beholders.

But soon the path grows more

into the open country.

lonely,

and

Bordering the red

grow great banyan-trees, each one in

strikes out
soil of

itself

away

the road

little forest,

with tasseUed roots dangling in mid-air, or just reaching

the ground, or deeply planted therein and supporting a
straight, smooth, pillar-like

branch.

stem whereon

rests the parent

Hither and thither over the mighty trunks dart

mimberless palm-squirrels with light-brown fur striped with

bands

of black

while in and out of the dark foliage above

AMONG THE

48
flutter the bright,

GODS.

emerald-green parrots,

filling

the world

with cries which here in the open air are neither harsh nor
piercing, but merely sprightly

Beyond are broad expanses

and cheerful.
of padi,

and streams, and great

reservoirs of shallow water, and banana

plantations,

and

These last do not grow at

Palmyra palms innumerable.

Palmyra, and are quite unlike the date - palms of those

Por these Palmyra palms (called by the learned

regions.

Borassus flahelliforniis) have fan-shaped leaves, and tapering

stems which widen so suddenly at the base that they seem

be balanced thereon, and look like those rootless trees of

to

our infancy which went into a box at night.

But the most interesting features of the landscape are

Hindu temples and demon-shrines and pillared mantapams,^ and, now and then, a native village of mud -huts

the

Slowly the afternoon goes by,

thatched with palm-leaves.

and the sun

sets,

and the night

is

on

and

for ever

still

night-air

dark ; but

still

the journey

it would go
But at length there breaks upon the
the welcome sound of a Christian church-bell

continues hour after hour, until

it

seems as

if

ever.

and the next moment the travellers arrive at the Mission

bungalow, and are received with the kindest and brightest of
welcomes into an atmosphere of homelike rest and comfort
such as words are too chilly to describe.
'The next day, being not only Sunday but also the Feast

John,

S.

and the occasion

at 8.30

is

of

and the

much

The principal Service

coming out of their rooms

rejoicing.

travellers,

into the verandah a little before that time, see a

^

of,

the dedication festival of the Nazareth church,

is

crowd

of

These buildings are "temple property," andjserve^as resting-places for the

gods on their journeys of ceremony.

when none

of their idol-majesties

Travellers also of

happens to be

all

castes rest therein

in'Jpossession.

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

dark-brown faces beaming with happiness
of them.

their

The children have assembled

morning salutation before

and moving churchward.

Each

"Salaam!

it is.

scarlet,

brown hand touches

a simultaneous cry

is

is

formed, and a beautiful pro-

In front moves the uplifted Cross gleaming

brightly in the sun

and

to

Salaam!"

Presently the procession

cession

falling into procession

little

the bronze-hued forehead, and there

of

more than 500

These are the pupils and teachers of the Mission

schools and Orphanage.^

make

49

then follows the Choir, robed in white

and chanting a Tamil hymn

and then the Tamil

Clergy, the one white face contrasting strangely with all

the dark-brown countenances around

due,

it.

Finally, in order

march the 500 children clad in their graceful, brightof which were woven in the Industrial

hued garments, most

School hereafter to be described.

The procession moves

already half

filled

round the church, which

all

is

with the village-folk kneeling or sitting

witii quiet reverence

on the stone

floor, for all

the Nazareth

The church holds 1200, and, when

the school-children have moved noiselessly to their places, it
All things are in festal array, and the church
is quite full.
people are Christians.

is

profusely decorated with native garlands of sweet-scented

flowers hanging

down from above over

the heads of the

So devout and reverent a congregation the

The Service is fuUy
travellers have seldom seen before.
worshippers.

It is a little sad to
choral, and not one voice is silent.
"occupy the room of the unlearned," but the universal Giving
of Thanks is the same in all languages ; and it is easy to

follow in the English Pi-ayer-Book

^
^

when one has once grasped

There are 350 boarders and orphans, and 150 day-scholars.

This Orphanage vras the outcome of the great famine of 1877.

AMONG THE

50

the fact that the Tamil version

GODS.
necessarily about twice

is

the length of the English, from which

sermon

is

translated.

it is

The

given by a very eloquent Tamil Priest, and

listened to with a rapt attention

which

is

behold would do

to

some English congregations good.

After Service the travellers return to the bungalow for
chota

and there follow some delightful hours

hazri;

quiescence, during

which they may revel

and surgeon
and

will

at

He

the books of the Missionary's library.

is

jumble

of

among

physician

to his people as well as their spiritual

this explains the delightful

of

Father

scientific

and

among his books. Lives of

the
Eye here associate on an
of
the Saints and Diseases
equal footing and in amicable contiguity, and so do many
devotional works to be found

other learned volumes

not elsewhere found on terms of

intimacy.

When

the heat of the day

is over,

his guests through the village.

all Christians,

the Missionary takes

Although the people are

they are very far removed from any European-

ising influences,

and there

distinguish Nazareth

is

nothing on the surface to

from a heathen

village,

except the

orderly cleanliness of the palm-thatched cottages, the bright,

intelligent faces of the people, the fearless happiness of the

children,
of a

and the church-tower presiding over

Hindu temple

delightful to

or

all

some sordid demon -shrine.

instead
It

is

watch the beaming smiles and glad salaams

which greet the well -loved Missionary whithersoever he

goes.

The

little

brown boys and

girls follow

the visitors about,

watching them with wondering eyes of intense and insatiable curiosity.

Elizabeth, being very soft of heart where

children are concerned, presently begins to distribute sweet-

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA,

"

meats, to the general satisfaction.

she explains.

and

to

little

so his brother,

keep his eyes

who was

meat

And

now

me

and

shut,

fast

I was going to give a sweet-

who had one

to a child

head, and showed

just

another

already

who had

but he shook his

none."

large congregation assembles for Tamil Evensong,

afterwards there

The smallest

orphan

girls

trip about over the

brown

tiny bare

and

a pretty scene at the Mission bungalow.

is

of the

are admitted to be fed

with bananas and generally petted.

home, and

in

shut in the

just a little bigger,

put his fingers over them and kept them

his oion too

so very good,"

"There was one tiny black boy near me'

church who was too

prayers,

They are

51

feet,

They

matted

are

floors,

quite

at

with their

in a very frolicsome manner, their

bright garments fluttering round them, and their lustrous

The Tamils

black eyes overflowing with fun and happiness.

are a very
of

them

song

handsome

race,

and the

The day comes

all.

to

the prettiest

little girls are

an end with English Even-

the only English Service of the week.

standed by

many

It is under-

of the people, since all the children learn

English in school.

By

seven o'clock next morning the church

with reverently kneeling

figures,

The

again

and dark faces

with a quiet simplicity of earnestness that

sive.

is

is

filled

lit

up

very impres-

travellers are eager to see the daily

working of

the Mission, and the Missionary devotes to his troublesome

much

time and pains that they do not

visitors

so

how

thank him.

to

He

know

them first to the Dispensary, which, founded

by Dr Strachan (now Bishop of Eangoon), is a great feature
takes

of the Nazareth work, and wherein the Missionary generally

spends three hours every morning prescribing for the in-

"

AMONG THE

52

GODS.

numerable patients who flock to Nazareth from far and

He

near.

and does

has studied at

George's Hospital in London,

S.

work himself with the help

the dispensary

all

During the present^ year he has

of one native assistant.

treated the almost incredible

number

15,000 different

of

cases.

"There would be plenty

who

"for a doctor

way under

me

passes his worst patients on to

he

says,

cases are those

doctors.

When

'

Go

to

Nazareth

if

!
'

to cure.

he

But

very

is

is

a god

The

my

most serious

an arm has been broken, they

comes to me, there

is

when

tie

it

nothing to be done but instant am-

Quicksilver (in large quantities and unprepared)

and

The Missionary

up

the patient

They give the most extraordinary medicines

favourite one,

sick

puzzled what

which have been treated already by native

so tightly that gangrene sets in, so that,

putation.

is

who

heathen

the coast there

people go to consult his oracle, and

to answer,

of

Christian influence

At Trichendore on

great indeed.

who

occupation here," says he,

The number

one branch of our work.

are brought in this

of

could give up his whole time to this

so are peacock's feathers

sits at

is

too.

a very

a table to receive his patients, and

presently there softly enters behind

folk with a large palm-leaf

him one

of the

Tamil

wherewith he surreptitiously fans

away the flies, very gently so that he may not know.

The patients do not understand English, and the Missionary
keeps up a running commentary upon them for the travellers'

who thus learn to

many other interesting

benefit,

with

a Brahman.

distinguish the different castes,

matters.

His complexion

wears over his

left

is

One

of the sick folk is

comparatively

fair,

and he

shoulder the sacred cord which shows

1

1891.

"

"

"

53

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

he belongs to one of the " twice-born "

iliat

castes,

and where-

with he was solemnly invested when he was about to com-

mence the study

The

of the Vedas.

were separately created by

"

the " Lord of gods and creatures

forth

from his mouth.

study,

and

'' ;

His duty

To

sacrifice.

different castes, it seems,

the truth-meditating Brahma,"

kill a

and the Brahman came

is

liberality,

threefold

Brahman

is

the worst of

all

more dreadful even than the terrible sin

The wise Queen Madalasa, when " with
of slaying a cow.
"
prattling words ^ she spoke to her infant son Alarka (" as
possible crimes,

he lay on his back crying not unmelodiously "), could

better wish for

my

child,

him than

on behalf of

Another

this, "

cattle

a silver anklet which he has vowed to

he gets

if

and

at last has

He

well.

come

medicine and a

no

Mayest thou meet thy death,

and Brahmans

patient, of lower caste, wears

gods

find

on his swollen leg

offer to

one of the

has grown worse instead of better,

to Nazareth,

where he obtains some

quiet advice as to not applying to

little

idol-gods in future.

A woman brings a tiny child suffering from a bad ear.

"

Have you been

careful," asks the Missionary, " to

stick well into the ear

matter
"I

and screw

it

about to see what

ram a
is

the

have done so many times " says the poor mother.

" Yes,

and that

is

the reason

why

the child does not get

well."

"I have

to prevaricate a little," adds the Missionary in

English, " or I should never be able to get at the truth

serious cases having been dealt with, the rest

The more

are left to the assistant ;

to vdsit the
'

From

and the Missionary takes his guests

Orphanage and

the

'

schools.

The threshold

Martandeya Punlua,' translated by F. E.

of

one of

Pargiter, C.S.

54

AMONG THE

the school-buildings

is

a large

GODS,

hewn

" That," says the

stone.

was once a god. The boys think it fine fun to

tread his godship under foot as they go in and out."
The teachers at Nazareth are, of course, all Tamils, and
Missionary, "

have almost

women

all

All of them

been educated at Nazareth.

as well as

men have

passed the Matriculation Ex-

amination of the Madras University, and some have taken

their degree.

Nazareth has taken the lead in the higher

education of Indian women.

For seven years

it

has prepared

and teachers educated and

Nazareth may be found all over India in Gov-

pupils for Matriculation;

its

trained at

ernment
they

schools, carrying Christian influence whithersoever

go.

One

of the

most interesting

of the

Nazareth institutions

is

the "Art and Industrial School," wherein are most efficiently

taught carpentry and blacksmith's work, tailoring, Indian

and

Muhammadan embroidery, weaving and

lace-making, and

The eleven looms of the weaving department

all the clothes worn by the 350 children of the

drawing.

manufacture

Nazareth Orphanage and Industrial and Boarding Schools.

Orders are also executed for
" tailoring "

of the

department

is

many

church choir makes his

The pupils

own

surplice

of the Industrial School are

about 50 are

Carpentry

outsiders.

is

make

girls.

Moreover, the

very flourishing, and each

member

and cassock.

about 160, of

Every one learns two trades at

whom
least.

a great feature thereof, and the boys engaged in

and many
The present school was opened on
November 14, 1887, when the Bishop and fifteen other
Clergymen, English and native, together with the Nazareth

it

can

chairs, tables, cots, desks, benches,

other suchlike things.

Choir, entered the building in procession

Service of dedication.

There seems

still

and held in

it

to linger about the

CHRISTMAS

SOUTHEEN INDIA.

55

place an echo of one of the prayers then used:

who

in

Thy home

grant that

example
is

therein,

Thy

may work

The motto

good."

children,

who

follow

of the school is

"Work and
this to

enough

Pray."

be " by

The modest

far the best Industrial school in the division."

of 2, 10s. a-year is

Thy holy

with their hands the thing which

In ISSS the Government Inspector reported

sum

Thou,

at Nazareth didst sanctify earthly labour,

these

all

"0

to provide for a

boy or

girl

therein.

In the afternoon one of the teachers of the Nazareth

Training School brings some of
sion bungalow,

tlie

elder girls to the Mis-

and gives a model lesson in English

The

travellers' benefit.

lesson

is excellent,

picture presented by the teacher and her pupils

teresting

The

still.

girls

at

ai-e

tlie

beaming

is

more

in-

have adorned their glossy black

hair with beautiful white flowers

faces

for the

but the charming

witli intelligence

part they have to play.

and

their pretty dark

and with a shy delight

Their dresses axe graceful as

only Eastern dresses can be, and their bare broMTi feet peep

But the most charming

out beneath them.

that of the teachei".

and

figure of all is

She wears a short jacket of purple

silk,

soft flowing draperies of bright-coloured cotton reaching

to the feet.

Her

intelligent face, moreover, has one of the

sweetest expressions imaginable.

Shortly after the conclusion of this scene, there foUows

another

still

more

aboiit the room,

there eutei-s a
place, sent

The

strange.

travellers

admiring some Xazaretli embroideries, when

little

crowd of Tamils

by the congregation

the

guests, " that tliey

would

like

chief

men

of the

to greet the English visitors.

" I think," says the Missionary, turning

When

are standing

you

with a smile to his

to sit down."

the visitors are duly seated in a row, one of the

AMONG THE

56

GODS.

Tamil folk brings forward a huge cluster of bananas, and

I

lays

before

it

them

Then comes

as a present.

swarthy figure laden with native garlands

thick,

closely

ropes of sweet-scented oleander-blossoms, white and

woven

pink and crimson, forming bright

ness,

forth another

circles of delightful fresh-

two or more whereof he suspends round the neck

of

each of the English folk, placing at the same time in their

Then

hands fragrant balls of snow-white blossoms.

stands the oldest
feeble,

member

but of very kindly countenance-

speech, thanking the visitors for

offering

them a very

forth

of the congregation-^blind

and

coming to

When

heartfelt welcome.

and

makes a Tamil
Nazareth, and
the Mis-

sionary has construed this little oration into English, and

the Father's English reply into Tamil, he further narrates to

the good Tamil folk some of his guests' former travels, and

more

especially their visit to that original

which the Indian Nazareth was named.

watch the delighted interest

of the

Nazareth after

charming

It is

to

good people when they

hear of Jerusalem and Bethlehem and

many

other well-loved

places.

Soon after

this little ceremony, the travellers, still rejoicing

in their fragrant adornments, are taken to see the schoolgirls' drill,

and some

of their very delightful games.

which are accompanied with singing are the most

Among them "Round

the Mulberry-Bush"

but with certain unavoidable

banishment of

" shoes "

and

is

modifications,
" frosty

Those

attractive.

conspicuous,

such as the

mornings," and

the

introduction of Indian in the place of European customs.

But

far prettier

than this Western importation

is an exquirhythmic native dance accompanied with a Tamil

chant in a plaintive minor key.

sitely

After Tamil Evensong, the Choir and Native Clergy as-

w
N

<
S5

<
H
W

W
H

57

CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

semble in the verandah of the bungalow to say farewell

to the visitors, who, alas

are obliged to depart to-morrow

The dark faces and the white and scarlet robes

make in the dim light an impressive picture, and the kind
morning.

Good-bye

Then

is

very sweet indeed.

follows the pleasant evening meal, set out on a table

beautifully decorated (by the native servant) with flowers

and

leaves, after the

this opportunity of

on their kind

them

that

all

host,

is

Tamil manner.

showeriug

all

The

travellers take

kinds of ignorant questions

who, with inexhaustible patience,

tells

in their hearts with regard to the working of

He

the Nazareth Missions.

is

the only white

man

within

twenty miles, and has under his care 12,500 native Christians, divided into

Six Tamil Clergy-

seventy congregations.

men work under

him, and

Missionary

each congregation every quarter.

liness of

and the

visits

tliis

many

Catechists

isolated position, for a

mind

terrible strain of responsibility,

but the English

The

lone-

of high cultivation,

can only be realised

by those who know the dependence of the native character,

and the constant support required by all branches of such
work as this. It is sad to hear of the want of men and of
money which prevents the taking up of new and most hope-

"We

ful work.

outsiders

look after

are afraid" says the Missionary, "of the

who send asking us for Christian teaching. To

our own people is already almost more than we

can do."

The

visitors

whereof one
being

made

now

is

learn of

many charming

native customs,

that of the offerings of the congregation

in kind.

The mother

of a family cooks rice

twice a -day for meals, and on these occasions she never

forgets to set apart a handful "for the Church."
offerings are brought every

month

These

to the Mission bungalow.


AMONG THE

58
and go

to feed the Missionary's

GODS.

many orphan

children, who,

always call him

But these are not the only contributions of the
and the visitors are astonished to hear how much
" Father."

like all his people,

by even the poorest

of the native congregations

support of their Clergy and churches.

says the Missionary,
costs

"

"

people,
is

done

toward the

Natives of India,"

do not believe in a religion which

them nothing."

Another striking point in these Missions

promising manner in which are brought
the responsibilities of the

"

laity.

is

home

the uncomto the people

Evangelistic work," says

the Missionary, " forms an integral part of the duty of every

one who

calls

himself a Christian

and though most

of our

Christians are not qualified to 'go and teach,' yet each in

his sphere can bear witness to the truth,

and thus be a

missionary."

Gladly, too, do the travellers hear in detail of that great

Baptismal Service of a few years ago, when more than 300

converts

were in one day added to the Church.

Their

conversion was brought about on this wise:

The inhabitants

of four

hamlets not far from Nazareth

were suffering from the raids of the Maravars, or

caste,

who plundered

cruelty.

The

sufferers appealed to the Missionary,

them

to live with

thief

the defenceless people with the utmost

for a

who went

week, and, by the prestige of his

white face and well-known name, protected them from their

foes.

The impression which he then made was

so great that

the people asked to join the Mission, and were admitted as

" hearers."

After nearly two years' instruction and proba-

tion, the occasion

Caldwell to

was seized

of a visit of the

make arrangements

Bound the

foot of the

beloved Bishop

for their Baptism.

rising

ground whereon used

to

CHEISTMAS IN SOUTHEEN INDIA.

59
Over

stand the people's demon-temple runs a brook.

this

brook was erected, as a necessary protection from the sun,

a canopy of white cloth adorned with flowers and

The Bishop, with

fruit.

and the Nazareth Choir

and white, stood beside the
Tamil hymn was sung and then, wliile the huneight other Clergy

in its festal robes of scarlet

water.

dreds of worshippers knelt in silence, the Baptismal Office

The 303 converts (many of whom were children)

went down into the water, and were baptised. " It was

began.

touching," says an eye-witness, from whose description our

own

borrowed, " to see the husband carefully leading his

is

wife down, parent lovingly holding his child, sons helping

their aged parents

in.

Their earnestness was very

and many uttered exclamations of thanksgiving

came up out of the water." " The ceremony," says

noticeable,

as they

the Missionary, " took exactly an hour, and at the close the

venerable Bishop exhorted the people and gave them

were unable to be present on

this

shortly afterwards, bringing the whole

Our

friends' last evening at

end by an event which,

incongruity with

if

It

day,

were baptised

number up

Nazareth

is

to 401.

brought to an

only for the sake of

all serious

at the chapter's end.

liis

Ninety -eight other converts, who

apostolic Benediction."

its delicious

thoughts, shall be squeezed in

seems that for months past those

boys who are advanced English scholars, and who have to

study Shakespeare for the University examinations, have

been learning

" As

You Like

It " with a

w to acting that

play at Christmas-time; and this evening has been chosen

for the long-expected representation.

It takes place out of

doors,

and the whole

village has assembled to witness

sitting

under the

on the grass

stars

of the Mission

it,

compound.

AMONG THE

60

GODS.

The Missionary and his guests having taken their seats

on chairs from the bungalow under a l^ind of extemporised
canopy, and having been duly adorned with fresh and fragrant
garlands, the proceedings begin with an exposition of the
by one

Play, given

jungle,"

Next

and

This eon-

of the school-teachers in Tamil.

summary wherein

tains a

the Forest of

Arden

figures as " the

so forth.

are represented the Seven

follow scenes from the Play

fully whitened their faces

itself.

Ages

of

Man and
;

then

All the actors have care-

and hands

to a truly

European

complexion, and are clad in an imitation of European garments, probably sent forth by the " tailoring " department of
the Industrial School. Most conspicuous of the performers

is

the Prompter, who, being in native costume and theoretically

invisible,

walks about among the actors proper, and pats the

shoulder of whoever
in sitting

still

no compromise being allowed

these two extremes.

is

The action consists

walking to and fro with the

to speak next.

on chairs or

greatest rapidity,

and the Play

is

All

is

between

done with the utmost solemnity,

followed by an address in English (with

a somewhat strong Tamil accent) setting forth the Moral

thereof.

deal

Finally the National

more reverence than

is

Anthem

generally

is

sung with a great

shown

in Britain.

The unwelcome morning comes too soon, and our travellers,

having said Good-bye to their kind entertainer, once more
dispose themselves in their bullock-bandies and set forth for
Tinnevelli, attended

by the salaams

of the villagers

whom

they chance to meet by the way.

" I think," says Philippa, " that there

at

ought to be established

Nazareth a Hospital for the treatment of those who suffer

from the obscure disease of not appreciating Missions. Patients

CHEISTMAS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.

61

should reside there for a week or a fortnight, according to

inveteracy of the malady.

The course

of treatment should

begin with gentle walks in the Mission compound.

bright intelligence as well as the natural and healthy

The
life

of

the school-children and orphans should be specially brought

under their observation.

Such

as are convinced that Mission

schools are conducted on sentimental rather than practical

lines

should be induced to study the sentiments of the

Government Inspectors

as set forth in their reports.

By-and-

by the patients would be strong enough for excursions to the

outlying villages, and at length would be led to the discovery that the Nazareth Missionary

is

only one of

many

devoted labourers, and that the Christians in this Tinnevelli

Division alone already
side of the subject

number 150,000.

had been

sufficiently

When

this bright

impressed on their

minds, they should gradually be allowed to perceive that

what has been done is only a drop in the ocean of what

remains, and to observe how the work is everywhere crippled
for want of that sympathy and help from home on which so

much

depends.

Their cure being completed, they should be

shipped back home, and so make room

This plan

is

for others."

eagerly discussed as the buUock-bandies jog

pleasantly along through the early morning sunshine.

so Good-bye,

happy Nazareth

And

'

62

CHAPTER

IV.

TINNEVELLI.

Now

doth

behove us to introduce one

it

of the kindest of

our travellers' Anglo-Indian friends, the Superintendent of

Staying with the
Police for the district of Tinnevelli.

Nazareth Missionary for a few days at Christmas, and thus

becoming acquainted with the wanderers, he invites them all
to his

bungalow at Palamcottah, the European neighbour

of

native Tinnevelli.

Hither having journeyed, they find that their kind host

own house

has turned himself out of his

to

make room

for

them, and himself intends to sleep in his travelling -tent

pitched in the garden.

His guests echo with sincere

grati-

tude that exclamation uttered long ago by the suppliant

Brahma, "This day

is

dwelling of assistance,
friendliness."

Many

my
and

very fortunate destiny in the

my

happy

fate in the

abode

of

things do they learn from their hospitable enter-

tainer, hearing especially of the great work done by the

Nazareth Missionary, and of his widespread influence, and of

various other such things whereof the Missionary himself

not accustomed to speak.

'

is

great deal also do they hear

From Halhed's Sheeve Pouran.

'

"

63

TINNEVELLI.

At

about the working of the Police Department.

morning

time, on the

great temple robbery

say that she

"We
tendent

same

is

after their arrival,

before

tiffin

"

and so

on.

but very often the robber and the robbed are the

individual.

you have an enemy

If

method

is

to hide

in his house, to dig a hole through the

and then

call in the police.

discover that the hole

is

have a good many burglaries," says the Superin;

get into trouble, the

it

breakfast-

tidings of a

an old lady telegraphs to

be murdered to-night

to

come

outside,

is

whom you

some

wish to

your property

of

mud-wall of your own,

Unfortunately the police always

wider on the inside of the wall than

and must therefore have been made from

within."

Soon

after their arrival our friends are taken

Hindu temple

to visit the

by

of Tinnevelli, a great

their host

Dravidian

pagoda, the like of which they have never seen before.

Notice has been given of their

visit,

and they are honoured

with a state reception.

" I

"

to

hope they do not imagine we have come

on Siva

call

" exclaims the

By no means

to

pay a

state

anxious-minded Sebaste.

" is the answer.

"

You will

not be allowed

go anywhere near the central shrine where his godship

resides,

and they

will

demand a sum

of 10 rupees to

the purification of the temple after its profanation

unholy Christian

Thus

pay

for

by our

feet

reassured, the travellers submit with a good grace to

the ceremonious welcome prepared for them.

Brahmans

arrayed in white come forward and load their honoured

necks with freshly woven garlands of fragrant oleanderblossoms.

they

are,

Limes are solemnly placed in

their, hands,

further, sprinkled with perfume,

And now

and
ap-

"

AMONG THE

64

proaclies with lordly gait

temple elephant, clad in

GODS.

and benevolent countenance the

scarlet,

and

full of conscious dignity,

Like " the

yet not above being fed with limes and bananas.

noble elephant Supratika," he wears a bell which swings from

side to side

and loudly rings as he walks.

having been solemnly introduced to the

This personage,
proceeds to

visitors,

way through the mazy courts of the pagoda. Next

digniified company of temple Brahmans, and after

lead the

advances a

them, marching backward before the travellers, moves a band

of

temple musicians loudly playing on conches and tom-toms.

Then

follow the much-begarlanded visitors, and behind

marches a row

them

keeping at bay the tur-

of native orderlies

baned crowd which follows with intense curiosity this solemn

oriental procession.
"

Look

at our host,"

sively he wears that great garland of flowers

Greece subdued her conquerors.

Now

doth

my
;

It looks as

pen

for

falter,

how

covering a

from being one

travellers,

submis-

India were

if

and fear

approach the task

to

shall so feeble a thing trace out the

majestic lines of a South Indian pagoda

velli,

How

They say that

doing the same

set before it

"

whispered Philippa.

little

more than ten

of the largest of

That at Tinne-

acres of ground,

Indian temples

is

far

yet as the

surrounded by their train of dark-faced attendants,

wander through

its

hypsethral courts and vista'd corridors of

sculptured pillars,

its

fantastic columns,

it

weird,

shadowy

halls,

and

forests of

seems to them an endless labyrinth

of

mysterious and unintelligible intricacy, wherein on every

side the unfamiliar

architecture

is

alive with

grotesquely

hideous forms of gods and demons innumerable.

Wonderful

is

the

effect

on the mind of these archaic

trabeate buildings where never an arch

may

intrude

But

65

TINNKVELLI.
most extraordinary

of

the astonishing forms are the

all

gopuras or entrance - towers which our travellers here

tall

see for the first time, but which, at

gam, will reach

Now

still

a gopiora

strangeness.

Madura and Shriran-

grander and more imposing dimensions.

an outlandish erection

is

It is as

of

indescribable

though some solemn Egyptian pylon

had on a sudden grown vain and

had mounted

frivolous,

on a rectangular pedestal, and, stretching

up

itself

to a

giddy and disproportionate height, had finally covered

its

attenuated figure with exuberant masses of tinted sculpture

gods

and heroes and monsters piled one on the top

of the other in a soaring pyramidal tower.

The Tinnevelli pagoda

a double temple dedicated to

is

Siva and his wife Parvati, and contains

wherein their wedding

nuptial

yearly celebrated, as

is

sacred tanks on which their idol-majesties

make

hall

well

as

occasional

excursions by boat.

Long do the

travellers

temple buildings,

dim

forest of the

now

wander through the labyrinthine

threading their

into glowing sunlight

among groves

One

is

flourishing

tree

pointed

having been planted by an

man who

felt

eccentric

much

to

the visitors as

American

for the effect of such

on the impressionable native mind.

better, the travellers fancy,

gentle-

if,

He would

an action
have done

instead of planting a palm-

he had followed the example of those ancient sages

who "hewed down

the tree of selfishness with the axe

which was sharpened on the whetstone of

But the task was too great

learning,

of

of stately palm-trees.

out

disposed to pay a compliment to Siva, and

probably cared not

tree,

way through the

Hall of a Thousand Columns, now emerging

association with the good."^

'

From

the

'

Markandeya Purdna,' translated by

F. E. Pargiter, C.S.

AMONG THE

66

pent of ignorance

Nor

"

beyond a doubt,

for his hand, seeing that,

"

GODS.
the black ser-

had bitten him.

that calamity astonishing in such a temple as this,

is

haunted as

it

is

with wild superstitions which imbue the

very air with an impalpable, insidious taint of all-pervading

Gradually the subtle influence affects the trav-

paganism.

way through

minds, and, as they pass on their

ellers'

the

pagoda's courts and halls, they begin to recall strange legends

and the

of Siva

fair Parvati.

'No venerable

Aryan gods

are these, for originally Siva

seems to have been an obscure Turanian deity; but he

grew great and powerful in India, and

Vedic faith could not ignore his claims.

Brahmans invited him

to

to enter their

conquering

the

Wherefore the

complex system, and

day Siva and Vishnu are the most popular

this

of

India's gods.
Siva, saith the

Purana devoted

He

heads and ten arms.

five

having a

tiger's

essence of Siva.

and just

"He

skin."

Kailasa and Himalaya."

"

Just as
clay

as

fire

may

the nature of Siva.''

universe
"

is

in great part

was not equal

and,

tion,"

as

hath

and

crystal,

dwelleth on the peaks of

Whatsoever
is

is

seen

is all

is

all

the same clay.

Nay, the very creation

owing

the

in all times inclosed in

be made to assume

ferent shapes, yet at the bottom

is

white

is

dressed in clothes and chains of ornament, and

shining,

wood

to his glorification, "

to him, for

dif-

Such
of

the

Brahma's hand

to the completion of that arduous opera-

smitten

with

" heart

corroding

sorrow,"

he

"rested his forehead upon his knees and began to weep."

But

"

thee,

but assume comfort, and turn thy thoughts to the

Siva said,

From

'

Let not grief and sorrow come

upon

the 'Markandeya Purslna," translated by F. E. Pargiter, C.S.

67

TINNEVELLl.

work

of

creation

existence,

and

will produce

for I

the creatures into

wipe from thy countenance the dust

will

of affliction.'"

Parvati, like all

Hindu

goddesses, represents the ener-

gising principle of her husband's power.

tain's Child, the

She

is

the

Moun-

daughter of Himalaya, the peerless goddess,

" all

who worship her obtain their

Her wedding with Siva who shall describe ? For
thereat were all the gods assembled.
Thither came " Brahma
beautiful as morning,

and

wishes."

mounted on his goose," with all the Sages at his stirrup;

and " Vishnu in colour like a black cloud, with his four arms
and his yellow robe, and his smiling and his eyes like the
lotiis,

riding in

with other

pomp and power

unrivalled with all his

Thither too came Yasuki, the King of Serpents,

devotees."

illustrious snakes " dressed in superb chains

and

habits of ceremony; and the seven mothers also

came to
Then did the bridegroom " set forth
in all pomp and splendour from the Mountain Kilas,"
wearing the moon for a diadem. " The old world assumed
prepare the wedding."

fresh youth, and the sorrowing universe recalled

forgotten happiness.

The rosebud

long-

its

of the heart

was

full-

blown, and the garden of the soul of the sorrowful inclosed

the shrubs of joy.

The dwellers upon earth

casket of their ideas with the jewels of satisfaction.

stored
.

the

The

joy of those on earth ascended up to heaven, and the tree of

the bliss of those in heaven extended

Thus Siva
was

its

twigs to the earth.

set forth like a garden in full blow,

eclipsed

by

and Paradise

his motion."

Before leaving the pagoda the travellers are permitted to

see the temple jewels, spread out for their inspection on a

crimson carpet.

He who knows

not India knows not what

jewels are, and of all Indian jewels these temple collections

AMONG THE

68
are probably the

GODS.

They

most splendid.

are in the shape of

ornaments for their idol-majesties to wear on

The rubies and emeralds are

stiU are the long strings of pearls

of gold thickly set (as the

excellent gems,

Hindu

festal occasions.

but more beautiful

fair to see,

and the rich headpieces

scriptures have

and shining with the splendour

it) "

with

of

suns

innumerable."

The most uncanny

of silver
of

and

of the

silver-gilt

ceremony,

temple treasures are the steeds

whereon ride the

strange

lustrous, jewelled eyes, well in

terior of

idols in processions

human

monsters with

keeping with the weird in-

an ancient Hindu temple.

Ancient

so far as date goes, having been builded

the sixteenth century; but though

like those of Egypt, date

not very,

Hindu temples do

far East

acceptation of the word, no Present at

Emerging

it is

by Visvanatha in

from a very remote Past,

remembered that here in the

and

faces

in the

is,

it is

not,

to be

Western

all.

from the temple, the travellers gaze

at length

with admiring eyes at two enormous teak- wood cars whereon

the deities of the pagoda

make

a progress through the

Each car

town

at the great

annual

house, and

covered with a profusion of strange carving.

Thousands

is

festival.

of enthusiastic worshippers,

as large as a

is

when

the feast comes

round, drag through the streets these gigantic erections.

doubt they typify that

celestial chariot of the

shone like gold for Siva's mounting.

Instead of the right

wheel was the sun, in the place of the

moon, and the

ornaments.

was heaven.

In

stars

left

were distributed about

lieu of the

canopy on the top

The four Vedas were put

ISTo

god " which

wheel was the

it

by way

of

of the chariot

as horses thereto,

and

the setting out of the chariot one would say to be the year of

twelve months gracefully moving onward."

69

TINNEVELLI.

The next day

is

spent by our travellers in visiting the

Tinnevelli prison, and in the more cheerful occupation of

examining the church and schools of the Church Missionary

And

Society's Tinnevelli Mission.

so

comes the

last

evening

at hospitable Palamcottah.

After dinner the travellers and their kind host

sit

out in

the garden under the bright stars, surrounded with great

crotons and other hothouse plants, while all the air
of the multitudinous

sounds of a tropical night

do they hear of

stories

creatures

which seem

tigers

and many

and cobras and suchlike

to play the part of ghosts in Indian

Presently there

conversation.

is full

emerges into the

silently

lamplight from the surrounding darkness an Eastern figure

clad in wliite

sound

is

and carrying a basket

of primitive kind.

made by the bare brown

speaks not.

feet,

and

their

Taking from his basket a number

No

owner

of fragrant

and freshly woven garlands, he hangs them round the necks

of the whole party, places balls of flowers in their hands,
and pours rose-water on

their unresisting heads.

Finally,

approaching the Superintendent (who has never seen him

before),

he makes an humble salaam.

Eeceiving permission

to speak, he launches forth into a flowing Tamil oration,

which his hearer thus

guests

"Thou

me

art to

cometh through

ment

as a

thee.

it is

All good that

father.

am

as a ship's chandler.

recommendation,

The

briefly translates for the benefit of the

one who
If I

to this

is

is

mine

seeking an appoint-

might obtain from thee a

end that I

suppliant, graciously received,

is

am

come."

told to

come again in

the morning, and, having once more sprinkled the company

with rose-water, departs

rejoicing.

70

CHAPTEE

V.

THE CITY OF SWEETNESS.

ElsiNG

early,

and driving by

travellers set forth for

starlight to the station, the

Madura

before

sunrise

appears " the adorable sun, in appearance

blown

and the landscape

lotus-flower,"^

overwhelmed by the universal

shine

no

but a
all

but soon

ruddy as the
is

full-

overflowed and

flood of glowing Indian sun-

pale and colourless light as of northern countries,

living, tangible glory of rich

the world

is

and dazzling

gold,

steeped and shines transfigured.

wherein

The hot

hours of the morning are beguiled by the conversation of a

very charming travelling companion, an English Inspectress

of Schools

from Travancore, who gives our travellers a lively

description of that outlandish native state,

where wild black

leopards range abroad, with other curious beasts.

"

The Maharaja," says

Kshatriya or warrior

she, "

who

of course belongs to the

caste, is entirely

the Brahmans, and shows

them the

under the influence of

greatest respect.

They

invariably cast his horoscope, predicting the exact day of

his death

and on that day he always does die without

often, it is suspected,

of poison.

We

with a

little

assistance in the

fail,

way

have many strange native customs quite

'

Markandeya Purdna.

Pargiter.

THE CITY OP SWEETNESS.

from those

of other states.

One

hidies choose their

own husbands.

When

distinct

made up her mind on

mother of

tlie

this point, her

of

71

them

selected youth a present of rice.

made

of the proposal.

If this is

match

to the

but any disparaging remark as to the quality

to a rejection

that the

mother sends to the

graciously received, no objection will be

amounts

is

a young lady has

of the rice

All inheritance

in Travancore goes in the female line, and a married womtin

may at any time dismiss her husband. This last is a very

common practice among the heathen folk; but it is not
in use among those who have been educated in our schools,
for, though we are not allowed to give any definite religious
teaching in school,
great indeed.
tians,

tlie effect of

influence

At mid-day
that

very

ideal of morality is exercising a very

among

the educated Hindus."

the travellers arrive, and take

in the station-rooms,
visitors

is

There are in Travancore some 500,000 Chris-

and the Christian

marked

Christian influence

up

their abode

which are the best accommodation

Madura

aflbrds.

The native town

is

for

large,

containing about 52,000 inhabitants, and, like Tianevelli,

the capital of a district.

This* district contains

is

more than

70,000 Christians.

was
ment of

it

Madura

is of the utmost interest

Whether
by King Kula Sekhara, "the Ornathe Eace," three hundred years before our era, let

Historically

really founded

the learned decide ; but ignorant imaginations

will in the

shadowy

may

revel at

scenes of the centuries that followed

those legendary daj-s of the

Pandyan dynasty, when Ma-

dura was the royal city of unpronounceable monarchs whose

very names are romances.

What must

not

life

have been

like in the reign, for instance, of the Eace-adorning

Kulab-

AMONG THE

72

GODS.

hushana, or of Eaja Shardula, the Tiger among Kings, of

Valour-mailed or Eenown-adorned, or Eipu Mardana tlie
What delight to be governed by
Grinder of Enemies?
the Moon-crested or the Chief

Gem

Eace, or by

of the

Cow of Plenty
Manifold are the bygone wonders which our friends ought
to be pondering during their stay but the air is close and
unwholesome, and cholera is raging,- nor is the town redolent
Surabhi the

now

of those ambrosial drops

fell

from Siva's shaken

shower that gladdened the dwellings of

tresses, a fragrant

Madhura the

which

City of Sweetness.

thousand people have

died already of cholera, and ancient grandeur

is

by present

miseries very effectually eclipsed.

Nevertheless the travellers betake themselves forthwith

to sight-seeing,

and

first visit

the great palace erected in the

seventeenth century by that majestic builder, the Maharaja

An

Tirumala Nayak, and of late restored by Government.

imposing building

hammadan

it is,

and interesting

influence which

made the

as

showing the Mu-

civil architecture of

these Dravidian folk such an absolute contrast to that of

their temples.

The grandeur, however,

by the extensive use

shell-lime,

The

of chitnam, a

is

sadly impaired

fine stucco, consisting of

wherewith much of the stonework

style is Moorish, with pointed arches.

is

covered.

Passing an ar-

caded quadrangle, the visitors reach the Celestial Pavilion, a

pillared octagon wherein Tirumala sat enthroned

State receptions.

the interior apex

It is
is

and held

his

surmounted by a great dome whereof

73 feet from the pavement below.

Many

other halls and chambers there are, including that great Hall
of

Audience, 120 feet long and 70 feet in height, which must

have witnessed many an animated scene when thronged in

days gone by with bright-robed Eastern crowds.

73

THE CITY OF SWEETNESS.

From

the shadowy interior of the palace

it is

pleasant to

return to the large and sunlit quadrangle round which

halls are built;

The granite

yards.

pillars of its

be grand and beautiful were

it

its

4000 square
surrounding corridors would

and which covers an area

of over

not for the inevitable chunam

wherein they have foppishly arrayed themselves;

as it

is,

the visitors turn from their glaring pretension to admire

the graceful and gleeful gambols of the wild but amiable

whom

parrots to

long

light, their

brilliant

and

Eevelling in the sun-

this court belongs.

floating

tails

behind them, and

plumage gleaming in the golden

flutter

through the

of mine,

of light

their

they sweep

or nestle like living emeralds

air,

dragging, stumbling

in recesses of sculptured ornament.

pen

light,

all

would they could teach thee

their

hidden spring

and rhythmip motion

Thanks

whom

to a kind friend to

they bear a letter from

the Nazareth Missionary, the travellers in a very few days

become familiar with the principal

of the

most attractive

Such

Tank.

sights of the place.

Teppa Kulam

of these is the

lakes are throughout

artificial

One

or Sacred

India greatly

venerated, and their waters (whatever their physical con-

power

dition) are believed to possess a

tion.

That ancient king addressed to the wise Yidura the

when he

greatest of compliments

said, "

Madura

is

of

of sculpture,

stone, which has

and

is,

It is

surrounded by a

moreover, broken by broad flights of

pyramidal and richly

is

an island-temple,

its

sculptured vimana rising into sun-

From Le BMgavata Purina

'

at

at the corners curious groups

In the centre of the lake

steps.

my

a beautiful rectangular sheet of water about 332

yards in length and 314 yards broad.

low fence

Sages like thee,

The Teppa Kulam

lord, are veritable sacred tanks "

of spiritual purifica-

'

traduit

par M. Eugene Burnouf

"

AMONG THE

74
light

GODS.

from thick and verdant foliage wherewith

it

brightly

contrasts.

Near

to the lake is the Judge's house,

and in the grounds

thereof grows a banyan-tree of such enormous dimensions

as to look like
at present I

an optical delusion.

know

not,

but in 1879

already no less than 565

70

Its exact

feet,

the fierce Indian sun

is

though one had reached,

circumference was

its

main stem being

that of the

To wander about under

feet.

its

thick foliage while

blazing on the world without

is

as

like those sages of old, " the cool,

dustless, thornless grove of perfect religious

Besides exploring various

make

measurements

knowledge

other temples, the travellers

a long visit to the Great Pagoda of Madura, the most

famous, perhaps, in

all

the South of India.

Once more they

are received by temple dignitaries and adorned with freshly

woven garlands of flowers, and once more the temple ele-

phant honours their entrance with his benign and gracious

Huge and dignified is he

who support the weight

presence.

elephants

motion

the world, by, the

whose heads the earth doth quake.

of

King

as those four gigantic

of

"Even

as

moves along."
Meanwhile a sacred temple cow, wandering at will through

the

of Elephants, slowly he

groves of sculptured columns, watches the visitors with a

gentle consciousness of her

observed by the

way

(which carries back our

ancient Egypt)

is

own superior sanctity. Be it

Hindu veneration for cows

that the

travellers' imagination to Isis

one of the oldest and most interesting of

Indian superstitions, and throughout the Puranas

prominent.
legend

"never
said

is

very

"Never," exclaimed a pious king of Indian

may

the

wise

one thought of hatred

entertain

toward Brahmans, gods, or cows

child,"

and

"

"

There

Queen Madalasa,

is

setting

a cow,

my

forth the

THE CITY OF SWEETNESS.

mystical side of the subject " there

support of

all things.

horns are pious

good.

acts,

Her

of the worlds

She consists

is

75

who

a cow

the

is

of the three Vedas,

and her hair the excellent words

her

of the

feet are the four castes, she is the sustenance

being imperishable she does not wane."

Preliminaries over, the travellers plunge into the depths
;

of the gigantic temple, which,

ground,

is

mazy than

an intricate world
all

mystery, more vast and

the buildings of Dreamland.

There was, in
as

covering fourteen acres of

of

all probability,

Kula Sekhara

a pagoda here as long ago

himself, but

the present buildings, say

the learned, date for the most part from Tirumala Nayak's
days,

which

antediluvian.

absurd, for the whole place

is

To describe

it

is

manifestly

would require not a neat

cata-

logue of architectural terms, but a profound labyrinth of

unfamiliar words covering a space large enough to contain

the longest and most bewildering of those old

Hindu Puranas

which, with their quaint similitudes and exuberant richness

of imagery, their archaic

form and wild grotesqueness of

fantastic detail, are the only likeness I

know

of the great

Dravidian pagodas.

The temple jewels

of Tinnevelli.

pearls

and

at

Madura

far outshine even those

Bright gold and countless sapphires, giant

brilliant rubies, all

wrought with strange

skill

into rich ornaments of various shapes, are reverently brought

out and massed together in one gleaming heap of magic

treasure such as the wildest

dare to describe.

of

fairy tales

Here too are the wondrous

might hardly
steeds, plated

with silver and gold, whereon the idols ride in high procession, curbing their spirited motions

with reins of twisted

pearls.

These idols are Sundareshwar and Minakshi, who are in

AMONG THE

76

GOBS.

and his consort, the attributes and resulting names

The pagoda is
of those worthies being practically endless.
a double one like that at Tinnevelli, but Minakshi's part
fact Siva

therein

smaller than that of her husband.

is

exhibition of the wonderful jewels (which

After the

must be touched

and handled before one can quite believe in them) the

travellers

wander on through courts and

and corridors

halls

weird architecture, vainly endeavouring to understand

of

the

labyrinthine

plan

and

the strange

of

unintelligible

buildings.

The wall

adorned with

of the second court is

and the outer wall has four (one in each

angle) of
left

still

unfinished,

reaches a height of

side of the rect-

The

more gigantic proportions.

five gopuras,

tallest,

though

152 feet; but such

numbers do not express much, because the tapering form

of gopuras causes

them

much

to look

inferred from measurements.

higher than can be

Opposite to this chief gopura

that famous choultrie or pillared hall built by Tirumala

is

Nayak

as a resting-place for

Sundareshwar when he deigned

to leave the central shrine of the temple

and

to receive in a

more public place the Maharaja's devotion. A wonderful

building it is, 333 feet long by 105 feet wide, and crowded,
from the terrific monsters of its fa9ade to the inmost recesses
with what

of its vista'd interior,

earthly sculpture that the

More marvellous
Pillars,

still,

mind

of

perhaps,

is

assuredly the most un-

man

is

has ever imagined.

the Hall of a Thousand

which, forming so conspicuous a part of Dravidian

padogas generally, appears at Madura in a specially beautiful

and elaborate form

tastic sculpture
far-off

days of

made,

old.

it

shadowy

forest of rich

and fan-

would seem, by goblin builders in

THE CITY OF SWEETNESS.

Curiously beautiful also
Lilies," a broad,

"Tank

the

is

Western

common

eyes,

Golden

the

of

rectangular piece of water open to the sky,

but surrounded with an arcade the

that form so

77

pillars

whereof are of

in Indian buildings but so strange to

bracketed capital, and a shaft consisting

and octagonal prisms.

of alternate cubes

these pillars are dimly reflected

is

The water wherein

of a green colour appal-

ling to see, but that does not affect its spiritual quality.

Such water

always cleansing, and even Krishna's lotus-

is

no higher praise than the epithet

feet could receive

From

the south side of this graceful Teppa

great

pure

Kulam

are

huge gopuras, towering up against

the

visible several of

the sky,

"

as a sacred tank."

mountains of tinted sculpture that one

can liken to nothing, unless

it

be to those hymns where-

with the Puranas are adorned, and whose stately forms are
so strangely builded of piled-up epithets

imagery.

Hence

and

wild, exuberant

too are to be seen the vimanas, or towers,

which surmount the central

shrines, one

marking the abode

of Sundareshwar, the other that of Minakshi, and both

covered with plates of gilded copper that

reflect

the blazing

sunlight with gorgeous and dazzling splendour.

inmost sanctums no Christian foot may penetrate

To those
;

but the

central part of the temple, being the oldest, is as usual

least splendid,

may

and

that

all

is

most beautiful the

the

travellers-

see.

In the course

of their

wanderings they find themselves in

the nuptial hall wherein (as at Tinnevelli) their idol-majesties

celebrate their annual wedding and in another part of the
;

temple

they come

upon Sundareshwar 's summer - throne

^

BhSgavata PurSna.

AMONG THE

78

GODS.

whereon, through the hottest months in the year,

inner shrine becomes oppressive, he

sits

when

in the open

his
air,

shaded from the sun by a graceful canopy of stone, and cooled

by much cold water which

him

his attendant

Brahmans pour over

continually.

It is long before the visitors can tear themselves

from
to

this fascinating place

some new object

away

where every step brings them

and astonishing

of extraordinary

Philippa and Sebaste, wandering

aspect.

away by themselves, come

suddenly on a scene so mysteriously horrible that they will

Before and above them

long be haunted thereby.

is

grove of columns to which a flight of steps leads up, but

beside the steps and beneath the

nade

is

abysmal hall whereinto no ray

trate,

pavement

of the colon-

a low door which, standing open, reveals a deep,

and which seems

fit

of daylight

only for

"

can ever pene-

night-walking goblins

"

The opaque darkness whereof it is full is made

by the dim rays of ghastly lamps which, engulfed in

to dwell in.
visible

the absolute blackness, show nothing else at

all,

strange impression that the impenetrable gloom

by gliding
too

dim

figures arises

for the

mind

from some
to grasp.

faint

is

unless the

inhabited

and passing glimpse

The two

travellers are far

from being nervous or hysterical persons, but there hangs

over that abyss of darkness an unintelligible fear which there

no explaining away. Perhaps the hideous and repulsive

demon-forms which swarm throughout the temple sculptures
have insensibly affected their minds with a superstitious

is

horror,
ject

or

perhaps

But

let

us

change the sub-

now.

On

leaving the temple, the travellers go on to the

little

Anglican Church which stands in the midst of the native

THE CITY OF SWEETNESS.

79

town, and wherein are held both English and Tamil Services.

The beautifully-arranged interior

honour
fills

of the festal season,

is

decorated with flowers in

and the mighty sunshine without

the chancel with a subdued, golden glow of soft and

peaceful light

a bright picture

as the last impression of Madura.

to be hereafter

remembered

80

CHAPTEE

VI.

TEICHINOPOLI.

Soon the wanderers are again speeding

(at the

moderate

rate of Indian railway trains) through the vast plains of

the quiet Indian landscape,

now

of the padi-fields that in a

few months' time will be bare

and brown and

when they
station

It is six o'clock

dry.

arrive at Trichinopoli,

by two

of the kindest of all

one belongs to the Principal

College,

Sunday

is

on a Saturday night

and are welcomed

of the

S.P.G. Trichinopoli

to dear

as usual kept

by the

travellers as a refreshing

holiday from sight-seeing and heathendom.

intense,

and they are glad

Church

at the English

at the

imaginable faces, whereof

Mrs Principal, than whom

was never known on earth.

and the other

a sweeter hostess
'

rich with the vivid green

is

The heat

is

to find that the principal Service

at 7 a.m., followed immediately

by Matins at eight, after which there is, for Europeans,

no more church - going till the delicious hour of sunset.

The church

made

blessed with very reverent Services,

specially sacred

Heber,
^

is

who

by the memory

of the beloved

and

is

Bishop

died at Trichinopoli during a visitation of the

Kev. T. H. Dodson, M.A. Oxon., late Fellow and Tutor of S. Augustine's

College, Canterbury.

81

TEICHINOPOLI.
South Indian Churches, and was buried here in
Church, on the north side of the Altar.

John's

S.

After Evensong

the travellers gather round the beautiful brass which marks

his resting-place, while their thoughts go
of April

1826 which, with

and most honourable work, and

rest,

made

Soon

so

ifter

back to that 3d

earnest devotions, its hard

its

sudden, quiet call to

its

happy an ending to that noble Christian life.

sunrise next morning the travellers set forth

As they
may watch

to cultivate "impressions" of things in general.

drive past the native houses of the town, they

here and there the performance of the

the day.

Before any

member

first

ceremony of

Hindu household may

of a

go to the temple for worship, the mother of the family

sprinkles with water the space of ground immediately in
front of the door,

and marks thereon with coloured powders

a geometrical pattern, executed with the greatest accuracy

and neatness.

This ceremony

the woman's part of the

is

daily worship.

Passing,

by the way, the

the sight-seers go

one

first

lai^e

Eoman Cathohc

to the Port-rock of mihtary celebrity,

of those huge, isolated masses of granite

abruptly from the green plains of this very

rocky islands in a waveless

236

feet high, is ascended for

rise

district

sea.

leads the travellers past the entrance to a Siva

temple which they are not allowed to

door thei'eof

who

which

flat

The Eock, which is

the greater part by a covered

like

way which

Church,

sits

enter.

Close to the

Ganesh, the father of prudence and cunning,

rideth on a mouse.

King

is

he over the gobUns of

must he be pronot Though a son of

mischief, and before every vmdertaking

pitiated, that the goblins hinder it

Siva and Paxvati, he

is

a horrible

little

dwarfish creature,

with the head of a two-eyed, one-tusked elephant.

Not

AMONG THE

82

GODS.

always, saith the legend, did he present so portentous an

appearance, for originally he was possessed of an ordinary

head of his own, which Siva, being enraged, cut

off;

where-

upon poor Parvati, being greatly distracted in mind, began

make havoc

to

Ganesh

said she, "till

his

and threatened

of the universe,

"I

things to speedy destruction.

my

wrath being appeased, agreed thereto

Then

said Siva,

Ganesh the head

desist,"

son be restored to me."

sought for the head of Ganesh,

found.

to bring all

no wise

will in

"My

it

Siva,

but when they

could not anywhere be

counsel

that

is

of whatsoever beast shall

we take

come

for

hitlier in

And

in the

morning came that way an elephant having one

tooth.

the morning from the land of the North."

So the elephant's head was made

of

to

fast

the shoulders

Ganesh, and Siva, by mystic mantras of the Vedas,

did cause

him

And

to revive.

the grief of Parvati was

assuaged.

At length the

travellers reach

pillared pavilion,

find their climbing well

thence obtain.

the

little

mandapam,

or

which crowns the precipitous rock, and

rewarded by the view which they

vast green plain, broken only here and

there by granite rocks, stretches

away

to the great horizon-

circle, whereof the radius may, by a simple calculation, be

found to be almost twenty miles.

For

let

h represent the

height of the observer's eye, and r the radius of the earth,

and X the distance from the eye

evident that

"My

x''

= h^ + 2r7i,

that

to the horizon

dear," says Philippa, sternly

inevitable guide-book,

"you

then

it is

is

approaching with the

are not observing the features

of the landscape."

And

truly

it

is

not a landscape to be neglected.

seen in the eastward distance rise the Tale Malai

Dimly

hills,

that

83

TRICHINOPOLI.
reach, at their loftiest point, a height of 1800 feet.

Other

low ranges show in faintly pencilled outlines against the

northern sky, but the vast sweep of the horizon

far-off

broken again.

scarcely

Eock

rises

from the

soft,

is

Southward the beautiful Golden

green carpet, and south-eastward of

that are the French Eocks, the sight whereof carries back our
travellers' imagination to those

famous fightings

of

Chanda

Sahib's days, with their glorious display of that military

heroism beside which

showy

less

and

virtues are all so poor

mean.

Turning northward again, our friends discover the river

Kaveri, that sacred stream, the daughter of Brahma, to

whose

far-off source

journeying

thitlier

Ganges herself doth year by year

resort,

through subterranean ways that she

may

be purified of her children's iniquities which they leave in

And, sleeping in the embrace

her cleansing waters.

of

Kaveri's encircling arm, lies Shrirangam's far-famed island,

from whose dense

forest-trees

gleam forth the giant temple

buildings.

Westward

lies

travellers' feet,

the old town of Wariur, and almost at the

beyond the

wherewith the Eock was

line of the
fortified, lies

the south-east corner whereof

still

now demolished waU

the Sacred Tank, at

stands the house of Olive.

Stretching along the southern side of the

buildings of that great
striking a feature of the

work

for the Propagation of

the Gospel.

afi&liated

schools

majority of

whom

of pupils

which

is

so

in Trichinopoli of the Society

The OoUege and

its

contain^ no less than 1403 pupils (the

are

Brahmans)

who

are being educated

1

1892.

many

other

and the

total

but there are

S.P.G. schools in the surrounding villages,

number

Tank stand the

Missionary OoUege

by the Mission

is

AMONG THE

84

GODS.

The students of the College are prepared for the

degrees of the Madras University, to which it was affiliated
2020.

in

1883 as a First-Grade College. There is also at Trichibut in a city which, with its

nopoli a large Jesuit college

room and

suburbs, has 90,000 inhabitants, is

them

to spare for

both.

Now

the great efficiency of the S.P.G-. College, and all its

successes in secular education, are they not written in the

Government

reports

But

as for its moral

and

religious

IsTumbers of heathen

influence, it is altogether incalculable.

by the high-class secular teaching, are

being brought by it under Christian influences, and the
students, attracted

toward Christianity of

attitude

Hindus

is

educated

the

classes

of

undergoing a fundamental change full of hope

Higher education the Natives

for the future.

of India are

bent on having; and, thanks to institutions such as this

College,

they are gaining

Christian teachers,

future welfare

of

Hindus

estimate.

inaccessible

to

it

great

extent

importance whereof to the

fact the

the country

it

is

to

over-

often

quite

impossible

the highest castes are

of

through

to ordinary evangelistic mission-work, but in

the colleges and high

schools

of

the

Society

they are

familiarised with the fundamental truths of the Faith,

are

and

brought day by day into intimate contact with the

Christian character

and modes

Thus prejudice

their teachers.

of thought in the persons of

is

disarmed, aspirations after

higher things are awakened, and the leavening process is

It is that hard, quiet

begun.
outsiders

commonly show

work of seed-time, wherewith

sympathy by asking where

their

the sheaves are.

Descending at length from the Fort-rock, the travellers

drive

away

in

the

Shrirangam

direction,

and,

crossing.

TRICHINOPOLI.
the

85

Kaveri bridge, plunge into the cool shade of the

island's

crowded

Soon they reach the outer wall

trees.

of

the great pagoda, which, covering an area of more than 163

acres, is

by

far the largest in India.

courts are

them can boast an earlier

The pagoda

buildings, though probably none of

date than a.d. 1700, look as

is

The outer

with trees and native houses, and the great temple

filled

planned in seven

if

they grew there.

rectangular

one within

enclosures,

another, with the temple proper in the centre of all;

the

enclosing walls being each adorned with four gopuras, one

in the middle of each side,

the size diminishing as you

approach the central shrine.

But the building was

inter-

rupted by the French occupation in the middle of last

century, and most of the largest gopuras are left unfinished.

A pathetic incident of
by Crawfurd.

One

the seizing of the pagoda

of the

is

recorded

temple Brahmans, he says, ad-

dressed the intruders from the top of the great outer gate-

way, entreating them not to force an entrance to the sacred

precinct,

and when they

persisted,

despair, dashing out his brains

The Shrirangam temple

Siva,

is

threw himself down in

on the pavement

far below.

dedicated to Vishnu, who, like

seems to have been originally a local god,^ but, like

him, was adopted by Brahmanism, whereby was formed the

Hindu

Triad, or triple manifestation of the Deity, imder the

attributes of

Brahma

Siva the Destroyer.

the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and

For what

Markandeya ?
hath obtained the names
illustrious

Brahma he
as
^

See

'

book

of the

createth the worlds, as Siva he destroyeth them,

Vishnu he holdeth him

Encydoptedia

Vedic Yishnu

saith that holy

The primeval aU-prevading Spirit

of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva.
As
"

is

still.

Brahma

is

the quality of

Britaimica,' artide "Brahmanism.''

The

elder or

a verj- different person from the A'ishnu of the Puranas.


AMONG THE

86
activity,

Siva that of darkness

world,

goodness.

is

GODS.
Vishnu, the lord of the

These are of the Self-born, the several

manifestations."

In Vedic times too there was a similar triad of gods

mythological systems,

seems

it

(like

and thought and speech generally), have a way

it

many

not

fact

seems dimly to anticipate a great Truth of

some Christian

Eevelation, has sadly puzzled

Truth

sider not that

for

of building

themselves up on a triad of underlying principles,

which, since

Platonic metaphysic,

one, or that

is

lights to lighten

who

con-

mankind has ultimately

Which

it.

folk,

subject (involving

only the Higher Pantheism and one or two other small

matters)

work

it

were scarcely

fitting to treat in so

profound a

as this.

Entering the pagoda, the travellers are soon absorbed in

the study of Vishnu's praises as set forth in the sculptures

As

thereof.

Siva at Madura, so Vishnu here

He

over gods and men.

venerable, and the immortal

more minute, than

whom

is

supreme

"the most choice, the most

is

than

there

whom

there

is

nothing

nothing more immense,

is

the unborn one, the root and the beginning of the worlds."
"

The universe

exists in

tinuance and cessation

Vishnu
he

is

he

is

the cause of

the world." ^

white elephant he rideth forth to victory

"

its

con-

Mounted on a

" in

the universal

deluge he reposeth in the depth of the waters, reclining on

Sesha, the hooded snake that hath a thousand heads.
praises

of

" are

Vishnu

existence; the lotus of his feet

is

His avatars are such as the hearing

the refuge of the soul."^

of Credulity herself

hardly receive.
1

Vislmu Purana.

BMgavata

Purtlna.

The

even as a ship on the ocean of

Translated

Burnouf.

lay

H. H. Wnson, M,A., F.R.S.

may

87

TRICHINOPOLI.

Arrived at the gopura in the second wall, the travellers

study, on the ceiling thereof, a painting wherein

is set

forth

the boar-incarnation of Vishnu, which came to pass on this

wise: There lived in ancient days one Hiranayakah, the

Giant of the Golden Eye, who, having by his austerities

gained favour with Brahma, made request for himself that

no power

certain noxious beasts should have

The names

of these beasts

hog he omitted

to

Hiranayakah."

granted,

he thereupon rehearsed, but the

Then

name.

harm him.

to

Brahma;

said

And when

power from Bralima, the heart

of

"

Thy

desire is

he had obtained this

Hiranayakah waxed ex-

much evU; and

ceeding froward so that he wrought

in

the end he did even seize upon the Earth with his mouth,

and carry

down

it into

the sea.

Now when

the Earth was sunk

into the deep waters of the sea,

from the

nostrils of

Brahma

Vishnu came forth

in the form of a

little

pig that

w^as but an inch in length; and he grew to be a mighty

" Fire flashed

boar of the stature of an elephant.

from his

eyes like lightning, he was radiant as the sun, and he strode

along like a powerful

his eves were

lion."

His

feet

were the four Vedas,

day and night, his joints were the

ceremonies, his snout was the ladle of sacrifice,

all

the

hymns

shelter

of the Vedas,

amongst his

bristles.

and the

Then

liis

different

mane was

illustrious Sages sought

this great boar,

"whose

eyes were like the lotus," did give battle to that wicked one

Hiranayakah, and for a thousand years they fought together,

and Hiranayakah was subdued.

Then

said Vishnu, " Surely the Earth lies hidden within

"

Then
the goddess Earth, beholding him thus descending, bowed in
Hail to thee
devout adoration, and thus addressed the god

the waters," and forthwith plunged into the ocean.

who

art all creatures

Lift

me now

'

from this place as thou

AMONG THE

88

me

hast upraised

in days of

GODS.

old.'

Then the mighty

boar,

whose roar was like the thunder," " repelled the water with
its

snout

his tusks," "

he

mighty

like a

lifting out the

and

set it

vessel."

Earth like a lotus with one of

on the top

of the ocean,

where

it floats

through the temple buildings wander the travellers,

On

guided and followed by a group of intelligent, bright-eyed

Brahman

boys, each of

which shows him

whom

bears on his forehead the

to be a follower of Vishnu.

mark

This

is

conventional representation of Vishnu's footprint, and consists of

three perpendicular stripes of pigment, the central

one red, the two others white and meeting in a white curve
Followers of Siva (who constitute

between the eyebrows.

the other great
lines
of

Hindu

sect)

on forehead and breast

Vishnu which strangely

face,

and gives

wear three horizontal white

less striking

alters the

to the brightest

badge than this

whole character of the

countenance a look which

is

almost horrible.

Once more the

visitors

find

themselves in a world of

strange sculpture, wherewith their eyes grew gradually

familiar,

till

even those

pillars of the

more

Hall of a Thousand

Columns, which consist of wildly rearing horses bearing

riders

on their backs and trampling with their hoofs upon

the heads of rampant tigers, seem only natural and con-

gruous among such weird surroundings.

is

further.

Here the

travellers

wistfully into the depths of

if

At length

haply they

may gain

come

a point

may

penetrate

to a stand,

and gaze

reached than which no Christian foot

dim and lamplit

halls, striving

a glimpse of that central shrine where

reign in perpetual darkness those two most honoured idols,

the golden statues, adorned with splendid gems, of

'

V^u Purana,

quoted by H. H. Wilson.

the

89

TRICHINOPOLI.
Serpent with seven heads.
of dismal twilight,

But

they can see

all

whence ring the

wild,

unholy

is

a gulf

strains of

joyless native music.

Ascending now to the temple

roof,

mighty gopuras and far-extending

they gaze abroad at the

walls,

and then turn their

thoughts to that famous temple of Jumbukeshwar, which,

being scarcely more than a mile distant,

them

stroyer that bringeth

since sunrise,
his

it

ill

to all " has

assuredly behoves

But

to visit before leaving the island.

"

Time the de-

consumed three hours

and the glorious sun, in that mighty chariot

9000 leagues in length, that

is

of

harnessed by the hours to

the seven steeds which are the seven naetres of the Vedas,

is

already high in the eastern heavens, and with his flaming

weapons striketh faintness into the hearts

be easily borne by those

who

of

all.

Heat can

are strong, but tropical suns

have a mysterious power which seems to have nothing

to

do

with mere temperature, so that (as our travellers discovered

long ago on the Nile) one

may

be shivering in a cold north

wind, and yet not dare to stand in the sunshine for warmth.
AVherefore our friends creep out of the temple in a sub-

dued and humble manner, and betake themselves home to

breakfast.

Spare days are scarce, so that ere long comes the last

evening of our travellers' stay in Trichinopoli, and their

farewell visit to those kind friends
stay so pleasant.
insects,

who

The dinner-table

fly in at the

who have made

is

open door from the verandah

to disport themselves in the lamplight.

attendant lizard attached to

that

haunted by tropical

it,

Each lamp has an

who, when the lamp

is lit,

crawls feebly forth in a thin and starving condition, and

who, at the end of the evening, having feasted on a vast

AMONG THE

90

GODS.

assemblage of insects, slowly returns to his home, so ex-

These

tremely fat that he can scarcely drag himself to bed.

apparently harmless creatures were probably

human

beings

once, but in that former life of theirs they did not behave
saith that sacred book of the great Muni,
The man who stealeth pulse, when he next
is born on earth, shall become a small house-lizard.
Meanwhile our travellers learn many things about the
work in Trichinopoli of the S.P.G-., and more especially about
well.

For what

Markandeya

Never before have they

educational aspects.

its

how comprehensive is
India.
Not only does
and Colleges

realised

the Society's educational method in

it

establish

for the higher classes,

High

Schools, Seminaries,

but there are also board-

ing-schools for native Christians, middle-class schools,

village schools without

and orphanages.

schools

The

and

number, not to speak of industrial

visitors are eager to hear

and

more

of the Trichinopoli

and by the way,

want of proper accommodation for
the rapidly expanding work and the lack of funds which
cripples and impedes it, bringing on all the workers much
College,

some sad

their questions elicit, casually

facts as to the

wearing anxiety.

Such

things, however, are kept

in the

background by the kindly Principal, who, being determined

to

make

of

any disheartening
"

too,

his visitors happy, will not allow the introduction

subjects.

So you saw some acting at Nazareth

"

says he.

" Here,

our 'native students are accustomed to act in the College

hall the play they are preparing for examination,

these occasions
residents

we have

large

and the native gentry.

and on

audiences of the English

With

regard to costume,

the students have the most original ideas

chiefly they are

convinced of the necessity (for whatsoever character) of a

TRICHINOPOLI.

modern English

a walking-stick, and a pair of well-

suit,

blacked English boots.

Our last play was 'Julius Caesar,'

and I had the greatest difficulty in persuading Ceesar to
wear anything but an English coat and trousers. The boots,
too,

were relinquished with the

utmost reluctance,

and

nothing in the world would induce him to part with his

walking-stick.

In the middle of the play a dreadful thing

happened; for

Ctesar,

up

dropping his walking-

accidentally

presence of

stick, quite lost his

mind and

hastily picked it

(as is the native fashion) with his toes!

"

Calpurnia, however, was a far stranger figure than her

illustrious

husband.

The young man who took her part

wore an unfortunately short

dress, reaching

only to his

knees; stockings he had none, but he insisted on wearing

an enormous pair
sitting

on her high

of

Calpurnia began by

English boots.

seat in the native

manner

that

is,

with

her feet tucked away out of sight, and nothing visible in

the

way

of legs

but in the

middle of an important speech

she suddenly recollected that to

sit

cross-legged

is

not

fashionable in Europe, and on a sudden there shot forth

into public view

two dark-brown

legs terminating in black

boots of the largest size imagiuable.

"

Another year we had King John,' which went

'

well indeed, except for a

trophe at the beginning of the fourth

his

off

somewhat disconcerting
act.

very

catas-

Hubert and

attendant vUlains had never worn boots before, and

did not realise that to walk in

consequence was

tliat

them

when they

requires practice.

The

simultaneously rushed on

the stage (each flourishing his inevitable walking-stick) they

all

three suddenly tumbled

down

together."

It is not tiU long afterwards that the travellers discover

how much

of the prosperity and efficiency of the College

is

AMONG THE

92
owing

to the indefatigable energy of the present Principal

but they gather from

is

many

accidental indications that he

by the students.

greatly revered

"I get the most amusing

says, "written in

ineradicable

received

letters

from old pupils," he

very fluent English, but

all

showing the

native taste for high-flown language.

frequently address

me

as

'

My

Lord,'

and I have

two exceedingly grave and respectful

which one begins

'

GODS.

'

Honoured Enormity

They
lately

letters,

of

'

and the other

for

hours to such

Spanhing Sir/'"

The

travellers

reminiscences

would gladly

but

it is

growing

listen
late,

and

if

the lizards are

allowed to eat any more puchis, they will certainly be

Besides,

our travellers have to

make an

early start

Tanjor to-morrow; and so at length Good night!

ill.

for

93

CHAPTER

VII.

TANJOE.
It

eight o'clock on a glorious Indian morning

is

travellers, after
tion, alight

two hours' journey in a south-easterly

work

the

direc-

from their train at Tanjor, and are met with the

kindest of welcomes by the three Missionaries

the

when

who

carry on

of the Tanjor Mission of the Society for the Propa-

gation of the Gospel.

The

Travellers'

Bungalow not beiug

at present available, our friends can spend only one day in

Tanjor ; but their kind hosts undertake that they shall have
seen

all

the sights before they depart by the evening train

for Madras.

First of all they

must

they proceed forthwith.

visit

the famous pagoda, and thither

Arrived at the outer gateway, they

and a temple Brahman

hear within the sound of tom-toms

meets them

till

-nith a request to wait

the " service "

This same service, as the Missionaries explain,

ordinary temple worship (which took place

much

is

is over.

not the

earlier in

the morning), but a movable ceremony which begins whenso-

ever Christian visitors are seen approaching, and has been

them waiting a
the superior dignity of the Hindu

instituted with the special object of keeping

little,

and thereby asserting

religion.

By the

time our travellers have grasped this some-

AMONG THE

94
what

subtle point of oriental symbolism, the service

cluded,

GODS.

and they are allowed

beautiful pagoda

it is,

is

con-

to enter the temple.

no

bewildering aggregation of

gradual and aimless growth, but builded (for once) on a

consistent and intelligible plan of

the utmost simplicity.

Passing under the outer gopura, which reaches

of

height

90 feet or thereabout, the visitors follow^ the straight

passage which leads across the

enclosure, and, pass-

first

ing a second gopmra, enter a cloistered, rectangular court

800

feet in length,

and see before them the stately

vimana towering

of the temple proper, its gigantic

the clear

air,

a mighty

pyramid

190

of sculpture,

pile

far into
feet in

height.

have been such as belong to

Hitherto the sculptures

Vishnu's sect of Hinduism
Siva,

and the

upon

is

but the inner court belongs

object therein which the travellers

first

a great monolithic image of

the " Sovereign of quadrupeds."

he reclines at

more than 12

ease,

Nandi

Under a

his sacred bull,

pillared pavilion

a majestic image 16 feet in length and

feet high.

of the oil that is daily

Sleek and shining

poured upon him

an image of miraculous

is

he by reason

and proudly he

holds up his head, knowing himself to be no

of granite, but

to

come

common

qualities.

block

In days

gone by, saith the legend, no larger was he than a man's

thumb; but slowly he grew and grew

till

he reached this

giant size; and thus he remaineth, waiting in

stony calm

till

the day be come

cease in the land of India;

when

and thereafter he

wane, and dwindle ever more and more,

former

size of his,

and therein

shall

dumb and

the British rule shall

till

will slowly

he reach that

he continue.

But that stupendous central shrine, dating at least from

the beginning of the thirteenth century, and so grand in the

TANJOE.

95

severity of its sculptured ornament,

scribe it

What mighty

dignity, should be

phrases,

wherewith

what words

shall I de-

ponderous

of

heaped and builded together in one tower-

ing pile of massive, imperturbable solemnity, a mountain of

stately eloquence

Other small shrines there

abode

of

than the central temple,

South of India.

Siva,

and a brother
battle

is

notably that richly decorated

later

and more

of

"

Good

to

of Ganesh.

Subrahmanya

Brahmans "), being a son of

Chiefly famed is he for that

with the wicked and

his

florid in style

said to be unsurpassed in all the

A very estimable personage is

(whose name means

great

are,

Subrahmanya, which,

presvimptuous

Tripurasura, by whose violent deeds the universe was disquieted.

For ten long days they fought; and Tripurasura

was subdued, and troubled the world no more. Many feshath Subrahmanya, for every twenty-seventh day is de-

tivals

dicated by his worshippers to his honour

some

and year by year

of his special followers take part in a very

ceremony which

by

snalces,

offering of

remarkable

consists in seeking out a place frequented

and there depositing

milk and

eggs,

for

their delectation

a remnant

an

apparently of that

mysterious snake- worship, of very ancient times, about which

we know

so

little.

Having explored the pagoda, the

travellers are hospitably

entertained at breakfast in the liission bungalow

and pre-

sently there enter two or three native salesmen, who, per-

ceiving by some occult means the presence of possible buyers,

have brought for their inspection some very beautiful speci-

mens

of Tanjor art-work.

The most magnifical

of these are

certain large, round salvers of brass, richly encrusted with

wondrous adornments
elaborately wrought

wilds

in silver

legends of

Hindu mythology,

and copper, the two metals

AMONG THE

96

GODS.

mingling together in the same composition with exquisite

effect of contrast.

Eagerly meanwhile, and with the most unconscionable

kind and patient

pertinacity, do the travellers catechise their

demanding

entertainers,

to

know

imaginable details con-

all

cerning this important and very interesting Mission.

Christians in the Tanjor district

Of these the greater part

Koman

belong to the

number more than

(as in other

South Indian

The

78,000.

districts)

Church, which has been at work in

Tanjor since early in the seventeenth century, whereas the

Society for the Propagation of the Gospel only began

its

labours here in 1825.

The most
is

interesting feature of the S.P.G.

Grade College

of

charge of the Tanjor Mission

College

is

in Tanjor

also the Principal of the

and he delights his troublesome

them much
in general,
is

work

which since 1874 has been a Firstthe Madras University.

The Priest^ in

Peter's College,

S.

and

visitors

One

one in particular.

this

by giving

information about mission-colleges

interesting

striking fact

the preference of even heathen Natives for institutions

wherein secular and religious education go hand in hand,

and

their distrust of those purely secular

Government

col-

leges wherein the principle of religious neutrality has been

pushed so

mines the
taught in
tice

far that, while the education they provide underbelief in

its

Hinduism, not only

stead, but

is

no other

religion

even the universal doctrines of jus-

and morality are sternly excluded from the curriculum.

Very

interesting

is

that report of the Educational

sion of 1883, wherein

it is

written

"

CommisThe evidence we have

taken shows that in some provinces there

is

a deeply-seated

and widely-spread desire that culture and religion should

1

The Rev. W. H. Blake,

B.A., of Trinity CoUege, Cambridge.

97

TANJOE.
not be divorced, aad that this desire
representatives of native thought in

Government

In

every province.

is

open to

all castes

students 75 per cent are Brahmans

10 per

shared by some

institutions this desire cannot be gratified."^

The Tanjor College

its

is

and Christians 15 per

cent,

and

Of

creeds.

other Hindus form

cent.

The curriculum

includes the subjects appointed for the examinations of the

Madras University,
the College

over 200

is

School attached to

which

as well as religious instruction

The present number

the classes receive.

all

it

of students in

while the High School and Middle

bring the total

number

of pupils

up

to

564.

Here, as in
strictly

all

the Society's schools, the principle

adhered to that

all

is

pupils "should be instructed

in the doctrines of Christianity, but that the privileges of

the baptised should ever be kept distinctly in mind," and

definitely

put forward.

The Society
villages,

now at work

is

in thirteen of the neighbouring

while the Tanjor College and thirteen branch schools

are doing excellent mission-work on educational lines, their

total
five

number

of pupils^ being 1576.

At Vediapuram, about

miles from Tanjor, the Society has a branch Mission

which has two Clergy and thirteen lay agents working in

eighteen collages.

Many
as this,

are the incidents that might be told of such

and many are the

illustrate the untiring

and hopes and

facts

work

which. might be given to

energy of the workers, their anxieties

successes,

and the wearisome crippling

of

the Society's efforts through lack of the necessary funds.

Yet

fear not,

my

readers

Too well I know your accom-

in the Classified Digest of the Kecords of the S.P.G., 1701-1892.

Quoted

In 1892.

AMONG THE

98

plished minds to offer

GODS.

them any such mean

refection of

inartistic details.

After

tiffin

the travellers seek the Palace of the late Eaja,

the ladies hoping to obtain an interview with those secluded

The Palace

Princesses, the Tanjor Eanis.

(the greater part

whereof, say the learned, was built after the founding in

1675

of the

Maratha dynasty

of Tanjor) is inferior to that

of Madura, and has nothing to boast of hut a comfortless

and sordid magnificence such as nightmares might

like to

inhabit.

In one

of the Palace courts the travellers

great elephants,
costing
all,

much

who

live herein, eating a great deal,

The Eanis

to keep.

nor ever so

encounter two

much

and

upon them

ride not

at

as see them, yet can they nowise dis-

pense with these necessary adjuncts to the dignity of their

position.

I have heard that even in Europe such private

elephants are not unknown.

In another part of the Palace the visitors come upon a

group of Pariahs, poor and wretched past

They

are assembled

round a heap

which they are gathering grains

of a

meal given

to poor folk

all

description.

of plantain-leaves,

of rice

from

the soiled remains

by the Eanis' munificence.

The

Pariahs are of course not allowed to eat with caste-people,

and miserable indeed

is

their share of this oriental

pauper

meal.

Arrived at the Telugu Durbar-hall, the travellers are called

upon

to admire a white marble statue

ing the Eaja Sarabojee

(or,

more

by Plaxman represent-

correctly,

pupil and devoted friend of Schwarz the

He

Sharfoji), the

German

Missionary.

stands with the palms of his hands together and the

fingers closed,

an

attitude which, associated in

Western

99

TANJOR.
minds with the saying

of prayers, is in India a

of respectful greeting.

The statue

is

common

sign

placed on a granite

platform, the sides whereof are adorned with sculpture scenes

from those wars

of

Hindu gods and demons

"

waged in former

times for the full space of one hundred years,"

when the

great-cheeked demons, their eyes red with wrath, furiously

fought with powerful weapons and cruel arms against the

immortals, and by their invincible arrows were eventually
pulverised.

Not

far off is the large

and most interesting

library, con-

18,000 Sanskrit manuscripts, and many more in

taining

other Eastern languages.

Thence the

on to the

visitors go

Maratha Durbar-hall, wherein they behold some rich robes

belonging to the late Eaja, a state haudah or elephant-saddle,

and other

relics of

bygone splendour.

But more beautiful than

all

these are the Eanis' jewels, set

forth, in another part of the Palace, before the dazzled eyes

of our English travellers.

Such large and

gems
The dia-

brilliant

they have heretofore neither seen nor imagined.

monds

(as

facets,

but

always in the native jewellery) are

ilat,

cut,

not in

so that they are almost devoid of brillancy

but the great emeralds and pearls, and above

are marvels of sheeny lustre.

They

ai-e

all

the rubies,

most wonderful;

"in the praise thereof,"^ as the Hindu scriptures

tongue of panegyric

is

say,

"the

struck dumb, and the foot of invention

becomes lame on the plain

of their

encomiums."

Presently the three English ladies are

summoned

to the

presence of the Eanis, and forthwith plunge into the recesses

of the labyrinthine Palace.
staircase,
'
^

Groping their way up a dark stone

and passing sundry sordid

little

idols,

they finally

See the 'Saptia Shati,' translated by CavaJi Venkat Eitmasswdmi.

Sheeve Pouran. Halhed.

AMONG THE

100

GODS.

and thence enter a dreary room where

three of the nine princesses are sitting in a row ready to
There are also present two of the Eanis'
receive them.
emerge on a

terrace,

young married

nieces,

ladies,

baby, of about eighteen months,

entirely in very splendid jewels.
visitors are invited to sit in

Kanis, and there follows

whom

one of

who

is

holds a brown

dressed solely and

After mutual salaams the

an opposing row in front of the

much

cheerful

not very profound

if

conversation, carried on through a lady-interpreter.

The Eanis spare no pains

to

make

their visitors happy,

pursuing that object by feeding them with Indian sweetmeats, and finally by playing to

them on an ancient

instru-

ment, of quaint device, constructed on the principle of the

After this the visitors are invited to sing, where-

guitar.

upon Irene

strains of "

with the
picture,

rises to the occasion,

the

Home, sweet Home."

shadowy background

interior, the light faces

visitors,

and makes the echoes ring

It is a strange

the

dreary palace

and summer dresses

of the English

of

and, opposite to them, the dark and aged counte-

nances of the sadly-robed Princesses,

who

listen

with unre-

sponsive attention to the song which they cannot understand.

At length

the visitors rise to take leave, and are graci-

ously dismissed with

many

speeches of oriental compliment.

Emerging from the Palace, they betake them

to the Siva-

ganga Tank, a large sheet of very brown water which

specially holy, being supplied
far-off

Ganges

herself,

from no

less a source

than the

who, saith the legend, flows to this

place through a subterranean passage.

afternoon,

is

and the softened radiance

It is late in the

of the westering

sun

streams over the animated scene in a glory of glowing

colour.

This

is

the hour of water-drawing, and long pro-

cessions of dark-eyed

women, with

their vessels of gleam.


101

TANJOR.
iug brass, glide

down

to the water's edge, the

members

of

each several caste descending, by a separate staircase of

JMany

stone.

of the

water

drawers are poor, but

all are

adorned with jewels of silver and gold, the form in which

Indian

all

women keep

arms are loaded with bracelets

necklaces abound

with elaborate toe-rings of

and

nose-rings, ear-rings,

and even the bare

the dark-brown skin.

Their slender, brown

their savings.

adorned

feet are often

silver, brightly contrasting

with

Their richly-coloured robes are worn

a grace such as only Eastern folk can command, and

witli

their glossy black hair is

crowned with freshly gathered

Only here and there a girl-widow, muffled in

flowers.

coarse,

white garments and bereft of the jewels which are a neces-

Indian maidens, creeps sadly down the steps

sity of life to

and

her jar in silence.

iills

soon as they can make up their minds

away from the charming scene at the Tank, go to
visit the now disused chapel builded by Schwarz in 1779,
and chieiiy remarkable for a monument of white marble
erected to that Missionary's memory by his pupil and
Its sculptured relief, the work
friend the Eaja of Tanjor.

The

travellers, as

to tvirn

of

Flaxmau, represents the Eaja taking leave

who

lies

To Indian

on his deathbed.

must be sadly

spoiled

by the

of Schwarz,

folk the composition

vinfortunate blunder

whereby

the artist has represented the Eaja as greeting the Mis-

sionary with the left hand,

eyes.
A'erse,

The monument
the

affectionate

bears

composition of the

and

childlike

ending with the touching

"

terrible insult in oriental

an inscription in English
Eaja

tribute
if

to

liimself.

Schwarz's

artless lines:

May I, my father, be worthy of tliee.

Wishes and prayeth thy Sarabojee."

It

is

an

memory,

AMONG THE

102

GODS.

After this the travellers repair to the Mission Church,

a reverently appointed place, as mission churches ought to
be,

"

with no stagnant

fresh

and

by

stirring

week-day " atmosphere, but

its

There follows a bright

bungalow
Indian

and

night,

then,

the

air

kept

daily Tamil Services.

evening meal

through

travellers

the soft

are

at

the Mission

starlight

accompanied

by

of

an

their

three hosts to the station, and finally, safely stowed on

cushioned shelves, are whirled away to the northward, with

rattling

and roaring and bumping the long night through.

103

CHAP TEE
MADRAS AND THE

The

travellers

awake

to

YIII.

SEVENS PAGODAS.

nominally at

themselves

find

Madras, but really in an enchanted fairyland of verdure.

There are
trees of

soft expanses of sunlit padi

many

there are thronging

kinds with graceful palms predoroiQating

there are sweet flowers and golden sunshine

city, it is
it

but as for the

not easy to percaive, being so rare a substance that

has to be taken on trust.

fairly solid nucleus,

Black

but to find

It seems that at Christmastide

it is

Town

certainly is a

a matter of time.

Madras

is

full of visitors

(who seem to be mostly palm-trees), so that our friends

can find no better place of abode than the Kapper House
Hotel, a lonely and desolate mansion standing sadly on
Herein they
the sea-shore three miles from everywhere.

make themselves

exceedingly comfortable, though

rather

pressed for room, the hotel being crowded with a

and distinguished company

supervision of a
nice

little

and amiable, but

tending to be asleep.
rats

if

of rats.

black-and-white kitten,
is

leirge

These are under the

who

is

very

generally, in self-defence, pre-

Of course she could devour the

she chose, but she refrains, from pity, believing

with Alarka, that wise King of ancient story, that "there

AMONG THE

104
is

not SO

much

or mouse "^ as
self

pain

The

is

an unselfish sparrow

cat eats

she kills some larger creature whose

when

consciousness

danger

when a

GODS.

may

be of a different opinion.

on by the good native

travellers are zealously waited

Manager, whose white turban

is

for ever roving about in

What

search of something to please them.

most

is

The only

more highly developed.

is

that the rats

the abundance of lovely eucharis

them

pleases

lilies

wherewith

These are

he decorates the table at meal -time.

of

no

more account hereabout than the commonest flowers with

us, and very refreshing it is to find them laid in fragrant
masses on the table-cloth at every hour of refection.

The pleasantest apartment

of

the house

is

the broad,

shaded terrace on which the upper windows open.

hereon the visitors can gaze forth over the

Seated

and

listen

the never-ending thunder of the surge as the great

to

waves

of

the

by the

down on

Indian Ocean come foaming

Sometimes the desolate scene

sandy shore.

is

sea,

lordly equipage of the

staying in

Madras on a

Maharaja

visit,

of

is

the

enlivened

Mysore,

who

and, with syces and out-

riders of imposing grandeur, drives forth at evening to take

the

air.

There are other diversions

too,

for

our

this spacious terrace their reception-room,

their

callers

turbaned

flowing robes, bringing

personages with dark faces

all

and

the riches of Indian embroidery

for the visitors' gracious inspection.

charming.

make

friends

and many are

The embroideries are

There are richly worked tassoes, and

soft,

snowy

Indian silks embroidered with delicate needlework dear to

the feminine heart.

more gorgeous
'

Then there are wondrous squares of

rich, mazy arabesques of gold-thread

colours,

Markandeya

Puriina.

Translated by F. E. Pargiter, C. S.

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

mingled with delicate

much from

105

Western minds might learn

silks.

How

the study of oriental art-work.

different

from these Indian embroideries are our prim, conventional

first

glance and

to nothing,

which have

designs that one sees to the end of at the

tires of at the second,

nothing to hide

which lead on

How mean

and vulgar they look

among the

that have but once lost themselves

traceries

of

form, the dazzling harmonies of colour, that

these Eastern workers delight in

confusion

Here

mystery without vagueness

to eyes

labyrinthine

fancy with exquisite purity of outline

absolute harmony;

fanciful

is

intricacy without

exuberant wealth of

buoyant freedom and

elaboration

of

ornament and

vital unity of design.

At

the travellers, dazzled by these magic splendours,

first

are almost afraid to

make any purchases

lest

they should

prove but faery treasure, and, when brought beneath the

grey skies of the North, should suddenly turn to

But

tliis is

a groundless

fear.

tinsel.

Eich and beautiful as the

embroideries look in the glowing light of India, they will

be far more resplendent and more to be marvelled at when

set in the

subdued colouring

of dull

Perhaps the most beautiful

and cloudy England.

of the

Madras embroideries

is

that which consists of richly massed and delicately wrought

gold arabesques wherein are skilfully set sheeny beetles'

wings of an intensely lustrous green, shading

when

definiteness

and

off into red

These jewel-wings give wonderful

the light changes.

the whole, the green and the gold

life to

contrast delightfully, and the design is a very charming one

from every point

and

there,

of

except perhaps the

view

beetles'.

Here

no doubt, some exceptional and high-souled beetle

might be willing

to shorten his Kfe for the sake of

part of a long-lived

work

of art

becoming

but with the ordinary run

;;

AMONG THE

106

the kind

of beetles

arises,

would have but

whether there

right appertaining to beetles

"My

come

who

little

weight

and others
"here

an amiable

is

to entertain us."

more wily and

is

secret than

His

not a juggler.

is

not an inalienable

His swarthy

a Maratha, and comes from Mysore.

is

countenance
be

is

dear," says Irene soothingly,

juggler

He

one meets every day

of beetles

believe that such an ambition

and the question

GODS.

any one's face can

something

skill is

frightful.

European conjurers might perform tricks resembling his;

but then they stand on platforms, with tables in front of
This personage (after a humble salaam) seats himself

them.

on the pavement at the very feet of the travellers, who, lean

over

him

may
"

as they will,

glamour

" in their eyes

There are

many

are one of them.

and watch him

never penetrate the mystery.

for those

One

story

seen

is

it

told of

who have

two gentlemen

who once determined

of them, being

On comparing

but those

an

artist,

several stages of that performance

graphs.

cast

It is very easy to explain the basket-trick

lishman and an American

mystery.

Can he have

strange things in India, and the jugglers

who have not

fairly puzzled.

as closely as they can,

notes

are

an Eng-

to solve the

took sketches of the

the other took photo-

afterwards,

the

artist

was

found to have clear representations of the events seen

but of these the plates of the photographer showed nothing.
This

is interesting.

" theosophist " tract

make

it

Unfortunately the extremely dogmatic

wherein this story

is set

forth does not

quite clear whether the photographs showed nothing

at all, or only nothing remarkable.

just conceivable that there

with the camera.

In the former case

it is

may have been something wrong


MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

Now

doth

it

behove us to conduct our readers to

107
visit

public buildings of Madras, and to give them by the

accurate and exhaustive account thereof.

"We should

Nawab

course, for instance, about the palace of the

Carnatic,

Government House, and

tlie

Fort

towering lighthouse 125 feet high, with

dis-

of the

and about that

brilHant light

its

But public buildings are

from land.

visible iifteen miles

the

way an

toilsome things, and there are sunstrokes and mosquitoes

about
It behoves us also to

give

sketch of the city's history.

a condensed and masterly

We

should begin with its

foundation in 1639, and plod conscientiously through the

years

down

to the present time.

But

it

is

too hot for

history.

Something vague and legendary, perhaps, would be more

refreshing.

Let

Madras which
ditional

scene

\is

is

of

betake ourselves to that quarter of

called St
S.

Thome, and seek out the

Thomas's martyrdom.

This

tra-

is

an

eminence known as the Mount, and crowned with a church.

The

"

Mailapur " of the martyrdom

of S.

Thomas has been

with great probability identified with Mihilapur, which

St

is

Thome,

Xow

the death of the Apostle came to pass, saith the

legend, on this wise:

The blessed Thomas preached the Gospel in the city of

King Misdaios, and many women believed and Tertia also,
the King's sister, was converted unto the truth. Then the
King was angry, and commanded that Thomas should be
"And the Apostle,^ when he had broken
cast into prison.
;

the Bread and given thanks, gave

it

to

Ouazanes and to

Tertia and Mnesara, and to the wife and the daughter of

^

Abridged from the Greek

test.

AMONG THE

108
Siphoros,

saying,

salvation

and

they

said,

'Amen.

'Amen.'

"And
him

And

so

him

into

Thomas and

and he asked him, saying,

the

'

set

Art thou a

am a bond-servant,' said he,

whom thou hast no authority.'

'I

'

Master over

was sold

thou art come hither

of

my

But Thomas said,

that I might save

'

Lord into this land,

many, and by thy hands depart from

when

this world.'

the Apostle had so said, Misdaios

...

might slay him.

out

the Apostle,

away with joy

Misdaios said unto him, 'Hast thou fled from thy

master, that
'I

And

believe.'

went

of one only

And

for

And

souls.'

there was heard a Voice saying,

done,

bond-servant or free
'

your

of

Misdaios sent for the Apostle

before

you

Eucharist be unto

this

and the health

Tear ye not, only

when he had
prison.

'May

joy,

GODS.

of

soldiers.

livered

the

He

him unto

And

how he

took him therefore and went

and there went

city,

And when

sought

with him armed

also

they had walked one mile, he de-

four soldiers and one

officer,

and com-

manded that they should bring him unto the mount, and
slay him with their spears, and so return back unto the
city.
And when he had so commanded the soldiers, he
also departed into the city.

"And when Thomas was come up

into the mount, to

the place wherein he should be slain, he spake and said

unto those that held him and to the

ye unto

me

at this time also,

even

rest,

now

'

Brethren, hearken
at the end.

stand at the point of the going out from the body.

For

Let

not therefore the eyes of your heart be blinded, neither

let

your ears be made deaf.

Believe in G-od

Whom

preach, and be not guides unto yourselves in the hardness

of

your

hearts.'


MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

109

"Then the blessed Thomas went apart to pray; and

when he had kneeled down, he afterward arose and stretched
forth his hands toward heaven, and spake these words

Mj

Lord and

and

my

Teacher

with

me

'
'

my

who

my

God,

even nnto the end.

hunger in

confidence,

Thou wilt be
Thou hast made me to

filled

me

with the

Let not the seed of the corn that I have

sown be destroyed from out Thy

field.

with his

tares,

my

boldness.

Lord, and hast

this world,

true riches.

hope and

me

givest

catch

away.

it

Let not the enemy,

Thy vine have

I planted

in the earth ; she hath sent

down her

shooting forth on high

is

spread abroad, and her fruit

upon the

Grant unto

earth.

that in quietness I

may

peace I

may

roots to the depth, her

me

is

Lord,

therefore,

pass hence, and that in joy and

ascend and stand before

my

Judge.

But the

the Accuser, let him not behold me.

Let his
bKnded through Thy light which Thoii hast made

evil one,

eyes be

to abide in me.'

And when he had thus prayed, he

Come ye, fulfil the bidding of him
"

'

And

the four

swords; so he

wept

fell

commanded

you.'

and pierced him with

their

down, and died.

Then

all

the brethren
fair

and they buried him in a royal tomb wherein the

former kings were

"

near,

and they brought goodly raiment and much

linen,

men came

said unto the soldiers,

that

Xow

laid.

when he was departing from

made Siphor a Presbyter, and louzanes a

the Apostle Thomas,

the world, had

Deacon.
"

And

it

came

to pass, after

many

days, that one of the

King was smitten by a demon,

heal him, for the demon was very

children of Alisdaios the

and no man was able

grievous.

to

Then Misdaios considered the matter, and

said.

AMONG THE

110
'

GODS.

and open the tomb, and when I have taken

the bones of the Apostle of God, I will hang it

I will depart

up one of
upon my

son,

and he shall be

healed.'

" So Misdaios departed to the sepulchre of the holy Apostle

but when he had opened the tomb he found not the Apostle
there, for one of the brethren

and

carried

him

to

had taken him away by stealth

Mesopotamia.

Then did Misdaios take dust from the

body of the Apostle had lain, and he put

place where the

"

saying, 'I

believe in

Thee, Jesus

upon

it

his son,

through Thine

Christ,

Apostle Thomas, and with undoubting faith I confess the

Holy

Father, the Son, and the

so

And when

Spirit.'

he had

spoken he put the dust about the neck of his

And

immediately the child was made whole.

child.

So Misdaios

King, was joined with the other brethren, and he

bowed the head beneath the hands of Siphor. Then said

also, the

Siphor unto the brethren,

that he
him.'

may
They

'

Pray ye

for

Misdaios the King,

obtain mercy, and that his sins be forgiven

all therefore

rejoiced

And

offered prayers in his behalf.

mankind, the King

of kings, gave

with one accord, and

the Lord

Who

loveth

unto Misdaios also hope

toward Himself, and joined him unto the company

of those

that had believed on Christ, giving praise to the Father,

Son, and Holy Spirit, to

now and always and even

Whom

belong power and worship

for ever

and

Amen."

ever.

The Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in the year

of our Lord 68, on the 21st of December, the day which we
still

keep holy as the Feast

of S.

Thomas.

For the

fact that

he visited India we have very ancient authority ;^it

referred to

by Abdias

Jerome gives the name

at the
of the

end of the

first

century,

town where he died

and

is
S.

but how

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

far

we may

trust the legendary details of his

Ill

work

I will not

undertake to decide, preferring rather to contemplate the

undoubted and very tangible

in

Madras

facts of Christian

present day.

at the

reality about the Anglican

There

is

Cathedral with

Church-work

a very special
its

bright and

beautiful Services, and about other churches too.

There are

schools and orphanages and other useful institutions.

work

Christian Knowledge

Gospel

of the

Good

being done here by the Society for Promoting

is

is

and the Society

for the Propagation

likewise hard at work, one of the most

interesting features of its operations being the Theological

College in Sullivan's Gardens.

1848, so that
It is doing a

it is

This was opened in July

coeval with S. Augustine's, Canterbury.

most useful and very necessary work in training

native Catechists, and candidates for Holy Orders.

number
have

of the

large

Native Clergy working in the South of India

received in this

College their

theological

training.

Only matriculates of the Madras University are received as

students, and the theological course takes three years, at the
end of which time students are presented for the Oxford and
Cambridge Universities' Preliminary Examination
dates for

Holy Orders.

In

this

of candi-

examination native students

of the College have for ten years past taken honourable

In 1886

places.

its

candidates were more successful therein

than any corresponding body

tion.

of

men from any

other institu-

The S.P.C.K. assists the College with an annual grant

The Church Missionary Society also has a

of Es. 1080.

Divinity School in Madras.

From

the standpoint of this cathedral city the travellers

look abroad over the Diocese

prising so

work,

is

many

centres of

but so wide a panorama, com-

Eoman and Anglican Church-

at first confusing to the

mental eyes, and our friends

AMONa THE

112

GODS:

choose out for special study only the branches supported by

that great Missionary Society

whose methods,

as aforesaid,

they have learned to regard with special confidence and

As

sympathy.

long ago as 1881, the Society for the Propa-

gation of the Gospel had in its schools (which are under

Government inspection) no
3598 were

girls;

than 13,207 pupils, of

less

whom

and since those days the work, though

short-handed and further crippled for want of funds, has

gone on and prospered.

The aim

of the Society is here, as

everywhere, to establish a Native Church which in due time

shall

be capable of standing alone.

The educational method,

though so important an instrument, has never been independent of evangelistic work, and from the beginning the
school and the congregation have been developed
side.

In about 1000 towns and villages

side

by

of the Diocese the

Society has established congregations of native Christians;

the

number

of baptised Christians in these missions was, in

1881, 37,706, and the

The C.M.S.

is

also

number

of catechumens 20,083.

hard at work, and in the Madras Presi-

dency (including Haiderabad and the other Native States)

the total

number

of Christians, Catholic

and

sectarian, is^

1,642,030.

But our

travellers begin to

grow weary

of

Madras, and

nothing will serve but a romantic expedition to the rocktemples of Mavalivaram, otherwise
Pagodas.

Archseologically this

is

known

teresting place in Southern India; its

are the earliest examples

that before

the South

them wooden

we have

'

1892.

the

Seven

rock-hewn temples

of Dravidian art, seeing

architecture alone

and the delightful part

as

doubtless the most in-

was known in

of it is that the place is

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

113

thirty miles from Madras,

and that there is no road to it. It

can be reached only by means of the East Coast Canal, and
the journey

The

is

best

made by

night.

by our

requisite preparations are intrusted

friends to

one Chinasami, a darkly handsome personage, arrayed in

white and red.

His snowy turban becomingly frames a

countenance of like

with an ancient copper coin, and

coloiu"

possessed of a pair of large, lustrous black eyes full of quick

and wary
It

eight o'clock in the most lovely of all imaginable

is

nights

intelligence.

when

the travellers drive forth into the moonlight

The

to begin the journey.

first

six miles thereof

accomplished in a carriage, and a wonderful drive

cool-rayed

moon

(as the

Hindu

she

first

rose,

when long

it is.

be

The

scriptures call her) is shin-

ing as she never shines outside the tropics.

lovely is she as

may

Brilliant

and

since (so the Indian legends teU)

from out the sea

of milk,

"with a pleasing

countenance, shinino; with ten thousand beams of sjentle

light." ^

"Wonderful are the

the magic glory

falls

effects of light

and shadow as

on the clustering palm-trees, glancing

on the smooth curves of the drooping leaves

till all

their

delicate lines shine out in radiant penciUings of silver.

Yet even such moonlight as

lamps of the

stars shining out

this

can scarcely dim the

from the deep blue of the

night-sky in sparkling multitudes, even as they shone in

the eyes of that Indian poet long ago

Suka, the princely sage,

" greater

who sang

of blessed

than the greatest of men,"

shining forth in the midst of the other sages, " even as the
^ Wilkius, 'B!pisode from the MahSbh&ratjt,' quoted by Foley on the
" Devimfihatmysin.""

From 'Le BhSgavata Purina ou

et public par

M. Ehig^e Burnouf.

histoire poetique
Paris, mdcccsl.

de Krichna,' traduit

AMONG THE

114

shines forth surrounded with her

moon

divine orb of the

GODS.

train of planets, with constellations,

The

air is soft

only by the

and with

and sweet, and the deep

stars."

broken

silence is

musical chant of the syces, as they cry

shrill,

in a monotonous, ever-repeated cadence to

farers that a carriage

is

approaching.

It

is

warn

all

way-

a pity that such

a drive should ever come to an end; but end

does at

it

length by the moonlit waters of the canal, whereon floats

and

a native boat stored with the necessary provisions,

who

attended by the dark figures of the coolies

are

to

Under an arched covering

thatched with palm-leaves the requisite number of matHereon the travellers
tresses have been placed in a row.
tow

it

recline,

at each

starry

through

the

night.

shaded from the dangerous moonlight, but enjoying,

end

of their shelter, a wonderful

The boat

sky.

view

smoothly on

glides

of deep-blue,

way, the

its

lapping water makes soothing music in the stillness, and

every one

falls asleep.

The awakening
departed, and

all

is

The night has suddenly

a merry one.

the world

is

aglow with sunshine.

did that wise Queen Madalasa say that a

man

"

Why

should not

gaze up at the orb of the sun at sunrise or at sunset "

Assuredly one cannot do so at any other times,

in

India.

But there

present, for, while

is

not

the boat

much
still

leisure

for

gazing at

glides over the smooth

waters, Chinasami, in that small space allotted to

the chickens in the

bow

of the boat, is diligently

chota hazri, which he presently serves

solemnity; and scarcely

is this

leastwise
him and

preparing

up with the utmost

ceremony concluded when

the travellers find themselves at the end of their journey.

It is a strange place.
is

There are palm-trees, and there

smooth, green grass, whereon are scattered great fantastic

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

115

boulders of grey granite, which are just the right material

Leaving their provisions at the

for rock-temples.

travellers'

bungalow, the visitors set forth to enjoy a delightful day

of

archseologic

They

study.

speedily find themselves in

the fifth or sixth century of our era, and surrounded with

beautiful little shrines

and temples hewn out

rock and adorned with sculpture -figures

of the living

real

of

artistic

merit, contrasting strangely with the degraded Indian art

Such are the

of the present day.

are

others

of

somewhat

later

oldest

works

but there

already showing the

date

hideous coarseness wherewith anything connected with Hin-

duism inevitably becomes

Our

friends first

infected.

make

their

way

temple by the

to the

sea-shore, probably the oldest structural temple of the

vidian style that

the

sea,

The

builded.

and

is

tell of

silent

we know.

which seems

to

surf beats

It stands

on the very brink

have much encroached since

on

it

now with

city,

These lonely temples are

all

of

was

The legends

once great and populous, but

and forgotten beneath the

it

increasing violence,

slowly defacing the sculptures thereof.

a whole

Dra-

now

lying

relentless waves.

deserted

now; there

is

no

one to defend them from the profanation of Christian feet

and the

travellers

may wander

at will through the ancient

chambers, even to that dark and innermost

cell

jealously guarded with fear and awful mystery.

temple was dedicated originally to one

Maha

our friends will presently meet with again)

once so

This shoreBali

(whom

but he was

not allowed undisputed possession of his domicile, and the

travellers,

on entering the northern porch,

find themselves

confronted with Siva and Parvati carved on the wall in

high

relief.

They are old acquaintances now

JSTared of old, the travellers

like the pious

have already given ear

" to the

AMONG THE

116

GODS.

history of Siva's origin and of his marriage with Parvati,

by the learned Sages." ^

as delivered oftentimes

heard

from

tell of "

told

They have
is exempt

the accidents of darkness and light, of heat and

all

cold, of

the splendour of his essence which

beginning and ending;" and the legend hath been

them

how

of

it

was he who

brought this perishable

first

world from the "closet of invisibility," from the "veil of

made

nonentity," and

it

to

appear at length

Wherefore these

of manifestation."

him

of novelty " pass

"

"

on the theatre

wanderers in the path

by, to seek in the inner chambers of

the temple for less familiar deities.

But they

find

reclines the "

them

not.

Only in the western vestibule

pre-eminent Vishnu,"

"

the universal soul, the

immeasurable, the eternal, the changeless."

He

is

10 feet

Of old he was approached, no doubt, by

10 inches long.

crowds of eaggr worshippers, crying as they came into his

presence,

now he

"

Om

lies

Reverence to the adorable Vishnu " but

alone in the dark, while the passing centuries

heed him not.

Not

far

from the temple the lord Vishnu appears again

in the form of a

tall,

rock-hewn

bull and an amiable expression

Thence the

travellers

shrine to another,

figure

with the head of a

of countenance.

wander on from one

small

old,

rock-hewn

but beautiful temples cut from

the hard granite in the archaic forms of trabeate architecture, designed

with an exquisite sense of proportion, and

showing in each laboured

finish.

wonderful exactness and

line a

Especially light and graceful are the curious

whereof the lower part of the shaft

of a conventional but terrific lion

consists, in

pillars,,

many

cases,

seated on his haunches

and grinning horribly, with gigantic ears and wildly curling

^

Sheeve Pouran.

Halhed.

HABEAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

117

These amiable beasts (evidently, say the learned, of

tail.

wooden

origin) are specially interesting as being character-

the Seven Pagodas, but found nowhere else in India.

istic of

Then the

visitors

with

village,

its

make

way

their

modern Brahman

to the

palm-thatched huts, and

its

palm-surrounded

temple dating probably from the twelfth or thirteenth cen-

Not

tury.

melancholy group

far off is a

representing

goddess

the

This same Durga,

maidens.

form

as a

the

goddess

of effulgence,"

" the ample, the mild,

The next
with

seems,

it

"who

" the

and the

is

seven

attendant

but another form

and the active manifestation

of Parvati, the wife of Siva

of his power,

of rock-cut figures

Durga with

resides in all the world

remover of

difficult limits,"

austere."

piece of sculpture which the travellers

meet

a rock-cut family group of three very charming

is

The father-monkey

monkeys.

Mrs Monkey's

solicitude in

tenderly nursing the baby.

natural,

and

it is

searching with the utmost

is

while she, in her turn,

fur,

The execution

hard to believe that so

is

delightfully

many

have passed since those monkey worthies sat

is

centuries

for their life-

like portraits.

As soon

make up

as they can

this amiable family, our friends

tank, with

its

quaint

little

their

minds to part from

wander away

mandapam

to the sacred

in the centre reflected

in the smooth water; and thence they go in search of the

most extraordinary piece

boast of

Penance
high
long
1

of the heroic

and

From

Mavalivaram can

the great scene popularly supposed to represent the

relief
;

of sculpture that

on the face

it is

the

'

and mythic Arjuna.

of a rock

a wonder to behold.

Sapta-Shati, or

Eiimasswdmi, Pandit.

43

It is carved in

feet high

and 96

feet

It contains a multitude

Chandi-Pat,' translated by Cavali Venkat

AMONG THE

118
most

of figures,

them

of

GODS.

fully life-size,

men

and

gods, a

snake-deity and his wife, harpies, elephants, lions, deer,

monkeys, cocks, and so

Three elephant -cubs are

forth.

The so-called Arjuna himself, that

father of Pandu and ancestor of all the
a prominent and impressive figure. He

specially attractive.
illustrious ascetic,

Pandyan

kings,

is

represented as employing himself in religious austerities

is

and

"

performing exceeding adoration."

With arms extended

above his head he standeth continually on the great toe of

So extreme

his left foot.

how he hath "tormented

may

his leanness that all

is

see

existence with a variety of

his

mortifications."
If there is one thing that

Hindu gods cannot

in

any wise

the cumulative effect of self-inflicted austerities

resist, it is

who worship them, witness the case of those three

Tareke who thus conciliated Brahma " Standing^ for

in those

sons of

an hundred years upon one foot they continued absorbed in

prayer
air

their

for a

arms

thousand years they subsisted altogether upon

for yet another

lifted

up

had thus exceeded

of

Brahma,

all

to heaven.
limits,"

" the cloud of

when

their devotion

its

full distended,

and the

banks."

so did Arjuna, the friend of the " Blessed Krishna,"

conciliate

came

So,

they obtained the goodwill

mercy was

sea of benevolence overflowed

Even

hundred years they stood with

Siva,

that

so

when Muki,

that wicked demon,

in the form of a boar to hinder the ascetic's devotion,

the mighty deity went forth against him, and did shoot at
that boar with arrows until he miserably died.
"

Very

matter of

pretty,

no doubt," says Philippa, dryly

fact, that

times acquired the

" but, as a

good ascetic up there has only in modern

name
'

of Arjuna."

Sheeve Pouran.

Halhed.

"

119

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

" Philippa,

that

romantic legends

way

no use trying

is

too bad

if

you knock them on the head in that

It is of

to tell

"Perhaps," says Irene, cheerfully, "she has something

Give us a lecture on archseology,

better to tell us instead.

'Philippa, and see

if

extraordinary scene

"It

you can make us understand what

is

about."

my

about serpent -worship,

is

wa^-a-religion of prehistoric times

and unexpected a fashion

to observe

how

this

dears,

that

ancient

which meets us in so strange

in the study of Indian art.

Please

the strange and crowded figures in this scene

are engaged in worshipping that great naga-iiag in the

middle,

who

formed

is

rejoices in a

is

but her head

seven.

tail,

and whose head-dress

The lady

hoods of a seven-headed cobra.

of the

beneath him

snaky

his wife

and she

also ends in a serpent-tail,

canopied by three cobra-heads instead of

is

"

IsTow the important point to notice

"But, Philippa, dear,

is

it

May we

so hot!

not leave

the sculpture now,, and explore that old cave-temple near

it ?

See

how

cious shelter

cool

it

The temple

and inviting

will give

is

hewn

Jrom

it looks,

and what a

deli-

this terrible glare outside."

into the rock to a depth of 40 feet.

and very impressive are

Its fagade is about 50 feet long,

the weird lion-pillars standing out, row behind jow, against

The

a background of mysterious darkness.

travellers

won-

deringly explore the shadowy interior, and then, emerging

again into the Hght, seek out the neighbouring Varaswami

Mandapam, the

"

Temple

of

my

Lord the Boar."

Herein are two scenes carved in

represents

wherein, as

the Varaha

we have

or

Boar

relief,

already set forth,

Earth from the abyss of waters.

of

incarnation

which one
of

Vishnu,

he once saved the

Long ago was that story


AMONG THE

120

GODS.

by those four learned birds, even "Pingaksha and

Vibodha and Supatra and Sumukha, the sons of Drona,
the noblest of birds," who "dwell in the Vindhya range,
told

in a cave of the noble mountain, where the water

And

minds subdued."

sacred, with their

"

they

is very-

addressed

all

Jaimini the disciple of Vyasa, resting himself, with his

by the breeze from

fatigue mitigated

the

creatures

and

spake,

birds

Vishnu, which

said,

"This

And

their wings."

the

is

form

third

of

assiduously intent on the preservation of

is

destroys the haughty demons, the exterminators

it

of righteousness.

Whensoever,

and the

of righteousness occurs

wane

Jaimini, the

iniquity, then

of

rise

it

creates itself."
.It

human

represented here as a

is

In

head.

company

its

figure with a boar's

Lakshmi, Vishnu's bride, the

is

goddess of beauty and good fortune.

working and his power.

to his

Indispensable

Vishnu

ing, she is

he

is

speech

...

light;

is

he

is

Vishnu
he

is

righteousness, she

creation

is

"

Vishnu

the mcTon,

the ocean, Lakshmi

she
its

The bride

Vishnu

veda, the goddess lotus-throned

chanting.

its

the creator, she

Sama

fied

the mother of the world

is

she

For what said the sage

Parasara to Maitreya the best of Brahmans

of

is

is

is

is

mean-

devotion

the personithe tone of

unfading

his

is

is

shore;

she

the creeping vine, and Vishnu the tree round which

is

clings."

The other scene represents the Dwarf Avatar, that

of Vishnu which he assumed on this wise

form

Maha

and he was puffed up with pride and neglected the

offerings of
'

fifth

There lived of old a mighty King whose name was

Bali

it

From

the gods.

Then came Vishnu unto him

as it

the 'Vishnu Purana,' translated by H. H. Wilson, M.A., F.R.S.

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

had been a dwarf, small

And Maha

look upon.

what

and very contemptible

Bali said unto him, " Come, tell

and said unto him,

petition,

wouldest give

me

so

much

to

me

Then Vishnu made

I shall bestow on thee!"

gift

humble

of stature,

121

" I

pray thee that thou

land as I can pass over with

Then Maha Bali laughed aloud, and said,

" Thou shouldest have asked some greater thing."
But
Vishnu answered and said, "Thus much sufficeth for thy
three

steps."

I pray thee therefore that thou wilt swear to give

servant.
it

unto me, and that in ratification thereof thou wilt here

And

pour water on mine hand."

his hand, the dwarf began to

tall

and mighty,
and

earth,

and

at

as the water touched

he covered the

second stride he covered the heavens,

the third he would have taken unto himself the

nether world
Bali

so that at the first stride

the

at

lo

grow; and he became very

down

Maha

but being compassionate he thrust

also,

thither with his foot,

and hath suffered him

to

reign therein even unto this present day.

This legend dates from ancient Vedic times, and some

perceive therein a mystic signification, saying that Vishnu
is

none other than the sun, and that those three great

of his symbolise the sun's three stations at his

strides

rising, his

noon, and his setting.

The

travellers

of their
ing,

have much more to see

and they are

bungalow
patriot

to rest

fain

and

who has come,

logical sight-seeing.

eat

to

but at this point

creep back to the travellers'

tifi&n.

They

find there a

com-

like themselves, for a day's archaeo-

Fresh from an important Native State,

many strange things to

"Our last Maharaja," says

he has

wanderings the heat of the sun becomes overwhelm-

tell.

he,

"had not an exalted idea

AMONG THE

122

The English Eesident, when he

of British dignity.

at the

palace,

GODS.

was obliged

to enter

barefoot,

called

and had a

The Maharaja,
would enter the room in which he

delightful experience of oriental politeness.

with his attendants,

was waiting, and, seating himself as though no one were

there, would take no notice of him for several minutes.

Then he would ask three questions: 'How is my sister

the Queen of England? How is my brother the Prince
These
of Wales ?
Are you and your wife in good health ?
would
despot
questions having been answered, the mighty
rise to his feet, whereupon the Eesident was instantly
'

hustled out of his presence.

old Maharaja

On

died.

This was endured until the

the

the accession of

new

one,

the Eesident caused great excitement by entering his pres-

Happily

ence with his boots on.

new

this

prince

is

only

a child, and can be taught better manners."

At length

the hottest hours are over, and our friends set

forth again, and betake

rock-temples,

commonly

of five small shrines

terrific lion,

them

to that interesting group of

called the "Eaths," an assemblage

guarded by a large elephant and a

both hewn, like the temples, from the living

granite-rock.

Of

all

the works at Mavalivaram these are the oldest;

and nothing in the place can

group

Dr

of

temples

for

compare with

architectural

Fergusson has taught

us,

to

little

Herein, as

interest.

we seem

this

have the germ

whence Dravidian architecture sprang, and a key to

intricate 'problems.

in

the sculpture

of

Hinduism

is

the religion

these rock-hewn

shrines;

forms are undoubtedly Buddhist, wherefore

at

least

Dr Fergusson

does)

that

their

its

set

forth

but

their

we know
authors

(or

must

MADfiAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

123

have migrated hither from the Buddhist regions

North.

Two

viharas

or

Eaths are rock-cut copies

of the

monasteries, and

beginning of

all

these

are

of

of

the

Buddhist

the rudimentary

the stately vimanas wherein South Indian

To

pagodas

rejoice.

Hindus

are building temples of Siva

would seem, the Southern

this day, it

ing piles on whose terraces

may

still

and Yishnu, towerbe traced the forms

which, long centuries ago in the distant North, were the

of Buddhist

cells

oblong shape.

monks.

Other two of the Eaths are of

it

seems, are copies of ancient Bud-

dhist temples, and from

them have sprung to their giddy

One of these oblong

These,

height the lofty Dravidian gopuras.

Eaths

specially interesting as

is

showing the disastrous

sults of exactly copying in solid rock the

The

original.

re-

form of a wooden

interior is only partially excavated, the

work

having been interrupted, apparently, by the settling of the

massive

roof,

whose enormous weight the slender support-

ing pillars found themselves unable to uphold.

there ensued a

and great masses

terrific crack,

of the sculptured granite, breaking at the

shock fi'om their places,

This strange

Eath

;^

Whereupon

cleaving the temple in two,

little

fell

crashing

rock-temple

is

down

to the ground.

popularly called Bhima's

but concerning that same Bhima our

travellers, not-

withstanding their legendary enthusiasm, can recall but very

He was the son of Pandu, it seems, of the ancient

Lunar Dynasty, and with his club he struck down Duryodlittle.

hana, the chief of the

know

Kuru

princes

of his further exploits, let

in that " stream of Vyasa's

but whosoever would

him read them

for himself

words which has descended from

the mountain of the Yeda, and has swept

away the

trees of

bad reasoning, wherein the melodious sounds are the

^

The names

of the

Baths are only

modem

inTeutions.

geese,

AMONG THE

124
the noble story

is

GODS.

the splendid lotus, and the words are the

expanse of water," even in " that precious and long story of

Mahabharata."

Long time do our friends linger about these fascinating

little temples; and then they walk south-westward until,
about three-quarters of a mile from the Eaths, they arrive at

hewn a temple of Durga known

Mahishamarddani Mandapam. As they

a precipitous rock wherein

Yamapuri

as the

enter

it

or

is

their imagination is recalled (for the last time

this day) to the grotesque fairy tales of Indian legend

on
for

here (opposite a sculpture-scene wherein Vishnu reclines on

Sesha the monarch of serpents)

victory of the great goddess

demon "Mahishasur
army of the gods,"^
deities

of

a relief representing the

is

Durga over that wicked

buffalo-

ample heroism, who repulsed the

so that

"the whole multitude

of the

were cast out from heaven and wandered on the

earth like mortals."

Then came Durga the imperishable,

riding on her lion Kesari, the gift of

Himavant.

And

lion of the goddess, being enraged, swiftly shook his

and marched against the army

"

the

mane

of Mahishasur, like fire against

Then the mighty demon " enraged tore up the

earth with his hoofs and cast down the highest hills.
He lashed the ocean with his tail, and made it to overflow
everywhere. The clouds were dispersed by his long horns,

a forest."

the mountains and sky were blown into a hundred pieces by

his breath

and

sighs."

"

Being highly endowed with bravery,

he furiously hurled mountains with his horns at the goddess."

But Durga, the Matron World, was more mighty than he,

and

at length she " pulverised

Having
1

See the

sufficiently
'

him with her strong arrows."

contemplated this exciting scene, the

Sapta-Shati, or Chandi-Pat,'

Rsimaesw^mi, Pandit.

translated

by Cavali Venkat


125

MADRAS AND THE SEVEN PAGODAS.

travellers proceed to climb

up the rock

to the little structural

temple which crowns the summit thereof.

temple

is

On

the top of the

a lighthouse, and from the top of the lighthouse

our friends gain an extended view of the neighbourhood,

tropical trees

ing waters,

and ancient

all lit

shrines, fantastic rocks

and gleam-

up with the softened evening sunshine.

Thereafter the travellers descend to their boat, and, once

more reclining under

their palm-leaves, float softly

Madrasward through the

swiftly deepening night.

away

126

CHAPTER

IX.

FKOM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.

The good

ship Cathay, which

Calcutta, after keeping

to take our travellers to

is

them waiting

at length on the 11th of January.

for five days, appears

From

the end of the

pier our friends watch the passage of their luggage through

The surf-boats wherein

the tumbling surf.

are picturesque native vessels

fibre

and painted

would not

The

red.

last long

is

it

conveyed

sewn together with coco-nut

more

solidly

among the Madras

constructed boat

breakers.

travellers themselves are taken off

from the

pier,

and

presently rejoice to stand again on a genuine fragment of

England, to see white faces around them, and hear the sound
of their native tongue.

The mbst

interesting people on board

are a mission party of five sent out (with the help of S.P.G.)

by the Dublin University.

They are on

their

way

to

Chota

Nagpur, where they will be a welcome and much-needed

addition to the Bishop's staff of workers.

The

five

Clergy

are all graduates of Dublin University, and one of

physician and surgeon as well.

had long experience

after the

There

is

also a

as a missionary-nurse,

them is a
lady who has

and who looks

younger Missionaries' health with a motherly care

delightful to behold.


PROM MADEAS TO CALCUTTA.

127

Unfortunately the passage out has been terribly stormy

one boat has been

lost

and two damaged

fault of the Missionaries, it being a

to

seamen that

"

law

and

of

the

all this is

nature well known

one Parson on board means bad weather, two

bring a gale, and three a hurricane."

However, there

denying that they are a great acquisition to the society

is

no

of the

Their daily Services in the saloon give a homelike

Cathay.

atmosphere even to the Bay of Bengal, and their delicious

humour

Irish

is

remembered an encounter between one

facetious personage

who

3'ou are

of

will be

certain

him

considers that his rank entitles

to the exercise of a certain

know

Long
them and a

the brightest thing on board.

amount

"Do you

of insolence.

speaking to a Baronet ?" he demands of one of

the Missionary Clergymen.

" I don't

know about your being

a Baronet," answers a quiet voice with a soft Irish accent ex-

bubbHng spring

pressive of the utmost politeness and a deep,

of suppressed fun, "

but I know that ye haven't the manners

The poor Baronet will take long to forget

gentle set-down, and will ever after uphold with vehe-

of a gentleman."

that

mence

all

vulgar saws about the incapacity of Missionaries.

To come

into contact with the energy

and

workers, though humiliating to mere holiday-makers,

refreshing
of the

too

and

thorough and

it

is

real

life of
is

very

invigorating to hear something

efficient

work

carried on with such

devotion and blessed with such wonderful success in the far-

away

diocese whither the Missionaries are

years ago the people of Chota Nagpur

Aryan

race

known

as Kols

and ignorance, slaves

stitions, as

to

an

bound.

Fifty

aboriginal, non-

were sunk in the

grossest vice

drunkenness and terrifying super-

miserable a people as one could easily imagine.

In 1845 four Lutheran Missionaries were sent out to India

by Pastor Gossner

of Berlin,

and began

to

work

in

Chota

AMONG THE

128
For

Nagpur.

five years

GODS.

they laboured, enduring

much

hard-

ship and suffering, and not a single convert did they make.

But in 1850 four Kols came to the Mission-house at Eanehi

and said that they had seen some of the Scriptures distributed
by the Missionaries, that they had read in them of Christ,
and that they wished to see Him. These four became the
first

converts to Christianity, and their baptism was followed

by many more,

until the native Christians

were counted by

thousands.

In 1869 the Missionaries and 7000 of their converts

presented a petition to the Bishop of Calcutta, asking

be admitted into the Anglican Church.

,

to-

Bishop Milman

granted their request, and in April of that year he visited

the district to hold a Confirmation, and to bestow Catholic

The Mission was

Ordination on the Missionaries.^

by the Society

for the Propagation of the Gospel,

greatly prospered ever since.

method

of that

affiliated

and has

According to the ordinary

very wise Society, the work was placed on

a sound educational basis, mission schools were efficiently

organised,

and arrangements made

Clergy and Catechists.

The Eev.

for the training of native

'

J. 0.

"Whitley, transferred

from Dehli in 1869, threw into the work

all his

great powers

with the most entire devotion, labouring with the G-erman.

Missionaries on terms of the deepest respect and affection;

and on March

23, 1890, after twenty-one years' strenuous

successful work, he

was consecrated

as Bishop of the

and

new

Diocese of Chota Nagpur.

Terribly short-handed as the workers have been, and hin-

dered too by want of funds, their work has grown and pros^

Of the three German Missionaries ordained by the

the Rev. F. Batsoh, had been

one had been obliged by

ill

among the

original four.

health to return home.

Bisliop, only one,

Two had

died,

and

FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.

pered, so that there are

members

the Kols 12,519 baptised

Anglican Church, about half of -whom are

of the

Communicants.

number

now among

129

There are 20 Clergy, 60 Eeaders, and a large

These are no mere surface

of Catechists.

Eapid as the growth has been, the work

and searching.

The people are required

is all

results.

most thorough

to give liberally in

support of their churches and schools, Church discipline

and the native candidates

strictly enforced,

after

many

is

for the Ministry,

years of careful training, have to pass a severe

examination before being admitted to Holy Orders.

For those who can remember the wretchedness

days,

it is

strange to visit the Chota

where in more than 500 native

and sunset,

daily, at sunrise

where education
where

is

of the old

of the present,

villages Christians assemble

own tongue

for Service in their

growing and ignorance retreating, and

is

good hope

Nagpur

that, if Christians at

home

will give the

prayers and the help that are so urgently needed, the whole
nation will at length be added to the Church.

To study such

histories suits well

a tropical day at sea

and there reigns over

Indian night, then

all

with the quiet leisure of

but when the glowing sunshine

is

gone,

things the magic enchantment of an

all

that has practical reality

be ignored and forgotten.

must needs

Then doth the aged Metaphysician

discourse of Absolute Existence and Universal Truth, and

the world of troublesome particulars

been.

Then doth the

wheeled

car,

moon

as though

ride aloft

it

had never

on her three-

and the ten horses thereof "that are sprung

from the bosom

the jasmine."

full

is

of the waters "

Then the

are all " of the whiteness of

glassy expanse of the sea shines

with so strange and mysterious a glory that one must perforce

believe that saying of Parasara the Sage,
^

From

the

'

who

set forth of old

Vishnu Purana,' translated by H. H. Wilson, M. A., F.R.S.

I

;;

AMONG THE

130

how

"

waters according as they

retires into the

day or night

are invaded

GODS.

by darkness

or light

it is

from

the waters look dark by day, because night

and they look white by night, because

this cause that

within them

is

at the setting of the

sun the light of day takes refuge in their bosom."

The voyage from Madras

respects delightful.

there

is

very smooth

whom,

way

all

who have a

particularly

of crawling over one's pillow at night.

No

to be sociable, seeing that they too

were

wonder they wish

originally

and in

as always in hot climates,

a considerable company, and

endearing

sailing,

the least amiable of the passengers

IvTot

are the cockroaches, of

is

human

Unfortunately in that former ex-

beings.

istence they were ill-advised

neighbours, thereby bringing

enough

to filch oil

from their

upon themselves that dreadful

condemnation which Markandeya, the Immortal Sage, pro-

"He

nounced in ancient days,

that stealeth

oil is

born a

cockroach."
It

is

quite

January 14)

disappointing to arrive (on the evening of

at the

but ninety miles

mouth
of

of the Hugli,

the

passage of the Hugli, with

its

and

to realise that

journey remain.

The

shallow waters and shifting

is

not one to be attempted at night, and the

lies at

anchor until six o'clock the next morning.

sand-banks,

Cathay

pleasant

Slowly, as she proceeds, the low banks converge, and there

come

into

view the dense jungle-forests of the swampy

Sunderbans where tigers and fevers range at

large.

This

is

the busiest and most important of all the Ganges' mouths

but so desolate

is

the scene at

first

that our travellers can

think of nothing more cheerful to rehearse than the Five

Hindu legend,
Allahabad (where the Jamna and

meritorious Kinds of Suicide, whereof one, saith

is

to cut one's throat at

the Ganges meet), and another

is

to betake oneself " to the


FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.

131

extremity of Bengal, where the Ganges discharges

into the sea through a thousand moutlis,"

and

there,

itself

wading

into the water, to enumerate one's sins and devoutly to say

one's prayers

But

as the

ships go by,

till

the alligators come and eat one.

day wears on and Calcutta draws nearer, many

and the

flag of

each vessel

flying half-mast

is

The newly arrived Cathay knows nothing

high.

occasion for mourning, but presently the news

her by a passing steamer, " The

Duke

for

which Calcutta

is

the horrible,

night-fog

daylight im-

pressions indue the city with great attractiveness.

is terribly

modern

Calcutta

for the greater part of the seventeenth

century Kalighat and the neighbouring villages were

mere

collections of native

has cast a gloom over the

mud-huts

city,

for a certain Major-general

would gain but a

any

and they drive

smoky

Nor can even

famous.

of

signalled to

of Clarence is dead."

It is evening before the travellers can land

away from the quay through

is

and the

still

the public mourning

travellers,

that kindest

of

were

it

not

kind friends

colourless impression thereof.

Thanks

to

him, they are admitted, soon after their arrival, to a large

meeting
O of Natives assembled in the Town -hall

to vote

addresses of condolence to the Empress and the Prince of

Wales.

More than 5000

are present, and our friends, from

their seats on the platform, have an excellent view of that

sea of native faces,

and an excellent opportunity

ing the physiognomy of Bengal.

If

for study-

judged only from their

aspect here in Calcutta, the Bengali folk would not, in the

matter of good looks, compare favourably with the Tamils.

The complexion

much more

is
1

is lighter,

the features are less regular, there

vivacity of manner, and far less dignity of

Se9 the conclusion of the 'Ayeeu Akbery'

by Francis Gladwin.

original Persian

ti-auslated

from the

AMONG THE

132

The whole assembly

bearing.

GODS.

composed

is

men,

of

for native

ladies have, of course, nothing to do with public matters.

The Lieutenant-Governor

of

Bengal presides, and the other

speakers are certain dignified Maharajas, who, resplendent

with jewelled turbans, address the meeting in very credit-

The speeches are

able English.

memorials to be sent to

full of loyal feeling,

England"the

and the

humble and

loyal

Addresses of the inhabitants of Calcutta in meeting assembled".

how

set

forth in the language of sincere

the grief of the

Eoyal Family

hearts throughout the

Empire

"

" is

sympathy

shared by millions of

but the proceedings of the

meeting look, to English eyes, somewhat formal and

All

cold.

done in accordance with a previously settled pro-

is

gramme, the 5000

no part whatever, and but

listeners take

very few can hear what

is

said, since all

the dusky Princes

speak only to those on the platform.

During the whole

cations

read

of our travellers' stay in Calcutta the

papers from England are full of joyful prognosti-

daily

and

of the preparations for

them with the knowledge

what

is

of the future

were often possible.

On January
dral, a

life

would be

20 the travellers attend, in

and the thousands

that the cable

like if prevision

S.

Paul's Cathe-

The crowd

of worshippers are clad in

appearing in full-dress uniform.

most solemn and impressive.

The organ

The choral

the worship of the Calcutta Cathedral,

is

is

great,

mourning, the

ported by a military band, and the playing of the

is

To

memorial Service held nearly simultaneously with the

Prince's funeral Service in England.

officers

festivities.

mind

in one's

has brought,

a taste of

wedding

is

sup-

Dead March

Service, like all

very beautiful and

devout.

Indeed, so striking

is

the spiritual aspect of the Cathedral

PROM MADEAS TO CALCUTTA.

that the material building
as

otherwise might

it

from

its sanctity,

considered in itself apart

Still,

the building

is

so hideous as to be actually

They would never dream

terrifying.

now

thing

not so distressingly prominent

is

be.

but the fact

that,

is

building such a

of

Dr Fergusson

as

The Calcutta

building was carried on by military engineers.

Cathedral

it if

points

used to be no architects in India, and the church-

out, there

" the

133

builded in what that same authority defines as

is

Strawberry Hill form of Gothic

I could, but the subject

away with

I would describe

art."

too painful

is

one can but turn

a shudder.

Turning away from the Cathedral, one strays naturally

into the Maidan, a wide, grassy plain bordered on the East

by the European houses of Chowringhee, and on the West by

Fort William and other things of that kind. This is the
great breathing-space of Calcutta.

of volunteers,

are beautiful
space,

Herein, during our trav-

the Commander-in-Chief holds a grand review

ellers' stay,

and an impressive spectacle

and

and the horsemanship

The most

Maidan

spirited, the

delightful

friends at Calcutta

is

day

is

it is.

The horses

a capital galloping-

is

worth looking

at.

of sight-seeing enjoyed

by our

that whereon that most thoughtful of

major-generals places at their disposal, for an expedition up

the Hugli, a delectable

the

name

of Firefly.

little

steam-launch which rejoices in

Being unable to accompany them, he

sends as their guide one of his zamindars, an imposing

who

personage

in Calcutta.

is

undoubtedly the most handsome Ifative

His dignified countenance

liwht complexion

moustache

is

of fine silky black,

of shining dark eyes.

of white

and

scarlet

of comparatively

adorned with a luxuriant beard and

and with a wonderful pair

His costume

and

is

an oriental uniform

gold, such as dazzles the eyes of

AMONG THE

134

a merely aesthetic point of view, such

Even from

beholders.

GODS.

a personification of brilliant colour

is

a considerable addition

to the pleasure of the day's impressions.

With most

exhilarating speed the Firefly darts forth into

the broad stream, parting the sunny waters with the sharp

edge of her prow, whence two rushing curves of spray, with

mirthful roaring and dashing,

fleet

ever sternward, and vanish

in her foam-flecked wake.

But the bright and animated scenes

the river what words can describe

of that

What

morning on

we

shall

say of

the stately river-side buildings, of the wonderful architecture of the temples, of the green luxuriance of the trees

How

can

where the
float far

corpse

to
?

enough
life,

my

the

forth

sights

sordid

and where the dead man's

air,

are

robes,

wash away the pollution

Above

the burning ghats,

at

clouds of smoke from the funeral pyres

through the clear

clad in

friends,

below

we set
murky

all,

lightly or swiftly

multitudinous energy, the thronging

and crowded shipping

words sparkle and

Eiver

having touched the

what pen could move

to set forth the

of the varied

bathing in the
of

flash

Why

wUl not

with the dancing waters, or go

pufBng and fuming along with the busy steamers, or come

lumbering down with the clumsy grotesqueness of those
quaint and formless native boats piled high with the pro-

duce of Upper Bengal

Why

cannot they catch the merry

turmoil of the spray, or rush by with the sound of the wind,

as the Firefly darts

they won't

if
it

on her way

but those are they whose

intense and exuberant

and

mind

reflect one's

so can

life

subdue unto

?
?

What
Some

is

the use of words

folk Tnake

spirits are blessed

as will burst through

itself

them do

with such

any

barrier,

even the thorny obstructions

of language, the hardness of stubborn words.

When

will


FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.
the day come, I wonder,

when language

(or leastwise develop into)

135

shall be superseded

some higher mode

by

of expression

that shall use, not the lifeless symbols of convention, but forms

which

shall be vitally one with that

symbolise

such

f utxire

My

"

Yet even now, may

expression

dear,''

which they perfectly

we have

the germ of

and methinks that germ

is

rhythm.

says the Father, " you have had twenty miles

of wool-gathering

would not

be,

but here

we

are at Barrackpur, and

you

like to miss the Viceroy's country-house."

Leaving the Firefly at his Excellency's private landingplace, the travellers

wander away through the park, and

marvel at the beauty thereof.

is

Landscape-gardening in India

a wonderfully easy matter, and the sight of an English

park

full

of tropical trees

The

remembered.

and flowers

direct path

is

one to be long

from the Eiver

to the house

has been converted into a delightfully shady alley by means

of

bamboos planted

close together

on each side and bent

over during their growth so as to interlace with one another

and

to

form an arched covering

of dense, luxuriant verdure,

a grateful protection from the fiercely glowing sunshine.

house

built

Hastings

of

The

by Lord Minto and enlarged by the Marquis

is

adorned with flowering creepers, bright

masses of purple and orange blossoms dazzling as the sunshine

itself.

Before leaving the grounds our friends visit Lady Canning's

tomb

white-marble sarcophagus placed under a

spreading tamarind

and they

sombre memorial-

also see the

with not a
a melancholy
about builded by Lord Minto in 1813
thing,

hall

single Christian

it

the

Memory

of the

Brave who gloriously

of their Country during the conquest

as a tribute " to

fell

of

symbol

in the Service

the Islands of

Mauritius and Java, in the years 1810, 1811."

AMONG THE

136
Ten miles more

GODS.

up the Eiver bring the

of rapid steaming

Settled by the

Pirefly and her paissengers to Chandarnagar.

Trench in 1673, twice captured by the English and twice

given back, the

little

town

at the present

day

a delightful

is

picture of wholesome whitewash and prim French neatness.

The most conspicuous feature is the

some Missionaries from Italy in 1726.

by
But there are many

large church built

English residents here, and an Anglican church as well as the

Eoman

one.

The

travellers land for tiffin,

the -hottest hours are

and

down

float gaily

They have not yet

" objects

of interest."

terrible place

over, again

and then, when

embark on the

Firefly,

to Calcutta.

half

done their duty by the

There

is

where the Black Hole once was

are the state apartments of

city's

the Fort to see, and that

;

Government House

and there
to explore,

and the Mint, where one watches the transformation

of

bullion into shining pice and rupees.

is the Indian Museum in the ChowOne thousand one hundred and seventy native

Specially interesting

ringhee Koad,

visitors enter it

may.

every day on the average,

and

well they

Herein our travellers contemplate weird sculpture

from ancient temples, and some fragments of the original

Buddha Gaya, said to be that under which

Gautama sat on the night wherein he attained to Buddhahood.
Most interesting of all is the famous Eail from
bodhi-tree at

Bharhut, a grand specimen of early Buddhist sculpture,

dating from about 200

B.C.

In another part of the

museum

are antiquities of earlier date in the shape of a megathe-

rium or two and other notable

fossils.
Here the travellers
what the megaloschelornis was like, the megalonyx and
the glyptodon, the amphicyon and the machairodus, and the

learn

gigantic Siwalik cat.

FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.

137

Eeturning to the India of the present day, the travellers

bethink them of their great desire to see something of the
Accordingly

home-life of the native gentlefolk of Calcutta.

nection with the Zenana Society,

ladies,

and in her company pay a round

house they enter

mansion

costly

is

of

by

is

working, in con-

the

Muhammadan
The

of calls.

last

a large and

such dreary and sordid grandeur as

eldest son of the house,

who

is

most magnifical,

far the

depressing only to think

teen,

who
among

appeal to a kind friend

tlie sisters

an

They

of.

intelligent

are received

is

by the

youth of about seven-

on the eve of departure for England, where he

is

to finish his education.

wear sparkling caps

visitors while

His three

of Indian

he goes to

tell his

who

little brothers,

embroidery, entertain the

mother

of their arrival.

To

reach the zenana the travellers have to ascend a staircase

and thread
but they

way through some very dusty

their

the house, a handsome

Near her
and the

her

woman much

adorned with jewels.

whose robes

of fine white muslin,

sister,

fact that she wears

a widow.
to

sits

passages;

emerge into the presence of the lady of

finally

no ornaments, show her

to be

There are other lady relatives who have come

bid the son farewell, and the room presents a richly

coloured picture of dusky faces and beautiful native dresses.

The

visitors are courteously

welcomed, are presented with

Indian scent, and are further entertained with the some-

what

childish

madan

ladies

and personal conversation wherein MuhamThe missionary lady acts as interdelight.

preter, and, thanks to her, the visit is a pleasant

and

inter-

esting experience.

The

travellers,

who have come

to India with a pardonable

desire to learn something of the Indians, are not a little

astonished and amused at the viilgar contempt for

aU things

"

AMONG THE

138

GODS.

now and then in the European

You have no idea," says some one in

native which they meet with

society of Calcutta.

"

the garb of a gentleman to one of our friends at a dinner-

party

"you

have no idea

which we look on the

beings

is

out of the question,

anything of that kind

It is a

Mission

of the scorn

natives.

To

and derision with

treat

they are

them

like

human

far too detestable for

change from this kind of talk to

visit the

house, whither our travellers repair one

Oxford

Sunday

evening to hear an English lecture given in the hall thereof

for the benefit of educated

Here

Hindus.

no suspicion

is

of contempt on the one hand, or of anything like sentimental

weakness on the other

but the gentle directness, the stern

who speak the truth in love.

honours men from Oxford, and

The Mis-

simplicity of those
sionaries are all

work
Of

is

these,

men

their chief

among the most highly educated of the Natives.

when our travellers arrive, a large audience of

has already assembled, and

throughout the lecture

they listen with the greatest attention.

Sunday evening

course of

development

of the

outsider can appreciate the

exposition

is

metaphysical

and

This

its

is

subject

one of a
is

" Life

Nothing could be more scholarly than the

as a School."
quiet, lucid

lectures,

argument; and the merest

wisdom whereby the method

of

adapted with wonderful tact to the subtle,

mind

of

the

educated Bengali.

Beginning

with the burning question of political freedom, and arguing

that

it is

useless until

moral freedom has been

the Lecturer likens the training of

The

first

life to

lesson to be learned therein

is

first

that of a school.

the recognition of

individual responsibility to God, and the teacher

science.

Then

follows a masterly piece

obtained,

of

is

Con-

psychological

analysis, wherein is vindicated the authority of Conscience


FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.
as a primary and ultimate faculty which

139

makes uncondi-

tional claim to rule all other powers of the soul.

ously

is

combated the doctrine

of fatalism as

Strenu-

making moral

freedom impossible, and the tendency of the caste system

destroy the sense of personal responsibility

to

and

fearlessly touched upon.

Much more

reasoned Christian philosophy, and

the

there

is

gently
well-

is of

lecture

ends

on

this wise:

"Do
to

not think that

make you

we

No

Christians.

consciences that they

may

come

Christian missionaries have

;

but we come to arouse your

bring you to Christ.

If

any num-

ber of you were to become Christians from interested motives,

that would be no happiness to us or to our Master.

That

you may be true Christians some day I pray and long

above

all I

long

the light that

is

now

man

that cometh into the world."

lecture is followed

by a short Service, the few

Christians present coming forward to join in

the others staying in their places to

listen.

they forthwith seize the opportunity to ask

some questions they can think

was founded in 1880,

the educated Natives.
S.P.G-.),

ISTative

and many of
Then the trav-

it,

the rest of the Mission-house, and

ellers are invited to see

head, M.A. (of

but

be true men, true to

in you, the light of Conscience, the Light

that lighteth every

The

may

that you

its

of.

all

the trouble-

The Mission,

chief object being to

Its Superior is the

it

seems,

work among

Eev. H. AVhite-

who, like this evening's lecturer,

late scholar of Trinity College, Oxford.

is

Five other Priests

(all Oxford M.A.'s) are working under him, and there are
three " lay brothers " as well. Every day after 3 p.m. some

of the Missionaries are at

many
some

are the
of

them

home

educated Hindus

to receive inquirers

who

and

present themselves,

real seekers after truth, others coming, in the

AMONa THE

140

GODS.

showing

first

instance, rather with the purpose of

fine

English and their subtle powers of argument, and only

gradually to be

won from

off their

the display of captious dialectic to

the exercise of earnest inquiry.

Besides

only

is

this,

there

plenty of educational work

is

for not

there in connection with the Mission a boarding-

school for Native Christian boys, but the Superior has

now

undertaken, at the request of S.P.G., the direction of Bishop's

College, which, affiliated to the Calcutta University,

ing a sound general collegiate education, has for

and

giv-

its special

object that indispensable part of all sound Missionary effort,

the training of Native Clergy, Catechists, Schoolmasters, and

Eeaders.

This institution, with the schools attached to

contains 147 Native Christians, and the

most useful and important.

it is

doing

it,

is

It has twenty-one scholarships

for maintaining theological students

work

work

who

are preparing for

in the Mission-field.

Moreover the Oxford Missionaries are carrying on much

hopeful work

among the

dwellers in the melancholy Sunder-

unwholesome marshes about the mouth of the

Hugli, where for half the year all the country is floodedj
bans, those

so that one goes

boat that

is

from village to

sun pours down his merciless and

have

to go everywhere,

"Tollygunge and Sunderbans"

of

rudimentary

stifling heat.

catechumens

is

yet the Christians in the

district are

1484.

schools have been established,

and

and

3455, and the

Twenty

-five

mission

their scholars

already

number more than 700.

As for the rest of the Church-work
spite of all difficulties

Missionaries

but theirs are the only white faces

that haunt those dismal regions

number

village in a

the hollowed trunk of a tree, while the tropical

in Calcutta,

anxieties, living

it is,

in

and prospering.

"

FROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.

The educational part

of

many

to

schools are too

During
to gain

their stay in

specially vigorous,

is

it

141
and the

mention.
Calcutta the travellers endeavour

some general idea

Anglican Church

of

work

in

Bengal, studying especially the doings of the Society for

the Propagation of the Gospel.

"Whereupon they become

aware that in Bengal (including Chota Nagpur) the Society

now ^

is

at

work

in 632 native villages, and has established

85 mission schools wherein are being educated 2468 pupils.

The two Bishops have working under them,

with the Society, 32 Clergy

in connection

20 are Natives) and

The Society has now

198 lay agents.

its

whom

(of

in connection with

Missions in this part of India 17,457 Christians, of

whom

8243 are Communicants.

But our
cheerful

friends have not long time

objects

again into the

of

to

spend on such

study; soon they are plunging back

murky atmosphere

of heathenism,

and devot-

ing a morning to a visit to one of the burning ghats by

the Eiver, where the Hindus burn their dead,
fear
" the

and mourning, where, as

colour of the

smoke

place of

saith the ancient scripture,

trails

from the funeral

piles

spreadeth gloom over the regions of the sky, and where

the night-roaming demons are joyful through the delight
carrion."^

Truly a forcible similitude

of

tasting

of

the precept of old which saith, "

man

truth should be avoided even as a burning ground

To

this particular

average, twenty

four

is

that

destitute of
!

burning ground are brought, on an

bodies

day.

When

the

visitors

arrive no funerals are in progress, but the wood-fires are

burning in readiness.
the bodies of two
1

1892.

little

Presently a

man

children wrapped
"

appears carrying

up

in a bundle.

Markandeya Purdna.

Pargiter.

;!

AMONG THE

142
It

seems that in the case of such young children no kind

of funeral
is

GODS.

ceremony

is

The man who brings the bodies

used.

only a servant, and he proceeds to throw them on to

one of the
travellers'

fires as

though they were a couple of

The

logs.

thoughts wander away to the poor mother, not

allowed to come to the burning ghat, but sitting at

with the consolation of believing her

little

home

ones to be safe

Yama, the Lord of Death, who sitteth

enthroned "surrounded by hundreds of deformed, horrible,
and crooked diseases, his mouth gaping with projecting
in the clutches of

teeth, his

But

countenance dreadful with frowns."

this shall not

be our last impression of Calcutta

Let us rather accompany our friends the travellers to the

beautiful gardens which

the Eiver a

little

stretch along

below the

do) the Botanical Gardens

is

city.

To

the right bank of

call

them

(as

absurdly incongruous.

they
It

painful and ridiculous to be obliged to refer to such

is

an

enchanted region of verdant delights by so hopelessly prosaic

an appellation.

These gardens are like that lovely place

"a pleasant and beautiful spot

wood Madhu, adorned with verdure and blossoms."'-

that Tareke found of old,

in the

They are

which

like that sacred grove

Eama

once beheld,

"fascinating beyond compare," wherein he "listened to the

copious, pleasure-inspiring, love-soft, beautifuli ear-delighting,

melodious songs poured forth from the mouth of the birds,

and saw the trees there loaded with the weight

of the fruit,

and bright with the blossoms of every season mango-trees

and hog-plums and pomegranates jujubes and almond-trees
citrons, jak-trees, and plantains
Palmira palms and cocoanuts, and dehghtsome bignonia-trees in blossom with lakes,
;

beautiful

and

placid,
^

crowded on
Sheeve Pouran.

all sides

Halhed.

with the lotus."

v.

<

"

"

"

PROM MADRAS TO CALCUTTA.

Wandering

random, the

at

143

find themselves

travellers

entering at length the deep forest-shade of that far-famed

banyan-tree, the largest they have ever seen, or ever will see.
Its vast corona covers

an acre

has a girth of 51

and nearly 200

feet,

trunk

of ground, the central

stems support

lesser

the mighty branches with their continuous roof of luxuriant

The

foliage.

tree

is

only one hundred years old;

seems by a metaphoric yet vital symbolism

As one wanders on

age-long growth.

but

to reflect

it

some

into the green depths

shadow, there comes over the mind a sense of some

of

fund

living

itself,

of

energy,

many

rest

a
;

new

its

for

ever drawing fresh

more distant sources; with many

roots

places, yet never losing in the multitude of off-

shoots the essential unity of

a Vine one has heard

of

from

birthplace

spreading farther

everywhere a home and

supplies from ever

in

ever

yet finding everywhere

birthplace,

of,

its

central

One thinks

life.

stretching out her branches

eastward to the far-off Eiver, and westward to the boundless sea

" Sebaste,"

says Philippa suddenly, "

who

is

it

'

whose

eyes are in the ends of the earth'?"

"

Ah,

eyes.
"

ago
"

well, it does not so

much matter about

It is the eyes of the mind, Philippa

And

the outside

where, pray, were the eyes of your mind a

moment

They were

far

beyond the ends

of the earth, at all events.

They were in the world of symbolic truth, Philippa."

" Indeed
And what symbolic truth does the banyan!

tree elucidate

"For one
of travel

thing, methinks it sets forth the true spirit

not that dissipated cosmopolitanism which seems

to leave part of the

mind

in every place

it visits

until there

""

'!

AMONG THE

144
nothing

is

lection

left

GODS.

but a mindless gulf

only with a col-

filled

multitudinous impressions, but the spirit that

of

takes all impressions into

own

its

and that has the

unity,

patience to stay in each place long enough to pierce through

down

the varying outer crust and get

vital truth

which underlies

"What

to the

was leaving by

American gentleman who

He had

the Oxford Mission

It

He had

I did not ask

;

knew

makes me quite

sat

should have

me

next to

arrived the day before, and

last night's train.

that was necessary.'

it.

You

a nice long sermon, Sebaste!

it

at dinner last night.

of

to that substratum of

the multitude of superficial

appearances

preached

all

seen,

he

said,

'

him what he thought

all

of

that he had never even heard

restless only to think of

him

we have been half an hour under the banyanDon't you think we have seen all that is necessary

Father dear,
tree

by

this

'

time

Whereupon our

friends

ful collection of orchids,

many of which seem

move away

to seek out a

an assemblage

to subsist

wonder-

of exquisite

on nothing but

air,

blooms

and well

they may, for assuredly they are far too ethereally delicate
for

any more earthly

Then the

food.

travellers

wander back toward the entrance

through vistas and groves of palm-trees

and

as they go

they talk with eager hope of Darjiling and the Himalaya.

145

CHAPTER

X.

DAEJILING.

In a hot and glowing afternoon the

travellers set forth

the northward journey to Darjiling perched' high

Himalayan snow-peaks 367 miles away.

train speeds

ghde

past,

on

among

For a while, as the

onward, the smooth, green plains of Bengal

with lovely groups of trees and palm-thatehed

native cottages

lit

up hy the mellow radiance

of the softly

westering sun; but too soon the swift darkness blots

all

things from \i&yr, and the travellers have nothing but stars
to look at until, about 8

P.ii.,

they arrive at Damukdiya on

the southern bank of the Ganges.

The Eiver here

rent

is

is

nearly three miles broad, and the cur-

so strong that the steamer

di'tour up-stream,

must make a considerable

Wherefore the wan-

which takes time.

derers hope that this, their

first

introduction to the

main

stream of holy Ganges, wUl be no hurried meeting, but a

peaceful gliding over calm and starlit waters, with time for

much

exalted musing, for the telling of Ganga's ancient

dreams

Indian poets in days

legends,

and

of old.

Is not this the River in whose pure waters the seven

for recalling the

of

Sages " practise the exercises of austerity," ^ wreathing their

1

Vishnu Purana.

Wilson.

AMONG THE

146

GODS.

Nay, are

braided locks with her swiftly flowing streams?

who

there not some

how

tell

desired, seen, touched,

of,

bathed in or hymned day by day,

sanctifies all things," so that " those

of a

"heard

this sacred Eiver,

who, even at a distance

hundred leagues, exclaim 'Ganga! Ganga

!'

atone for

the sins committed during three previous lives;" and

how

from the mountain Meru she takes her divided way, flowing
forth to the four quarters of the earth to accomplish its
purification

"With expectant minds

filled

with such dreamy fragments

and hasten

of legendary lore, the travellers leave their train

on board the

To

boat.

find that

it

is

a shock to the poetic mind; but, as

itself

mortifying enough,

the deck has

been

a steamer
if

this

roofed

of

is

were not
over

and

screened round with ridiculous, impertinent, idiotic awnings

through which not one ray of starlight can penetrate.

apartment thus formed

middle of

round

this

it

is

a dinner-table.

It

last odious object the

The

illuminated, and in the

is artificially
is

pitiful,

but true, that

travellers are obliged to

dispose themselves, and (chained to their seats

by courtesy

to

the other passengers) to remain in that humiliating position

during the whole of the transit, while course succeeds to

course in an unfeeling and despicable

manner

Ghat, the northern landing-place,

reached.

is

until the Sara

"Whereupon

our friends must hurry to the train that awaits them, bestow

themselves on shelves therein, and go rattling and bumping

away through the plains of Upper Bengal.

But if the night is dark and noisy, the morning brings
dewy freshness and a glory of golden light. Gladly awaking from uneasy slumbers, our friends alight at Siliguri for
rest

and cKota

hazri.

Then, wandering forth, they find

themselves in the very presence of the mighty heights of

147

DAEJILING.
Himalaya.

Around

still

the rich, green plains, the

lie

smooth, low -lying level broken only by luxuriant groups

from that sea of

of tiifted vegetation; but rising abruptly

verdure, towering far overhead in stupendous masses and

peaks, yet clothed to the very summits with dense tangles

of jungle-forest, the great outer spurs of the range rise far

above and beyond the

flight of

puny words. Yet

these lesser

giants do but nestle at the feet of Kinchinjanga's shining

whose vast snow-fields

heights,

lie far, far

Though our

of the clear blue sky.

above in the heart

friends

may now

almost

be compared with Nared, that ancient worthy who "traversed " of old " with the foot of curiosity the surface of
the earth ";^ yet in all their wanderings they

seen the

To stand on a

like.

flat,

feet above the level of the sea,

all

have never

unbroken plain but 300

and thence

up

to lift

one's

eyes to a great mountain-summit whose snow-fields are

shining in the morning sunlight at a height of more than

28,000

feet, is

not a frequent incident of

life,

or one to be

lightly forgotten.

One is

astonished no longer at the wildness of those ancient

legends that cluster round the mighty Himalaya

him

chal," as they called

of old.

"Hima-

Benign and amiable he

always was, but never seemed his countenance so kindly or so

venerable as on that festal day long, long ago
his

lovely daughter, was wedded

the "compilation of

all

perfections."

their wives

all

ments, to wait upon Siva " the bridegroom.

with

Prom

great

mar-

Halhed's ' Sheeve Pourau.'

and

fine gar-

And when

Siva,

was yet

at a

all the multitude of his lordly train,

'

for the

the other mountains and

children, arrayed in chains

and

Parvati,

Then did the

Himachal, "exerting himself in preparations

riage," "arrange himself with

when

to Siva the three-eyed lord,

AMONG THE

148

GODS.

mountain Gendemadher ^ was despatched

distance, "the

meet him, and Himachal himself

;
arrival " but "

when

awaiting his

still

came nigh at hand, then

meet" the bridegroom, and
arms."
Siva had need to be

the procession

Himachal hastened forward

affectionately " took

sat

to

him

to

in his

a god, I fancy, to survive that giant embrace.

Eager to ascend into the piled-up heights that

and above them, the

travellers

set

rise before

forth on their further

journey by the so-called Himalayan railway, which should

rather be called a steam tramway, were

it

not that both

words are far too miserably commonplace to be used in connection with so exciting and so romantic a

The

rails are laid,

mode

of travelling.

on a 2-foot gauge, along the side

of the

wonderful mountain-road, said to be one of the finest in

the world, which was

Seated in an open

made

car,

at the cost of

6000 per

mile.

protected from the sun, but with

nothing to interrupt the glorious views, the travellers hurry

along toward the mighty wall of the mountains, speeding

through the verdant plain

of the Tarai,

where the morning

sunshine lights up the strange landscape so that

it is

a won-

Here and

there, springing high into the air like

forest-trees, spreading

abroad gigantic, fern-like fronds, the

der to see.

exquisite lines of their curving culms half hidden in the

depths of feathery

foliage, rise

boo, while often the eye

gorgeous trees

all

is

the luxuriant clumps of bam-

startled

by I know not what

ablaze with crowded blossoms of vivid

orange and crimson.

At

first

signs of

the rich soil

human

life

is

partially cultivated

are gone,

and the

selves entering on that wild tract of

but soon

travellers find

marshy jungle which

at the very foot of the stupendous mountain- chain.

^

This

is

Mr

Halhed's spelling, for which I

am

not responsible.

all

themlies

High

149

DAEJILING.
overhead wave the giant grasses, and

all

is

a marvellous

tangle of rankly luxuriant growth.

It is a rude

and uncouth

region,

where

roams

at large,

old, "

tigers

and elephants

such

live,

and the rhinoceros

a region as the wise

an impenetrable wilderness

and canes,

around

of tufts of grasses

full of

]Sr,rada

sought of

reeds and bamboos

and plants with hollow stems,

a wilderness that was very great, terrible, and fearful, wherein

serpents dwelt and jackals, and frogs and owls."

Therein

him down beneath a pipal-tree, and

" attaining to the summit of inaction, became drowned in the
flood of blessedness.''
But what happened to him after that,
if any desire to know, let him read thereof in that venerable
did Narada the wise

sit

"

poem, the Bhagavata,'

'

Suka, even as
tree of the

which

had been a

Law, a

Amrita " the

after

it

fruit

elixir of

earth from the lips of

fell to

fruit falling

from the productive

whereof the juice

life.

As

for

none other than

is

me, I must hurry away

who

those troublesome travellers of mine,

are

now

plunging deep into the shadows of the primeval forest that

wraps in sombre

stillness the steepest mountain-slopes.

Fostered by the great heat and by the heavy rains of

these eastern regions of the Himalaya, the jungle -growth
of the forests is a wild profusion of exuberant vegetation,

a mighty tangle of verdant

dullest

mind with an

and exultation.
in the

life,

such as overwhelms the

ever-rising, irresistible tide of

wonder

Stately tree-ferns and wild bananas mingle

undergrowth's mazy pomp;

high into the golden

sunlight rise the thronging forest-trees, their stems clothed

with the dense mosses, the orchids, and other parasite plants
that love this

humid atmosphere;

the relentless scandent

trees grapple with the forest giants,

^

From

Burnouf.

'

Le

Bliftgavata

Purftna,'

and rear themselves

traduit

par M.

Eugfene

;;

AMONG THE

150

GODS.

them with relentless grasp, and

slowly strangle the very life that seemed so strong; while,
most wonderful of all, the mighty creepers twine themselves
in folds of living verdure about the larger trunks, and mount

up

beside them, and seize

upward

topmost branches, wrapping them deep in

to the

cloudlike shadow,

and descending thence in bright cascades

of rich and lovely blossoms.

Beautiful and delightful are the fair gardens of the earth,

wherein each stately plant stands free with spabe and

and sunshine enough

lovely

is

definite,

for full

air

and harmonious development

the order of art, wherein all things are distinct

and

with no secret mazes of intricate perplexity nor

We

ever a shadow of deepening mystery.

ful parks wherein

none can

lose his

love those peace-

way, the graceful group-

ings of chosen trees, and the smoothness of tended lawns

but oh
forests

who

cares to think of

Who

them

in the midst of primeval

would not rather choose

plunge into these

to

dim world

abysses of solemn shade, and lose himself in the

of the boundless jungle,

where from

tree to tree,

from thicket

to thicket, the giant trailing plants fling ever their tangled

wreaths; where

all

things are twined and massed together

into a profound, inextricable unity

where

tudinous growth seems stirring from

its

the wildness of buoyant and undivided

fair

poems

planted,

all

the multi-

inmost depths with

life ?

We

of the world, the thought-gardens that

with

their

all

and ordered groupings

grave

perfected and harmonious forms

poem must be from

love the

men have

but oh

the forest of the poet's

how

mind

of

different a

Carefully

and with loving zeal doth he labour, bringing out choice

plants to set
fectly develop

them each by
on

all sides,

itself

where

and where

but methinks, when his work

is

it

it may most permay best be seen

done, he will not linger long.

"

"

"

151

DABJILING.

but flinging wide the gate for the public to enter, will gladly
turn him back again to wander away and away into the
lonely depths of that pathless forest whither

we may not

follow.
" Yes, I like that

somehow

of

so fond of quoting, Sebaste

weeds, such

" It

exclaims Philippa.

"

reminds

me

one of those old Indian similitudes that you are

is

'

Even

as a path overgrown with

the speech of the ignorant, which conveys no

certain meaning.'
"

My

dears," says Irene hurriedly, " do, pray, observe

quickly

we

In every seven miles we

are mounting.

more than 1000

"The making

how
rise

feet."

of this railway is one of the greatest en-

gineering feats ever achieved," says Philippa didactically.

" Sebaste,

describe.

you should observe what extraordinary curves we

They think nothing at all here of curves with a

radius of only 70

Of course the wheels are constructed

feet.

on the bogie system, and turn under the

carriages."

"Yes, Philippa," says Sebaste submissively, "it

interesting
station.

" It is a device,"

level

it,

please

at

very

a reversing

answers Philippa, " for rising to a higher

where the slope

possible.

Here we are

and improving.

Will you expound

is

The engine

is

so steep as to

pulls

and pushes

make a curve imalternately,

and the

train describes a figure like the letter Z, the only difference

being

"

" Philippa, look at the

view

Indeed no one can help looking at

it.

The

travellers

have now reached a height whence they are able

to look

abroad over the mighty billows of the heaving jungle-sea,

away

to the

dim expanse

of the boundless plains lying far

below, and already shrouded in delicate haze through which

"

AMONG THE

152

GODS.

Every

gleams like silver the Mahanadi's winding stream.

moment the view grows broader and grander and more overwhelmingly wonderful. In an ever-increasing multitude the
great mountains assemble, gathering themselves together in
lordly companies, towering to greater
as their

and yet greater height

stupendous slopes are less foreshortened

while

slowly the vast plains sink down, and vanish out of sight.

Already the heat of the lowlands has given place to the

freshness

mountain

of

air

when

the travellers arrive at

Karseong, a Himalayan village perched, above a deep valley,

But

in close conjunction with a tea -plantation.

friends have ascended only a very little

the summit of

they

feel

peaks

Ben

ISTevis,

the lower skirts

feet higher

than

and very low down in the world

themselves to be as they gaze up to the snowy

Withdrawing thence

so far away.

still

them on nearer

fix

way

Here they are only 466

of the mountains.

our

still

things, they are struck

The type

looks of the Natives.

mistakably Mongolian,
faces of the plains.

of

their eyes to

by the

countenance

altered

now un-

is

a wonderful change from the solemn

So

many are

the hill-tribes which haunt

these heights of British Sikim that our friends are fairly

Most numerous, perhaps, are the Bhuteas.

One might suppose from their name," remarks Philippa,

bewildered.
"
"

that they all

came from Bhutan

are called Bhatanese,

but the natives of Bhutan

distinction that

must be

carefully

borne in mind."
"

Well, Philippa, where do they come from, then

"

Some

also

of

them come from Bhutan, but many

Tibet,

and some

live here in Sikim.

little

more time

to study, Sebaste,

If

you were

from

to give a

you would not need

to

be a walking question-mark."

The Bhutea men wear

their hair in long pigtails;

and

their

153

DARJILING.
flat faces,

cocked eyebrows, and oblique,

furbher reminders that China

is

not far

off.

Their turned-up

have an unmistakably Chinese

caps, moreover,

eyes are

slit -like

and so

air,

have their thick-soled shoes conjoined with leggings, which

a delectable patchwork of green and scarlet and

last are

The

blue.

garment

rest of their attire is a full blouse-like

gathered in at the waist with a hidden girdle, and reaching

as far as the knee.

As

for

the women, they are wild -looking indeed, but

undoubtedly picturesque.

handsome were

Their faces would often be very

not for the thick, red -brown pigment

it

wherewith they relentlessly adorn them.

tection

from the cold

It

may

be a pro-

but on the whole I incline rather to

regard the custom as a necessary concession to fashion

for

these rude people of the mountains are in some things almost

as barbarous as certain less distant tribes.

Some

of their fashions, however, are in excellent taste,

notably the

way

in

which the women dispose

and in some

It is parted in the middle,

silky, black hair.

cases flows loose over the shoulders, but

in two long plaits,

their plentiful,

whUe round

beautiful silver coronet.

They

the head
all

is

is

always relieved

set

therein.

The

by some

delicate piece

large

charms are

carried.

and with

pendent earrings

specially admirable, and so are the beautiful

cases wherein

braided

and the most sordid

of Tibetan silver-work adorned with rare chasing

turquoises

is

sometimes worn a

carry their savings about

with them in the shape of ornaments

of threadbare robes

more often

The charms

little

are

silver

are various,

sometimes being the nail-parings of some one of the

"

Lamas,"

and Tibet.
Very noticeable are the strength and activity of the Bhutea
womankind. It is said that one Bhutea lady once carried
as the Buddhist priests call themselves in Sikim

AMONG THE

154
up on her

back, from the plains to Darjiling, an English

Our

grand piano.

visitor's

GODS.

travellers,

during their stay at

DarjiHng, will not have an opportunity of seeing the instru-

ment
any

but that

case,

is

no argument

for its non-existence

as an American gentleman once remarked,

great mistake to spoil a good story merely for

Soon the
struggling

travellers are again speeding

on

want

and in

" It is

of facts."

their way, still

upward with ever greater depths beneath them

of

Only by looking downward can

precipice-guarded valley.

they in any wise realise the heights to which they attain.

All around

memorial

still

flourish

the teeming masses of the im-

Where

in northern countries begin the

forest.

regions of perpetual snow,

are overflowed

still

the giant peaks and ridges

and overwhelmed by that troubled ocean

fathomless jungle

growth

still

of

the unfamiliar trees deck

themselves out in faery vesture of mosses and blossoming

creepers

far

still

above and beyond are the colder tracts of

scanty vegetation which border the dazzling snows.

The whole ascent

and the afternoon
at

is

to Darjiling takes about seven hours

wearing away when the travellers arrive

Ghoom, a quaint

little

native village set on a ridge 7372

Curiously the people assemble to gaze on the

feet high.

white-faced visitors.

wonderful group they make, those

shaggy mountaineers.; but most wonderful of them

aged Bhutea lady

have ever

seen.

the most striking old

Her wild

as to be a marvel to see,

appearance.

She

is

and she weareth a multitude

known

assuredly most uncanny.

travellers,
it is

an

locks are tangled and knotted so

charms and other mysterious things

is

all is

lady our travellers

of

of curious

and magical

as the

Witch

Ghoom, and

She

specially polite to our

is

of

and entertains them with much discourse which

a pity they cannot understand.

155

DARJILING.
Thence the journey continues

more

for four miles

to the

scarcely less exalted Darjiling, a cheerful collection of scattered houses with an English church presiding, all brightly

up by the pleasant afternoon sunshine.

lit

No

sooner have

our friends arrived than they are pounced upon by pig-tailed

assisted

coolies,

each into a rickshaw, and pulled up the

narrow footpaths that lead

to their novel abode.

lightful lodging-place they find

it,

and other hunters'

spoils

de-

in the court whereof are

displayed for sale a collection of leopard-skins,

bears,

little stuffed

from the neighbourhood.

After sunset these curiosities vanish, and in their place comes

a company of live jackals,

who

Our

long night through.

yelp and wliine and wail the

travellers feel

much

flattered at

being thus assiduously serenaded.

More

strange and bright are the days spent in Darjiling

than days that children dream

of.

To

while so far above the ordinary world,

remembered.
range

The view from Darjiling

even a

little

a delight to be long

of the

Kinchinjanga

perhaps the grandest on earth, and never will our

is

travellers forget the sight to

which they awake on the morn-

All transfigured by the morning

ing after their arrival.

light,

live for
is

the mighty, forest-clad moimtains tower up from the

depths range beyond range,

to stand out agtiinst a

till

the last gigantic ridge seems

background of

yet above and beyond,

far, far

soft

and hazy sky.

removed from

But

earth, shine

forth from the midst of the sunlit heavens the radiant snow-

clad heights.

They

are forty-five miles away, yet, though

^iewed from a height of 7200

head and

to

dominate

all

feet,

they seem to tower over-

the world.

Floating on shadowy

haze, islanded in the blue depths of the cloudless, northern

sky,

and

reflecting

rise light,

from vast

fields of

they belong not at

snow the glowing sun-

all to this

dim world

of ours.

AMONG THE

156

GODS.

Exalted and pure and perfect as some momentary cloudland

glory, yet are they steadfast

beneath our

beyond

all

But the

how

shall

like some dream of

delightful expeditions

we

ever relate

On

ground

ideal longing realised

which the

them

travellers achieve,

and merrily

as brightly

these precipitous mountain-ridges

for roads or carriages,

winding.

as the very

hope, found true and unchangeable for pver.

they deserve

room

feet,

and strong

and the paths are narrow and

Walking would be pleasant enough, but the

is at first difficult to

violent exercise, becomes panting pure and simple.

'

off,

as,

in

Where-

have recourse to some amiable Tibetan

who

horses, sprightly little creatures

be

air

breathe, being so rare that one cannot

obtain enough oxygen without such rapid respiration

fore our friends

as

no

is

are always ready to

and who, being well accustomed

to mountaineering,

trot gaily along the edges of the precipices with never a

start or a stumble.

To

rise before the sun, and,

steeds, to fare forth

and away

mounting one

of these willing

in the first flush of the day-

break among Himalayan heights and depths,

such

joys

what pen can describe ? The mountain-air is pure and keen,

the mountain -path winds onward through forests of magnolias and rhododendrons and Himalayan oak-trees, where
he dews lie thick on the trailing plants and the delicate
ferns
shine,

and mosses.

and beneath

and yawning

Far overhead the changeless snow-peaks

one's feet lie the

valleys.

are said to be,

From 5000

and the eye

is

awful and mysterious depths.

the Himalaya

any one

dim abysses
to

6000

of the vast

feet

deep they

scarcely able to fathom their

There are

great dislocations

many

valleys in

of the earth's crust

into

of which, as saith a great authority of scientific

and

sober mind, the whole of the Alps might be cast " without

157

DAEJILING.

producing any result that would be discernible at a distance of

Well doth that same authority lament

ten or fifteen miles."

that for these great things

and that in writing

of

we have

only

But

if

and

little

valley, of range

how

stir

for

words to

Humiliating

that so merely relative a thing as size

?)

be in

to

giants of Europe,

the immensity of Darjiling

scenery affects our travellers' minds.

be should so deeply

to use,

and spur and ridge

mere dimensions even are too much

express, far less can be told

not

words

Himalayan mountains we must needs,

even as though our subject were the

talk only of peak

little

our feelings,

(is

it

must assuredly

that what would seem

nothing in the world should overwhelm our

itself

very souls, so that, as the eye springs up to the radiant

down and away

heights or plunges

mind

beneath, the

is

a struggling, exultant joy.

pressions in

some sense

a landscape,

is it

an eye to see
page

who

as

reads

ink should

it.

relative

what we

The beauty

it ?

Nay, surely

and (by means

not,

of the material

How

affect

lifeless

The beauty we

and stones
call light

of a

poem,

medium)

see in

Is there

any

except there be

is it

in the printed

in the

mind

of

him

humiliating that paper and liaes of

Nay, rather how

miud behind them. Only
the cosmic writing is made up of such

our hearts so strongly

us not think that

mean and

our im-

all

but rather in the author's thought,

convincing a proof that there

let

But then are not

of its stocks

such phenomenon

shadowy depths

to the

perturbed with wondering awe and

is

symbols as these conventional alphabets of

ours, symbols that have no essential or vital connection with

that wliich they mechanically symbolise

"Sebaste, take care!

You wiU be down

Your pony v:ill always walk with one

"Philippa, I can't help my pony!

the precipice!

foot over the edge."

He

is far

more

to

AMONG THE

158

my mind

than the majority of

"

"

who go

jogging

GODS.

human

beings,

along in the ready-made paths and keep always to the

middle of the way."

My

"

dear," says Irene gently, " try to tell us calmly

you object

human

to in

"

They are ungrateful, Irene, and

They will not recognise the vitality
it like

a living thing.

as we do

It is

of the world or treat

bad enough

upon books

to look

hew our thoughts from, nor ever to

human spirits behind them but surely

realise that there are

a thousand times worse so to treat Nature

it is

and stupid

irreverent

use them, as ancient temples have been used,

^to

as mere quarries to

strange

what

beings."

how men

tiful scenery,

will criticise

itself.

It is

and pass judgment on beau-

nor ever dream of the eternal Spirit behind

infinitely transcending all glorious self-expressions, yet

it,

through them reaching out to our

"

So that

is

more

would not
this

carefully,

strike

" If

you were

to

read your Keble a

perhaps the originality of your ideas

you so

forcibly.

Don't interrupt me,

But that

is

way with

the

"

younger generation

" "Why, Philippa, are

"

we may know

your new and untrodden path, Sebaste

exclaims Philippa.
little

spirits that

"

and love and worship

you

my

my

grandmother, then

was about to point out

the persistency with which the young people of the present
day are accustomed to dress up old truths in the newest
dear.

possible fashions, and then to trot

them out

as their

own

inventions, being led thereto

fear of ortho-

doxy, such a weak desire

as passes

by such a morbid
to seem original,

my

understanding."

"My

dears," says the Father,

"the ascent of Senchal

scarcely a fitting occasion for acrimonious discussions."

is

159

DARJILING.
Indeed

it is

The

not.

travellers

have reached the summit

8163 feet, look northward and eastward over the massive ranges of Sikim and
Nipal, and upward toward the frozen snows of Everest's farat length, and, standing at a height of

Surely through

ofF peak.

shadow may reach

of cloud is drawn.

whereon no
whereof
the

may

number

yet between our

Wistfully and long do they wait,

if

man may

ever tread, but the height

hath notwithstanding measured, pronouncing

of feet therein to

be 29,002.

But

Everest be

if

the highest peak in the world, he exceeds

by only 846

the majestic Kinchinjanga, who, being so

much

British Sikim,

is

Yet even as our

glorious heights have receded,

feet

nearer to

a far greater and grander feature in

Senchal's panorama.

is rising

per-

catch one glimpse of that rounded summit

foot of

man

the day no mist or haze or

all

shining crown

and those ever-sunlit snow-fields a curtain

travellers' eyes

chance they

his

Mount

travellers gaze, his

and swiftly the mountain-haze

and spreading abroad, blotting out

all

the varying

hues of the vast landscape with one uniform, transparent

tint, till

the great mountain-ranges are all one sea of watery

blue, rolling in liquid masses

travellers stand

mighty

toward the rock whereon the

waves, tossing up their crests to

heaven, as though they would overwhelm the sohd land

and sweep the world away.

Wild fancies are apt to haunt the mind while it is stiU in
the strange commotion stirred up by the first amazing glimpse
of

Himalayan scenery

but

let it

not be thought that these

fanciful travellers of ours spend all their time in dreaming.

Exhorted by the inexorable PhUippa, they repair

weekly market held in DarjiHng (whereto the

tribes flock

their

to

many

the
lull-

from many miles around), and there improve

minds by ethnologic

studies.

There are pig -tailed

AMONG THE

160

GODS.

Lepchas and hardy Nipalese, and Limboes and Bhuteas

beside,

and

know not how many

more.

It is impressive

Bhutea woman come trudging down the

to see a strong

mountain - paths, carrying her market produce in a great

funnel-shaped basket which, resting on the back of
bearer, is kept in position

And

across her forehead.

days

is

by a band

many

woven

its

grass passed

the jewellery they wear on market

astonishing to behold,

other delights too

of

for

great

me

necklaces of gold, and

to describe.

Here, too, our friends become familiar with the sight of

those Buddhist prayer-wheels which hitherto they have but

vaguely heard

Now

of.

a prayer-wheel

of a metal cylinder revolving at the

Within

is

end

commonly
wooden

of a

a roll of manuscript, and without

As

mystic formula.

the

is

consists

handle.

engraved a

cylinder revolves, the words,

it

would seem, are by some mysterious centAfugal force projected into space, to the great advantage of all concerned.

Among

the busy groups of marketers moves an aged Bhutea

lady, who, twirling her prayer- wheel over their grateful heads,

many an

earns

method

this

Very convenient must be

saying prayers by proxy, with never a

honest copper.

of

moment's interruption

On
little

an

of pressing

another day our friends climb

worldly business.

down the mountain

affable red-robed

much

Lama.

cheerful race are the Lamas,

given to trumpeting on dead men's thigh-bones and

performing in musical wise on drums which are

skulls.

human

This particular gentleman has under his charge at

the temple

10

to a

Buddhist temple where they are politely received by

many

feet high,

Near each hangs a

a stick which maketh the

painted thereon.

wheel projects

prayer-wheels of wood, some of them 8 or

with large and mysterious

bell,

letters

piously

and from the

bell to ring at every

161

DARJILINa.
revolution.

And

chants aloud, "

each time the bell

Om

is

struck the

Lama

Mani padme hum," which meaneth

literally, "

the learned aver) ostensibly and

(so

Ah, the jewel

is

in the lotus " but intrinsically and symbolically (though

one might not think

it),

"The

Kosmos."

(so

our travellers are assured) such

In Tibet

self-creative force is in the

wheels take the form of water-mills, and windmills also

there are for the meritorious grinding of prayers.

Hard by

this

same temple the

Now

sacred trees of the law.

bamboo whereunto
silk,

"

and on the

Om

Buddhist lore thus

erections

One

same magical words,

turned towards heaven,

it

a prayer which brings

down

counts as

he,

flags

it

are

six syllables' are

a prayer were uttered

upon the

was put up, but

also

upon

the whole country-side."

the last day at Darjiling, and the last

expedition must be made.

" to

if

" the

blessings not only

pious devotee at wliose expense

on

purpose of these very

Whenever," saith

blown open by the wind, and 'the holy

At length comes

some

a staff of

of our greatest authorities

sets forth the

"

is

attached as a flag a length of cotton or

is

flag are inscribed those

Mani padme hum."

curious

travellers contemplate

a tree of the law

"

We

will go," say our travellers,

the top of Tiger Hill."

A hill it calls itself advisedly, for it is but 851-4

and the mountains hereabout are very

feet high,

different things.

Early

our friends set forth, and merrily ride away through the
sparkling moi-ning dews.

Eeaching Senchal, they pass him

by, and so press gladly on to the farther and higher point.

As

they reach

it,

the snow-clad peaks to the northward are

stiU glowing in the early sunlight.

1

From Buddhism."
'

By

T. "W.

Ehys Dayids, M.A., Ph.D.

(S.P.C.K.)


AMONG THE

162
I

had meant

many mountain-legends

to tell so

among these stupendous heights

one/

stately mountain," saith

and

GODS.

"

and

of India

"

There

is

a fair and

its

name

is

Meru

stands, piercing the heavens with its aspiring

it

a mighty hill inaccessible even by the

human mind

should have liked to

And Mandar,

the

King

tell

despised, but

that story.

and Vindyachel who

of Mountains,

who by devout observance

lent height, so that the

But

these exalted regions the air

^so

far

tell

"

too,

was

of old

attained to an excel-

is

no,

too pure

it

may

In

not be.

and bright

for the

heavy and sickly exhalations of old Hindu mythology

dare not

mountain Sumeiru might never more

him

boast himself against

summit,

such vanities in face of those shining heights

away

in distance

and in unattainable

glory, yet

towering so high overhead that they seem to have drawn

near in their radiant might as though with a spiritual
presence.

Well hath Plato

whose sea

is

told us how, in that ideal world above us,

our misty

there are islands that

air,

lift

whose

air the glorious ether,

themselves out of our grosser

atmosphere into transcendental light

stately cadences

But even

seem not majestic enough

for the

Plato's

unim-

aginable heights, the solemn abysses, of Himalayan scenery.

Such grandeur no words can reach, unless

ancient Psalm of ours

it

be those of that

" In His hand are

The

tlie

deep places of the earth

is His also."

strength of the hills

But already the mountain - slopes are overwhelmed in

For a little while the shining peaks
on high seem floating hither and thither above the heaving
billowy seas of cloud.

Wilkins,

'

Episode from the Mahabharata,' quoted by Foley.

163

DAEJILING.
surface, then slowly they sink

and vanish, away from mortal

ken.

Next morning Darjiling itself is deeply wrapped in mist,

and sadly our friends set forth to journey back to Calcutta.
Through the day they descend, gliding and rushing and
plunging downward with a swiftness and an impetus that
"It makes one

are delightfully exhilarating.

feel,"

says

Sebaste sentimentally, "like one of the heavenly bodies."

Soon the clouds are

warmer and

still

above, and the sunshine glows

left far

Wraps

more warm.

one, until at last the hot,

heavy

are

thrown

air of the plains

off

one by

has closed

in overhead, and our travellers arrive at evening in beautiful Siliguri.

All the night they travel

southward over the plains,

reaching the Ganges' northern bank in that strange " interval

between day and night " wherein, as the ancient legends

"the

terrific fiends called

sun."

sky

Still

Mandehas attempt to devour the

fill the dome of the deep-blue

the glittering stars

awnings and dinners are happily absent

tell,

and, as the

travellers glide from the bank over the unruffled expanse of

water, they

may

star-gaze as

much

strange astronomic lore wherewith

how

as they like, recalling the

Hindu

scriptures abound,

on Dhruva, the pivot of the atmosphere, the seven

great planets

rest,

and how

the celestial luminaries are

all

bound by aerial cords to the steadfast polar star.

But soon the stars grow dim, and red in the eastern sky
appears the sudden dawn. Above that rosy glow the crescent

moon

one more

is gliding,

and our

travellers

quaint Indian legend,

down from

must needs repeat

Ganga flowed

how, when

heaven, she encompassed the orb of the moon,

who, bathed by her holy stream, hath thence derived her

lustre.

AMONG THE

164

GODS.

Ever more brightly the sunrise glows,

mirrowed in the Elver's glassy surface
southern bank

is

reached, all the world

its glories clearly

;

is

and before the

transfigured in

a flood of golden sunshine, a radiance of spiritual loveliness which to behold, methinks, might do the Materialists
good.

165

CHAPTEE XL
THE CITY OF FLOWERS.
After

return from Darjiling our romantic

their

travellers tarry not

Bihar, with
sites

and

its

its

many

minded

days in commonplace Calcutta.

treasured memories of the Buddha,

its

ancient

venerable traditions, attracts with an irresistible

spell their eager

and

restless minds.

So forth they fare at

evening, and begin their rapid journey to the capital of

ancient Magadha, the royal city of Pataliputra, which Alexander's conquering generals called Palibothra, and which has

long since descended from

its

former glories into unpretend-

ing Patna.

With

the

Buddha and

associated, for this

is

his teaching the city is intimately

that Patalig^ma where he tarried long

ago and taught in the village rest-house.

Great Decease^

had stayed

it is

written

as long as

In the Book of the

how "when

was convenient

the Blessed

at MlandS,,

One

he ad-

Ananda and said, Come, Ananda,

And when Ananda had anlet us go to Pataligama.' "
swered, " So be it, Lord," " the Blessed One proceeded with a
dressed the venerable

great

company

'

of brethren to P,talig,ma."

I
See 'Buddhist Suttas,' translated from
Sacred Books of the Bast.

PS,li

by

T.

And

" the dis-

W. Rhys

Davids.

"

AMONG THE

166

GODS.

Patalig^ma " heard of his coming, and they prepared

ciples at

him the rest-house, setting up therein a water-pot, and

And the Blessed One, when he had
fixing a lamp of oil.

for

his feet, " entered the hall,

washed

and took

his seat against

And

the centre pillar with his face towards the east.

brethren

after

also,

and took

washing their

their

seats

the

opposite

feet,

the

entered the hall,

Blessed

One against
Then the

the eastern wall, and facing towards the west.

One addressed the

Blessed

nounced the discourse which

and the

evil-doer,
"

when

incited

P,taliglma disciples," and protells of

fivefold gain of

the Blessed

the fivefold loss of the

him who doeth

One had thus taught the

well.

So

disciples,

and

them and roused them, and gladdened them

far into

the night with religious discourse, he dismissed them, saying,

'

The night

is

far spent,

householders.

you to do what you deem most

'

fit.'

Even

It is
so.

time for

Lord

'

an-

swered the disciples of P,taligama, and they rose from

their seats,

him on

their right

At

thence."

and

and bowing to the Blessed One, and keeping

clear

vision,

thousands of

up very

as they passed him, they departed

surpassing

fairies

that

of

ordinary men, saw

haunting P,taligama.

early in the morning,

Among famous
this will

hand

that time "the Blessed One, with his great

and

said to

And

he rose

Ananda,

'.

places of residence and haunts of busy men,

become the

chief, the city of Patali-putta, a centre

for the interchange of all kinds of wares.'

All night, in an unpoetical railway train, the travellers

speed north-westward, and at early morning they arrive in
Patna's civil station, which calls itself Bankipur.

they find but one interesting thing

namely, the

Herein
far-famed

Golah, the acoustic properties of which extraordinary build-

THE CITY OF FLOWERS.

167

ing are probably more astonishing than those of any

in the world.
feet high,

but, as

at the base a circumference of

built in 1783,

and was intended

for a granary

The properties

thereof a permanent place of abode.

of the building as a whispering-gallery are

and appalling; but

cal

426

remained empty of grain, many ghosts have chosen

it

make

to

otlier

an enormous oval dome more than 90

and having

was

It

feet.

It is

it

is

something magi-

in the centre of the circular

space, beneath the apex of the giant dome, that the spirits

To stand there

do mostly congregate.

Golah has no windows to

Every word, however

experience.

in the dark (for the

light it) is a strange

repeated, here and

up by a hundred phantom voices and

there and far away, by
is

all

and awesome

softly uttered, is caught

the ghostly crowd.

Each

step

followed close by thronging footfalls of an invisible mul-

titude,

and

if

any one dare

be merry, the vast space

to

rings with a veritable tempest of unearthly and thunderous

laughter.

One mocking ghost

over his

about, repeating

itor

there

makes; and that one goblin voice

all

is

who

follows the vis-

shoulder every remark he

it is

which

dictates to

the others.

Emerging from the Golah's haunted gloom, the

drive awa}' to the city of Patna.

travellers

After the sordid squalor

of Calcutta's make-believe native quarters, it is delightful

among

to be plunging again

the animated crowds and the

vivid colours of a genuine native town.

bank

of the

Ganges

it lies, stretching,

a length of no less than fourteen miles.

Along the southern

with

its

suburbs, to

Through the

cipal street our travellers drive, gazing at the bright

unfamiliar scene with a half-incredulous wonder.

is

a Hindu

come

forth

feast,

in

and

festal

all

prin-

and

To-day

the dark-faced inhabitants have

array,

gladly mingling together on

AMONG THE

168

and thither perched hy twos and

foot or scudding hither

threes in swiftly moving

est of
is

GODS.

ehhas, those smallest

and quaint-

two-wheeled native carriages, which only to look at

The houses, moreover, and

refreshing.

picturesque "shops"

especially the

decorated

the bazaars, are gaily

of

may

with bright-hued garlands, so that well

the town be

called, as of old, Pataliputra, the City of Flowers.

But

presently, through all the glamour of the Present, the

Past begins to assert

and beneath the

bygone years.

itself

for this is

no mere modern

on the surface

light that plays

For a moment, as the

is

city,

a depth of

travellers gaze, the

when they

bright scene swims before their eyes, and,

see clearly, all things are wonderfully transformed.

again

Twenty-

two centuries have ebbed away, and present once more are

Maurya Dynasty.

the vanished days of the ancient

are the

modern houses, and in

temples such as

befit

Gone

their stead rise palaces

a royal city.

and

Curiously archaic in

form are the buildings, and, splendid though they

be,

they

are all and only of wood, for the days of building in stone

have scarcely begun in Magadha, or anywhere

else in India.

Instead of the modern bazaars with their humble lines of

shops, rise antique storehouses full to overflowing with all

the riches of the East, whose owners are yonder wealthy

merchants treading the streets with jewelled turbans and

robes of precious

stuffs.

Nor

is

there

now

wheels, but high on the backs of elephants

the rattling of

move through

the city in solemn state great nobles and mighty princes.

Truly a splendid race are these Maurya Kings of

old.

At

their head is seen the founder of the Dynasty, the powerful

Chandragupta,

who from

a far-extending empire, and

ancient Greeks,

we

325 reigned in Pataliputra over

B.C.

still call

whom,

after the

Sandracottus.

example

of the

But greater than

THE CITY OF FLOWERS.

he,

and emerging more

169

clearly into the light of history, arises

his grandson, the " Sovereign of Elephants," the

mighty Asoka,

beginning in 272

reign.

b.c.

his long

and prosperous

He

it

was who exalted Buddhism

land to

to a place of honour, maJdng the

"glitter" with the sheen of the Yellow Eobe; and

about the year 250 he held in the city of Pataliputra the

Buddhism
prevailed in India for nearly one thousand years.
The
legendary history of that great convocation, if any desire
to know, let him read it in " the fifth chapter of the Mahavansa, entitled The Third Convocation on Eeligion,' composed
third great Buddhist Council, and from that time

'

and

alike to delight

In

sacred book of the

tliat

tilings told of

"

afflict religious

men."

Mahdvansa

are

many

He

Asoka, the Lord of Chariots.

it

strange

was who

put to death one hundred brothers minus one," and there-

after reigned

need was

supreme over the land of Jambudipa.

then in Pataliputra

royal household

game

for the elk

also of their

own

to

game

snare

for

No
the

and the wild hog and winged

accord resorted continually to the

kitchens of the King, and there expired on purpose.

Asoka's

herdmen were tigers, and wild boars were liis shepherd-dogs.

The mystic Xagas, those mighty serpent-princes, brought
from the naga wilderness medicinal drugs to the great Eing's
court,

and

of the

sumana

"of the colour

fine clothes of seamless fabric,

flower."

great

company

of parrots also

waited on the King, bringing daily from the marshes of

Chaddanta 900,000 loads

regions.

And when

ai'my of mice

of the hiU-padi that

grows in those

the padi was brought to the city, an

received

it,

and they husked

it

daintily

without breaking the grains, so that there was rice enough

'

See

tlie

'

Mahavansa,' translated by G. Turnour, C.C.S., and L. C. Wijes-

inlia iludalij-ai-.

AMONG THE

170

GODS.

and

to spare for all the great King's household.

for

him laboured honey-making bees; "singing

delightful melody, repairing

He

of

bears worked with

of

in his arsenals.

was, saith Buddhist tradition,

it

birds

the monarch, sang sweet

and day by day a band

strains;"

hammers

to

"Willingly

who caused

to be

builded in the midst of the city that royal palace, those

mighty

which remained, long centuries

halls,

the wonder of

all

beholders.

human hands

gates no

after his time,

Their giant walls and massive

could have reared;

and the rich

them and the cunning work of inlaying

no mind of man hath devised. For Asoka was

carving that decked

were such as

very powerful, so that

many

spirits

obeyed him, and they, the

ancient legend avers, were the great King's skilful architects.

But

our friends wander in search

as

palace-towers, they suddenly are

of

Time

returning

is

travellers

back

till

those magic

made aware

that the tide

and already the rolling centuries have

engulfed the splendours of the

is

of

Maurya dynasty,

on which they stand

at length the shore

very near the 400th year of our

driving the

era.

Still

Buddhism

along the streets walk

reigns

supreme, and

monks

in their yellow robes, for there are monasteries in

Pataliputra that are

number
As the

of

monks

everywhere
"

very grand and beautiful," and the

in this one city

travellers gaze

is six

or seven hundred.

around them astonished and know-

ing not whither to turn, one of the yellow-robed brothers

approaches, and accosts
as

tenance
is

them with a

though he would be their guide.

light

angle,

is

his, like

and broad,

sign of kindly greeting,

No

bronze-hued coun-

the Indian faces around him.

his eyes are

and when he addresses the wondering

uses the Chinese tongue.

His face

narrow and inclined at an

travellers he

THE CITY OP FLOWERS.

"

I also," says he, "

putra, nor for

shadow

many

of a friend

the land of

Han

for the holy

Books

am

a stranger in this city of Patali-

my

days beside

I7l

am come

among

to search

of Discipline

shadow have

I seen the

hither as a pilgrim from

the Indian monasteries

and the Faithful

me

call

Fa-hien, the Illustrious Master of the Law."

The

travellers return his oriental salutation,

new

intrust themselves to their

You have done

"

well,"

at this present season;

he

and gladly

friend's learned guidance.

says, " to visit Pataliputra

for this

is

now

the eighth' day of the

second month, the yearly festival that the Believers keep

with

pomp and

great rejoicing.

venient place whence you

may

I will lead

behold,

if it

you

to a con-

be your pleasure,

the great Procession of Images."

So they follow him

far

through the populous

and

city,

them many things which, but for his

Hindostan, neither they nor the world would have

by the way he
visit to

tells

known.
"

This city," says he, " has long been obedient to the holy

teaching of the Buddha.

ascetics

of

In

this place

Herein have dwelt many holy

was the home

malidydna whose name was

of that great professor

He had much

Et1dha-s,mi.

wisdom, and an excellent discernment, and a good understanding in

him

all things.

greatly,

The King

of this

coimtry reverenced

and humbly did him honour, nor ever pre-

sumed, when he went to greet him, to seat himself beside

him.

And

hand

in his own, as soon as he let

it

made

haste and poured water upon

it to

here

is

if,

in his love and reverence, the

King took

cleanse

the place of which I spoke, and this

way

it.

See

'

Fa-hien's Travels,' traaislated

But

the pro-

cession will pass."

1

his

go the holy ascetic

by James Legge, M.A., LL.D.

AMONG THE

172

GODS.

Holding his begging-bowl with his

hand beneath a

left

fold of his yellow robe, Fa-hien lifts his bare right

arm and

points along the stately street, where the pageant

Surrounded by a crowd

approaching.

of

is

seen

eager devotees,

towering high overhead, a vast erection looms into view.

On

a four-wheeled car

it

stands, built

with bamboos tied together.

and has the form

high,

mountain

constructed

it is

many

in
its

is

of

for over the

wound white

is

a niche wherein
"

with the figure of a

bamboos

cloth of

and

silver

the sunshine.

round them

and

of

which

Kashmir painted
In each of

an image of the Buddha

sits

Bodhisattva

Other images there

attendance.

As

It is

hues with quaint and mystic designs.

four sides

of gold

in five storeys

more than twenty cubits

a Buddhist tope. It is a moving

gay colours,

of

up

"

standing in humble

combinations

are, brilliant

lapis-lazuli, flashing

and

glittering in

Over them hang gorgeous canopies, while

flutter

the great car

many-coloured silken streamers.

is

dragged slowly past, Fa-hien explains

to the wondering travellers the nature of the erection.

" It is upheld,"

he

says, "

by a king-post in the midst, with

poles and lances slanting from

as

you

see,

it,

and over aU

is

wrapped,

that silk-like cloth of hair."

Before the car, and after

it,

and around

ardent crowd, each dark face strangely

pression of enthusiastic devotion.

it,

presses an

up with an exThey come mostly from

lit

the surrounding country, and have but lately entered the city.

Many

of the

crowd are monks, and the rich golden hue

their sacred robes harmonises well with the

cMours

of

the laity's festal array.

more

of

brilliant

All the worshippers

carry in their hands fresh garlands of fragrant flowers;

sweet clouds of incense

car,

rise

and

float

around the moving

while full-voiced singers and skilful musicians

fill

all

THE CITY OF FLOWERS.

the air with the plaintive strains

of

173

weird and ancient

melodies.

So the

tall

by another
another,

till

all,

on

rolls

way, and

its

is

followed

and then by another, and yet

as vast as itself,

would seem
in

mountain

the wildly fantastic but dazzling procession

have no end.

to

There are some twenty cars

each different from the rest

and round them

all

the

eager crowd moves on, the strange music rises in rapture

and

falls in wistful

cadence, and the incense-cloud

more fragrant by the scent

As

of the countless blossoms.

the pageant slowly passes, the good Fa-hien explains

know; but

to the travellers such things as they desire to

when

the last great car rolls by, the sound of his voice

seems hollow and strange, the

dim, and, as the sunshine
as

made

is

though

its

falls

grow

lines of his kindly face

on his yellow robe,

it

seems

graceful folds were ready to melt in mist.

^Vith a shadowy gesture of farewell, he joins the moving

The numberless figui-es grow less distinct, the

music sounds faint and muffled, and all the rich and gorthrong.

geous

pageant

back in

sweeps with
flually

is

irresistible
it

blurred in a

our helpless travellers,

high and dry on the

Vanished

coloured

might the flowing tide

humdrum

haze.

Surging

of the centuries

till

it

casts

them

shore of the Present.

and they find they have

for ever is Patahputra,

relapsed at unawares into the town of modern Patna.

" It is

actually time for

dignantly, " and

tiffin

gathering.

We

and try

improve our minds!"

to

"

exclaims Philippa in-

we have spent the whole morning in woolmust visit the opium - factory to-morrow,

Accordingly our friends spend a long morning in that

interesting establishment, and

become acquainted with

all

the processes through which the juice of the poppy must


AMONG THE

174
pass before

it

is

GODS.
First they

ready to be sold as opium.

are introduced to the

Pwpawr album

opium -poppy
and behold the
it
itself

somniferum, as the botanists call

delicate

fork of metal wherewith the cultivator scratches the poppy-

heads of his plants to allow the juice to exude

then they

behold the great chatties full of the dark -brown opium

as

it

is

brought in from the country;

and

afterwards

they become initiated into the mysteries of testing and

cleaning and drying and packing.

dred years ago

Mr

chant, sketched out the process

is

But nearly three hun-

Finch, that worthy traveller and mer-

whereby the opium-drug

obtained; and his quaintly simple account of the matter

more

is

"

We

attractive than a long discourse.

passed," saith he, " through the pleasant

and

fertile

country of Malve, where there's also a vast deal of Opium.

They give the Heads of Poppies two or three scratches, from

whence distils a Tear, which at first is white, but afterwards congeal'd by the Cold, turns a reddish Colour
'tis

a great

for

deal of Pains

but

they bestow in this Business,

small Matter of Profit; for the Heads are small,

and drop

their Tears very sparingly."

175

CHAPTER

XII.

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TKEE.

The

city of Patna,

however

interesting, is regarded

friends the travellers as not ranch

by our

more than a stepping-

stone wliereby to reach that most famous and most interesting of all the sacred sites of the Buddhists

which

lies

sixty-four miles to the south of it; and soon they are de-

voting a long day's work to the visiting of

Buddha Gaya,

the place where, nearly twenty-five centuries ago, G-autama

attained to Buddhahood.

and driving by

Eising long before

as far as Gaya, the nearest point to the

wMch

is

light

starlight to the station, the travellers set

forth on the three hours' railway journey which

them

it

is

to bring

Bodhi Tree at

railways have liitherto arrived.

Trains axe sadly incongruous with the dreamy scenes of

must not be supposed that Indian railway

The broad
carriages are such odious objects as our own.
eves shading the windows from the sun, the longitudinal
arrangement of the seats, and many other small differences
the East.

Yet

it

of construction, combine to give

which might make them

them an unfamiliar

susceptible, in

of even poetical treatment.

Above

all,

air

competent hands,
the multitudinous

passengers are more than capable of puttiag to flight

all

AMONG THE

176
dull

and gloomy shadows

GODS.

The

commonplace.

of the sordid

Natives are great travellers, and the number of them which

can be packed into a single compartment

railway

officials

many

So

ing source of astonishment.

a never-end-

is

are they that

speak, in the aggregate.

To open the door

Natives of low degree

too

is

much

of a carriage for

trouble, and,

if

the door

Very

be locked, they must enter or leave by the window.

curious

is it,

hanging out

them)

the

do not individualise, but treat them, so to

when
of its

the train

approaching

is

a station, to see

windows the shoes (with brown

who intend

of the passengers

feet within

Natives of

to alight.

higher position receive, of course, far greater consideration;

and when secluded ladies

much

travel, there is

unavoidable

ceremony.

Most

delightful of all are the extraordinary scenes at the

stations,

where the platforms are crowded with strange

fig-

ures in stranger costumes, and dark faces with lustrous eyes,

framed in the resplendent hues

One might
turbans.

draw

colours

write a whole book on the beauties of Indian

notions of

Syria.

them

to themselves

delicate

on the other in a

and
far

varied,

down behind

in a graceful

derful thing about these Indian turbans

on their

coils

fashion, while

manner, protecting the neck from the sun.

brilliant

are finer, the

and the twisted

more imposing

the inner end of the stuff hangs

of the sunshine falls

who

costume from Algeria or

oriental

Here in India the textures

much more

piled one

cunningly twisted turbans.

Little can they picture

their

Egypt or

of

soft

is

The most wonthe

way

and intricate

hues where the sunbeams

rest,

the glow

folds,

the

the cool shadows

that nestle between, the magic and shifting lustre of tran^

sient reflected lights.

slightly tinted as to

Often the

fine

Indian muslin

is

so

seem white when unrolled; but when

"

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TREE.

the turban

is

deftly twisted

and

coral or soft
are,

177

coiled about the wearer's

head, then (like the petals of a half-blown rose)

its folds ac-

creamy yellow
moss-green, and many other rich

cumulate colour

;
!

or delicate purple, tender

hues there

but they have no names in the West.

Numberless and splendid as are the turbans which our

behold on this present railway journey, there

travellers

appears (at a station) one which outshines

an

all

the others,

exceptional and astonishing turban, which must be

more particularly described. It is of soft, rich Indian silk,

and the colour thereof is a glowing purple of wonderful depth and beauty.
It is twisted around the head that
wears

it

in piled-up folds of stately

but the purple

silk

and solemn splendour

has a narrow edging of gold,

brilliant thread of light that follows all those

ings in and out,

like a

now hidden away, now

^just

darting forth again,

sunbeam run mad.

" Ah," sighs Sebaste, as the train

moves

on, " there

an artistic principle involved in the folds of that turban

"A

one

mazy wreath-

poor sort of principle," says Philippa.

patience with those

methods,

who go

who mistake crooked ways

twisting and coiling

was
!

"I have no
for artistic

about, and can never

express with straightforward simplicity that which they desire to teach."

"

Nor have

I,"

exclaims Sebaste, firing up ; " and I have no

patience either with the wind or the trees or the rivers,

that waste their time in

ing noises

What

making such

useless,

murmur-

when they might be preaching us sermons.

a pity the birds don't sing in articulate language,

telling us

what

it

behoves us to do and to think, and

insist-

ing on what they have to teach until they oblige us to listen

What a pity the flowers don't turn round upon us and

"

178

"

AMONG THE

honestly

tell

would be

if

form

letters

"My

us our faults

and

"

GODS.

the stars were arranged

and words, and nice

verses of

"you

will

at,

leisure at

At present we

native

and those gleaming patches

rice-crops,

hymns

have

for rearranging the stars.

have more earthly things to look

it

over the sky so as to

all

little

says the Father,

dear,"

some other time

what a good thing

oh,

villages,

of white,

and

which are

the opium-poppies in flower."

So the train speeds on

way

its

until,

some three hours

after leaving Bankipur, our friends arrive at Gaya, the place

where Gautama

is

most astonishing

said to have practised for six years the

living

austerities,

hemp-seed and a single grain of

each day on a single

rice.

Here they

alight, and,

disposing themselves in a gharry, set forth on the seven

miles'

southward drive to Buddha Gaya and the Bodhi Tree.

" Philippa,"

you

all

exclaims Sebaste presently,

your views on Art

if

only, you will

with some of the Buddha's legends.

old Buddhist volume that
last

night

" It

" I

will

amuse us now

What was

you were studying

forgive

that dusty

so diligently

was the

"leastwise

travels

of

Hiuen Tsiang," says Philippa,

a translation of them."

And who was Hiuen Tsiang ?

" He was a Chinese Buddhist monk who
"

of the world a.d.

fuller

629

and he wrote

visited this part

his travels in a

much

and more business-like way than your stupid old friend

Fa-hien."
"

Dear Fa-hien

"

exclaims Sebaste sentimentally, " I shall

best.
He was such a kind, soft-hearted old
Do you remember how the tears filled his eyes when

always like him

boy.

he told us how long

Han?"

it

was since he had seen the land

of

"

"

THE TEMPLE OF THE

" All,

179

BOI)HI TREE.

know nothing about Hiuen Tsiang " says

" You should read what Chang Yueh has written
!

but you

Philippa.

about him

'
!

His

illustrious ancestors like fishes in the lake,

or as birds assembled before the wind, by their choice services in the world served to produce

...

illustrious descendant.

At

rosy as the evening vapours and round as the rising

The

description of his

ishing

and

yet,

when

an

result

their

as

his opening life

he was

moon

^
'

wisdom and learning is truly astonthe time came, he embarked in the

'

boat of humility and departed alone.'

" I

am

sure he was a terrible prig

say about

particular place,
'

Why

Buddha Gaya?

enlightened

'

But what has he to

Buddha come to this

choose this particular bo-tree to be

or

under

"Hiuen Tsiang

did

says that he

first

thought of obtaining

enlightenment on the top of the mountain Pragbodhi, but

by the mountain-deity, who was afraid of the

So the Buddha (he was only a
Bodhisattva as yet) descended the south-west slope; and
half-way down he came to a great stone chamber,' and sat

w^as dissuaded

consec[uences to himself.

'

him down

therein cross-legged.

And

another deity 'cried

out in space that this was not the place for him to perfect
'

'

supreme wisdom,' and directed him to go south-westward

he came to this pipal-tree. So B6dhisattva rose to de-

till

part; but a dear old dragon

greatly distressed, and said,

'

who dwelt

This cave

is

in that cave

was

pure and excellent.

Here you may accomplish the holy aim. Would that of your
exceeding love you would not leave me.' So Bodhisattva, to
appease the dragon's grief, left him his shadow,' and so deAnd long centuries after the Buddha had passed
parted.
'

away from
'

See

'

existence, his

Buddhist Records of

shadow
tlie

still

remained in the depth

Western World,' by Samuel Beal, B.A.

AMONG THE

180

But Bodhisattva went south-westward

of the mountain-cave.

he came to the Bodhi Tree

till

GODS.

and beneath

diamond throne, and there attained

to

he

it

sat

on a

Buddhahood."

Philippa's edifying discourse

the

gharry
comes to a stand, and the ancient temple of
&

the

But

this point

at

bo-tree

in

The

seen towering against the sky.

is

and handsome face

dignified

a native gentleman looks in upon

of

the travellers with a courteous greeting, and they are told,

in excellent English, that they are " all invited."

from their gharry, they perceive that some

Alighting

festivity is in

and that a far-spreading, gay-coloured canopy has

progress,

been erected as a protection from the sun

European

At the time

visitors.

for the benefit of

of our travellers' visit the

in the hands of

temple and the

site of

Hindu mahants,

a monastic college whose principal function

(if

report speak true)

The

chief mahant,

successor

is

is

still

the fleecing of Buddhist pilgrims.

seems, has lately died

and to-day his

being solemnly installed in his stead.

Eating their
lers

it

the bo-tree are

tiffin

in the shade of the canopy, the travel-

became acquainted with an

who speaks English with more

most Englishmen have

at their

affable Bengali barrister

ease

and

command.

they are strangers to the place, he

fluency

than

Perceiving that
to

offers

show them

the temple, and under his kindly guidance they valiantly

brave the noonday sun and set forth on

is

a towering pyramidal pile, massive

reaching a height of 160

higher

but the crowning

its

straight-lined,

feet.

It used to be considerably

Jcalas

has been worn away by the

weather, and presents but a deplorable vestige of

graceful proportions.

among Indian

It

exploration.

and

The temple

its

original

in its present form

is,

temples, absolutely unique, being a copy (as

the learned aver) of a vihara of nine storeys

and

it

was

"

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TEEE.

completed (as a Burmese inscription sets forth)
Buddhists from Burmah.

and the temple

tinguished

Amara

was only a

this

many

a.d.

1299

Brahman had

Asoka's, which

which

replaced a

earlier building

still

1880 the building has been again restored

Our

dis-

when

rebuilded that ancient vihara of

may have

dating from the times of the Enlightened himself.

80,000 rupees.

by-

restoration,

of the features

in the beginning of the sixth century,

it

the

But

retains

still

181

Since

at the cost of

travellers are not learned in architectural

technicalities, but, as they gaze

on the results

of this last

restoration, they find themselves instinctively

and involun-

How

the building

shuddering.

tarily

look

from that

now

different

does

and richly decorated vihara that

stately

Hiuen Tsiang beheld, a towering pile of " blue tiles covered

with chunam" having many " niches in the different storeys
filled

with " golden

With a

figures."

regretful sigh they enter the temple,

fronted, in its principal chamber,

of the

Buddha,

sitting

by a

state, various offerings are

hood, and over his head

Other chambers there

are con-

great gilded figure

enthroned in the somewhat painful

attitude of conventional meditation.

robe of

and

are,

is

He

is

adorned with a

placed in his neighbour-

suspended a votive umbrella.

and other

figures of

Buddha

but

the whole interior of the building has a sadly modernised

air,

and the

and begin

visitors soon

to

examine in

wander out again into the sunshine,

detail the

more

interesting exterior

features.

Along the temple's northern

of

masonry raised

the "round.

It is

side runs a

to a height of

50

feet long,

feet

and

narrow platform

above the surface of

is called,

as the affable

Here it was that

barrister remarks, Buddha's Promenade.
"the Blessed One," the "Storehouse of Virtue," having ob-

"

AMONG THE

182

GODS.

tained enlightenment and "realised the bliss of Nirvana,"

down

spent seven whole days walking up and

eastward and westward

foot are sculptured

and

in meditation,

where he

at the points

set his

ornaments of stone, commemorating those

miraculous blossoms which sprang up under his footsteps.

Passing along by the Promenade and coming round to the

north side of the temple, the travellers attain at length to

the

the Enlightenment

of

site

chosen by

itself,

"the steadfast spot

of the temple of sin,"

the place of the

overshadowed by that "monarch of the

ated Tree of

forests," the vener-

Wisdom.

The present
original pipal

down
Diamond Throne,

the Buddhas, the spot for the throwing

all

tree, alas

an

is

infantile,

but a puny descendant of the

inadequate thing that

From

disappointing to look upon.

very

is

branches hangs a

its

long strip of paper with strange characters written thereon.

This

is

somebody's horoscope suspended here that the sacred-

ness of the place

may

him whose

life it

sighs Sebaste, " that the real bo-tree

might

bring good fortune to

foreshadows.
" I

had hoped,"

be in existence.

still

At

least Fa-hien said that

'

in Central

India the cold and heat are so eqiially tempered that trees
will live in it for several

sand years

thousand and even for ten thou-

'

"Pa-hien was a credulous creature," say Philippa.

you wish

to hear the true story of the Enlightenment,

"If

you

should go to Hiuen Tsiang!"

"

But

I thought

under the
"
it

bo-tree,

Hiuen Tsiang spoke of a Diamond Throne

and I don't see one here."

No, you can't exactly

down

reaches
1

From Buddhist
'

see it,

for I don't

but

it is

there all right, and

know how many thousands

Birth Stories,' translated by T.

W. Khys

Davids.

of

"

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TREE.

miles, to the very limits of the

Golden "Wheel.

183

Only, toward

the end of the Age, 'when the true law dies out and dis-

and dust begin

appeai's, the eai'th

so tliat the throne

centre of the world

sat

no longer

is

the Buddhas

all

This place

is

the

who preceded Gautama

on this Diamond Throne to obtain enlightenment, and

so will all future

this

Buddhas

also.

'

When

throne also appeared,' and

shaken, this place alone

" But, Philippa,
of

to cover over this spot,'

visible.

Wisdom

thrones,

itself

is

'

when the

great earth

tell

us about the Tree

It is easier to believe in

and we have

its

is

unmoved.'

have you nothing to

the great earth arose,

than diamond

descendant to look at while you are

telling its history."

So Philippa

how

its

tells

many

things of the ancient bodhi-tree,

leaves "remained glistening and shining

year round without change," but used,

day came round, to wither and

a

moment

days, raised

to revive

fall

all

the

when the Nirvana-

on a sudden and then in

and how Asoka, in

his unbelieving

an army against the Tree, and cut through

its

and divided the trunk and chopped the branches small,

and ordered a fire- worshipping Brahman to burn them there
and then. Whereupon the Tree sprang up again in a night,
roots

and was never a whit the worse.

Then there is that strange legend to tell of the branch

was sent by the converted and pious Asoka to the farFor
ofl" land of Lanka, the same is Simhala and Ceylon.
that

Asoka, the Ruler of the World, collected much gold, and

caused to be

made

thereof a vase " nine cubits in circum-

ference, five cubits in depth,

and, in the rim of the

mouth, of the thickness of the trunk of a full-grown elephant";^ and he filled it with scented soil. Then, having
1

Prom

the

'

MahaTsnsa.'

AMONG THE

184

GODS.

caused the road from Pataliputra to the bo-tree " to be swept

and perfectly decorated," he came with more than a thousand

and

kings,

set the precious vase

And

Tree.

on a golden chair beside the

" using vermilion in a

golden pencil," he there-

with made a streak on the branch.

"

bo-branch

made " and

itself at

" rested

on the top

roots shot forth

from

its

forthwith the

of the vase."

And

a hundred

stem "like a network," and de-

scended into the fragrant

soil

the branch was firmly

till

whereupon the great earth quaked, "and, from the

planted,
fruit

And

the place where the streak was

severed

and leaves

of the bo-branch, brilliant rays of the six

primitive colours issuing forth, illuminated the whole uni-

Then the Euler

verse."

of

the World, the Delighter in

Donations, intrusted the great bo-branch to the Princess

Sanghamitta, his daughter, renowned and profoundly learned.

He

bestowed also eight vases of silver and eight vases of

And

gold wherewith to water the same.

embarked in a vessel on the

he caused

it to

be

Ganges together with

river

Sanghamitta his daughter and her eleven attendant nuns.

And
on

" departing out of his capital,"

its

way, marching with

all

his

he preceded that vessel

army through the

far-

reaching Vinjha Wilderness.

When

they came to the shore of the ocean, Asoka-raja

disembarked the great bo-branch, and made thereto with

devotion an offering of
it

with

" stood

all

his empire.

Then, having placed

attendants in the royal ship prepared for

its

it,

he

on the shore of the ocean with uplifted hands, and,

gazing on the departing bo-branch, shed tears in the bitterness of his grief.

branch,

own capital." But Sanghamitta, the pious

came with a happy and prosperous voyage to

" departed for his

Princess,

In the agony of parting with the bo-

weeping and lamenting in loud sobs," he

THE TEMPLE OE THE BODHI TREE.

185

Simhala, the Island of Gems. So the great bo-brauch was

planted at Anuradhapura, and to this day it is growing
there, the most ancient tree that we wot of.;

Such legends do the

noonday

travellers recall as they linger in the

around the Bodhi Tree and more especially

they remember the great scene of the far-famed Enlighten-

ment

silence

But that

itself.

story hath been told us of late years

in so poetic and idealised a form, that I

rehearse

as

it

hardly dare to

appears in the original legends.

It is one
thing to hear of spiritual conflict, of heroic virtue and

triumphant
scriptures

it

and another

holiness,

how G-autama

to read in the

down

"sat himself

legged position, firm and immovable,

as

in

Buddhist
a

cross-

welded with

if

a hundred thunderbolts,"

and how Mara came against him

mounted on his elephant named " Girded with Mountains "
that was 250 leagues in height, and with him a mighty host,
and hurled at him great mountains that changed, as they
reached his presence, into "bouquets of heavenly flowers,"
so that the

down on

mighty elephant

"

the "

or how, when
mind and memory," had

his knees in worship

Being," the " asylum of

Girded with Mountains "

;

fell

Great

at length

"
obtained enlightenment, " the ten thousand world-systems

shouted for joy, and "lotus-wreaths hung from the sky,"

while the great ocean became sweet
depths,

And
is

and the

rivers

down

to its profoundest

were stayed in their course.

already the business-like Philippa announces that

it

time to be moving on.

"

As we cannot

see the

Diamond Throne,"

says she, " let

us try to find that other seat of dignity, the Throne of the

Seven Gems.
the

It

is

not far from the bodhi-tree, and on

Buddha sat after he had

Hiuen Tsiang spealis

ment.'

'

it

arrived at complete Enlightenof it;

but he adds to his

"

AMONG THE

186

account the pathetic remark,

till

the present

'

GODS.

From

the time of the holy one

so long that the

is

gems have turned

to

stone.'

Before leaving the bodhi-tree the travellers admire, placed

in a niche

of

the temple wall just opposite the tree, a

venerated image of the Buddha which gleams brightly in

the sunlight by reason of the gold-leaf wherewith pious-

minded pilgrims

have

adorned

Then

it.

they wander

temple for the Throne

vaguely about, seeking near the

Seven Gems, and reluctantly coming at length to

of the

the conclusion that from the time of Hiuen Tsiang to the

present

is

so long that it has altogether disappeared.

But they

find,

for

their

consolation,

many

interesting

fragments of ancient Buddhist sculpture, including stone

Buddhas

innumerable,

many,

whereof

explains, have received the incongruous

Hindu

gods.

Most

as

the

names

barrister
of various

attractive of all are the remains of that

sculptured rail of stone wherewith

vihara which he had builded.

Asoka surrounded the

Fascinating indeed are the

sculptures thereof, for they are the earliest specimens

have of the

art in India,

and show

foreign influence whatever.

it

as yet untouched

Very prominent therein

we

by any
that

is

ancient and mysterious worship of Trees and Serpents, the

indigenous religion that Buddhism found and took to

itself

and assimilated.

Having viewed the world from the temple's

having

finally said farewell to the

courteous guide, the travellers betake

bouring

"

roof,

and

ancient pile and their

them

to the neigh-

College " of the Mahants, where, in honour of the

solemn occasion, a great feast

is

at present in progress.

As

they cross the outer court of the building they perceive that
preparations are being

made

therein for the State -durbar

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TREE.

which

will here be held to-night

A great

Mahant.

187

by the new-made Chief

canopy has been erected, and beneath

it

several dark figures are at work, like the attendants at Siva's

wedding, " spreading abroad the carpet of congratulation and

arranging the banquet of

bliss."

Making their way to the crowded inner court, the visitors

behold a wonderfully animated scene.
The roofs of the
surrounding buildings are crowded with oriental banqueters,
and,

they enter, they are surrounded by a crowd of

as

swarthy Mahants, who

all

wear the holy salmon-coloured

robe of their order, but show faces which look by no means

Farther than the entrance of this inner court the

holy.

travellers

may

not go

Mahant, they are

will go on eating

and,

when they ask

told that he has just

till

to see the Chief

begun

to eat,

an assertion which,

evening

hoped, need not be taken quite

and

it is to

be

literally.

Eetiring from this festive scene, the travellers drive back

to Gaya,

and seek out that older part

where

of the city

is

the famous Temple of Vishnu Pad, the honoured shrine of

the footprint of Vishnu, the lotus-eyed lord of the world.

Even

in a day devoted to Buddhist studies, a

nava sight-seeing

Buddha
Vishnu

is

little

not very incongruous; for

is

Vaish-

not the

recognised by Hinduism as the ninth avatar of

As they wander through

the temple precincts, the visitors

meet several sacred cows, who pass them softly by with a

sanctimonious air and presently they come upon a strange
;

scene which they will long hereafter remember.

white-haired

man

An

old,

has come to perform, for the benefit of the

souls of his ancestors, the solemn rite of sraddha.

acceptable to those venerated

^

^i^m

Sheere Pouran,

is this

Hallied,

Specially

offering

when

"

AMONG THE

188

GODS.

Long ago

duly made in the sacred city of Gaya.

it

was

written in the book of the illustrious Markandeya, " Flesh of

the rhinoceros,

turmeric and soma juice, and a sraddha

performed at Gaya, without doubt yield the fitris endless

This present hour, moreover,

satisfaction."

pitious; for in that

time of the waning

same book

moon

is

is

likewise pro-

written, "Just as the

it is

dearer to the pitris than that of

the waxing moon, so the afternoon pleases the pitris more

than the forenoon."

The old man has chosen

temple court a place,

in the

according to the ordinance, that hath neither been looked

by dogs nor scorched with

at
"

made hot with

He

fire,

and that hath not been

the words of enemies and wicked men."

has brought with him a number of

little

cakes of

rice,

which he places one by one on the pavement, sprinkling

each as he sets
sits

down with

it

a few drops of water,

written the names of those ancestors

by these sacred

"

each cake

is

who

are to be nourished

Over the ceremony

morsels of the pitris."

presides a handsome, bright -eyed

young Brahman, who,

that duty which the aged worshipper

is

Very sacred

long

life,

is

performing, and his

beneficent pitris will reward his devotion

"

as

sprinkled with the water, recites some mystic

formula in a monotonous rhythmic chant.

him

A friend

near him on the ground, holding a paper whereon are

by bestowing upon

wisdom, wealth, knowledge," and "final eman-

cipation from existence."

Slowly, with touching earnestness

and reverence, he goes on with the mysterious

rite,

absorbed to notice anything else; but the young

too deeply

Brahman

turns on the travellers his mocking, merry, black eyes, that

say more plainly than words could speak

the silly old fool

it,

"

Just look at

The Brahmans

of

Gaya, commonly called Gayawals, are

THE TEMPLE OF THE BODHI TEEE.

notorious for their unbounded rapacity.

189

Strictly do they

enforce that ancient Brahmanic maxim, "

Men

desired in the world, and whatever

is

hapless victims.

and

its

Year by year

Brahman

to a

are told of the

for the fleecing of their

to the sacred places of

neighbourhood come pilgrims whose number

and 200,000.

to be between 100,000

most

is

prized at home,

must one who hopes for immortality give

endowed with good qualities." Many stories
methods in use among the Gayawals

under-

of

standing must give gifts to Brahmans; whatever

Gaya

is

said

The Gayawals meet

the trains that bring them, and take the pilgrims in charge

and even

if

they be rich on their

arrival,

they are likely to

depart in poverty and deeply involved in debt.

the scene enacted
in holy

Gaya

when

Terrible

is

a wealthy sinner has come, seeking

to rid himself of his guilt.

wals gather round him, and

Then do the Gaya-

tie fast his

with a garland of sacred flowers.

trembling hands

Nor wUl they

loose

him

from that inviolable bond until, after many prayers and

unavailing lamentations, he has vowed away his gold.

With such

things as these in their minds, the travellers

are not disposed to give any smiling answer to the lustrous,

quick, dark eyes that, from this present Gayawal's face, so

merrily appeal for their sympathy.

Leaving the strange

the temple precincts

Little

till

shrine where Christians

group, they wander on through

they come to the door of that inmost

may

not enter.

Within

is

a depth

of baffling darkness; but, as they strain their eyes to see,

they at length discern, let into the chamber's pavement, that

sacred plate of silver which bears the print of Vishnu's lotusfoot that has

power

to save its devotees

from "the woes

wrought by the fear of existence." Seated on the pavement

around it are the dimly seen figiires of silent and motionless

AMONG THE

190

GODS.

worshippers offering garlands of flowers, both fresh and

sweet, to the mystic

As

and holy

footprint.

they return from the shrine on their

way

to the en-

trance of the temple, the visitors perceive that the aged

worshipper has finished his offering, and

is

now undergoing

the concluding ceremony of having his scanty locks shaved

from his head, while around him

sit

two or three of the

temple Brahmans reciting with imperturbable countenances

" sacred

mantras of the Vedas."

191

CHAPTEE Xm.
BENARES.^
Vaeanasi, holiest

of cities, bright-robed daughter of

Ganga,

whose "pure" stream has mirrored for ages thy lordly

palaces and gorgeous temples, how shall we rightly celebrate thy wonders?

Most ancient

of India's cities,

who-

soever would traverse the plain of thy history, the feet of

his imagination are lamed.
How shall we speak of the

dim and

when
made of

far-off days

the Vedic Aryans,

those patriarchs of our race,

thee their home and their

Nay, in that more distant age when "Time
the Destroyer was yet unborn, wast not thou the first of

stronghold?

''

all

the earth to arise from the universal waters; and in

the terrible deluge did not Bhagvan support thee on his

trident so that the waves devoured thee not

not the

home

of Siva himself,

bourhood unheard-of

own worship
No,
city is

let

for ever

who performed

austerities,

and ordained in thee his

us hope not quite for ever; but at present this

the centre and heart of

Hindu

idolatry, a fact in-

timated to our travellers as early (on the

'

Art thou

in thy neigh-

Baniti'as is

first

the correct form, but in the case of so familiar a

be allowed, perhaps, to conform to the vulgar usage.

day

after

name we may

AMONG THE

192

GODS.

their arrival) as the serving of chota hazri,

its

which makes

appearance on resplendent trays of Benares brass-work,

exquisitely chased with

arabesques, from the intri-

mazy

cacies whereof peep forth a multitude of queer

who, with

impish

little gods,

though in varying forms,

persistency

haunt our English friends throughout their stay at

will

Benares.

The

sun, with flaming locks,

drawn by those

"

seven ruddy

steeds, the daughters of his chariot," is already filling all

things with the dust of his rays

humbler equipage,

Western

figures, to

are clad in the

set forth to see

eyes, are their

most

brilliant

and

the travellers, with a

to wonder.

coachman and

the most majestic figure of

They

But by far
Pursotum

that of the Pandit

all is

Assuredly our friends will be

beside the driver.

sits

Strange

syces.

orange that mind can imagine,

dusky faces framed in dark-blue turbans.

their

who

when

for ever grateful for the excellent guidance of that " tiger-

like

man."

than

this,

were any more complimentary epithet

If there

I would give

it

him with

pleasure.

fine

and

solemn face hath he, with large, lustrous eyes, and a bushy
beard

of

" facing

He

is

glossy

black,

which he has carefully trimmed

eastward or northward

"

according to the ordinance.

dressed in white, with the exception of his very be-

coming turban, which

learned in the

Hindu

is of rich,

scriptures,

gold-coloured

silk.

Being

he obeys with exactness that

"One should neither

unbecomingly, nor speak unbecomingly. One should

precept of the wise Queen Madalasa,

dress

be clad in pure white raiment."

" Surely," whispers Sebaste, "

no right to expose
doors.

feel

itself to

inclined

to

such a picture as that has

the glare and the dust out of

address to

him that

pathetic

question asked of old by the subjects of the exiled Hari-

193

BENARES.
scandra,

'

Alas

King, what will thy very youthful, beauti-

when injured by the dust

ontheroad?"'!
Thus attended, the travellers drive away through the
shade of tamarinds and ntm-trees, alternating with dazzling

ful-browed, fine-nosed face become

sunshine; but they see nothing as yet of the native

which

is

ment.

city,

some distance to the south-east of" the cantonThey presently pass Queen's College, a Governat

ment

institution wherein Pnrsotum learned his Sanskrit

and that excellent English wherein he explains objects of

interest passed

on the

Queen's College

road.

is

an impos-

ing erection, perhaps the finest Gothic building in India

(what the others are like

and our

quire);

were possibly unwise to

it

travellers behold it

sible advantage, tlie last

example

Our

have

of Gothic art they

nightmare,

seen being that architectural

Cathedral in Calcutta.

now

in-

to the best pos-

the

poor,

dear

friends will explore the college

another day, wiU be dazzled by the brilliant flowers of which

the garden

museum

is

full,

and

will

there

admire an hypsethral

consisting of ancient carvings

elsewhere.

They

will

also

from Saxnath and

be introduced, at the garden

fountain, to a stolid-looking, ungenial personage, their

first

Indian Alligator.

But

for such attractions they have

no time at present,

preferring idol-temples and heathenish ceremonies to

number
Thev

any

of sober-minded Colleges.

presenth- meet a

little

procession, at the

head

of

on a white horse, a youthful bridegroom gorwhich

geously arrayed. On his head is a shining crown of tinsel,
from which hang strings of wMte fliowers, covering his face
One of his relatives walks by his side, shading
like a veU.
rides,

'

Markandeya Pnnina.

Pargitcr.

AMONG THE

194

him from the sun with an

GODS.

oriental umbrella, while various

other friends follow, also on foot, holding up banners and

other curious devices constructed of tinsel and of all the

But the

colours of the rainbow.

home, and has no share at

all

bride

little

in

is

great

this

sitting at

pomp and

grandeur.

"Pursotum," exclaims Philippa presently, "what in the

world are those curious packages carried about slung to

bamboos
is

We

another

What
"

is

it?"

That," says Pursotum, "

And

a secluded lady

may
but must make

caste, she

two
she

have met two or three already, and there

neat parcel wrapped up in a crimson cloth.

of her
sits,

to

it

is

a private lady."

really

Belonging to a high

is.

not walk abroad like her humbler

herself

servants.

up

On

into a parcel

little

sisters,

and be carried by

square of basket-wOrk

the four corners whereof are attached

small

and slender bamboos, which, meeting over her head, are

firmly tied to the large

men-servants' shoulders.
small bamboos
sits of

is

bamboo above, that

rests

The lady

a covering of crimson cloth.

away
drawn down,

course in the native fashion, with feet tucked

out of sight, so that,

not a vestige

when

is visible of

the covering

is

Our

her or her dress.

travellers,

on one occasion, are much distressed at seeing one

compact

little

what has become

These and

many

lift

the covering to

of her servants.

other curious sights

to our friends' present destination,

Durga.

of these

parcels left to itself in the middle of the road,

the " private lady " inside not daring to

see

on the

Fitting closely round the four

make

which

is

short the

way

the temple of

Durga, the Inaccessible, the Terrible One,

is,

not-

withstanding such attributes, the most popular of goddesses,

"

BENARES.
and her annual

festival,

great rejoicings

Many

and

195

the Durga puja,

the sacriiice of

is

celebrated with

innumerable.

goats

forms hath she, aud manifold powers.

In the mansion

of the virtuous she dwelleth as the goddess of riches, as the

deity of misfortune in the abode of the wicked,

How

telligence in the heart of the wise.

which

described,

ample

inconceivable

is

the destroyer

the deities

She

is

as In-

heroic,

great,

Eevered

of the giants.

and

can her form be

is

she by

all

the magnificent sages faithfully prostrate them-

She

selves to her.

the beneficent mother of the whole

is

universe, the sovereign of the world.

So at least sang Indra,

the Suras, and Vanhi the god of Fire, as they

hymned her

sictories over the giants.

The

Inaccessible she assuredly proves herself to-day, noti-

fying to our travellers, through her attendant Brahmans, that

they

by

may

first

in nowise enter her temple unless they honour her

removing their

have a scruple on

tliis

Unfortunately our friends

shoes.

"A

point.

good deal of harm has

been done," a Missionary in the South once told them,

European Christians who submit

"

by

to having their shoes re-

moved when entering the Hindu temples. The N"atives say,

The Sahibs go into their own churches with their boots on,
but they take them off when they come to Hindu temples.
They know that our temples are holier than theirs
'

! '

Happily the
old,
it is.

visitors

can

see, as

the whole of the interior

they stand on the thresh-

and a very graceful

Absolutely difierent are these "

from the great Dravidian pagodas

no more vast

halls, pillared

Indo-Aryan

of the South.

"

interior

temples

Here are

corridors, forests of fantastic

columns, abysmal vistas of gloomy shadow; but a single

cloistered court,

and in the centre a

hj a small and

curiously wrought pavilion, and surmounted

single shrine approached

AMONG THE

196
by one

of those curvilinear spires,

which are

Aryan "

GODS.
oi;

rather elongated domes,

characteristic of all temples built in the

As

style.

with ochre to a deep

no private house

claret colour (the sacred

may presume

is

stained

hue wherewith

to adorn itself),

and

is

further

Just beneath

embellished by brilliant points of gilding.

sits

dome

usual, this almost conical

"Indo-

it

the Goddess, peering out of her dark recess with greedy

eyes to see

if

there are any goats in prospect.

But Durga

herself is

of

secondary importance to the

who have come to call not on her so much as on the

monkeys, sacred to Hanuman, whom she hospitably allows to
make their home in her temple and its surrounding trees.
visitors,

Most amiable creatures they are, with thick coats of glossy,

brown fur, and humorous faces charming to behold. There
are only about a hundred of them, Pursotum says, but they
look far more numerous, resembling that
celebrity who " ran about

A
who

peculiar cry
scatters

so fast that

little

uttered by one of the temple servants,

is

on the ground grain and sweetmeats

and instantly a crowd assembles.

delectation,

pig of nursery

nobody could count him."

for their

Old monkeys

and young monkeys, monkeys small and monkeys

large,

a rush they gather together, swinging themselves

down from

with

the overhanging trees, dropping from the walls of the enclosure, galloping

round unsuspected

corners, grinning at the

would-be intruders, and eagerly falling to on the dainties

prepared for them.

how

holy they are

himself
strait

80,000

that

This
;

is

very condescending, considering

but natural

giant

too, for

Monkey -god who

was not Hanuman

leaped

across the

betwixt India and Ceylon, and defeated an army of

men

was

not he so eagerly desirous of goodies that

he once mistook the sun

swallowed

it ?

for a sweetmeat,

and accordingly

"

""

197

BENARES.

The

travellers

walk round the outside

of the temple,

and

examine the giant tamarinds wherein the monkeys love to

disport themselves,
specially set apart
"

Two

and one

by them

which has a hollow trunk

of

to be the babies' nursery.

years ago," says Pursotum, " there used to be 5000

monkeys

living here."

Pursotum, being a devout believer in their holiness, does

not add that these same 5000 monkeys committed such
ravages in the neighbourhood that no one could live in
security for miles around their temple

nor that they even

penetrated as far as the railway station, where they plundered

tire

newly-arrived sacks of

owners

tliereof.

rice, to

The European

the lamentable loss of the

who dared not

officials,

so sacred a beast for fear of a riot in Benares,

tact in dealing with this dilemma.

trucks of a train,

slay

showed great

They prepared, on the

and when

a feast of nuts and sweetmeats

a large company of monkeys had assembled to partake of

it,

the train was put in motion, and the monkeys, steaming forth
into the jungle, were never heard of more.

"There seems
Father,

'Who

to be a fine garden over there," says the

when the monkeys have been

lives there,

sufficiently admired.

Pursotum?"

"

The Swami Bhaskaranand Saraswati

more holy than any one in India."
he a Braliman, then ?
He was so once, but now he

lives there.

He

is

" Is

"

He

is

is

greater than Brahman.

Swami."

But what makes him so holy ?

He does not eat any meat, nothing but vegetables and
milk. And he does not wear anythinsg only, when Sahibs
and Memsahibs go to visit him,' he will wear some dress."
"

"

"

May we

go to see him, then

AMONG THE

198

And Pursotum shows

GOD^.

way

the

The

forthwith.

travellers

enter a garden luxuriant and lovely as only an Indian garden

The narrow, paved walks are

can be.

raised a foot or

two

above the carefully irrigated beds where flourishes a crowded

growth

fill

make

Far-spreading trees

of tropical vegetation.

delicious shade beneath their thick foliage

flowering shrubs

the air with perfume; vivid banana-leaves hang broad

and graceful in sun-flecked shadow

ground

close to the

ings innumerable,
delicious

the air

and

of

is full

cool

grow

brilliant flowers

of rustlings

and murmur-

and fragrant freshness

beyond imagination.

" Here," says

The

" is

Pursotum,

a statue of the Swami."

which represents the aged saint

statue,

attitude of meditation,

is

of white marble.

sitting in

Eound

an

neck

its

hangs a garland of yellow flowers, fresh and fragrant.

"The people worship this statue," explains Pursotum.

"The Swami himself will not receive them now, because
they trouble him with asking him to give them many
things.
Whatever he promises to any one, he receives
immediately.

If

grow wealthy

He

rich.

he promises riches, a

at once,

man

will begin to

and within a month he will be very

can also give sons, or good health, or anything.

There was a native regiment here that was ordered to go

to the

to go.

war

in

And

Burmah, but they

feared,

and did not wish

they came to the Swami, and bowed

down

to

him, and wept, and said that they would never again see
their

homes

Then the Swami touched

or their families.

each of them with his hand, and told him that he would

come home

safely.

return perfectly safe.

And
See,

every one that he touched did

he

Attended by two reverent

proaches.

His dress consists

is

coming

disciples,

to

meet you."

the old

man

of a single robe of soft,

ap-

white

BENARES.
Indian

199

round the waist, and

silk, tied

below the knee.

It

has a

falling in rich folds

many -coloured

Pursotum reverently touches in token

border,

which

of respectful greet-

gentle, kindly old man he is, with none of the

arrogance that one would expect in a personage thus idol-

ing.

ised,

but only a mild self-complacency, so innocent and

childlike that

it

is

impossible to be very angry with

him

for his folly in allowing himself to be worshipped.

Deeply versed

as

knows not a word

versation

is

he

is

in Sanskrit learning, the

Swami

any Western tongue, and the concarried on chiefly by Pursotum, who sets forth
of

the merits of the saint, appealing to him for confirmation

of his statements.

It

seems that

this peaceful

hermitage

the present of a pious Eaja, but that

all gifts in money

Swami absolutely refuses. Large fortunes have been
offered him by wealthy Hindus, but have been invariably
rejected.
One Maharaja once offered a large sum (five lacs
is

the

of rupees,

keep

Pursotum says

to distribute it

it,

self distribute,"
,

The Swami

of the

!),

begging him,

among

if

he would not

"Do

the poor.

thou thy-

was the answer.

assents to these facts with a delighted smile

utmost simplicity.

Being further asked what

age, he says that .he is sixty-five,

which

is

is his

very old for

India.
" Tell him," says the Father, " that I

am

eight years older

than he."

"Thou," answers the humble Swami, "art iu

greater than I

all

things

I pray thee that on thy return to England

thou wilt remember me.

If

thou or any of these thy

daughters should write a book, let

my name

be inserted

therein."

Dear

old

Swami Bhaskaranand

Saraswati!

Thy name

is

'

'AMONG THE GODS.

200

not exactly a handy one, but assuredly we would squeeze

in,

were even the page too narrow

accommodate

to

it

its rolling

syllables.

The Swami next says (Pursotum interpreting) that when

the visitors arrived he was about to eat, and that he now
One of
desires that they will themselves eat in his garden.
the grave and pious disciples retires to fetch some of the

Swami's food

charming concoction

potatoes, fruit,

of

made

honey, and various herbs, set out on a platter

leaves neatly stitched together.

is

little

of

refection

of this

placed by the aged saint in the hand of each of his

visitors,

who, having happily

left

European notions

far be-

hind them, are not troubled by any conventional hankerings after plates or spoons or forks.

Before taking leave, the Father, knowing the native enjoy-

ment

of such ceremony, presents his card,

own head by way

places on the top of his

thanks.

which the Swami

of expressing his

Then, taking the Father in his slender, bare, brown

arms, he

gives

him an

own

moreover,

hug, and,

affectionate

bestows upon him one of his

Sanskrit works, as well

as his biography, likewise written in Sanskrit,

and

a pic-

ture of himself, wherein he appears, according to the precept,

in

seated,

the exercise

Jchds-khds grass, calm,

and

of

free

devotion,

from

on the sacred

all desires,

maintain-

ing a difficult posture, restraining his breath, "keeping his

head, his neck, and his body steady, without motion, his

eyes fixed on the point of his

else around."

Finally, plucking

the kindly

nose,

lookmg

at

nothing

Swami

bids

visitors place their

^

some flowers

them

hands in

Quoted

in

for

each of the travellers,

farewell.
his,

While the English

Pursotum's yellow turban

Crawf urd's Hindus.

'

201

BENARES.
bows

to earth once more, as

Swami's bare

earnest reverence that

At

is

first

the

forehead, with

an

he devoutly touches,

and then

feet,

own

his

impressive to see.

length the travellers drive away, and are soon plung-

ing into the heart of Benares city on their

Golden Temple.
from their

In a short time they are obliged

carriage, for only

they

are,

on foot

may

narrow and sinuous

intricacies of the
streets

way

to the

to alight

one penetrate the

Wonderful

streets.

deep, winding clefts between the

tall

oriental houses, bordered with the quaint recesses that call

themselves shops, from which gleam forth whole armies of

littlg

brazen gods, with here and there a stone figure (and

an excellent likeness)

of

Swami Bhaskaranand

Saraswati,

destined for some temple or shrine.

Here and there a shop

one's prayers in a

notion

is

To say

devoted to prayer-bags.

bag seems to the Western mind a curious

who

but not so to the Hindus,

love,

when

praying,

to thrust the right hand, holding a rosary of sacred beads,

gnomon - shaped

into one of these

receptacles of brightly

coloured cloth quaintly embroidered to represent the head

and neck

of a sacred cow.

Then there

are shops fuU of oriental sweetmeats

manu-

factured of milk and sugar, and so tempting to behold that

Whereupon the turbaned

our travellers wistfully approach.

shopman,
will beg

sitting

cross-legged amidst his piled -up wares,

them not

to touch; for the touch of a Christian,

or even of a Christian's shadow,

unfit to be eaten

Most

would make

his dainties

by pious Hindus.

attractive of all are the flower-shops, overflowing

with fragrant garlands, or rather

ropes, of flowers

and white and orange and yellow

^piled

up

purple

in masses of

gorgeous colour, and destined to be bought by pilgrims and

202

AMONG THE

hung round the necks

GODS.

of idol-gods, or

wreathed in solemn

devotion about Siva's idolised symbol.

But the shops by no means monopolise

hues of the glowing scene.

all

The private houses,

the
too,

rich

make

a brave show, being decorated with native wall-paintings

sky-blue

elephants and other cheerful devices

on occasions

executed

domestic rejoicing, such as a wedding or

of

the birth of a son.

And

more wonderful than

far

stream of brightly

narrow, winding ways,

sion inextricably

cows,

who

an

is

the ceaseless

ever-moving, variegated proces-

stray about in a harmless

throughout the whole

else

mixed up with the sacred hump-backed

city.

loose to live in the temples

act indeed

all

clad figures flowing for ever along the

and amiable manner

To buy a cow and

and

streets is a

let

her go

very meritorious

and the gentle creatures meet with the utmost

deference and respect from everybody.

"The municipal

authorities,"

saith the author of 'Pic-

turesque India,' "at one time used to kidnap them darkly

dead of night, and turn them loose on the opposite shore

at

of the Ganges, but they generally

up

swam

back, and turned

holier than ever."

Holier, indeed; for did not even that wicked and bloodthirsty
son,

cow who gored

to death in ancient days her master's

and thereupon turned from white

guilt of her crime

did

plunged in a sacred
ever she was before

not even

river,

she,

come out

to black

when

through the

she had thrice

as white

and

fair as

Slowly making their way through the crowd, the travellers arrive at a

of the street,

small temple of Siva wedged into a corner

and richly adorned with elaborate sculptures.

The presiding Brahman allows our

friends to enter, shoes

203

BENARES.
notwitlistanding

and they eagerly explore

of that "chief of the

this tiny abode

gods" who contriveth

all

things for

the good of the world, the immortal Five-faced Lord,

when

the Devas

hymned they pathetically exclaimed,

what power have we to perform thy worship ?

whom

" Verily,

Verily,

what means hath an atom without hand or foot to open

its mouth in praise of the all-illuminating sun, and what
strength hath the grovelling ant to spread the carpet of

argumentation for the exalted praise of Solomon?"^

Facing the symbol

and

Siva's

of the

god reclines in stony dignity

bull, " the Sovereign of all quadrupeds,"

Nandi, his sacred

On

constant companion.

the wall hangs an

Dark One, a

appalling picture of the goddess Kali, the

terrific

form

of

Durga (assumed, say some, with a view to

frightening the wicked into reformation), and the spouse of

Time, the Bringer of Evil, the Sovereign of

himself

is

Frightful
skulls;

but a form of Siva, the

is

God

forms her

girdle,

around her throat, supports with

long,

rough tongue.

head

of

In one

a demon freshly

all things,

who

Thousand Names.

She wears a necklace

she to look upon.

one cobra

of a

its

venomous head her

of her four

hewn from

of

and another, coiled

hands she holds the

his gigantic shoulders,

while in another she brandishes a scimitar.

Ga2dng at her

hideous portrait, one can vividly imagine that memorable

when "the

battle of hers

terrific -faced

Kali furiously

fell

upon the giants, wrathfuUy swallowed up her enemies, and

cJicircd the chariots irith

her

Bather hastily retreating

teeth."

from the presence

of this heroic

lady, the travellers presently approach a very holy object

Crossing
indeed, the Gyan Kiip, or "Well of Knowledge.
1
-

From Halhed's Sheeve Pouran.'

From the Sapta-Shati.' Cavali Yenkat Edmaswtuni,
'

'

Pandit.

AMONG THE

204

GODS.

a court wherein reclines a colossal Nandi coloured a

adorned with light and

liant red, they enter a colonnade

beautifully ornamented

Hindu

and in the centre

pillars,

the fact that Siva (or at the least his

thrown into

it,

communicating

and

is to this

symbol) was once

day reposing at the bottom,

him

to the water above

a marvellous power

for cleansing

from guilt even the greatest criminals on

The opening

of the

Well

is

from

Its great sanctity arises

thereof discover the "Well.

bril-

earth.

almost entirely covered, but with

what material remains a mystery, seeing that the covering

is

altogether hidden from view

thrown upon
aperture
for

sits

it

by masses

by pious worshippers.

Brahman

copper coins)

to a

three drops (throwing

of his other hand),

An

head.

old

crowd

them

the narrow

of pilgrims,

woman

whom

each of

palm of his hand, drinks

mouth with the fingers

into his

and reverently deposits the

on

rest

his

addresses our travellers, exhorting

(says Pursotum) to

selves,

At

ladling out the water (in return

receives the precious liquid in the

them

of bright flowers

buy some

and assuring them that they

them-

of the water for

will gain

from

great

it

benefit.

Eesisting her persuasions, they leave the Well, and so

reach at length the far-famed Golden Temple dedicated to

Bisheshwar, the Poison God, the blue-throated, Uma's lord,

who

is

another form of that " adorable three-eyed god of the

gods," Siva himself.

For once on a time, when the gods and

the demons, in their search for Amrita the water of immortality,

had churned the ocean more than enough, a deadly

poison came out therefrom " burning like a raging

dreadful fumes in a

moment spread throughout

fire,

confounding the three regions of the universe with

tal odour, until Siva, at the

word

of BrahmS,,

whose

the world,
its

mor-

swallowed the

205

BENARES.
fatal

of

drug to save mankind, which remaining in the throat

that sovereign god of magic form, from that time he

hath been called Nil-Kant, because his throat was stained

blue."

Two

domes are covered with thin plates of

Maharaja Eanjit Singh of Lahore and dazzlingly do they shine and glow in the sunlight, with astonishing if somewhat barbarous splendour. The travellers, having
of the temple's

gold, the gift of

contemplated them from the upper storey of a neighbouring

house, descend to the threshold of the temple, which they are

not permitted to cross, but whence they have a good view of

the crowded interior.

Sacred

cattle,

grave and dignified,

with dew-lapped throats and gigantic humps, slowly munching garlands of sacred flowers, look out on the visitors with
supercilious solemnity,

knowing that they may not dare to

Standing opposite the entrance, the travellers watch

enter.

with wondering minds the ceaseless streams of devout

pil-

grims entering and leaving the temple.

All the worshippers carry large garlands of bright flowers,
which,

when they have been placed around the symbol

of

the god within, they receive back, and piously wear in his

The earnestness and devotion

honour.

touching to

see.

On

leaving the temple

of the pilgrims are

many

of

them

press

their foreheads against the stone doorpost, looking backward,

as they do so, toward the central

symbol

Most

of

them

carry brazen trays whereon stand tiny cups (also of brass),

one

filled

with

water; and every

must

another with milk, another with Ganges

rice,

little

god

whom

the worshipper passes

be treated to a taste of these delicacies.

Over the doorway

sits G-anesh,

hideous to behold with his

elephant's head and fat little figure, taking toll from all
^

Fi-om Wilkins, quoted by Foley on the "Devimahatmyam."

who

"

AMONG THE

206
enter,

a grain

"

GODS.

of rice, or a flower, or a

Being the Father of Calculation, he

is

drop of Ganges water.

not to be

trifled with,

since he keeps strict account, no doubt, of the offerings that

are his due.

" Philippa," says Sebaste presently, "

why

is

your dress so

much

besprinkled with Ganges water and grains

Are they pelting you on purpose ?
"
is

Oh,

how

a poor

And
who

of rice

dreadful " exclaims Philippa, in dismay. " Here

little

god

whom

have been eclipsing

there indeed, let into the wall,

is

an ugly

little idol,

scowls at Philippa with a very malignant countenance,

and no wonder
Eetreating along the narrow street, our travellers pass an

uncanny-looking representation of Sanichar, the Eegent of

the Planet Saturn,

who

worshipped on Saturdays, and who

is

of silver from which

The next moment they arrive
Annapiirna, the Goddess of Plenty, whose

consists, apparently, of a

depend garlands

Temple

at the

round face

of flowers.

of

special duty is to supply Benares with food.

about 170 years

old,

adornment

tinted

appear in

and contains some

of sculpture.

all directions

fine

The temple
and

Sacred cows innumerable

and a splendid peacock

about the paved court, while the peahen

roof of the shrine attended

by

is

delicately

is

parading

sits aloft

on the

flocks of pigeons.

Philippa and Sebaste, lingering with Pursotum just within

the entrance, have a good view of a train of pilgrims

who

presently arrive laden with great garlands of yellow flowers.

Bound
enter

move in procession, and finally

Having seen the goddess decorated with their
they emerge and approach an old priest, who

the central shrine they

it.

offerings,

marks each one on the forehead with a bright crimson pigment applied with the thumb.
When the pilgrims have

207

BENARES.

departed, the garlands which they left with the goddess are

brought out, and the aged

ment

priest,

to his English visitors, takes

wishing to pay a compli-

some

of the wreaths,

and

approaches to hang them round their necks.

Our

friends have often submitted to being thus decorated

where there was no

to refuse a garland
carries

if

of

Cyprian would be

S.

who, speaking

participate

cum

The dilemma

they were disposed to accept Annapiirna's

words

those

deter them,
to

and have learned that

a very great insult.

is

back their imagination to the days of the early

Church, and
gifts,

idol in the case,

sufficient

of those Christians

who

to

refused

ceremonies, exclaims, "Frons

in idolatrous

signo Dei pura didboli coronam ferre non potuit, coronae

!

se

Domini reservavit " ^

The visitors accordingly
being

that,

give the old priest to understand

Accepting this reasonable

excuse,

decline

He

placidly browse thereon.

(through Pursotum) that he

with other matters of

he gives the garlands

moreover
is

honour.

the

cows instead, who, independent

to the sacred

old,

must

they

Christians,

tells

of scruples,

our travellers

an hundred and

six years

interest.

Thence our friends go on (past a hideous

figure of Ganesh,

coloured with vermilion, and having silver hands and face

and

feet) to

built

the temple of Sakshi Vinayak, the Witness,

Herein

in 1770.

certificates

who have duly performed

the

are given

to pilgrims

circumambulation of

the

holy city of Benares.

Next they

visit

the

temple dedicated

to

Usanas, the

Eegent of the planet Venus, wherein are many women

praying for goodly sons. Of this same Usanas our travellers

can recall but

*

S.

little,

save what

written of

is

Cypriani Liber de Lapsis,

c.

ii.

him

in

"

AMONG THE

208

GODS.

the book of Markandeya the Sage,

of

how,

when

army

the

the Daityas were fleeing before the face of the gods,

he called unto them with valiant words, and

must not
ones

go,

why run ye

turn ye back;

"Ye

said,

away, ye feeble

Many

and shrines are

other temples

visited,

including

that mysterious Well of Fate, into which whosoever looketh

at

mid-day and seeth not his face therein reflected shall

The number

assuredly die within six months.

of temples

com-

in Benares (irrespective of smaller shrines) has been

puted at 2000 at

Hindu

have plenty

so that the visitors

least,

Nowhere

to choose from.

of sights

idolatry be seen in its

most

better than here can

But,

attractive aspect.

most

in all conscience, even the brightest, most picturesque,

view of

superficial

rest

it

words of that daily prayer

"

India,

Grant that

Thee and

after

Our

unless

scenes,

the Anglican

of

visit

may

the people of this land

end

their

first

day by driving out

Law."

and

first

The mango

they,

great

sermon

trees

are

with

nlms,

together

pleasantly shade the road.

itself,

the

feel

to

the ancient stupa which marks the place,

of

his,

Buddha

which was the

they say, of his "turning the Wheel of

beginning,

no

Church in

in the far-famed "Deer-park Garden," where the

preached that

is

be in the

it

find Thee."

travellers

Sarnath to

all

There

saddening enough.

is

among such

comfort

or

description

just

bursting

acacias,

into

and

the

bloom,

tamarinds,

As for the venerated erection

we will not attempt. Its

thereof

rugged and cumbrous mass would find but scant accom-

modation in the

drawn out

final

recess

of

chapter

and even that sorry refuge

to dispute with

many

it

already long

would be obliged

another homeless subject.

nil

i.

OSAIX

ILMTLE.

l'.

i;

X A R E S.

BENAEES.

Not

till

after

many

209

days do the travellers begin to grow

familiar with Benares, and to regard its animated scenes

as realities rather than dreams.

the wonderful river-side

delightful boat

life

Most dream-like

of all is

which they contemplate in many

excursions on the broad, smooth waters of

venerable Mother Ganges.

But that ancient and majestic

personage may not unreasonably, methinks, demand a chapter to herself.

210

CHAPTEK

XIV.

MOTHER GANGES.

Feom

the Eoof of the

World she comes, from

the Dwelling-

place of Snow, from Himachal's icy cave 10,000 feet above

Thus much

the sea.

know

that origin yet more remote,

tainty

was

Yet hath

told

is

this

it

but that former course of hers,

who

shall tell of it with cer-

been told in ancient days, and what

From Vishnu's

lotus-foot she sprang,

the very nail of his great toe, and she

fell in

from

her rushing

course on Siva's tangled locks, and thence to the roof of the

world flowed down

and

excellent stream, " the

cranes,''
still

so to

home

men

at length descended her

abode of geese and

of sages, the

And

the world-purifier, the wife of the sea.

she went, to the infernal world

itself

lower

and, flowing thus

through the three regions of the universe, she

is

called the

Three-wayed Eiver.

On

earth, saith the legend, she first appeared in

answer to

the prayers and to reward the austerities of Bhagirath the

pious,

who

desired

by a

libation from her sacred stream to

liberate the spirits of his ancestors,

and make sure

wellbeing for ever.

flowed over the earth,

But, as she

first

her stream engulfed the place of Dschani's

in his wrath swallowed

up the waters

sacrifice,

their

and he

nor, until the gods

211

MOTHER GANGES.
had humbly prayed him, did he allow the

river to flow forth

again from his ears.

Again she threatened to overflow the earth; but

Siva,

besought of gods and sages, rolled back her torrent from

mouth

to source,

and imprisoned

it

in a tuft of his

own

long

Yet once again she appeared for when Gotama the

Sage had been entrapped into the frightful crime of slaying

hair.

a cow, Siva loosed Ganga from his head that he might bathe
therein and be purified, and

flowed

down

Ganga

" at the prayers of

firm on the mountain Brahmagiri, whither all

But when Gotama's accusers arrived

bathe.

Gotama

from the GMa-Tree which grew

like a torrent

men went

to

Ganga

there,

vanished at their approach, saying, 'If the good and bad

were favoui-ed alike there would be no use or advantage in

goodness.' "

Honoured

is

she through

nowhere more than

is

all

her course of 1500 miles, but

at holy Benares,

where day by day she

worshipped with offerings of rice and milk and flowers,

and honoured by thousands

of bright -robed bathers, until

she seems to have donned such festal array as that wherein

she appeared at Siva's wedding long ago,

and the seven

Seas,

and

all

when

the Elvers

the sacred Places of Pilgrimage

assembled together, as well as the sun and moon, and

many

other notabilities.

All the religious energy of Benares has for

and

its

centre the

streets is vivid

bank

and

and a thou-

the scenes by the river.

for ever processions innumerable.

heart

If the life of the

intense, it is concentrated

sandfold intensified in

move

of the Ganges.

its

Thither

Sometimes

it is

wedding-train, with music and rejoicing around the central

palanquin wherein the bride and bridegroom

1

From

Halhed's Sheeve Pouran.'

'

sit,

going to

AMONG THE

212

GODS.

pour milk and flowers into the sacred stream

moaning chant

Hindu

creeps

the

fills

onward

air,

sometimes a

some pious

as the funeral of

to the burning ghat,

whence the ashes

away by the holy

of the departed will be carried

And

his soul fly straight to a fabled heaven.

waters,

and

scarcely less

solemn are the funerals of the sacred cows, each of whom,

when

she dies,

is tied

by the hoofs

to a stout

borne on the shoulders of pious-minded men,

bamboo, and,
is

brought to

the Eiver and cast therein.

Not long

after their arrival in

Benares the travellers find

themselves standing one morning at about seven o'clock

on the Dasashwamedh Ghat

(a ghat,

be

it

observed,

is

landing-place, generally consisting of a great flight of stone

steps leading

thronging

down

to the water's edge).

multitude, lively

Below

wildest imaginings.
Eiver,

"embrowned with

nymphs," but sparkling

All around

is

and picturesque beyond the

lies

the

the broad expanse of the

unguents

in the sunshine,

of

the

celestial

and fringed with

a silent and devout assemblage of solemn pilgrim-bathers.

The men throw

the water

enveloping

saris,,

their outer

garments before entering

women wear

their usual dress, the all-

off

but the

and very impressive

is

the sight of their

long-robed figures wading slowly into the water and solemnly

dipping below the surface.

Having

thrice offered to the ascending sun a

shower

of

drops from the holy stream, the worshippers emerge from

the Eiver, nourishing with the water that drips from their
clothes the souls of their respective ancestors.

Then, wrap-

ping themselves in dry garments, they gather round the Sons

of the Ganges.

These personages are Brahmans who, shielded

from the sun by huge, round umbrellas

of

bamboo resembling

gigantic mushrooms, sit on the steps of the ghat, ready to be-

213

MOTHEK GANGES.

stow on bathers a mark on the forehead signifying that they

have

behind them in the purifying waters

left all their sins

of the Eiver.

up

higher

little

"Yeda- skilled

sit

Pandits," reading

aloud the Sanskrit scriptures, and expounding in the vulgar

Around

tongue.

these dignified professors the people next

assemble, sitting on the sunlit steps in compact masses of

many harmonious

Our

colours.

friends approach one of the

Pandits, who, to judge by the size of his attentive 'congregation, is a very great favourite.

seat

of

dignity.

Pound

his

neck hang many fresh and

bright-hued garlands, and before

flowers and

fruit piled

and reverent hearers.

up

Cross-legged he sits on a

him

a heap of offerings

is

by

for his acceptance

Like the illustrious

his devout

Muni Markandeya,

with a loud, clear voice he speaks, devoid of the eighteen

Pursotum's serious countenance, framed in

defects.^

twisted folds of yellow

silk,

its

turns in silent attention toward

the aged speaker.

"Tell us what he
interprets
"

One God

ye worship.
self is

is

saying, Pursotum."

And Pursotum

there

is,

and one

alone.

Many

All these are but His servants

are the deities

for

God Him-

One."

Strangely sound such words here in idolatrous Benares

but no one can hope to understand anything of Hindu

ligion

who

does not recognise that the system

is,

re-

theoretically,

Not to speak of the Vedas, which set

the ancient and purely Aryan religion, the doctrine

a pantheistic one.
forth

of Pantheism is continually implied even in the popular

and comparatively modern Puranas. Unfortunately, both in
^ I.e., in reciting he shaketh not his head, he pronounceth not
he speaketh not through the nose and so forth.
;

indistinctly,

AMONa THE

214

GODS.

India and elsewhere (with the exception of some learned

men

Philosophers and other exalted beings of that kind),

don't seem able to get on without worshipping something,

and something other than the impersonal abstraction

merely pantheistic creed

nor

is it

of

within the power of every

ordinary mortal to rise to the sublime heights to which that

King

"

reducing the five ele-

and these

to the unity of their

ments

to the three qualities,

merged that

principle,

principle, with all that it constitutes,

in the Soul, and the Soul in

absolute existence."

nary Hindu

is

Brahma

the immutable and

Accordingly the religion of the ordi-

Polytheism in

that the learned Pandits

As

who,

of ancient times attained,

its

most degraded form,

for all

may solemnly preach to the contrary.

the travellers turn away from the much-decorated sage,

Pursotum points out two small

monuments marking

suttee

the spots where widows have been burned on the pyres of

their dead husbands.
" It is sixty years ago," say

Pursotum,

" that there

was the

last suttee in Benares."

Absurd
subject

stories are not

nevertheless,

ical origin thereof, let

will find that the

word

very congruous with so horrible a

any one

desire to read of the

myth-

him look

in the Siva Purana,

and he

if

derived from the

is

was none other than Parvati the wife

name

father aiTronted Siva, she burned herself

of Sati,

When

of Siva.

by reason

who

Sati's

of vexa-

tion; and the place of her death became so holy that "all

who come

there with pure faith and sincere devotion obtain

all their desires,

and many have cut

heads and bestowed them

received fresh heads and

in devotion,

new

life"

off their

and

in a

tongues and

moment have

through the virtue of that

sacred place.
^

See 'Le BMgavata Purana,'

traduit

par M. Eugene Burnouf.

MOTHER GANGES.
And

whosoever desires a description

215

read

in Crawfurd's graphic Sketches, and not

it

which

of the suttees

took place constantly at the beginning of the century,

him
demand it
let

me.

of

The

travellers leave the monuments, and, having regarded,

from a respectful distance, the Smallpox Temple where those
who have recovered from smallpox go to give thanks to Sitla

the goddess thereof, they return to the water's edge and em-

bark on one of the quaint and shapeless things which

themselves boats hereabout.
sit,

On

and, as their turbaned oarsmen

through

many

floating garlands

call

the roof of the cabin they

make way slowly up-stream

on their way to the

sea, there

them one

of the strangest scenes in all

city is built in a great

bend of the Eiver, where the

unfolds

itself

before

the world.

The

bank reaches a height

bank

is

of about

100

temples and

shrines.

mass

members

of his

Strange and imposing piles they are.

of those nearest the water consists of

masonry, except for one narrow

doorway, which, in the wet season,

Some
and

this steep

of palaces

and

Every Maharaja has a palace in

Benares, whither the aged

die.

Up

feet.

piled a fantastically beautiful

family come to

The lower half

a solid

stair leading
is

mass

down

of

to a

altogether submerged.

of the palaces are stained a rich crimson, streaked

effaced

by the Eiver

iu flood-time until nothing

is left

but a suspicion of delicate colour.

But surpassing even these

in architectural interest are

the temples with their sculptured pillars, and their conical

domes, each consisting of a compact cluster of " curvilinear

Each spire of the cluster is stained a deep red

and tipped with gold, the central spire rising above the
lesser ones, an elongated, egg-shaped dome of wonderfully
spires."

AMONG THE

216
graceful proportions.

GODS.

delightful contrast to these richly-

tinted buildings are the masses of green foliage which here

and there appear where a pipal-tree or a tamarind

room

to

And

finds

grow and to flourish.

everywhere from the summit of the bank to the
Cataracts of steep

water's edge descend the giant ghats.

masonry are they,

shrines

their broad steps bordered

everywhere by

and temples blossoming forth beside them

like gor-

make

for the

geous flowers; and wonderful theatres they

ceaseless

movement and

grouping of the animated

effective

Down

crowds that haunt them.

at the water's brink are the

solemn bathers, while up and down the great steps move

in procession the figures of water-drawing
saris,

women

in crimson

each bearing on her head a large, round vessel of

shining brass, poised in equilibrium or steadied by a slender

brown arm adorned with

glittering bracelets.

wonderful part of the scene

is

But the most

the crowd of richer folk,

are clad in all the colours of the rainbow,

and are

who

for ever

forming themselves into new and exquisite combinations

of delicate

women's

and glowing hues.

veils,

Most beautiful

thrown over the head

of all are the

so as to shade without

hiding the face, and descending in soft folds of Indian muslin

so fine as to look like silk.

and

coral-pink,

They are

of a rich golden colour,

and crimson, and delicate moss-green, and

the tenderest shades of cream-colour and purple and orange,

often edged with a narrow border of silver or gold

gleams and

glitters in the

brightly clad.

And

sunlight.

the turbans

discoursed already, and they

The men

are

that
also

But on turbans we have

must not again entangle us

in

their cunningly twisted folds.

The travellers in their boat ascend the Eiver as far as the

Ashi Ghat, where the city begins, and then drop slowly

MOTHER GANGES.
down-stream, past the

"

Empty

Palace

21Y
"

where Chait Singh

arrest by Warren
Eamnagar across the Eiver past the
upper Burning Ghat, past palaces and temples innumerable,
and past the Dasashwamedh Ghat, at which they embarked.
Close by it is the great Observatory buUded by Eaja Jai

had

his abode,

and whence, when put under

Hastings, he escaped to

Singh at the end of the seventeenth century, and containing

huge mural instruments

Bhithi-

for astrological observations,

yantras and Digansayantras, Chakrayantras and Yantrasasa-

ments, with other uncanny erections.

A little farther down the Eiver comes into view the Nipalese Temple, the
of Benares,

storeys

most picturesque

and an absolute

and slanting

object, perhaps, in the

contrast, with

its

whole

successive

roofs, to all the other temples, although,

like them, it is stained with the sacred dark-red colour.

Our friends at length

near which they intend

arrive at the

Manikaranika Ghat,

to visit Vishnu's

Well.

As they

approach the shore, they are grinned at in a highly unmannerly fashion by a hideous clay figure of the hero Bhima.

He

head propped forward so that his

faces the Eiver, with

staring eyes

may watch

the passing boats.

flood-time the Eiver washes

Every year at

him away, and he has

modelled and painted afresh.

He

to be

huge black

rejoices in

moustaches, which give him a very sinister expression of

countenance.

On

landing the travellers follow Pursotum round various

comers and up a
selves

in one

Benares.

flight of steps,

of

whereupon they

Beneath the pillared pavilion in the centre

solitary figure in the sacred orange-coloured robe

him

find

as a yogi or

them-

the prettiest of the smaller temples in

Hindu

ascetic.

and evidently unconscious

of all

With a

sits

which marks

rapt countenance,

around him, delivered from


218

AMONG THE

the chain of outward things, " he

GODS.
even as a lamp standing

is

in a place without wind, which wavereth not."

as

if,

like Parikchit the

King

of the Earth,

He

seems

he had utterly

detached himself from the two worlds, and had undertaken

his last fast

on the shore of the Ganges, that Eiver

Immortals that

is

It is of such as
if

a yogi

is

fed

purified

by the dust

he that the ancient scripture saith

first,

he can save

of the

of Vishnu's lotus-feet.

those

who

"

Now

feast, just as

a boat saves in water, better than thousands of Brahmans."

Pursotum regards him reverently, and presently says

"That is a holy man. When he dies he will not be
:

burned, but will be put in a stone coffin and thrown into

the Ganges."
"

But

thought, Pursotum, that

custom was not

that

allowed any. longer."

" It is not allowed to every one,

so

it is

to children

who

die

but always to

under one year old:

parents are rich enough, they are put in stone

not, they are only

made

yogis.

fast to stones

if

coffins,

And
their

but

if

and then thrown into

the Eiver."

The conversation

is

interrupted by a polite flower-seller,

who suddenly throws some

garlands of white flowers round

the travellers' hats, and has to be rewarded therefor.

Then

they leave the temple, and find 'themselves before a wretched

hovel, at the door whereof sits a little group of
of the

most degraded and horrible

heads are uncovered, their hair

of

matted

is

men

devotees.

some
Their

together, they are

dreadnot to be seen in Christian lands no,

smeared with ashes, their faces are

ful faces such as are

Hindu

less

than human,

not even in London.

Our
1

travellers next pass

Quoted by Crawfurd.

an array of brass vessels covered

"

Markandeya Purdna.

Pargiter.

MOTHER

219

,GANGES.

- work
and decorated with sacred peacocks'
They are shxng to bamboos, and are destined to

with basket
feathers.

carry Ganges water to some far-off town.

Little bells are

attached to them, which will jangle as the procession of

bearers moves

away on

long journey.

its

The next moment they meet a procession

ing garments.

and there

are coming

flights of steps

the water.

and

They

at last is the well

tank with

liquid,

of

shivering

with water dripping from their drenched and cling-

figures,

Three

on

its

feet is the

away from Vishnu's

itself

"Well

picturesquely dirty

four sides leading

down

into

utmost depth of the sacred

wherein are standing devout pilgrims who pour milk

rice into the water, together

with white flowers, which

float thereupon, disguising its evil colour.

Brahman

is

presiding over the devotions, and makes each worshipper

hold the sacred grass in his hand while he himself recites

some mystic words

his fee,

in a low voice.

Then, having received

he dismisses them to dip in the Ganges, and thus

complete the ceremony.

As

our friends return to their boat, Pursotum points out

the lower Burning Ghat, where two muffled corpses

lie

by

the water's edge, awaiting the construction of their funeral

pyres.

Ee-embarking, they continue to drop down -stream, past

the print of Vishnu's

feet,

and past Sindhia's Ghat

a vast

masonry slowly sinking down into the Eiver and

carrying a temple with it. They now arrive at the Ghat of
the Five Elvers, where meet, they say, the Dhantapapa, the
mass

of

Jaranada, the Kirnanada, the Saraswati, and the Ganges.

Of these

five

streams only the last

undersround.

but this

is visible;

easy of explanation, since the other four,

it

'

is

seems, flow

AMONG THE

220

On
its

the bank above stands the mosque of Aurangzib, with

two slender minarets that

250

GODS.

feet

above the Eiver.

will ascend

more than

rise to a height of

Thither some of our travellers

on another day, and, islanded there on high,

floating in a sea of sunshine, with

who

emerald-green parrots

no companions save the

build their nests

will look abroad over the Eiver,

away

up

there, they

to the green belt of

the open country, and the shadowy, far-away heights of the

Chunar Hills

while from the deep and tangled maze of the

crowded town at their

of

many

but a

voices,

no

shrill, restless,

feet will rise

up

rumbling din as

to

them the sound

Western town,

of a

confused clamour, " the cry of the city,"

that goes up day by day unceasingly to the heaven of cloudless blue.

At

present the sun

seeing,

and the

wamedh

already too high for further sight-

travellers are glad to return to the

Dasash-

Ghat, and thus end their morning's business.

In the afternoon
visit to

is

of the

same day Pursotum suggests a

Eamnagar, the palace-fort

of the

Maharaja

up the stream than the

It stands a little higher

of Benares.
city,

on the

There, says Pursotum, a festival

other side of the Eiver.

is

held to-day.

As

their boat slowly

lers see

makes way up the Eiver, our

on the Benares bank, a

belong,

it

above the

by a group

great elephants surrounded

The elephants

little

two

native figures.

seems, to the Maharaja, and are

presently to be conveyed across the Eiver.

been introduced to

of

travel-

city,

many an

Our

friends have

elephant in the courts of the

southern temples, but never before have they seen them as a

natural feature of the landscape under the open sky.
these circumstances

their

dignity remains, so that

In

clumsiness vanishes, and only

it is

quite an impressive sight to

MOTHER GANGES.

221

see thein marching along, continually flapping their enor-

mous
ment

ears

and no longer does that seem a doubtful compli-

of Eita-dhvaja,

as " the

who spoke

fawn - eyed daughter

true religion,

u-liose

was

gait

of the lovely

like the

begins to understand something of

elephant's "

and one

the pathos of

King

complaint, who, having been driven out of his

Surath's

kingdom, and wandering in the dreary

" I

Queen Madalasa

Gandharva, who observed

of

know not

the fate of

my

forest,

counsellors, or of

exclaimed,

my

trained

elephant Surahasti."^

Very grand looks the

approach

fort of

raised high

it,

Eamnagar

as our travellers

above the Eiver, which clearly

reflects its walls.

Other boats are also approaching, densely crowded with

brightly glad Natives, and on landing our friends find themselves surrounded

One

by an animated throng

of these is a snake-charmer,

hUl-snakes glide and

coil,

of holiday-makers.

round whose figure great

thick and strong as that serpent

wherewith, as with a cable, in the universal deluge Vishnu

fastened the Eishis' ship to his
the ground

is

own stupendous

horn.

On

and hood extended,

the unfamiliar visitors. They

a cobra with head erect

darting his tongue in fury at

are assured, however, that his poison-tooth has been extracted,

and that he can

Making

their

bite

no more.

way through the

outer courts of the castle,

the travellers enter at a doorway where stands on each side

an ivory elephant, while beneath them crouch

tigers,

The
finally
^

one of

terrific plaster

whiskers painted.

wander through the

state apartments,

and

emerge on a balcony overhanging the principal en-

Prom the

Pandit.

whom

^"isitors

is haA-ing his

'

Sapta-Shati.'

TraDslated by Carali Tenkat EamasswElmi,

222

AMONG THE

trance,

whence a

fine

ghat leads

GODS.

down

to the water's edge.

Standing by the small, white-marble pavilion wherein the

Maharaja prays, they obtain a bird's-eye view

stairca,se

On

of stone.

the steps

sit

many

their large baskets overflowing with garlands

of this great

flower -sellers,

and from the

water's brink ascend in constant streams whole boat-loads of

Natives newly disembarked.

crowd

of

satins

and velvets

Hindus

Wonderful

in festal array,
finely

is

many

the sight of this

of

them

clad in

embroidered with gold.

Each new-comer buys some

them in a flat, round basket

to the tiny temples perched

high up on the ramparts of the

castle.

move

flowers,

and solemnly

carries

Here the worshippers

eight times round the shrine, and finally offer

floral gifts.

Many of them

their fingers

on the walls or the pavement the

their

pause as they do so to trace with

letters of

an

invisible name.

As our

more embark, the light is

and each boatful of brilliant

friends once

the glow of sunset,

clearly mirrored

on

the

surface

of

the

shining

Before they have reached mid-stream the night

and from many a palace in the

native music,
filling

old

tom-toms

soft

with

figures is

water.

upon them,
hubbub of

is

city rings forth a

and other delectable instruments

the air with sound, as

when

the warrior-maidens of

"sounded the trumpet, likewise the conches,

kettle-

drums, and other instruments in the festival of war."

At

sunrise and at sunset, at mid-day and at midnight, this wild

music

is

made

in all the river-side palaces as

religious devotion.

Hindu

an act

of

Musical modes are gods in India, and a

will never allow that his unintelligible strains are

not far superior to any music of the sober and conventional "West.

Now

through the gathering darkness are seen the red

"

"

223

MOTHER aANGES.
lights

from the two Burning Ghats, and from each

far through the air a

travellers cause their boat to pass close to one of

that they can see the blazing

company

of

trails

The
them so

dark line of shadowy smoke.

pile,

mourners, distinctly

and above

it

the

little

visible, in the light of

the

against a background of darkness.

fire,

As

the boat approaches

light glides near

it,

its

destination, a tiny flickering

floating slowly seaward.

It is a little

lamp fed with ghee,^ and launched as a pious offering to wellloved Mother Ganges. Meanwhile the countless stars shine
forth,

to

and the

whom

it

travellers are

was

said,

"As

reminded

of that ancient

drops of water in the

King

sea, or as

stars in the sky, or as showers of rain, as the sands in the

Ganges
merit

is

innumerable,

ai-e

in truth

As they

drive

Maha-raja, even so thy

beyond reckoning."

away from the Eiver the

The muffled body of the dead man

on the shoulders of two of his

funeral.

bamboo

resting

speed along at a quick trot

great
"

slung to a

relations,

who

Eam

is

great

Eam

Pursotum," says Philippa, " when can

we go

ins Ghat, and watch the funeral ceremonies

"You

is

meet a

toward the Burning Ghat,

chanting as they go in the vernacular, "

is

travellers

to the

Burn-

can go to-morrow," says Pursotum; and the next

afternoon the travellers accordingly watch for more than two

hours in that melancholy place "where stands in Benares

the burning - ground, very dire with the close contagion of

and painful by reason of the sounds of lamentation."

And these are the rites which they see:
On a rough bamboo stretcher the shrouded corpse is
fear,

brought to the river-sida

^

It is first dipped in the water,

Liquid butter.

AMONG THE

224
and then

laid

GODS.

on the bank, while the dead man's nearest

with logs of wood laid

relative begins to build the pyre

crosswise.

On

this pile the

body

placed,

is

and the

chief

mourner, putting his hand under the wrappings, rubs

it

with the dust of sandal-wood, and lays pieces of sandal-

wood beside it. Then he completes the pyre, piling up the

wood over the body, but leaving still visible the muffled
head and feet. Then follows a long pause while the chief
mourner goes away to bathe in the Eiver, and to put on

He

a clean garment, and to have his head shaved.

next

goes to a bamboo-hut (perched on a ledge of ground above

the Domra, a low-caste

the Burning Ghat) where lives

personage whose duty

There

is

no fixed

before the weary

is to

price,

supply the

He now

walks

pyre, touching each time he passes

he

with the burning straw.

sets fire to the

for the burning.

and a long bargaining, takes place

mourner returns with the

in a whisp of straw.

man

fire

At

wood near the

it

the

five

smouldering

fire

times round the

the head of the dead

fifth

circumambulation

feet of the corpse,

a few minutes the red flames are blazing high in

the

fire

When

has burned for more than an hour, the chief mourner

takes a long, pointed

it,

air.

and in

bamboo wherewith he beats and

stirs

a process said to give intense pain to the soul of the

dead.

Finally he takes

up on the point

of the

bamboo what

looks like a charred piece of wood, and pitches

Kiver.

Then Ganges-water

is

it

into the

brought and poured on the

hissing flames until they die out in a white cloud of steam,

whereupon the ashes are raked and washed down into the
Eiver, and the ceremony is over.

The

relatives of the

dead must

now

bathe before returning

home, and the chief mourner will for thirteen days be considered unclean, and

must cook

his

own

food and eat by

MOTHER GANGES.
liimself.

On

relatives

and

will enter

the thirteenth day he will

Yama's

a feast for his

city that is " awful,

made

of the dead

of iron, terrible

There Tama, the god of the dead,

"

with

red eyes, reignetli for ever with Death and Time the

Destroyer."

man

make

on that day the soul

friends, for

in appearance."
fiery

225

Terrible

is

for when a
hammers and

the journey thither;

servitors, " terriiic, carrying

Yama's

dies,

maces, hard-hearted," immediately bind him in cruel fetters

and drag him forth

to the southern region "

in hundreds of holes, and which

And

sun."

is

which abounds

heated by the blazing

"being dragged about by those fearful ones,

being eaten by hundreds of she-jackals, the evU-doer proceeds by an awful road.

shoes,

But men who give umbrellas and

and who bestow garments, those men pass along that

Throughout

road with ease."

and easy matter

for those

dead man's soul

is

who

this

journey (which

is

a short

die here in holy Benares) the

sustaiued by a daily offering of rice-cake

and water, which gradually enables him to grow a new body

instead of that which has been burned, slowly taking to
itself

arms and

a head.

legs, until

on the tenth day

Thenceforth the dead

is

it

obtains at last

worshipped as a pitri in

the periodical rites of srmWia.

Such things doth Pursotum tell to the travellers as they

stand on a high ledge by a sculptured temple, looking down
on the funeral ceremonies of the gloomy burning-ground.
But at length the fierce light of the day sinks down, and
the Eiver

is

a bright plain

streaks of blue.

Mother Ganga

And

of

rosy glass with rippling

so farewell for a wliile,

venerable

226

CHAPTEE

XV.

THE CITY OF AKBAR.

Befoee leaving Benares our

travellers

have an opportunity,

such as they have hitherto never enjoyed, of seeing that

most

terrific of

natural dramas, a protracted tropical thunder-

All day the

storm.

unbearable heat.

grassy level of the

the thirsty ground

pipals

air

has glowed with an almost

is it

since rain has fallen that the

still

So long

compound
is

cleft

by

is

scorched and yellow, while

and nlms and tamarinds, covered with parching

hang down with a drooping hopelessness

weary

and the

long, gaping cracks,

leaves.

Even the sunshine has

the dusty earth

it is

lost

their

dust,

dry and

its life,

and on

poured, from the dead and colourless

sky, in a cruel, blinding, glaring blaze that has

no sense

of pity.

But when the sun is near his

northern horizon a bank of inky
masses such as we

know

swallowing np the sky

clouds,

no

up from the
freely floating

in England, but a dense

wall of angry, blue-black hue.

not

setting, rolls

Swiftly, irresistibly

and
it

solid

comes,

and forth leaps the lightning-flame

yellow or steely blue, but of a lurid, rose-red colour

unknown,

so far as our friends are aware, in our feebler

northern storms.

227

THE CITY OF AKBAR.

tlranderstorm at night so near the tropics

go out into the verandah and watch.

headache

may

but

be,

not a

is

Stay not within in lamplit rooms, but

sight to be missed.

it is

you a

It will give

Black and

well worth that.

thick the night has fallen, hiding the world from view

but more awful than the deepest gloom are the moments of
leaping light

when

things forth in a

the weird spell of the lightning calls

moment

Then every

ness.

the frightened trees

nigh think
stillness,

it

is

day, were

engulfed in

its

clear

and

vivid, every leaf

plain for all to see.

is

it

not that

seem staring and

the sky in

a hue.

colour

stiff

One would

all things, in their

with

dreadful brightness

is

terror,

were

it

on

well-

dazzled

not that

and ghastly

of so livid

moment more, and again the whole world

the murky darkness, overwhelmed by the roar

devouring thunder and the floods of the rushing

more

all

into strange, unnatural distinct-

rain.

is

of

Ever

fiercely rages the tumult, until the lightning-flashes are

joined together, until the clamours of the storm- wind and

the sound of the waters are

one with the din of the

all

bellowing thunder that hurtles round the great vault of

heaven with one unceasing roar

So the turmoil

able despair.

of never-resting, unappeas-

and crashes tiU the

rolls

strength of the storm is spent, until the lightnings fade

into darkness

and the thunder

back

dies in silence, until Nature,

as though she were wearied by her passionate burst of grief,

down exhausted and cries herself to sleep.

But next morning all is dewy freshness, and the earth has

at length sinks

renewed her youth.

Clear and blue

the sunshine's smiling brightness

tenderest light of eyes that

is

is

the radiant sky, and

gentle and sweet as the

beam and

glisten.

Green blades

are springing from the breathing ground, and the trees are
stirring

and quivering with the joy

of their verdant Kfe.

"

AMONG THE

228
The

brilliant parrots flutter

their cries that blithely

and

GODS.

among them,

the air with

filling

answer the Indian woodpecker's

soft

bell-like note.

As

the calm and peace that come with the

dark hours of weeping

man

feels

when

as the

hope and the

its

the broad green leaves, and

and

They know

secret.

hear just yet

it,

and the

For the dewy

all living

flows

flowers,

things beside, are trans-

some

they have heard

trees, as

life

sweetness, and mirth that

to overflowing of

full

after long,

when renewed

inmost springs the tide of

so are the gladness, the

have come with the new-born day.

figured

dawn

rest that the sick

a wasting fever has left him,

and cleansed from

back,

bright, mysterious,
it,

the soft air

we may not
stirs them, make
but

smiling signals one to another, as though they whispered of

What

us, "

they do

now

is

will they say

How

in store

when they know

it

What

will they bear such joy as they

And

soon they shall know, but

will

dream not

we may

not

them yet. Hush hush

Even as when we were children, in the bright and distant
days, sometimes, when a birthday drew near, the elder faces
around us were full of delightful mystery, and all the air was
tell

astir

with a half -suspected secret that

too soon,

we would not know

so now through the world that

lives

bursting the glory of some great good above

all

and smiles
that

is

we ask

or think.

On
and

such a morning as this the travellers leave Benares,

set forth

on a 200 miles' north-westward journey into

Awadh (or Oudh,

as the vulgar usage

hath

it),

that they

may

spend some days at Lucknow and Cawnpore in visiting the

ever -memorable

But

sites

connected with the Sipahi Mutiny.

of the impressions of these days, of their meditations in

THE MEMORIAL WELL. CAWN'TORE.

THE CITY OF AKBAR.

these places, our friends

may

be forgiven

229
if

they keep no

written record.

And now again the rich Indian landscape, with its

beautiful vegetation
is

and

its

strangely

boundless level of verdant plain,

swiftly fleeting past, as our travellers pursue their

north-westward to Agra, the City

Cawnpore

of

Akbar.

way

Starting from

at 11 a.m., they arrive about tiffin-time at

Etawah,

which used

to be the headquarters of the Thags, and doubtwould be still were it not for the British raj.
The historically minded Philippa is called upon for an
account of that amiable community, and a gruesome story
less

she

tells

how they were bound

terrible Kali, in

whose honour

many

to strangle as
secret language,

together by devotion to the

it

was

their vocation in life

people as possible;

and signs whereby

how they had

to recognise each other,

and how their method was

make friends with well-to-do travellers, and remain in
tlieir company on terms of intimacy and kindness, until at
an opportune moment they could strangle and plimder and

and an elaborate organisation

to

bury them.

"When they attacked a company

them had

to

Only,

information.^

of travellers, every

be strangled, that none might be

if

one of

left to

give

very young boys were of the party, the

Thags would adopt them and bring them up to the

craft.

In

the whole system of Thagi there was nothing, perhaps, so

horrible as the cautious and gradual
recruits.

It

was so gently done

minds was so

all

eduction

of these

young

danger of shocking their

carefully avoided, as step

by step they were

insensibly promoted, until that proud day was reached

when

the neophyte, solemnly presented with the noose, acquired

'

See ' Asiatic Reseaixihes for 1820

'

(vol. xiii.).

230

AMONG THE

GODS.

the privileges of the fully initiate, and began his

sight

sacred

The sacredness thereof must on no account be

career.

lost

Each expedition began and ended with an im-

of.

pressive religious ceremony, and a

number

of

omens were

At

strictly observed, including the chirping of lizards.

the

preliminary sacrifice a sheep was slain before Kali's silver

image, prayers for success were devoutly offered, and there

was a solemn dedication

of the instruments of the art.

These instruments were three.

of cord, for

The

first

was the noose

which might be substituted, in ordinary

practice,

a turban or any other length of cloth, provided

colour

that

its

was none other than yellow or white, which hues

are sacred to the goddess Kali.

The second instrument

was the knife wherewith they used horribly

their victims'

to

lacerate

dead bodies, that the process of dissolution

The third was a pickaxe for the

Not always had they all been needed, for

might go on speedily.
digging of graves.

in the good old days, long, long ago, the victims were left

unburied, and Kali herself (following on the track of her

them every one. But once on a

company of Thags had slain

pious devotees) devoured

time
a

it

man;

came
and,

to pass that a

they were departing from the place, a

as

young neophyte dared

to

look back, and he beheld the

dark goddess in the midst of her banquet, and the dead

body

of the victim

the goddess,

filled

hung dangling out

of her

mouth.

Then

with rage, did make declaration that

never more would she deign to feast on those that the

Only

so far she relented that she gave

Thags should

slay.

for a pickaxe

one of her teeth, for a knife a rib of her own,

and the hem

of her robe for a noose.

After that,

and

it

seems, the Thags went on and prospered

a great deal of business they did, especially in the hot

THE CITY OF AKBAE.

men

weather when
of

by

travelled

Etawah were found

night.

231

In

this

one

district

in wells, during the years 1808

and

The num-

1809, sixty-seven bodies of the victims of Thagi.

bers of the Thags were astonishingly large ; but those outside

the Society had no means of recognising them, and the terror

of their unseen presence

their devotion,

most sincere

and

what we believe

Through the

must have been awful.

But then

though doubtless mistaken, was certainly

it is

a comfort to think that

so long as

liot

we

act

up

it

matters not

to our convictions.

afternoon the journey continues;

the

sun goes down, and our friends arrive at Agra in the sweet

and dreamy
magic

of

stillness

known only

an Indian night.

who have

to those

The Zodiacal light

felt

the

is faintly

gleaming, and, as they cross the Jamna, the starlight shimmers

on the broad stream, while Jupiter, wonderfully large and

brilliant,

throws a shining path across the waters.

But with the morning comes eager haste, and astonishment of wondering admiration. Hindu architecture has
grown familiar enough to our travellers but of Muhammadan buildings in India they have hitherto seen but little,
and their minds are ill prepared for the splendours of this
;

stately city of the Mughals.

Faring forth in the

air of early morning, they betake

them

fort

which Akbar

and

his magnificent successors finished.

Built of deep-red sandstone,

mighty gates glow with

mile and a
height
"

is

first to

(in the sixteenth century)

rich,

its

cool, fresh

the palace-

began

to build,

towering walls and

crimson colour.

half is the circuit of those royal walls

nearly 70 feet

its

More than
;

their

and they are crowned with strange

beehive " crenelations which add

much

to the extraordin-

ary impressiveness of the unfamiliar architecture.

Surely

;!

AMONG THE

232
no common

this is

GODS.

by the hand

fortress builded

man

of

would

It belongs not to this ordinary world, but rather, one

some Eastern

think, to

Doubtless

fairy tale.

it

was reared by

demon-builders long ago for some mighty magician to dwell

Nay, so mysterious
believes

it

is its

to exist at

in.

oriental grandeur that one scarcely

all,

unless

be in some vague, meta-

it

phoric manner like that other fortress, of Indian allegory,

whereof spake of old those pious sons of the soul-subdued

" Great,"

Sukrisha.

Wisdom
It

said they, "

sits

the fortress which has

is

and the bones

enclosed on all sides

is

Sentient Soul
he,

for its rampart,

for its pillars.

with sinews

Two

firm as king.

and there the

rival ministers

and the Understanding;"

the Intelligence

hath

and four

enemies who desire his destruction, even Desire and Anger

and Covetousness and Folly.

These four besiege the

and the Understanding betrays

Intelligence perish,

With minds
our

travellers

still

fortress,

Then doth the

his king.

and the Sentient Soul

is

subdued.

haunted by such old-world similitudes,

enter

the Fort

by way

Gate, and speedily find themselves

of

the

Elephant

opposite the entrance

the Moti Masjid, the famous Pearl Mosque

Shah Jahan in 1648-1655.
Ascending a high
of

built

by

flight

of

they pass through a gateway of red sandstone lined

steps,

within with polished white marble

rounds

it

in the centre

is

and

so they find

A beautiful

selves in the shining marble court.

them-

cloister sur-

the marble tank for ablutions

and opposite the gateway, raised by steps above the white

pavement of the court, is the lovely praying - place, its
'

cusped Saracenic arches retreating in stately perspective

to
rise

the cool shadows that reign within.

many

light

From

the

roof

and graceful cupolas, and three great bulb1

Markandeya Purina.

Pargiter.


THE CITY OF AKBAE.

233

ous domes that curve upward against the cloudless sky-

Domes and

in lines of perfect loveliness.

and

and

pillars

cupolas, arches

court, all the building is of radiant

marble such as we know not at

all in

white

our cold and watery

atmosphere.

One dreams

Emperor who builded

that the

so beautiful

must needs have been pious and devout,

pleasing to recall that picture of him which his

a place of worship

and

it is

admiring chronicler has

" at

how,

firmament in the universe

moon
that

"

to say, the

of royalty

"with

and purity

felicity"

an attentive heart

his devotions to the true Deity "

dawn

Persian

and dominion, the

monarchy and
;

up

offers

King

tells in florid

the sun which illumines the

that irradiates the sky of

is

true

who

left us,

the close of night,"

and

"

when

the

about to appear, he, with readiness of heart

is

of mind,

employs himself in reading the glorious

and renowned Koran with perfect fluency and eloquence."

Long do the

visitors

wander

in this enchanted precinct,

penetrating to the miJirab, and admiring most of

exquisite screens of marble fretwork behind

Words

used to worship.
for these faery

webs

of

are too clumsy

fairest lace is

now

and commonplace

of tearing

them.

not more dainty, yet are they as fresh

as

when

first

their

three centuries and a half ago.

cend to the

ladies

such delicately intricate design that

one almost dreads to touch for fear

stainless

aH the

which the

roof,

The
and

makers wrought them

Pinally our travellers as-

and look away over a great curving bend

of

the Jamna, to the white domes and minarets of that most

lovely of marble tombs, the far-famed Taj Mahall.

that

is

the crown and the flower of Agra's splendours, and

we must not
^

But

From

JIi'

describe it yet.
Gladwin's

ti-auslation.

See the " Persian Moonsliee."

234

AMONG THE

GODS.

Leaving the mosque at length, our friends betake them

which was the Carrousel or

to the great cloistered square

tomb of Mr Colvin, the LieutenantGovernor of the North-West Provinces, who died in 1857
during the Mutiny, when Agra Tort was crowded with
Herein

Tilt-yard.

is

the

by the

refugees and besieged

from the mutineers,

On

brass gun, taken

here to this day.

is

one side of the grand court, and opening on to

Diwan

the

rebels.

Am,

not to have been completed (in

present form) until the

its

twenty - seventh year of the reign

of Aurangzib.

cusped Saracenic arches

but

has

all

now been

whitewashed (or leastwise painted white) that

of

It is a

colonnade of red sandstone, with slender pillars and

triple

"Within, at the back of the hall,

see.

it, is

the Hall of Public Audience, which seems

marble, whereon, in

Mughal
steps

commanded

great

it is pitiful

court

to

a beautiful estrade

the

cross-legged dignity,

The Audience Hall

sat enthroned.

above the

solemn,

is

so mercilessly

is

by

raised

and the Emperor's throne

a view not only

of

those in his immediate

presence, but also of all the crowd without.

What

our florid chronicler concerning the great

saith

Assembly held every morning by the Emperor

Diwan

Am

The prayers have long been

that distribution of presents

that " the

hand

of the

over wherein

is

Emperor

is

in the stately
finished

it

and

was manifest

boundless as the ocean in

bestowing bounties, being the key of the gates of kindness

and

liberality

"

the Gracious

Monarch has repaired

to the

plain of the Jerokahdursun, where " the eyes of those

entertain hopes and expectations

"

have been

the light -diffusing countenance;" and

now "the sun

heaven

of prosperity

asylum

of the universe, the splendour of

who

" brightened

and empire, the shadow

of

by

of the

God, the

whose instructive

THE CITY OF AKBAE.

235

front causes light and gladness to the world and to

man-

kind," " increases by his presence " the splendour of the Hall
of Audience, "

where the servants

of the court stand

ready to

enjoy the blessing of making obeisance."

Now the Emperor has taken his place, and there follows a
review of " fleet steeds, with inlaid and enamelled furniture,"
and

"

renowned elephants, resembling mountains, and decked

in complete trappings ornamented with gold and precious

Then the princes

stones.

of high descent, agreeably to their

respective ranks, have permission to be seated near the im-

After which the following persons: Khans,

perial throne.

Omrahs, and Mirzas,

degree,

and cautious,
.

Ministers of State, viziers of high

gentlemen of the sword and of the pen, valiant

.

armour-bearers of great exertions, archers,

dilapidators of mountains,

Meanwhile
"

belief.

tlie

and other respectable persons."

behaviour of the servants

exemplary beyond

is

Struck with veneration and attachment on behold-

ing the august countenance," they are " lost and immersed in

wonder and amazement.

Notwithsteinding they are so

much

pressed togetlier, they do not presume to converse one with

another, but, having

closed

their

lips

with the seal of

silence, and girded up the loins of obedience, completely

armed and accoutred,

listen to

commands

inevitable as the

decrees of fate, and, in the road of obedience and compliance,

outstrip the lightning

Then

and the wind."

follows the reception of foreign ambassadors, and of

those "merchants and traders"

resort to this court, the

the sky; and, opening

jewels,
cles,

asylum
tlieir

who "from remote

of

own

regions

mankind, permanent as
packages, display bright

and the choicest piece goods, with other wares,

and things

monument

and ha\ing derived immense

of fame,

by spreading through

arti-

profit, erect

all the qiiarters of

AMONG THE

236

GODS,

the earth reports of the virtue and renown of this immortal

emperor."

There are also

oEfieers of State to

and

lectors of revenues,

or on taking leave,

them

so forth,

be interviewed, and col-

who

"

on being introduced

the Ministers of State having caused

to approach," " are directed to kiss the august feet

and

some, tlirough excess of favour, have the sacred hand laid

upon

their back

"

while

"

other

Omrahs and

at a

officers

distance are honoured with especial notice by the bend of the

eyebrow, or by a side glance from the august eye, the seat of

favour and kindness."

When

our friends have sufficiently feasted their imagina-

tion on the gorgeous spectacles that, in the days of their

i

Am

into the Palace,

and

Sublime Majesties the Lords of the Age, the Diwan

must have witnessed, they wander on

presently find themselves in the Anguri Bagh, an oriental

garden-square round which, in stately loveliness, stand some

of the

more private

side is

and chambers.

on the other side

visitors,

of the

halls

Khas Mahall.

of

Within

an open colonnade.

Opposite to the

the garden, are the arches

is

a hall, but on the garden

The whole

is

of

snow-white

marble, wherewith richly contrast the gilded cupolas that

crown the
roof,

roof, resting

on slender

Beneath the

pillars.

and supported by brackets, runs a broad, slanting

stone, whereof the soft,

most cusps
nade.

flat

drip-

luminous shadow reaches the top-

of the Saracenic arches of the

Along the bright pavement within

supporting colonlie

the shadows of

the pillars, and beyond are dim recesses of cool and shadowy

gloom.

To the

left of the

Khas Mahall extends

a faery pavilion,

between whose columns our travellers catch a glimpse of

the Eiver flowing far below.

This pavilion, like the

Khas

THE CITY OF AKBAE.

Mahall,

and

is

and snow-white marble,

built of richly sculptured

is

237

roofed with gilded plates of copper, which flash and

burn in the sunlight.

Other buildings there

lovely than the rest.

The

are,

each more

brilliance of the sunlit surfaces,

the soft coolness of the shadows, the mystery of the reflected

lights,

the contrasting splendour of the golden roofs, methinks

the palaces of Fairyland could scarcely equal.

Turning to the

left,

the visitors

make

their

way

to the

north side of the garden, and thence enter the Shish Mahall,
the Palace of Glass, which

they have ever seen.

is

the most fantastic bathing-place

Ceilings and walls are all lined with

numberless tiny mirrors, divided only by the mazy lines of

and

intricate

stucco.

No

arabesques

graceful

delicately

daylight can enter, and there

is

wrought in

nothing to mar

the extraordinarj' effect of the torch whicli our travellers

carry,

and the

light whereof is

thrown back from every-

where in multitudinous twinkling

There

reflections.

wonderful device, moreover, whereby the water, as

in its marble channel towai'd the bath,
in little cascades, behind

was made

which lamps were

it

is

flowed

to descend

set to light

up

the falling drops.

Crossing southward the Anguri Bagh, our friends seek

next the Jalmngir Mahall, where they find themselves again

surrounded by the quaintly beautiful but weird and unintelligible

forms

of

Hindu

architecture.

Herein

doth

Philippa discourse on Jahangir in general, and in particular

upon his rebellious behaviour to Akbar his princely father.

He was fonder of drinking than of business, it seems, and
during his reign the government was conducted by Nurjahan,
his

famous and strong-minded consort.

called her, the light of the Palace,

personage

she

assuredly

Nur

Mahall, they

and a very wonderful

must have been.

Those were

AMONG THE

238
strange times

Mr

was not

GODS.

and we know something about them

Finch, Merchant, our

own

too, for

fellow-countryman,

many

staying at Jahangir's court, and has he not told us

things of the wonders and splendours thereof
his descriptions, I think, is his account

of "

the Mogul," and the lordly manner of

its

reckoned," saith he, "that the whole

amounted

not

to 500,000 if

six.

They

of

all

Army

the vast

of

" It is

marching.

Body
eat

Best df

Camp

the

and drank up the

stores were ex-

Country as they passed along, the largest

hausted, and the rivers not able to supply

The Jahangir Mahall

1605

A.D., at

(built,

them with

they say, by Jahangir

the very beginning of his reign)

palace of a red

is

drink."

about

a magnifical

sandstone; and the deep crimson colour

thereof greatly augments the wild effect of the strange and

fanciful sculpture.

From

the Jahangir Mahall our friends find their

way

to

the high sandstone wall overlooking the Eiver, and wander

along at the top

of it

through a succession of lovely white-

marble chambers and pavilions, so marvellously light and

graceful that English seems to have no phrases to

and

besides (as aforesaid)

what white marble

is.

we do not know

Everywhere

is

fit

them

in England

sculpture of flowers,

not in the crowded wreaths and bunches that Western taste

delights in, but each plant separated

and spread out on the

marble surface as botanists arrange their specimens for

pressing,

and generally accompanied by a

device which symbolises,

where too
ture,

is

and (most admirable

This seems to be at least a

sort aver that

it

Every-

more conventional sculp-

of all) beautiful inlayer's

wrought in

common

was built by Akbar

curious, cloud-like

be, the scent thereof.

rich embroidery of

of delicate floral designs

'

may

opinion

work

agate, cornelian, jasper,

;

but some

of the

more learned

for the use of his son Jahangir.

239

THE CITY OF AKBAR.

lapis-lazuli,

and other precious

stones, all set in the white

marble so perfectly as to preserve the polished surface absolutely unbroken.

and channels cut

in the marble

for sparkling waters to flow in,

and clustered

There are fountains

pavements
arches,

too,

and fluted columns, and screens

of faiiry lace-work

shining and light and various like films of melting cloud,

yet firm and solid and cool as though carved in frozen snow.

Of such

is

the low balustrade which, supported on sandstone

brackets, hangs round the edge of the walls;

down on

our friends look

where

brilliant parrots perch

every recess.

and over

it

the courses of deep-red masonry,^

on every ledge and nestle in

Smooth and delicate is their phimage of soft,

and some have crimson bealvs and nar-

rich emerald-green,

row crimson collars. In their long tails are golden feathers

which gleam in the glowing sunlight when they spread them
A charming contrast do the parrots make
out in flight.
with the deep-red sandstone walls, but

still

more radiant are

they when they sweep across the marble courts and perch

on the shining

The
in

rail.

travellers fail not to visit the

room wherein

December 1666, the Emperor Shah Jahdn.

marble chamber, perched

near- the

It

died,
is

edge of the wall, whence

he could look away across the waters of the Jamna to the

Taj Maliall that he himself had builded. There, beneath
that stainless dome, lay
ful Arjmand Banu,

Palace, while

"

liis

well-loved Empress, the beauti-

Mumtaz

Mahall," the Chosen of the

their son Aurangzib, keeping his father a

prisoner at Agra, exultingly governed in his stead from his

lordly court in Dehli.
^

Poor old Shah Jahdn

It

was a sad

A story is told that there is rubble inside, and that the red-sandstone slabs

are oul^- facing-stones.

People have no right to say such things as these.

AMONG THE

240

GODS.

ending for him whose head (so our Persian authority avers)

had been

"

of the

firmament of pomp and glory,

the Monarch, bestower of treasures,

sea,"

who

bounteous as the

is

whose "sacred and sublime cavalcade" had been

such marvellous " state and splendour

blasts of trumpets, occasioned

soever he travelled
spheres,

"

who rode

"

an earthquake" when-

on an elephant swift as the

of

money

before

whom

and firm as a mountain, whilst abundance

was flung on

of

that the " concussion

with the sound of the kettle-drums

of the people, together

and

who

exalted to the Greater and the Lesser Bear,"

had been "the sun

among the populace;"

all sides

was carried "an umbrella touching the sky," while behind

him marched " the principal officers with chowries and fans
inlaid with precious stones, like the
in the

firmament

shadow

sun

after the

of greatness."

Wandering northward along the walls, the visitors reach

Khas Mahall, and, passing through it, make

at length the
their

way

to the

ence, which,

if

Diwan-i Khas, or Hall

possible, is

of Private

more beautiful

Audi-

Its lovely

still.

colonnade looks upon a terrace whereon are two thrones

and made, the one

opposite

one

other of

white marble.

another,

Each

is

of

a large, flat slab, raised

On

above the pavement on a low marble platform.

black throne sat the Emperor
sat

and some say that

the

his jester

on the white one, confronting the mighty despot with

a parody of his princely

state.

This place

is

World used

chronicler),

to

reclining

repair at

"SemAsylum of

that

blance of Paradise" whither his Majesty the

the

the

slate,

when

evening,

on "the throne of

state,

(saith

his

the sem-

blance of the empyrean one," he " exerts his great abilities

in arranging the affairs of government

ordinary designs which

lies

hidden and

and the pearl

concealed

of

from

241

THE CITY or AKBAE.

others the most intelligent, his Majesty, by diving to the

depths of

with the aid of his discerning mind

reflectii)n,

makes

grasps the gem, and

it

an ornament

for the ear of

the wise."

On
it

Akbar himself may have

the Black Throne

sat, for

bears a chronogram which, the learned say, gives the

date 1011 of the Hegira, which

is

a.d. 1603.

The

slab is

by a great crack. It was not always so, for of

old the surface was smooth and even; but there came an
usurping sovereign, a violent Jat who had no right to the
traversed

Mughal's

and when he

seat,

quaked, and

it

sat thereon the

Black Throne

cracked with a thundering noise, and drops

To this day the red-brown stain is

and some have wisely talked of I know not what

of blood oozed forth.

there,

compound

of iron

have no faith at
ISTear

all.

the Diwan-i

marble pavement.

"a kind

but in that mechanical explanation I

Khas

game were

a packid-hoavdi inlaid in the

backgammon."

of Eastern

large scale, as the pieces

the

is

Fachisi has been learnedly defined as

This board

is

on a

which the Mughals employed in

slaves.

Thence our friends go on to the Saman Burj, or Jasmine

Tower, a pavilion wherein the chief sultana used to live

and thence find their way to a tiny mosque built

marble and intended for the ladies
Its three

in.

snowy domes

whole has a delightful

of white

of the palace to

recall the

Moti Masjid

air of infancy, as

though

worship

and the
it

would

grow up some day.

But one cannot go on
and

besides, it

for

ever enumerating buildings;

seems to our travellers to be more than

time for breakfast.

Before finally leaving the Eort, how-

ever, they are introduced to the venerable Gates of

Som-

AMONG THE

242
nath

GODS.

and the Father, who alone can remember Lord Ellen-

Made

borough's days, presently recounts their history.

of

sandal-wood and originally the portals of the famous Hindu

temple at Somnath, they were

seized, so

long ago as the

Mahmoud, and

year 1024, by the Sultan

carried away,

together with the temple treasure, to Ghuzni, his capital.

After his death they were set up at his tomb, and there

they remained until Lord EUenborough, with a great flourish

of trumpets,

brought them to Agra on a triumphal car;

and a magniloquent proclamation he boastingly issued about

The romance

them.

of this return is

the fact that their long residence

has strangely affected them.

ornamentation) have turned

are

of

In fact they (with

Muhammadan.

to hold out against one's

pay their respects

'i

Moreover, they

it is

very hard work

environment, especially

if

one

is

of wood.

Often do the travellers

Jam

all their

sandal- wood no longer, but only of deodar pine.

Indeed they are sadly changed; but

made

somewhat clouded by

among the Mussalmans

to other

Masjid, the Great

visit

the Fort, and they

fail

not to

noteworthy buildings, especially the

Mosque

built

by Shah Jahan,

a.d.

1639-1644, to do honour to his daughter Jahanara, that very

who afterwards shared her father's imprisonment with such affectionate devotion. It is a grand erection,
buUded of red sandstone and white marble in very pleasing
contrast.
But oftenest our friends are attracted by the Taj
lovable Princess

and now doth

^
^r^X

it

behove us to celebrate the beauties of that

stately garden-tomb.

The effect of the first impression thereof is greatly heightened by the very imposing approach. One is not allowed
to rush into its presence with unprepared and unexpectant
mind. Our travellers enter first a grand outer court, and

243

THE CITY OF AKBAE.

thence pass beneath the arches of the most majestic gate-

way they have

ever seen.

Its height

is

140

feet,

and

it is

builded of red sandstone richly inlaid with white marble,

and crowned with twenty-two small, white-marble cupolas

and four larger ones, all resting on slender sandstone columns.

The spandrels
with

floral

ways run,

of all its arches are of white

arabesques

broad

in

and round the two greater archband

of

black

from the Koran.

white, long texts

marble inlaid

marble inlaid in

Within, beneath the

gateway's arches and semi -domes, are lofty spaces

filled

with shadow.
Tlirough the gloom and the stillness the travellers hasten,

and emerge therefrom into dazzling sunshine and a world

Before them stretches a long, long

of verdant loveliness.

by cypresses and other

vista bordered

clumps

of

marble channel
fountains

Down

bamboo.

and luxuriant

the centre stretches

a broad,

with running water, whence

filled

At

rise.

trees,

the

far

end

is

a low red

many

sandstone

platform whereon rests that radiant group of marble forms

like nothing else in the world,

smooth

and

shining,

its

four

great white platform,

corners

guarded

by four

strong, snow-white ininars, each crowned with a gleaming

cupola;

and

building with

in

centre thereof

the

slender

pinnacles,

a majestic octagonal

and four large marble

cupolas placed round the vast central dome which rises

upward and upward

yet,

swelling in bulbous curves

till

feet

crowned by a gilded crescent 243J

above the garden-level. Each of the four chief arches

rises

63 feet from the pavement, and the spandrels thereof,

the topmost point

is

as well as those of the smaller arches to right

are inlaid with arabesques

drawn

and

left,

in great, sweeping lines,

distinctly visible even at so great a distance.

244

AMONG THE

Long do the

travellers gaze,

GODS.

and then,

to obtain a wider

view, ascend to the top of the great gateway,

can look

abroad

more

are

clearly visible the twin

whence they
the

Tomb

beyond the Eiver.

Now

and past

garden

the

the wide, green plains

to

itself

over

mosques

(of red sandstone

with snow-white marble domes) which, standing to right

and

so nobly support the

left,

Symmetry demanded

Taj.

that they should both face- inward to the central group,

t.hpm

(inly t^TftwJArffj__fvf__fvnp _ nf

wTlRi'nfiii'H

it

Mecca; whence

ought, toward

left-hand building

really a

is

nothing particular.

This

is

pajn

look, aS

follows that only the

it

mosque, while the other

is

but so charming

is

a pity

the general effect that one has not the heart to complain.

As

for the Taj itself,

the view

more wonderful than

its

mystery

from this high standpoint, whence

uninterrupted by the trees,

is

of

ever.

No

it

looks fairer and

photograph ever could catch

enchanting loveliness, for such unearthly and

They talk

ethereal beauty can hardly be reproduced.

the cost of the Taj being nearly 2,000,000

that for

seventeen years there laboured upon

day some 20,000 workmen.

built in a night

know

day by

it

better

It

was

from the moonlit snows that lay on the

.

peaks of Himalaya.
crystals,

But

of

and they say

Frozen and hard were the gleaming

but the snow -sprites deftly quarried them, and

on waggons

of

cloud

they brought

builded the

Tomb

therefrom

around the

dome

are

Through the hours

finished their

work

of

at

the

them

haste

in

petals

night the

of

jasmine

sprites did

dawn, when the

blossoms.

labour,

spirits of

came riding on sunbeams around the topmost

and touched it lightly with glittering wings till
to radiant gold.

and

but the delicate mouldings

and

morning
crescent,
it

turned

<

o
X

THE CITY OF AKBAE.

Some

who have dared to blame this bright

the fairies, and many things have they

there are

handiwork
foolishly

of

alleged

gested) it
" It is

245

is

against

Yet

it.

still

(as

one has sug-

even as a lovely face that smiles away reproof.

wanting in structural form," a learned

critic avers,

somewhat vague accusation, it seems to unlearned me.

Does he mean that one cannot discern how the weight
of the dome is supported, the thrust of the arches met ?
Nay, but

is

not this which gives

it

and such unsubstantial

not to rest at

all,

but

it

is

ideal

need of

So pure and

fair is

it,

the

dark -green trees

It is like the bright castles in the air that child-

ren love to build

and not

seems

seems immeasurably far removed from

the dark -red sandstone beneath

around.

magic a charm,

rather to float without

support in an unapproachable glory

the marble, that

so

lightness, that the building

all

not

all

untrue as the elders think them,

unattainable either, but true with a truth that

and cannot be mechanically approached,

so that

no mere journeying through the years can ever bring them

Just so (as

nearer.

all travellers

none can in any wise explain

one

tries to

approach, and

it)

its

from the wonderful smallness

wonderingly notice, though

the Taj seems to recede as

distance can only be judged

of the native figures that

move

like brilliant flies beside its lofty walls.

Happily the Taj does not go on receding for ever, and our
friends have at length traversed the garden and mounted
first

the sandstone platform, and then the higher marble one

whereon no Native ever treads except with shoeless

feet.

Passing beneath the great southern archway, they enter at

length the central hall of the Tomb.

Herein
ness.

is

welcome shadow and the hush,

Each ray

of light that enters

of perfect still-

must pass through two

246

AMONG THE

GODS.

several screens of marble lattice -work,

wondrous twilight wherein

under the centre

Mahall, the lady for

whom
a

is

it

the

is

no gloom at

is

the marble

Exactly

all.

tomb

of

Mumtaz

the Taj was builded and from

That of her husband, Shah Jahan,

Both are

left.

result is a

richly carved

and

inlaid.

are only cenotaphs, for the bodies rest in a vault far

Around them

below.

even in India,

as,

whom

takes its name.

little to

They

dome

of the

and the

The mazes

is

is

snowy

of its

a screen of marble fretwork such

almost too wonderful to be believed

traceries are intricate

and

in.

light as

the melting foam-wreaths that float and change on deep-

blue waves at sea

lace runs a

band

and round each compartment

of inlayer's

of

marble

work, marvellously harmonious

designs of semi-conventional flowers.

The dome
echo,

aboA'e the

and Irene

chords,

is

tombs possesses a strangely beautiful

presently called upon to sing the notes of

which are caught up in a wonderful manner and

given back in a softened harmony that sounds like the

voices of spirits.

Then our

friends leave the hall,

and descend a sloping

marble passage to the real tombs below, each exactly under

its

ornate representative

above^^ g^jJ"

Thence ascending, and emerging on

to the

marble plat-

form, they spend a long time in admiring the rich sculpture

of flowers

and the endless inlaid ornament that adorn the

outside of the building.

At

length, oppressed

by overmuch

sunshine, they retreat to the western mosque, and, seated on

the step beneath

its

arches, gaze

a luxury of cool repose.

tral

nest

still

at the shining Taj

from

Overhead, in the curve of the cen-

swarm of bees have built their

dark-brown shapeless mass whose buzzing crowd of

arch of the mosque, a

inhabitants reminds the travellers beneath of those other

;;
;

THE CITY OF AKBAE.

247

metaphoric bees who live in the boughs of the Tree of

Selfishness

whereupon our friends must needs repeat that

quaintest of Indian similitudes, with

apathetic inaction which

cool
It

and sheltered

was Dattatreya, the wise and

emancipation.

"

in

this

who

told

fitting

retreat.

that story long ago to

Tree of Selfishness

edifying moral of

its

seems peculiarly

is

illustrious Sage,

King Alarka, the

The

tiger -hero.

great and high, filling the path of final

Home and

lands are

topmost boughs

its

children and wife and other relatives are

wealth and corn are

its

great leaves.

young shoots

its

...

It is rich with

festoons of bees, which are the desire to be doing."

Our

others, will

is

much

given to haunting the Taj and

its

one picture thereof which, more than

all

travellers are

garden, but there

remain vividly impressed on their memories.

It is the afternoon of

February 27, the birthday

Jahan, and a native festival kept in his honour.

of the great

gateway

is filled

of

Shah

The gallery

with musicians, and the thun-

derous native music, somewhat terrible

when near

at hand,

heard throughout the far -stretching garden in sweetly

is

mind those splendid days of

"
Shah Jahan's pre-eminence when his " auspicious approach
(so the Persian chronicle states) was wont to be proclaimed
softened rumblings, recalling to

aloud by the voice of

On

"

their first visit our friends

splendours of the Taj

itself to

but to-day they wander far

trees,

%^

the kettle-drum of joy."

were too eager for the

do justice to

among

its

its

lovely garden

lawns and thronging

gaze with wonder at the flowers, and gladly linger

beside the waters, which reflect with glittering clearness

the simlit domes of the Tomb.

haunted by birds of
all,

brilliant

Everywhere the

plumage.

Most

trees are

beautiful of

perhaps, are those which have straight, sharp beaks,

AMONG THE

248
and plumage

of the softest

GODS.

emerald green that ever was

But even the birds are outshone to-day by

The festal crowd, dispersed
among the trees and lawns of the garden, or moving with
unsHppered feet over the snow-white pavement of the Tomb,

seen on earth.

the gorgeous native dresses.

is

remembered

a continual feast to the eyes, and will ever be

by the travellers like some strange and dazzling dream.

Our

friends climb

up

marble platform, and descend

to the

where they find the Emperor's tomb

to the vaulted chamber,

decked out with freshly gathered flowers and

all

fumed with the breath

Then, standing

of fragrant incense.

the air per-

again in the sunshine on the platform's eastern edge, they

watch the shifting rainbow throng gradually concentrating

itself

on the sandstone level beneath them, where carpets

have been spread with a view

The heat

presently begin.

light, already tinged

a wonderful

to a

of the

natch-dance which will

day

is over,

and the golden

with the rosy evening glow, blends into

harmony

of colour the luxuriant

verdure of the

southern vegetation, the countless hues of the native crowd,

the white pavements and walls of marble, and the clear,

blue sky above

of Indian

while

and

the faint

still

music swell through the radiant

sounds

far-off
air in

dreamy,

monotonous cadence\>> jjj^.^^

To say farewell to\he Taj

done at

last,

and

their leave of

it.

sad indeed

is

but

it

must be

late in a moonlit evening the travellers take

The moon

not nearly

is

full,

but her light

is

wonderfully soft and bright, reminding them of the legendary

childhood of Parlkchita the Son of Kings, who,

"

loaded with

the cares of his parents, grew swiftly from day to day as grows
the
^

moon throughout
From 'Le BMgavata

Burnouf.

the time that

Puraua,'

fills

her radiant orb."

traduit

par M.

Eugene


THE CITY OF AKBAR.
garden of the Taj

If the

is

249

a faery precinct by day,

it is

pervaded at night by an

elfin mystery enchanting beyond

The waters glimmer beneath the moonbeams,

description.

and between the dark masses

of

The deep

broken only by the deep, grating sound

mournful croak.

So awe-inspiring

is all

stillness is

of the bull-frog's

the shadowy scene

that one scarcely dares to speak except in whispers

is

ghostly

in

foliage rises

loveliness the faintly shining dome.

and

it

under her breath that Sebaste exclaims

"Why,

Philippa!

true after

it is

all,

what Aristophanes

says."

"What

does Aristophanes say?"

That there are frogs who say /Spe/ceKe/ce^

"

been unhappy about

common

it

for years.

And

I have

Every one knows that

frogs say koo.^, koo.^; but ^peKexeKe^ I

all

knew they

never did, which was terribly distressing to a truthful mind.

And

after

all,

he must have meant the bull-frog

What

are

the commentators thinking about, that they never told us

Of course Aristophanes
find

him

is

human

true to

nature; but to

so accurate about froggish nature as well,

it is

delightful!"
"

My dear,"

answers Philippa in a crushing whisper, " if I

had known that you were coming

frogs,

to India to talk about

I should have suggested your remaining at

Nothing,

Greek

home!

seems to me, can be in worse taste than to trot

it

out scraps of European classics here in the East where they

are altogether incongruous with the oriental atmosphere

around

us,

with which we should be trying to bring our

minds into harmony."

''

But, Philippa dear,

There again

" I believe

Do you
he does

it

it

was the buU-frog who began

not hear him

on purpose

it.

/S/se/eeyeeKef."

" says Philippa

wrath-

AMONG THE

250
"

fully.

GODS.

Let us go away to the mosque, where we can't hear

him."

The moonlight falls full on the western face of the Taj,

and very lovely is the view of the Tomb from our travellers'
The stillfavourite seat on the step of the western mosque.
ness

is

wonderful ; even the bees, those restless desires to be

doing, are fast asleep,

and nothing moves at

when a dark shadow

crosses the step of the mosque,

soft-footed jackal glides swiftly past,

away

all,

except once,

and a

into the darkness

within.

Long do the

visitors linger

but at length

it is

time to go,

and slowly they move away beside the shimmering waters,

where

still,

at intervals, the bull-frog thoughtfully remarks,

251

CHAPTER

XVI.

GAVALIAE.

The

travellers fail not to visit Sikandaxali, nor to devote

a long day to the architectural wonders of beautiful Fathpur

Sikri,

ing

Short expeditions from Agra are

many and

interest-

but our friends soon meditate a somewhat longer

flight,

and, beginning to despise the comparative civilisation of

British India, determine to plunge into downright heathen-

dom and

visit

a Native State.

Their choice

ancient and famous city of Gwaliar

and

so,

falls

on the

with a merry

farewell to white faces and English tongues, thither they

take their journey.

"Whether the city was really founded

undertake to say

how many

they say the poet

but in any case the place

a long and tangled history.

not

(aS

recorded) in the year 3101

Kharg Eai has

b.c.,

I cannot

is old,

and has

Therein have reigned I

know

dynasties of Kings, succeeding one another

in a bewildering fashion until even Philippa looks disheartened, and proposes to leave

Then

there

be described,

them

alone.

Muhammadan conquest that ought to

and many other things, including the terrible
is

the

June in the Mutiny year, and the loyalty of Sindhia,

the young Maharaja, and the wonderful capture of 1858.
14tli of

AMONG THE

252
But Sindhia

is

GODS.

dead now, and his son reigns in his stead

nor can any of our friends remember those days except the
Father alone

and

must run

after the travellers,

and cannot

stay dreaming here.

Gwaliar

almost due south of Agra, and the journey

lies

am

(performed, I

sorry to admit, in

what cannot honestly

be described otherwise than as a railway-train) takes some

About half-way the travellers pass through

cross, by a long bridge of red sand-

three hours.

Dholpur, and soon after

Chambal, which bounds the Gwaliar

stone, the river

away north-eastward

tory, flowing

to

pour

terri-

into the

itself

Jamna.
Arriving late in the afternoon, the travellers betake them

Khana, which

to the Muzafir

It is built of white stone,

modern native

is

and

the Maharaja's guest-house.

is

a charming specimen of

Most

architecture.

delightful of

it

all are

the elephants who, with their carven trunks turned gracefully

upward, support the stone balconies whereon open the

upper windows.

Within

is

luxurious furniture, and

all else

that heart can desire.

Next morning our

to visit the Fort.
of sandstone rock
foot.

Mr

is

It is

which

and setting forth

perched on the top of a great mass

rises

300

feet

above the plain at

its

when he visited "Gualere" nearly three

was much impressed by this bold rock, which

Finch,

centuries ago,

he

friends are early astir,

calls " the

ruggy

indeed a ruggy

Cliff

cliff,

on which the Castle

steep

is

seated."

by nature and scarped

It

as well,

so that the position of the fort is perhaps the strongest in

India.

Arrived at the foot of the rock, our travellers

to

find,

waiting

conduct them to the top, one of the most estimable, and

quite the most good-natured, of all their Indian acquaint-

253

GWALIAE.

His name is Ham, and he is said to be the largest

and slowest elephant that the Maharaja of G-waliar possesses.
ances.

Strong and stately

who

he as the mighty elephant Airavata,

is

rose of old from the ocean ^vhen

tlie

gods and demons

were churning it, and who hath ever since belonged to Indra,
the god of thunder.

Dear

he.

Ham

But

Ham

is

much more

amiable than

ever be remembered by our friends

will

with the deepest gratitude and

affection.

His patience

is

something abnormal, and the sweetness of his temper an

unfailing source of
fingers into his

astonishment.

eyes, as

Even

thrusting

he kneels on the ground,

one's
elicits

no more emphatic remonstrance than a mildly deprecating

blink.

As soon

as the travellere have

commodious back.

Ham rises

mounted on his broad and

and proceeds along

to his feet,

the ascending road with a cheerful, swaying motion suggestive of a small boat in a big sea, but in very slow time.

Thus he

carries our travellers to the top of the great rock's

eastern face, where rises, on the edge of the precipitous

cliff,

the grand facade, 100 feet in height and 300 feet long, of
that most interesting of
built

Hindu

by Mfln Sing, who reigned

to 1516.

Its

palaces, the

yellow-sandstone walls seem

Man

from

at Gwaliar

Mandir,

a.d.

1486

to be a part of

the rock on which they stand, rising from

it

in lines of

massive strength relieved by ornament of sculpture and

blue-green

tiles,

while at intervals stand beautiful towers

crowned with cupolas which were

originally covered with

plates of gilded copper.

Entering by the Elephant Gate, and

their gigantic steed, the

and

finally

make

their

-\-isitors

way

]ea-\"ing for

awhile

eagerly explore the interior,

to one of the pillared cupolas of

the eastern wall, whence they look abroad far over the green

AMONG THE

254

and watch a company

plains,

GODS.

of the Maharaja's

elephants

straying about near the foot of the rock, and making, with'

few native attendants, a pleasing feature in the land-

their

Descending from the wall, the travellers go on to

scape.

other palaces builded by Vicramaditya and Jahangir and

Wonderfully grotesque

Shah Jahan.

sculptures therein.

Terrific

unsuspected corners

accustomed to

all

some

are

the

of

monsters grin and glare from

and our friends grow

marvellous sights that,

so thoroughly

when they come

suddenly on a company of peacocks supporting on their

stony

tails

the weight of massive architraves, they feel no

more astonishment thereat than would be the case

happened

to be exploring

But there

they

are temples as well as palaces within the walls

of the fortress

Ham's

if

one of the palaces of Dreamland.

and, sometimes on foot, sometimes with kind

assistance, the travellers

wander on from one ruined

shrine to another in an ecstasy of archaeologic enthusiasm.

First they visit the pillared pavilion
shrine,

known

as the

Mandir, the temple of the Four-armed God.

out of the living rock, and dates from

armed God
Vishnu,"

none other than the

is

who

"

It is carved

A.D. 876.

The Four-

immortal, unconquerable

uses his four hands to carry about with

a wheel, a lotus-flower, a conch-trumpet, and a mace,

bols

which

(as

Eamaswami)
tive

saith that learned Pandit, Cavali

is

him

symVenkat

signify respectively Universal Supremacy, Crea-

Power, Preservation, and

temple

Gwali

and then seek out the more interesting Chaturbhuj

Destruction.

Within the

a Sanskrit inscription, which, happily for our

unlearned travellers, has been translated at length by that

accomplished Sanskrit scholar Babu Eajendralala Mitra.^
It begins with the
^

solemn dedication

"

Om

See the 'Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,'

Salutation to

vol. xxxi. (1862).

255

GWALIAB.
Vishnu
ing

"

moon

(which

is

opposite

and

sets -forth

in the

876

bank

how, on the second day of the wax-

month Magha

of the

of our era), a piece of

Samvat year 933

ground lying on the

and measuring "in

of the Vrischikala river,

length 270 cubits and in breadth 187,

is

presented on a

fortunate day for the purpose of a flower-garden for the

temple of Eudra, Eudram', Pushnasa, and others, as also of

the nine Durgas."

Above the entrance

of the

to the temple is a great rock-sculpture

Boar Avatar, and,

in amicable nearness to this Vaish-

nava scene, a Saiva group

Mahadeo and

of

who

his wife,

are

such usual forms of Siva and Parvati that we ought long

ago to have recorded their attributes.
is lord " of the spirits of

of infirmities

and

ill,

and

His consort (hke

all

and

planets,

He

of "ghosts."

seems,

it

and

of kine, of portents

diseases,"^

of wealing a necklace of skulls,

hair.

Mahadeo,

is

fond

of twisting snalces in his

Hindu goddesses)

is

the active

manifestation of her husband's qualities.

Not

far off is a small building, formerly (as

an inscription

announces) "the idol-temple of the vile Gwali," but transformed, in the reign of the great Prince Aurangzib, the
Enlightener of the "World, into " a mosque like a mansion of
Paradise."

One

of tlie

most impressive

of the fort temples is the Tali

Mandir, a stately pile 60 feet square at the base (exclusive of

a projecting portico), and rising thence at
larly,

first

perpendicu-

but afterwards tapering with graceful curvilinear out-

lines to the ridge that,

30

feet in length,

a height of 80 feet from the ground.

crowns the whole at

The

lines of the build-

ing are wonderfully grand and beautiful, and there

adornment
^

of richly elaborated sculpture.

Wilson, quoted

by Foley

in

is

much

Over the majestic

h^ "Devimahatmyam."

AMONG THE

256
doorway, which
kite

is

35 feet high, appears Garuda, the brown

whereon Vishnu

rides abroad

doubt that the building

the fifteenth century
date

GODS.

is of

and there seems

Vaishnava

it

may

no

to be

although in

was turned into a Saiva temple.

it

uncertain, the learned say, but

is

origin,

Its

well be as early

as the tenth or eleventh century.

Thence the

bahu

(or "

go on to the two temples named Sas-

visitors

Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law

some vague tradition about the family

because of

"),

an ancient king

of

of

Gwaliar, which our travellers do not succeed in unravelling.

The larger of the two dates from 1092 a.d., and is dedicated
Originally it was a towerto Vishnu the Lord of the Lotus.
ing pile 100 feet long, and probably not less than 100 feet

All that remains of

high, with a greatest breadth of 63 feet.

it

now

is

storeys,

the stately, cruciform porch builded in three massive

with numberless small pillars whose bracket-capitals

seem flattened and bulging beneath the weight

heavy

of the

Everywhere are horizontal bands

courses of masonry.

richly varied sculpture.

The plinth

10 to 12 feet high, and, though

its

of the building is

surface

is

of

from

terribly shat-

may still be
human figures

tered, the elaborate sculpture-ornament thereof

partly traced,

round the top a band

and below,

then one of elephants

ventional patterns.

Of the

feature

is

of small

line

interior,

upon

line of

more con-

the most astonishing

a group of four gigantic pillars

no

part, say the

learned, of the original design, but introduced of necessity

to support the weight of the towering

Now

djpth it

behove

bahu templ^, and

me

pyramidal

roof.

to discourse of the smaller Sas-

of that Jaina

temple discovered by General

Cunningham, and dating from about 1108

a.d.

But I am

tired of describing buildings

Near the Jaina temple our

travellers sit

them down

to rest

257

GWALIAE.
awhile

whereupon

all

eyes turn upon Philippa, and she finds

herself expected (by her unreasonable relatives) to hold forth

ou the Jains and their

of their beliefs

Thanks

and

and

history,

to give

an accurate account

their sacred books.

to Professor Jacobi, the Jaina pliilosophy is

no

longer shrouded in the hopeless mystery which used to

At

envelop

it.

tiquity,

and dismissed the popular notion

he has established

all events,

modified form of Buddhism.

can

now be no doubt

at

all,

Of

its

its

of

being a

independent origin there

shown

it to

What common

ele-

for the Professor has

be fully as ancient as Buddhism

great an-

its

itself.

ments the two systems possess either have been borrowed by

both from ancient Brahmanism, or are such as would naturally be

same

produced simultaneously by the same age and the

I wish I were old enough to

conditions of thought.

remember what the valley of the Ganges was like in the fifth
and sixth centuries B.C. Wliat a great upheaval of thought

must have been, long-continued, maybe, rather than

sudden, but all the more irresistible for that, ever increasing
there

in strength until at last

it

had burst

way through the

its

Brahmans' tyrant system and the intolerable restrictions

of caste;

enduring

The

of the present

day are the long-

results.

historic founder of

Jainism

we

are not obliged to call

call

Buddha

is

movement whereof the

a far-reaching, manifold

Buddhism and the Jainism

generally

"

him

so,

is

Sakyamuni " unless one

known by his

porary of the Buddha, but

title

one VardhamSoia

likes,

Mahavira.

it is

but

any more thsm one need

and VardhamS,na

He was

a contem-

quite possible that the Jaina

system (or at least the movement that Mahavira systematised)

had existed long before

his days.

Mythically he

is

the twenty-

fourth and last of the Jaina Tirthakaras or Prophets,

who

;
;

AMONG THE

258

GODS.

appeared at enormous intervals of time, and preached, each

own

to his

He

age, the sacred doctrines of Jainism.

alone

emerges into actual history, but the tradition of the others

may

The

well have a nucleus of truth.

Mahavira, as

life of

told in the ancient Jaina scriptures, is as good as a fairy tale

and, thanks again to our kind Professor,

we can read

it

with-

In the Pillow

out being, like him, able to decipher Prakrit.

and in the Kalpa Sutra as

of Eighteousness it is written,
well.

wonderful night was that wherein the Venerable Ascetic

"In the conflux

was born!

amounted

"

to confusion."

goddesses rained

down one

powder, gold, and pearls."

gods the bustle of gods

of

In that night

the gods and

great shower of nectar, sandal-

So long as his parents were

alive,

he seems, like other young princes, to have lived delicately

but the time came when he determined to retire from the
world and become a holy

"When

ascetic.

the gods and

goddesses had become aware of his intention, they assumed

their proper form, dress,

pomp and
swift,

and

ensigns,''

splendour " set forth "

rapid,

motion

divine

of

and in

" their proper

with that excellent, quick,

the

gods,"

and

" crossing

numberless continents and oceans," arrived at the home of

Mahavira.
(the

same

called

moon."

Then
is

"

Sakra the leader and king of the gods

Indra)

"

produced by magic the great palankin

KandraprabhS,,"

"

thousand

which meaneth "shining

men were

like

the

it.

"It

required to carry

shone with heaps and masses of pearls. ... In the middle

of the

palankin was a costly throne covered with a divine

cloth, precious stones,

best of Ginas,"

who

is

and

silver,

with a footstool, for the

the Venerable Mahavira.

..." After

a fast of three days, with a glorious resolution he ascended

the supreme palankin, purifying all

by

his light."

Thus,

259

GWALIAR.

home

escorted by all the gods and goddesses, he left his

the highway for the park Gntltra Shanda.

"

by

There, just at

the beginning of night, he caused the palankin Kandraprabha

on a slightly raised untouched ground, quietly

to stop quietly

descended from

it,

down on a throne with the

sat quietly

towards the East, and took

off all his

ornaments and

Mah,vtra then plucked out with his right and

face

finery.
left

hands, on the right and left sides of his head, his hair in five
handfuls.

After the Venerable Ascetic Mahtlvira had

plucked out hair in

At

conduct.

that

... he adopted

five handfuls,

moment

the holy

men and

the whole assembly of

gods stood motionless, like figures in a picture."

Then "for more than twelve years" did the Venerable

One perform unheard-of austerities. He would sometimes
go six montlis without drinking. " As water does not adhere
to a copper vessel, ... so sins found no place in him.
.

Like the firmament, he wanted no support

he knew no obstacles; ...

horn of a rhinoceros

like

bird,

valorous

bull, difficult to attack

Mount Mandara, deep

steady and firm like

lion,

were well protected

he was free like a

an elephant, strong

like the wind,

he was single and alone like the

like those of a tortoise;

like

his senses

Kke a

like the

ocean, mild like the moon, refulgent like the sun, pure like
excellent gold

like the earth,

like a well-kindled

was

indifferent alike to

pleasure and pain.

preme
ing,

fire,

he patiently bore everything

he shone in his splendour.

.

He

straw and jewels, dust and gold,

"With supreme intuition, with su-

conduct, in blameless lodgings, in blameless wander.

the Venerable

One meditated on

himself for twelve

Terrible were the persecutions he underwent.

years."

When

he was sitting immovable, immersed in meditation, "the

people,

striking the

monk,

cried 'Khukkhii,'

and

AMONG THE

260

GODS.

they tore his hair, ... or

him
covered him with dust. Throwing him up, they let him fall,
or disturbed him in his religious postures."

made

the dogs bite

But

this

all
"

length,

could not in anywise trouble him, and at

during the thirteenth year, in the second month of

summer, in the fourth

fortnight,

not far from a sdl-tvee,

in a squatting position with joined heels, exposing himself

to the heat of the sun, with the knees high

and the head low,

in deep meditation, in the midst of abstract meditation,

reached Nirvana, the .complete and

unimpeded,

infinite,

and supreme.

Then when the

he

the unobstructed,

full,

Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had reached the highest knowledge and intuition, he reflected oh himself and on the world.

and afterwards

First he taught the law to the gods,

So he passed his
until "in the

town

life

to

men."

in teaching his great philosophy,

of P,p,, in

King

.Hastip,la's office of

the writers, the Venerable Ascetic MahS^vlra died, went

off,

quitted the world, cut asunder the ties of birth, old age, and

death

end

became a Sidha, a Buddha, a Mukta, a maker

to

misery, finally liberated, freed from all pains.

all

This occurred in the year called Kandra, ... in the

called Pritivardhana.

... In

federate kings of K^si

mination,
is

make an

Like Buddhism,

philosophy

but

it

'

But what
it is

instituted an illu-

of the

system which he

a development from

Brahmanic

cannot, like Buddhism, be called a system

of ethics, a principal feature being its

doctrines.

Since the light of intelligence

illumination of material matter.'"

So much for Mah,vlra.

?

said,

month

that night the eighteen con-

and Kasala

.for they

gone, let .us

taught

of the

Very prominent

is

things are full of multitudinous

mass

of metaphysical

the hylozoist notion that all

life

that

water are inhabited by invisible beings

earth, air,

fire,

and

who must not on any

261

GWALIAE.
account be neglected.

For what

saith Malilvira

in

that

ancient Jaina book, the Ak,rEinga Siitra?

"

many

There are beings living in water,

to the

monks water has been

" Considering the injuries

lives

of a truth,

declared to be living matter."

done to water-bodies," saith the

ordinance, water must be strained before using

it.

"

There

are beings living in the earth, living in grass, living on leaves,

living on wood,

As
manic

living in dust-heaps."

Jaina psychology,

for

notions,

and

is far less

and

it is

Atnia,

it

seems,

is

an absolute

(and no mere karma, or sum

this

and demerits) that transmigrates from one body

of merits

into another.
is

soul,

much from Brah-

depressing to contemplate than

the psychology of Buddhism.

and immortal

not

it differs

Whence

it

follows that the Jaina Nirv,na

something more tangible and satisfactory than the mere

neutralising of existence to which Buddhists longingly aspire.

Jaina Asceticism also owes

fundamental maxim

and the
our

produce

sin,

qualities."

desire

to
is

learned Professor), "

is

much

Quality

all

and sinfulness makes

perfect state of

desirelessness,

(saith

misery; "the qualities

vis

mind

apt to enjoy the

attained by the wise

thus summarised in the Ak&ranga Sutra

by

Its

In the qualities of external things

primary cause of

The

Brahmanism.

the seat of the root,

which meaneth

seat of the root is quality "

lies" sin, the

man

is this, "

"

Subduing

he does not enjoy the pleasures

Desireless, giving up the world and

knows and sees, and has no wishes because
of his discernment." AU who would attain to such perfection must " wiselj- reject hope and desire " and extract the
thorn of pleasure. " A wise man," saith the same discourse,
" should not rejoice in the receipt of a gift, nor be sorry when

that offer themselves.

ceasing to act, he

he gets nothing."

AMONG THE

262
The way
tise

thyself,

lies

through terrible

Subdue the body," saith the

scripture, " chas-

to
"

austerities.

GODS.

laudable apathy

this

weaken

thyself,

as

'just

consumes

fire

There are meritorious methods of

wood.'"

whereof one consists in sitting absolutely

place, " checking all motions," until

one

old

suicide, too,

in the

still

same

dies.

The most curious feature of Jaina Asceticism is the great

merit obtained by refusing to wear clothes. Great is the
praise of the " naked monk " whom grass pricks, cold attacks,
flies

and mosquitoes

though

sting.

Mah^vlra

It is recorded of

that,

Indra, the " wielder of the thunderbolt," the " thou-

sand-eyed one," the "bestrider of the elephant Airavata,"

had given him a

" divine robe,"

holy conduct, he wore

it

yet,

having adopted the

only for one winter, and thence-

forward became a "naked, world-relincLuishing, houseless

sage," a " great

Hero " who did no

acts at

all.

This custom of discarding clothes was at

by

first

practised

the Jaina ascetics, and the Digambaras, or " Sky-

all

clad Ones," are

by

far the older section of the Jains, seeing

that the other party, called Swetambaras, or " White-robed

Ones," cannot be traced back beyond the sixth century of

our

era.

The custom

is

now

falling

into

disuse,

and

is

observed by few besides the statues of the Tirthakaras,

whereof

there

is

a multitude

at

sandstone rock on which the Fort

Happy

Gwaliar,
is

built.

hewn

in the

Those in the

Valley our travellers hope to see this very morning.

There are

many

other things that ought to be said about

the Jains; and very delightfully they have been said by

erudite Professor Jacobi.

Specially satisfactory

is

the con-

clusiveness wherewith he establishes the great antiquity of

the sacred Jaina scriptures.

It

is

never reduced to writing until the

true that they were

fifth

century of our

GWALIAE.
era

but that they should have been correctly handed down

many centuries by word

who knows anything about

for

The Purvas,
are lost

we

but

still

even plain,
it is

no one

will astonish

have those which may well date from

B.C.

unto

mouth

of

the ancient books of the East.

indeed, those very earliest of the Jaina books,

They abound
in the Akaranga Sutra
300

263

it is

free

a teacher

in quaint similitudes, such as that

"

is f uU of

water,

it

harbours

many

is full of

wisdom."

lake

from dust,

who

is

in an

fish.

Like

it

So doth Philippa discourse in the shade of the Jaina

temple, while

Ham, with deep

solemnity, deferentially listens

in the background, until, cooled and refreshed by this sooth-

ing stream of instruction, the travellers again bestir themselves, and,

mounting the back

of their kneeling steed,

swaying and rolling and floppiug away to

visit the

go

XJrwahi

Valley, a deep, rocky defile in the western side of the fortrock.

Grave and intent their thoughts should be as they

approach the strange old Jaina statues carved in the rock

of the valley's southern side

by hands that crumbled

dust some four centuries ago.

But, as they slowly

into

move

along the descending road. Ham's great black shadow

thrown

full

is

on the wayside rock, with so quaint a carica-

ture of his solemn expression of countenance that gravity

out of the question; and, before they can in anywise

is

compose

tlieir

minds, the travellers find themselves in the

very presence of the weird and stony giants,

between 14:40

a.d.

The principal
" sky-clad,"

figures in the

and aU standing or

carved

group are twenty-two,

all

sitting cross-legged in atti-

tudes of an astonishing stiffness which,

all

all

and 1474.

if

not graceful,

is

the more delightfully archaic, as no doubt are also the

AMONG THE

264

GODS.

and extremely supercilious expressions of the

Each of- the larger
gigantic and immovable countenances.
self-satisfied

among whom
Most
imposing of all is a huge personage 57 feet in height, who seems
to have grown 17 feet since the days of the Mughal Emperor
figures represents one of the Jaina Tirthakaras,

there seems to have been a curious family likeness.

Babar

for

he came to Gwaliar

fact that this

Very

1527, and recorded the

a.d.

same statue was at that time 40

feet high.

interesting too is the colossal portrait of Adinath,

first of all

the Tirthakaras, and distinguished by the symbol

of a bull.

On

with

"

his rocky pedestal is

an inscription beginning

Salutation to Adinatha " and giving the date as

"the seventh day of the waxing moon when she was in

the mansion of

Punarvashu in the month Vaisakha in

the Samvat year 1497"

that

is

There are innumerable smaller

devices,

to say, a.d. 1440.

and many symbolic

figures,

which take long to examine, so

that,

by the time

our travellers are rolling and flopping back up the valley,

the terrible sun, that "illustrious leader of the troop of
planets " (as the Jaina scripture calls him), the " thousand-

eyed maker of the day," the

"

destroyer of night," the " lamp

of the firmament, throttling, as it were, the

is

mass

of cold,"

already driving his fiery steeds high up in the blinding

sky.

Again entering the Fort, and passing out by the Elephant

Gate, our friends descend, by the
eastern base of the rock.

well to their dear friend

way they came,

Ham, and then

guest-house for coolness and rest and

When

the heat of the day

is

life,

drive

away

fare-

to the

tiffin.

over, they fare forth again,

and take their way through the heart

ing the native

to the

Here they bid a reluctant

of the town,

watch-

more wonderful here than even in the

265

GWALIAR.

crowded scenes of the cities of British India. The young

Maharaja gives a state banquet to-day, and our friends

meet many

of the guests

dignified gentlemen of

on their way to the royal Palace,

dusky countenances, clad in splen-

Preparations, too, for the coming festival of

Vishnu are not wanting, and in one of the streets appear
two gigantic idols of that worthy. They are made of mud,
and at present look somewhat deplorable; but before the

did axjparel.

feast-day they will have been duly painted and adorned,

and made ready

to receive

with

of their pious worshippers.

however,
is over,

it will

fitting dignity the

Proud

not last long;

for,

devotion

as their career will be,

as soon as the festival

the venerated images will be summarily and ruth-

lessly destroyed.

Stranger than

all else

ladies di'ive abroad.

are the carriages wherein the native

The picturesque ekhas have long been

familiar to our travellers' eyes

but they haA^e never yet

seen the like of these extraordinary equipages.

them

is

Each

of

a square platform on wheels, richly hung with

bright-hued and embroidered

stuffs,

and furnished with a

towering tent of crimson, within whose sheltering curtains

the ladies lurk unseen.

But, fascinating as are the streets of the town, om- travel-

must not linger long therein, for they have to visit before
sunset the tomb of Muhammad Ghaus, a learned and holy
personage who flourished in the reign of Akbar. The tomb
lers

an impressive sandstone building, and dates from the early

part of Akbar's reign. It is crowned with a heavy Pathan
is

sunshine from a covering of

dome, which used to

reflect the

blue encaustic

The most beautiful part

is

tiles.

of the building

the succession of exquisite fretwork screens wherewith the

surrounding corridor

is

shaded from the glare without.

AMONG THE

266
Hard by

is

GODS.

the tomb of Tansen, who,

famous musician, well known in Akbar's

which

seems, was a

it

court.

His tomb,

overshadowed by a tamarind of very

is small, is

remarkable properties; for whoso eateth a leaf therefrom

straightway

The

for so
first
it

able to sing as sweetly as Tansen of

is

present tree

is

many were

the singers

not unreasonably died,

also its

who came

to benefit

by the

marvellous virtue, that, having no leaves

tree's

no

baric splendours

thus

Gwaliar,

set

back to Agra.

fate

left,

which probably awaits

magical successor.

less

Next morning the

bringing

old.

only a descendant of the original one,

of

to
forth

travellers explore the

the

an

somewhat bar-

Maharaja's modern palace, and,

end

their

therefrom

hurried

with

experiences

sorrow,

of

and journey

267

CHAPTEE

XVII.

THE PEACOCK CITY AXD THE FOEEST OF TRINDA.

Soon our

travellers are planning another expedition

this

time to holy Mathnra, the capital of Braj and the birthplace of "blessed Krishna,"

who

is

the Teacher and Soul

of the Universe, "destroyer of the race of earth's tyrant-

kings,"

the "First of Spirits."

Mathura (one

is

not allowed to talk of Muttra now)

lies

north-westward from Agra on the right bank of the Janina,

So holy

the place that some have said, " If a

is

man spend

in Benares all his lifetime, he hath earned less merit than

if

he pass but a single day in the sacred

Our

friends begin

city of

Mathura."

the three hours' railway journey at

seven o'clock in the freshest and most radiant mornins;

mind can imagine.

that
are

tlie

Strange and brilliantly beautiful

birds that sweep through the sunlit air or perch

on the telegraph-wires.

There are

little

birds with plum-

age of emerald green, and long-tailed kingcrows, and large

dove-like birds

arrayed in two shades of blue, and the

great, brown, white-headed kite

which Crawford

with Garuda, Yishnu's favourite steed

Le BhAgavata

'

From

'

Puritna,"

Mathui-d

il.

identifies

and, resplendent

Eug^e Bumouf.

District Memoir."

By

F. S. Growse, B.C.S.

AMONG THE

268

in green and gold, the

Kamadeva, the

little

GODS.

on one

parrots,

lively

by moonlight

of love, rides often

god

which

of

over the plain of Mathura, holding his terrible sugar-cane

bow with
There

its

is

string that

made

is

of bees.

a legend about that wicked

little

god, telling

how

Hima-

once, with Spring for his companion, he journeyed to

and when the two came thither the

chal's snowy
spring flowers bloomed around them, though it was not the
season of spring. There did they meet with Siva and the
heights,

mischievous love-god drew forth his arrow that was made

of the mango-tree,

and presumed

to

aim

at the

mighty deity

just as a lovely maiden, Parvati, the Daughter of the

tain,

had come forth

Moun-

to gather flowers to offer at Siva's shrine.

But, in a moment, from Siva's third and central eye beamed

forth a terrible stream of

fire,

and Kamadeva was caught

to ashes. How it was that

moment burned

thereby, and in a

he recovered from that disaster I know not, but certain

it is

that soon he was seen again, merrily riding his parrot through

the moonlit plains of Mathura.

All

life is

Every sheet

Mathura

sacred in the

bloodthirsty Britons

may

in

district,

of water near the railway

multitudes of wild-fowl

and not even

any wise molest the

wild

is

birds.

crowded with

geese and ducks, pelicans

and cranes, and other kinds innumerable.

Everywhere,

too,

are wild peacocks perambulating in twos and threes, their

brilliant

plumage beautifully contrasting with the

verdure of the background.

regal pride that they are Krishna's sacred birds,

their

name long

centuries

soft, rich

Well do they know

in their

who gave

ago to Mathur^, the Peacock

City.

The
slender

trees are

band

mostly tamarinds, wherein hang, each by

its

of fibre, the light-brown nests of the weaver-

PEACOCK CITY AND FOREST OP VRINDA.

Often too the dark-green foliage

birds.

the

soft,

is

269

illuminated by

golden masses of a lovely parasite plant called

Absalom's Hair

or,

if

it is

Another beautiful plant

is

not called

so, it

ought to be.

a crimson water -weed which

grows over the surface of pools in the most delectable manner

and there are so many other strange things

to

be seen

that our travellers are in danger of forgetting to teU each

other the marvellous history of Krishna, though it assuredly

behoves them to do so before the journey

is

ended.

Krishna, the all-comprising, the pure, the ancient, the

immutable, who by his frown alone can annihilate

universe, is the eighth incarnation of
cult that is all his own,

and he seems

worshippers as supreme over

himself,

smu

all

who sometimes appears

This

is

Vishnu

the

but he has a

to be considered

by

his

other gods, including Vishnu

in the scriptures as Krishjui's

somewhat bewildering, but one gets used

to it

in time.

The story of Krishna is worth listening to for what said

Xarada long ago ? " It is a history that deUvereth man from
all diseases of body and soul, and maketh him wise and
;

blessed."

Some have thought

to trace therein vestiges of

Christian influence ; yet there seems but Kttle reason therefor (the etymologic fancy about Krishna's

name was long ago

disposed of) ; and in any case, for practical purposes, Krishna's

legends are, in all conscience, quite heathenish enough.

A mighty

deity

was Krishna, and he lived in an excellent

abode upheld by the wind ten thousand millions of leagues

above the egg of the world. But further and higher yet, in
the exalted paradise of the celestial shepherdesses, dwelt

Eadha
'

his lovely bride, reigning

among green and

sacred

See 'Tratluctioii et Commentaire des'principaus passages du Braliin5TScPar L. LeupoL

vai-ta Pui-ama.'

"

!;

'

AMOKG THE

270

lawns over numberless choirs

of

GODS.
Joyful was Eadha

nymphs.

But there arose a

of old among her maiden companions.
contention betwixt her and Dharman the demon - spirit,
whose eyes were red

like the lotus.

her, saying in his cruel wrath, "

Thou

shalt

become a woman, and

dressed her lord

Thou

?"

my

my

sight,

the fair goddess, saying,

down

tenance, will go

with thee

mine

I will

thither.

life

eye,
it,

without

and

my

comforted

thou of the lovely counSince thou must there

to the earth.

when thou comest

am

strength,

" I, too,

be born, descend with me.

face

Tell me,

But Krishna, when he heard

highest riches."

Braj

wander on the

Dharman hath cursed me

how can I endure
fear,

art

cursed

in sorrow, and thus ad-

"

thou destroyer of
thee

shalt

Then Eadha wept

of the earth."

And Dharman

Take thou an human form

walk in the woodland

What

canst thou fear

of

when

So Eadha rode on a boar until she came to the face of the

earth,

and with her went Krishna her

lord, the ruler of all

the world. Then Eadha was born as the daughter of Nanda

^nd Yasoda his wife; but Krishna came to the city of
Mathura that is in the region of Braj, near to the Jamna
Eiver,

and became the eighth son

his lady, Princess

Devaki

rama, the hero of

many

Now

and

of Prince

Vasudeva and

his elder brother

was Bala-

achievements.

there reigned at that time in

Mathura the wicked

tyrant Kansa, the brother of Princess Devaki.

And

he had

thrust from the throne his father Ugrasen, and boastfully

reigned in his stead.

the

air,

saying, "

By

But there came

to

him

a Voice out of

the eighth son of Vasudeva thou shalt

Then would Kansa have slain the infant Krishna

but Vasudeva ^ took him in his arms and fled away through
be

slain."

See Growse,

'

District

Memoir.

PEACOCK CITY AND FOEEST OP VEINDA.

the stormy night

was in

river

till

was the rainy

rent was deep and strong

season),

risen

up

and the cur-

but Vasudeva boldly entered the

stream, and there was no cause of fear, for

had

The great

he came to the river Jamna.

flood (for it

271

when

the waters

to the foot of the sleeping Krishna, they could

go no further, and Vasudeva with his

son passed over

little

the river in safety.

So Krishna grew up
deed

to

manhood, and did many a mighty

and at length he slew Kansa the tyrant, and restored

And Eadha

to his throne in peace the aged king Ugrasen.

also

grew up a lovely milkmaid, and Krishna made her

his

bride.

Much more
ments

is

to tell of Krishna's heroic achieve-

but legendary rhapsodies are suddenly interrupted

by the

there

arrival at

in a gharry

Whereupon the

Mathura.

away

travellers drive

to the travellers' bungalow,

and are there

received by a white-turbaned, black-bearded personage whose

name

is

Would

Wazir.

that I could in anywise do justice,

marvellous Wazir, to the altogether extraordinary qualities

of thine intellect

travellers heard

and conversation

Never before have the

such fluent discourse.

It is a never-ending,

voluble stream of infinitely varied sound.

Wazir's fond imagination)

is

English, but

The language

(in

must be a strange

and imfamiliar form thereof, that philologists ought to invesMost Indians are nervous, and poor Wazir is pertigate.
haps slightly hysterical. His earnestness and insistence are
something appalling, and his intense excitement
as a nightmare.
travellers

Finding

it

is

oppressive

impossible to silence him, the

wrathfuUy drive him away

but he

is

always turn-

ing up again with more to say than ever.

At

last,

the door having been finally shut in his face and

secured on the inside, our friends are free to breakfast in

AMONa THE

272
and discuss

peace,

GODS.

their plans of action.

venerable temples and

its

Bindraban, with

its

mythical associations, has long

been haunting their minds, and thither they propose to go

forthwith, leaving
of

Mathura

till

to-morrow the nearer sights of the city

itself.

Suddenly through a second and unsuspected

door,. in sidles

Wazir, pouring forth such a volume of multitudinous words

that his hearers are for the

whelmed.

But,

when

it

moment subdued and

becomes evident that he too pro-

poses to go to Bindraban, their indignation

"

No

over-

" says Philippa firmly, "

we

knows no bounds.
You
it

will not allow

talk too much."

Whereupon Wazir,

the

picture

of

injured

innocence,

plunges into so violent a stream of protestations, such a

whirling storm of denials, that Philippa sorrowfully deterr

mines never to repeat the accusation.

that he really
silent

may

not go, poor Wazir

and dejected; but just as the

their gharry

he noiselessly

the roof thereof, and

bird), the

sits

"

do

some seconds

travellers are entering

him down

moment

to

there (like a great white

Commands and

master of the situation.

all in vain,

and

threats

it is

the

turn to look dejected as at length they drive away.

Well," says Irene, trying to cheer the others, " he cannot

much harm

that

some
"

for

sidles up, climbs in a

and remonstrances are thenceforth

travellers'

Eealising at length
is

while he

is safe

overhead.

you had better make the best

of the legends that

I think, Philippa,

of the respite,

and

tell

us

belong to Bindraban."

There would be more legends to

tell,"

says Philippa in-

meddlesome scholars would only leave

Bindraban is the Forest of Vrinda, and Vrinda

dignantly, "if those

them

alone.

used to be a mighty goddess about

whom any number

of

dehghtful stories might have been told; but the learned

" "!

"

PEACOCK CITY AND FOREST OF VRINDA.

have turned her into a botanical
raban means a forest of

273

and say that Bind-

species,

tulsi-trees.'

'

"But,. Philippa, what

Balarama?

and

Krishna

about

Didn't they live there as boys, and run wild in the woods
thereabout, playing on shepherds' pipes

legend about the

"

Ah, that

is

brightening up.

little

a wonderful

"Krishna,

the

is

story "

Philippa,

seems, as a child, was ex-

it

stealth to a neighbour's house,

and mounted by a ladder

whereon a great butter-jar

as far as he could reach,

exclaims

and once on a time he went by

tremely fond of butter J

shelf

And what

Krishna stealing butter and curds

stood,

and he

and then got into the

to a

ate the butter

So,

jar.

when

the master of the house came home, he covered the jar with
a plate that Krishna might not escape, and went to his
to

complain

already there before him.

curds,

home

but when he arrived, the wonderful child was

On

another day he had stolen

and eaten them when no one was

looking.

wicked one!' said his foster-mother, 'come

mouth, that I

may know what

'

me

let

thou hast eaten.'

thou

see thy

Then

Krishna opened his mouth, and she looked therein, and

the

there was the Universe

lo

earth and the sea, and the

heavens with the sun and moon, the planets, and

all

the

stars."
" Philippa,

what nonsense you are

telling us

Are there

no Krishna legends that have any beauty or sense in them

"

Oh

yes " answers Philippa, " there is that

!

impressive story about

Indra, the

King

of the

the flood

that

solemn and

Krishna

averted.

Firmament, the God of a Thousand

Eyes, was angry witli Krishna, and he sent so terrible a

storm of rain that the shepherds of these regions must needs

have been drowned.

But Krishna

Govarddhana, and tore

it

up by
s

laid hold

on the mountain

the roots, and, supporting

AMONG THE

274
the point on his

little finger,

GODS.

held up that mighty mountain

But the legend which

as an umbrella to shelter the world.

is

far

more interesting than

all

"

the others

Suddenly, in at the window, craning round the corner so

that

it is frightful to see,

and with

comes the turbaned head

Wazir

of

comes, bursting with terrible force upon the

it

defenceless travellers within, the pent-up torrent of words.

Thenceforward conversation

mind when the

relief of

Bindraban
on three

due north

lies

Jamna.

of the

is

impossible,

and great

is

the

six miles' drive is over.

It stands

of

Mathura on the same bank

on a tongue

of land surrounded

by the Eiver, which has curved about in a

sides

strange fashion that would be hard indeed to account for had

not kind Tradition fully explained the matter.

Balarama,

it

seems, the hero of giant strength, once led a dance on the

Jamna's bank

but so clumsily moved his giant limbs that

him

the Eiver laughed aloud, and taunted

wise

move

" Forbear,

clumsy one

How

youth divine

as Krishna, the

"

scornfully on this

wilt thou strive to

Then Balarama was

very angry with the Eiver; and he laid hold on his

own

great plough, and traced a furrow therewith from the very

brink of the stream; and so deep was that furrow, that

Jamna

and Balarama led him

fell thereinto,

far astray so

that he could not return.

From time immemorial Bindraban

place; but

it

was not

(saith

Mr

the sixteenth century that certain holy

who made

it

their

goddess Vrinda.
too,

is

much

till

been a sacred
the middle of

men came

thither,

home, and builded there a shrine to the

Whereupon

and there arose a

There

has

Growse)

to

other temples were builded

stately city.

see

but the

visitors,

who

love

not

hurried sight -seeing, prefer to visit in peace a few of the

PEACOCK CITY AND FOKEST OP VRINDA.

principal temples,

and

to regard all for

275

which they have not

time as virtually non-existent.

They betake them first to

the famous temple of Govind Deo, built by Man Sing of
Amber, a.d. 1590, in honour of Krishna, of whose titles
Govinda is one. It is a massive cruciform pile of red sandand at

stone,

tlie first

glance looks like a reproduction (on a

far grander scale) of the larger of tlie

in the Fort at Gwaliar.

tlie

folk used

it

Parts of

it

two Sas-bahu temples

have been injured

at one time for a quarry,

for

even as I

am

using (and shall use to the end of the chapter) that majestic

and ponderous tome published

in India and called

'

Mathura,

a District Memoir,' wherein most things that anybody could

possibly write about the
before (and better) by

The

chief loss

Mathura

Mr

district

have been written

Growse.

which the temple has

sufiered is the de-

The sikm, or curvilinear

which should have surmounted the cella, was perhaps

struction of the centiul dome.

tower,

never

built,

the learned say.

fully grand

and impressive,

and

clustered

pillai-s

But

tlie

a lordly

temple

is still

wonder-

massive walls,

pile of

with beautiful bracket

capitals,

and

numberless pointed arches opening into the deep shadow

that reigns within, and breaking, with a delicious

crimson glare of the sunlit surfaces.

relief,

the

Everywhere the walls

are covered with bold, horizontal lines of moulding, which

produce a delightfully natural

effect

hardly to be conveyed

in words.
"

They are

like the strata of the cosmic

claims Sebaste.

"

masonry

" ex-

This temple never can have been built

It ffreir."

Seai-cely less majestic is the

eix>ss

100

feet in length

sombre interior

and breadth, the

Greek

Ctothic lines of its

massive vaulted roof presenting so curiously Christian an

AMONG THE

276

GODS.

appearance that one thinks wistfully what a beautiful church

the temple would make,
therein would
of

make

if

only the Hindus

who worship
The

haste and get converted.

the temple, and especially the

doors, are

interior

haunted by the

wretched figures of long-haired devotees, their dark skins

besmeared with ashes, and changed thereby into a ghastly

They

grey.

recall the figure that Siva presented long since

on his wedding-day, when he came

having
ashes,

five

"

mounted on a cow,

heads and three eyes, his body rubbed with

and the hair

of the ascetics."

of his

head

all in

a knot after the fashion

So holy are these devotees that they take

no food except milk and sweetmeats brought them by pious

worshippers; and as the result, perhaps, of this
look scarcely human, and seem to be

diet,

they

slowly but surely

dwindling down into monkeys.

The

walls of the temple are, on an average, 10 feet thick,

and the most delightful part

of

stairs

of the building is the labyrinth

and passages which they are found

Nothing in the world could be more

tive of mysterious adventure,

alluring,

to contain.
^

more sugges-

than these narrow

flights of

red sandstone steps within the thickness of the walls, lead-

away to giddy heights of triforium and hanging balcony, whence one sometimes looks down into the
shadowy depths of the interior, sometimes, clinging to a
pillar on the brink of empty space, gazes out into the
glowing world of sunshine with a wild desire to bound
over the edge and come crashing down on the red pavement lying far below.
Near the Govind Deo temple the travellers visit a great
modern pagoda, built, after the pattern of those in the South,
by two brothers, Seth Eadha Kri'shn and Seth Govind Das.
ing up and

Sheeve Pouran.

Halhed.

PEACOCK CITY AND FOREST OP VEINDA.

Its giant courts

and gopuras look strangely out

277

of place

up

here in the North.

After this our friends drive away to the older and more
interesting temple of

of Krishna,

names,

Madan Mohan.

who seems

This, too, is a temple

have had an enormous number of

he had need to have,

as indeed

the legends

to

tell of

his supernatural

himself at pleasure.

At one

be true that

all

if

power

of multiplying

time, it seems, there were six-

teen thousand of him.

The legend

of this temple

is less

fanciful than usual.

It

happened long ago that one Kapuri, a merchant of Multan,

was floating down the Eiver in a boat which he had laden
with merchandise to be sold at Agra.
And when he had
reached the place below the height on which
tlie

now

days he strove to escape

Then he went out

stands

For three

temple, his boat stuck fast on a sandbank.

but the sandbank held him

of the boat,

and climbed up the

hill.

he came where the holy Sanatan dwelt, and told him

trouble.
is

Then

said Sanatan, the holy ascetic,

that thou pray to

had so done,

went on

his

Madan Mohan."

his boat forthwith

way

his merchandise

gladly,

was

and coming

''

My

fast.

And
all his

counsel

And when Kapuri

floating free.

to Agra,

So he

he sold

and he returned with the price thereof

all

to

the place where his prayer had been answered, and builded
there a temple of red sandstone, which remaineth unto this
day.
I ought to describe that venerable ruin,

and

especially its

beautiful curvilinear sikras which rise with such fantastic

grace, stately forms of glowing crimson, against the blue of

the sky.

But

I would

much

rather not

am

tired, like

the travellers, and gladly turn away to follow them back to

Mathuni, the

travellers'

bungalow, and

tea.

The heat

is so

AMONG THE

278

great that even Wazi'r

GODS.

subdued, and, sitting enthroned on

is

the top of the gharry, passes in strange, unnatural silence

the time of the

homeward

Next morning our

and picturesque beyond imagination.

It is holy

Mathura.

drive.

friends set forth to explore the city of

Everywhere rollicking monkeys haunt the

and out

in

of the temples, trotting along

streets, galloping

on the tops of walls,

grinning at the white-faced intruders, and very conscious the

while of their

own

inviolable sanctity.

The temples are numberless, and

them the

An

at the door of

important part of the ritual

is

the striking, by each

worshipper, of a bell which hangs from above.

significance thereof I

seem

to

expound

it

know

they

fire,

hymned

May

For what said Indra, and Vanhi,

when

long ago

"

with joyful countenances

army

"

Durga because she had

the great goddess

gloriously conquered the

"

The mystic

do the Hindu scriptures

not, nor

but they often speak of the bell as a

sacred and venerable thing.

the god of

one of

watching the worship within.

travellers linger long,

demons

of the great- cheeked

the bell of the goddess," they cried, " the sound of

which has appalled the energy

through

all

of the giants,

the worlds, preserve us as

and penetrated
!

its

children "

But more beautiful than the temples

are

some

of

the

private houses, for they are richly adorned with the lovely

Mathura city is famous, beautimazy and delicate exceedingly.

native sculpture for which

ful embroideries of stone,

Then there

madan times
sacred town.

is

From

the

'

Jam

'i

Masjid to

visit,

a relic of

Muham-

that must feel sadly out of place in Krishna's

It

inscription puts

Pandit.

the

was builded
it,

of

Sapta-Shati,'

A.D.

"the king
.

1661, in the reign, as an

of the world,

translated

Aurangzib,

hj Cavali Venkat Rslmasswiimi,

PEACOCK CITY AND FOREST OF VRINDA.

who

is

older
" this

adorned with

justice."

279

seems to have replaced an

It

Hindu temple, for the inscription goes on to relate that

second Holy Temple caused the idols to bow down
'

'

and worship."

Finally the devout builder thereof thus ex-

claims in flowing Persian:

"

May

Jam

this

Masjid of majestic structure shine forth

'i

for ever like the hearts of the pious

" Its roof is

high like aspirations of love

wide like the arena

All this

and the

its

courtyard

incongruous in this stronghold of Hinduism;

is

travellers soon

wander away in search

of older sites

associated with "blessed Krishna," whose countenance

fair

is

of thought."

and bright

" like

moon

the

in an

small temple marks his birthplace

autumn

was

festival."

but more interesting are

the scanty remains of what tradition confidently avers to be

the Palace of Kansa

Herein did that violent usurper

itself.

No human monarch was he

long hold his evil court.

mighty demon Kalanemi disguised in the form

truth, but the

of a

man.

No

sacred cattle

with blood.

safety

was there

for he slew

them

And when he

in his days for priests or for

all alike, till

wicked heart was

Then

said

filled

he

the temples ran

heard how the boys Krishna and

Balarama his brother did wondrous deeds

also.

with

fear,

at Bindraban, his

and he sought

for

them
come to

to slay

within himself, " If they do but

Mathura, then shall they quickly die

who can withstand

the might of the champions, even Chanur and Mushtika

servants?"

in

my

So he sent to the noble brothers by the hand

Akrur the chieftain, saying, " Behold I have set a contest

Come ye, therefore,
of arms in my royal city of Mathura.
hither, and try your strength before me."
of

Then Krishna and Balarama were

'

glad,

and

Translated by Blochman (opurf Gro^rae).

set forth to-

;;

AMONG THE

280

And when

gether for Mathura.

Kansa

sat

on a

lofty throne

GODS.
the set day

was come, king

hard by the place of contest.

Then came Krishna and Balarama. But, as they came in,

there went against them the mighty elephant Kuvalayapida
for Kansa urged him on, saying, " Surely he will trample
them under foot, and so shall they die." But Krishna seized
tail,

and, swinging

him down on the

earth, so that

the beast by his

cast

him round

his head, he

he died forthwith. Then

Krishna and Balarama took each one of his tusks, and

"

Who

will fight against us

are ready."

Let him come

said,

forth, for

we

Then came Chanur and Mushtika, the mighty

And

champions, and fought with the noble boys.

forthwith

Krishna slew Chanur, and Balarama slew Mushtika.

Then Kansa

arose in haste,

and commanded

and Balarama with Vasudeva their

father,

Krishna

to slay

and Ugrasen the

But Krishna sprang up the steps of the

throne, and seized Kansa by the hair of his head, and hurled
him down from his lofty seat into the deep ravine hard by.
rightful king.

So the aged king, Ugrasen, sat again on the throne of

Mathura, and ruled thenceforth his kingdom in peace and

great prosperity.
city of

And

to this

day

may

be seen, hard by the

Mathura, the mount where Kansa's throne was

set,

and

the arena wherein were slain the champions and the elephant

Kuvalayapida.
After this a
the
but,

Museum

visit

must be paid

is difficult,

when one

is

to the

Museum.

because the outside

once within,

it is

harder

is

To enter

so beautiful

still to

come out

again, so fascinating are the ancient sculptures, carrying

back

mind to those strange old Buddhist times when Krishna's

name was not so much as mentioned in all his sacred city.
the

Fifteen hundred years ago, in good Fa-hien's days, there

were grand times, in Mathura and the neighbourhood, for

PEACOCK. CITY

Then were kings devout

the wearers of the Yellow Robe.

believers,

and humbly brought them

offerings.

the food that was their gift to the devotees.

known

king should
for himself

that in presence of a Buddhist

sit

on a couch

Laying aside

own hands they brought

their royal head-dresses, with their

never

281

AND FOREST OF VEINDA.

Then was it
community a

but he would cause to be spread

Long did

on the ground an unassuming carpet.

the Buddliist doctrine flourish; and Hiuen Tsiang has

left

us a vivid account of Mathura's great devotion early in the

Then were in

seventh century.

this district

some twenty

monasteries containing about 2000 monks; and wonderful

then were the scenes enacted on the sacred

Buddha.

festivals of the

Jewelled banners flashed in the sunlight; "rich

coverings " were

"

crowded together as network

"

the fra-

grant smoke of incense rose up in clouds continually

flowers were scattered like

rain,

came
cults.

and

"the sun and moon

till

were concealed" as by the mists that

Little

veil the valleys.

do the learned seem to know of how Buddhism

Mathura and extinguished for a time the ancient

Some say that its coming is shadowed forth in the

to

legend of Kdla-yavana.

conqueror was Kala-

terrible

From

yavana, mighty and fierce and cruel.

West he

the far

came, and brought a vast army of barbarous folk against the

city of Mathura,

But in the night

of his coming,

through

the wondrous power of Krishna, there arose, far off on the

shore of the ocean, a city strong and

was Dwaxaka. And

thither

that dwelt in Mathura, bearing

while they

they

slept, so that

in the morning, and, lo

fair,

whereof the name

did Krishna carry

them thence

knew

it

away aU

in the night

not until they awoke

they were hard by the sea-shore,

and the sound of the waves was in their

ears.

was taken by Kala-yavana, who reigned there

But Mathura
all his days.

AMONG THE

282
And, long

GODS.
conqueror once more

after, the soul of that fierce

men

returned to earth; so he lived again, and

called

him

Aurangzib.

Museum

Leaving the

the travellers wander

at length,

long in the intricate streets of the

Strangest

scenes.

oriental

gleaming to right and

brass-work.

Strange are they

city.

even though these be long accustomed to

to "Western eyes,

And

still

of

all

native shops

the

are

with the wealth of Mathura

monkeys gambol round, grinning

left

the

and grinning again at their wonderful, white-faced visitors.

Onward they wander still, ever meeting new and distracting sights, until at last they

come

to the Eiver, and,

walking out to the middle of the bridge, look back in silent

wonder

at the ancient city

down

to the water to drink.

the water's edge

too many

Near the centre

Many,

and each ghat has

me

for

on the bank.

Many

are the

and here and there a monkey has come

pilgrim- bathers,

to

too, are

own

its

the ghats by

quaint legend,

tell.

of the city's river-side face is the

famous

Visrant Ghat, the Landing-place of Eest, where Krishna

and Balarama rested

Hard by

is

a water-course,

rain or torrent

channel

it is

body of Kansa down

after dragging the

to the water's edge that it

might

on the funeral pyre.

lie

so the ignorant

the trace of the body of

Kansa

and

but no

to this

very day they

call it

himself, left

him down
Kansa Khar.

in the river-side ground as they dragged

water

call it

ever scooped that ancient and venerable

to the

Very conspicuous too is the Sati Burj, a tower built on

the spot where a widow once was burned along with her
husband's body. He, they say, was Eaja Bihar Mall, who
ruled long since in Jaipur, and the tower was builded
A.D.

1570 by their son Bhagavan Das.


PEACOCK CITY AND FOREST OF VKINDA.
At

283

length the travellers leave the bridge, and embark on

a native boat

shapeless, lumbering thing that one can

As they

scarcely contemplate witli gravity.

glide along the

stream, past ghats and palaces and temples, they are sud-

many

denly aware of

ness,

tlie

eyes watching

men but of

eyes not of

them with grave

majestic tortoises

Long necks they

in the Eiver at home.

intent-

who dwell

have, and far out of

the water they thrust their snake-like heads, watching the

strangers in solemn silence with a gaze of mild toleration but
of very

much qualified approval.

Seeing the travellers' admir-

ing glances, one of the bathers seizes and holds up in the air

company

the most solemn and dignified of all the tortoise

a striking example of that Hindu sdieme of the universe,

known

as the Science of Sank,

is anniliilated,

but only disappears, the

in the cause, as

Too soon

Agra

train.

asserts that " nothing

which

tlie tortoise

it is

effect

being absorbed

draws his legs into his

shell."

time to hasten away and prepare for the

As our

friends

the

are leaving

travellers'

bungalow, Wazi'r comes softly out to wish them a sad farewell.

The Father, thankful indeed

to take leave of him,

bestows a small remembi-ance, which "Waxir receives with

the utmost dejection, and with such heartrending looks of

disappointment that the Father

humanity, to give him a

pose.

Poor "Wazir

is

little

more.

pleasure of parting

sounds through the

But

all is to

no pur-

broken-hearted at so poor a requital of

His manifest misery

his devotion.

compelled, from mere

is

casts a

gloom over the

but, as the travellers drive away, there

still air

a wild, chuckling laugh, and,

looking back, they behold "Wazi'r bounding into the air with
irrepressible exultation,

and waving

his long,

overhead in a transport of triumphant

'

From the 'Aveeu

AbbeiT.'

joy.

Gladwin.

brown arms

284

CHAPTER

XVIII.

THE POOL OF IMMOKTALITY.

To the

cities of

Dehli and Labor our friends devote as much

time as they can, and a respectable amount of study

cerning these places there are not

have not been written

may

therein

before,

many

and the

but con-

things to write that

travellers' experiences

safely be left, they think, to

the kind and

indulgent Eeader's graphic imagination.

Toward the end

excitable

of their stay in

Labor their

minds are invaded by visions

of

restless

Sikhs' most holy city, of the Pool of Immortality,

far-famed Golden Temple.

thereto,

Amritsar

lies

and the

long day must be devoted

and early in the morning they

expectation.

and

Amritsar the

set forth with eager

only thirty-two miles to the east

and the railway journey should be a short one but

the engine, despising with a stolid and lumbering contempt
of Labor,

our travellers' impatient enthusiasm, breaks

down midway

on purpose, and our friends must resign themselves as best

they

may

to spending

on the journey four

long, hot hours,

which they beguile by diligently rehearsing the history

of

Sikhism.

Having duly

recalled

all

the historic

events

they can

remember, having ascertained that the present number of

THE POOL OF IMMOETALITY,

Sikhs in the Panjab

not

is

much

less

285

than 2,000,000, and

having generally done their duty by serious matters of

fact,

they begin telling those quaint traditions of the Sikh Gurus

which, thanks to

Dr Trumpp,

now

are

within the reach of

even those benighted beings who cannot read Gurmukhi.

Delightful

is

which he has

his account of the manuscripts of various ages

so diligently translated,

and particularly

of

that oldest of all the lives of Nanak, long ago forgotten even

by the Sikhs themselves, and for many years imknown

any one except the white ants, who have browsed on

to
its

made lamentable gaps therein.

This
Kanak is far more to be relied on than the
later accounts at present in use among his followers, and
even the most wonderful stories thereof may rest on a subprecious pages and
early

'

Book

of

'

Nanak, the founder

stratum of truth.

was born,
[i.e.,

of the Sikh religion,

saith this venerable authority, "in

month

1469], in the

A.D.

of

Vaisakh

Sambat 1526

in a moonlight

night at an early hour, while yet about a watch of the night

was remaining, he was born.

The 330

millions of gods

paid homage to the child Nanak."

manuscript

later

tells

how Kalu,

his

made
him a

father,

request of the Pandit Hari Dyal that he would give

name.

Then "the Pandit

reflected for thirteen days.

was put on the

thirteen days had passed, a coat

the
less

When

child "

and

"

name that the Pandit gave him was Nanak, the FormOne " and, being wise in the wisdom of the stars, he
:

spake and
worship

said,

his

Wood and

"This one both Hindus and Turks will

name

will be current

grass will say,

'

Nanak

grant him access."

As Nanak grew up he was not

on earth and in heaven.

Nanak

'

The ocean

will

like to other children, for

in his spirit he meditated on the Lord.

"

When

he was

five

AMONG THE

286

GODS.

years old he began to talk of the Shastras and the Vedas,"

everybody received comfort from him." When he was

"
Nanak,
seven years old, Kalu his father said to him,

and

"

'

read

Then he brought Guru Nanak

Kalu

'

said,

to the schoolmaster.
"

schoolmaster, teach this one to read

'

'

Then

the schoolmaster wrote on a wooden slate the thirty-five

letters of the

Gurmukhi

and gave

alphabet,

But forthwith the wondrous child began

read.

his teacher, exhorting

him

Nanak

to

it

to

to instruct

in a discourse of thirty-four verses,

which, afterward written in the holy book of the Adi Granth,

are called to this day Patti, the

Afterward the Guru

"

Wooden

Slate.

went home and

sat

down.

It

the order of the Lord that he did no work whatever."

Nanak'

does the 'Book of

home

"

When

he

sits

depict the years of his

down, he remains seated

goes to sleep, he remains asleep.

It

was

He

his custom, moreover, to go

was

Thus
at

life

when he

associates with Fakirs."

and

sit

under

And

there remain " retired from the world."

trees,

and

one day "

a,t

the time of noon" he had fallen asleep in a garden within

the shade of a

shadows

For many hours he slept; and the

tree.

of the other trees

moved round

as the day

wore

on,

but that wherein Nanak had laid himself down remained ever
steadfast to shield him.

Moreover, as the later writings

came

record, a black snake

forth and sat at his head,

spread over him the shelter of

its

So

hood.

Nanak

the breath of the snake," but took no hurt at

When Nanak was grown

to be a

man

he

work, and spake to none except Fakirs.

neither ate nor
said,

"

He

is

drank

mad."

"

and

drank

all.

refused to

still

And when

he

for three full months, his kinsfolk

Then by

" the order of the

departed from Talvandi his birthplace,

pur, where Jairam dwelt

and came

who had married

his

Lord " he
to Sultan-

sister

and

"

287

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY.

there he became

Now

a steward

by the order

And

tinually."

of

bathe,

him

at

"

the Lord

And when

Nawab Daulat Khan.

the river was going con-

having

river,

he had entered the river

messengers carried him away and set

celestial

the threshold

tarried on the

"

one day Nanak came to the

his servant with him.

to

of the

of

the

But

Lord."

servant

his

bank "standing and standing"; and when

Nanak came not

And

again he returned home.

they cast

a net into the river, and the fishermen searched for Nanak,

but they found him not.

For by the order

Lord

of the

Nanak stood at the threshold, and beheld the celestial court.

Then a cup was filled with elixir of life and given to him,
and a voice commanded him, saying, "Nanak, this elixir
is a cup of my name, drink it "
Then " Guru ISTanak made
!

a salutation and drank

and the voice spake to him,

"I have made thee exalted. ... Go and mutter
my name, and cause others also to mutter it
My
name is the Supreme Brahm, the Supreme Lord." Then " a
dress of honour was given" to Nanak, and those celestial
it,"

saying,

messengers were commanded that they should bring him

back

to the river,

on the

third

whence they had

came out from the

water.

him away.

carried

day they brought him

thither,

So

and Nanak

But when they saw him the

people were astonished, and said, "Friends, this one had

fallen into the river

removed

Whence

Nanak gave

After this
"

all

is

he come

that he had to the poor, and

his abode afar off."

And when

he had

"

continued in silence for one day," the next day " he arose and

said,

'

There

all the

"He
is

is

no Hindu and there

is

is

no Musalman.'

Nanak added and said

Musalman who clears away his own

people wondered, but

sincere, patient, of

pure words.

"

Then

self,

who

AMONG THE

288

"Who
eat what
"

what

does not touch

is fallen

GODS.
is

who

standing,

does not

down:

That Musalman will go

to Paradise, says

Nanak."

Then the wisdom of ISTanak was made manifest to all.

"Wherever he looked, there all were saluting him;" the
.Khan also "came and fell down at his feet." But Nanak
began to wander over the earth; and he took with him
Mardana the rebeck -player, and "practised wind -eating."
The

first

Many

journey of Nanak was toward the East.

him by the way

things befell

and on every occasion Nanak

exclaimed, " Mardana, play the rebeck "

And

as

he played,

Nanak chanted forth those poems of wisdom and instruction

which

all

may

read to this day in the book of the

Adi Granth.
Wandering thus, they came to Dehli, and when they
were come thither, behold an elephant had lately died,
and all the folk were lamenting. But Nanak recalled the
!

elephant to
this

life,

and there were great

rejoicings.

And

on

same journey he met with certain Thags, and when he

spake to them they repented.

But most wonderful

in the country of

dwelt

of all

Kauru

many women

that

were the things that

for

therein was

were conjurers.

went before into the town,

for

befell

them

a town where

Now Mardana

he was hungry; and he

came to the door of a woman's house "and stood there."

Then she took a thread and bound him therewith, and
forthwith Mardana became a ram. So when Guru Nanak
came thither, Mardana began to bleat but the woman was
gone to fetch water. And when she came back with the
water-jar. Guru Nanak caused the jar to remain fixed on
;

her head, and she could in nowise remove

Guru spake

to

it.

And

the ram, and said, "Mardana, say

the

'Vah

"

THE POOL OP IMMORTALITY.

!

Guru

and bow thy head."

'

289

when Mardana bowed his

own form.
And
the conjurers was Nur Shahi.
So,

head, the thread brake, and he regained his

Now

the chief of

when she heard how

sent to
let

the water-jar remained immovable, she

none remain behind."

"came with

conjurers

Come ye, every one

women that were
One came mounted on

the otlier conjurers, saying, "

all

So

all

their skill.

the

a tree, another came mounted on a deerskin, another on

the moon, another on a wall"; and they

practise

their jugglery,

binding

threads";

were powerless in the presence

spells

Then came Nur Shahi with her

"

on

an

apparatus

mightiest spells
" fell

down

of paper,"

but

began "to
all

their

Guru Nanak.

wisest disciples, riding

and began

to

but when they were of no

at the feet of the Guru,"

of the name," muttering " Guru, Gur\i

On

of

all

and

"

apply her
she

avail,

became a votary

Nanak and Mardana

"came to a city of ants"; and of the
inhabitants thereof the Guru recounted a marvellous history,
which no doubt was the attraction which drew their white
another day, as they wandered,

the rebeck

player

evince for this manuscript such enthusiastic

relatives to

affection:

Once on a time

to this city;

for

Eaja, and with

it

happened that a Eaja came

he was marching to war with another

"a host

of fifty -two complete armies"

passed through the land by the

way

he

of the city of ants.

Then an ant went out to meet him, and said, "0 Eaja,
Or if thou wilt
remain in this place; march no farther.

my

march,
bread,

will is this that thou shouldest first eat of

and then shalt thou go thy way."

very proud, and

armies,
ant,

how

said, "

am

my

But the Eaja was

the Eaja of fifty-two complete

should I eat thy bread?"

"Then," said the

"thou must do battle with us"; and the Eaja

T

said,


AMONG THE

290
"So be

Then he took

it."

and "began

GODS.

his iifty-two complete armies,

The

to fight with the ants.

chief of the ants

Hav-

gave the order to the ants, 'Go and fetch poison.'

ing

filled their

brought

it;

mouth with poison from

every one died to

The whole host

and

said,

the ants,

'

bread.'

Well, be
'

it.

it

Go and

so

my

Eaja, hear

'

word,

by

Then

the Eaja alone remained alive.

that ant went and said,

my

they applied

of the fifty-two complete armies died

the order of the Lord

wilt eat of

whom

the Piyal-tree, they

now thou

The Eaja, joining his hands, stood

Then that ant gave the order to
'

bring nectar

In the nether regions

'

there are seven pools of nectar and seven pools of poison.

The ants went,

To

it.

whom

filled their

mouth with nectar and brought

they applied

it,

he rose and stood; so the

and stood by the

host of fifty-two complete armies rose

Then the Eaja

order of the Lord."

arose

eat bread with his fifty-two complete

ward he "returned

and

establishes

to

to his house.''

Such was the history that Nanak

He

went

armies," and after-

told,

and he added, in

praise of the Lord, the Formless One, this verse

"

"

an ant and gives

it

dominion, and an army

he reduces to ashes."
So

Nanak wandered

And

to Talvandi.

over the earth, and returned at length

the second time he wandered, journeying

toward the South, and came even as

the same

is

far as Singhala dvipa,

Ceylon.

The third time he wandered, journeying toward the North

into the country of Kashmir, and even to
Mount Sumeru in the far-off northern land.

and he came

And

the fourth time he wandered, travelling toward the

West, journeying as a pilgrim to Mecca

and as he went a

cloud went with him, floating overhead to give

him

shade.

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY.

And when

291

he came to Mecca, he lay down to

and

sleep,

by-

chance his feet were directed toward the holy place of the

And

Ka'ba.

at " the time of evening prayer the

Din came " in to

Nanak he said,

And
why

offer his prayers.

servant of God,

'

"

dost thou stretch

out thy feet in the direction of the house of

the Ka'ba

'

Then

"

and the Ka'ba

Eukn Din

said

Nanak,

Where

God and towards

God

the house of
!

So the Kazi

thither direct ray feet "

is not,

turned away the Guru's feet

but whithersoever

Then

he turned them, thither the Ka'ba also moved.

Kazi Eukn Din became astonished and

and "made

his

salaam and

liissed his

'Vah, Vah!

said,

Kazi Eukn

when he beheld

"

the

feet,"

Wonderful,

wonderful!'"

And

Nanak wandered, and journeyed

the fifth time

as the country

that country

is,

which

is

called Gorakh-hatari

methinketh no

So Nanak passed his

the time drew near

man

life until his

when

but where

knows.

age was sixty-nine

the Guru, the

"

named

And

and Angad.

his faithful disciple

it

month

of Asu."

and

who

is

called

As

his

Lahana

was the Sambat year 1595 (the same

1538 of the Christian

the

turning-pin of the

world," should be absorbed in the Formless One.

successor he

as far

era), "

" It

is

on the tenth of the light half of

was night, towards dawn

at the time of his departure."

And he "went

of day,

to a sarih-

down under it" Now the sarih-tree was dry,

and had no leaves but when the Guru had sat him down,
tree

and

sat

"became green again; leaves and blossoms came forth."

Then " the wife of Nanak began to weep brothers, relations,
The Society began to
all the retainers began to weep.
it

sing funeral songs."

And

there were

" votaries of the

many Hindus and Musalmans who were

Name."

Then the Musalmans began

to say,

AMONG THE

292

"We

shall

bury him"; but the Hindus

And Nanak

him."

GODS.

said, "

said,

"We

Put ye flowers beside

shall

burn

me on
;

the

right side put those of the Hindus, on the left those of the

Musalmans.
till

flowers of

If the

the

to-morrow, then they shall burn

Hindus remain fresh

me and
;

if

the flowers

Musalmans remain fresh, then they shall bury me."

Then Nanak lay down to sleep, and they covered him with a
But in the morning,
sheet, and laid him on a funeral pyre.
of the

"when they
for,

lifted

up the

sheet, there

was nothing

And

behold! the Guru had been absorbed.

at all";

the flowers,

both those of the Hindus and those of the Musalmans, were

Then "the whole Society

fell on their knees," and the Hindus took their flowers and
departed, and the Musalmans did likewise.
So much for Guru Nanak but what has our learned
Doctor to say of the nine other Gurus who succeeded him ?
Angad and Amar-das, the second and third Gurus, were both
unlettered men, and did nothing more noteworthy than composing sundry verses afterwards included in the Book of the
Adi Granth.' The fourth Guru was Eam-das, who succeeded
them

all of

fresh

and

fragrant.

'

to the

Guruship

a.d.

1574.

He was

born in the village

Guriicakk, and in his native place he restored an ancient

tank and adorned

it

with the utmost splendour, and in the

and he called the tank

"Amrita Saras," the Fount of Nectar, the Pool of Immorand both it and the great city which surrounds it are
tality
midst of

it

he builded a temple

day called Amritsar. Many verses also did Guru

Eam-das compose, and they are written in the Adi Granth.*
He named as his successor his son Arjun and thenceforth
the Guruship became an hereditary of&ce and acquired much

to this

'

wealth and temporal power.

Arjun, the

fifth of

the Gurus, succeeded to the Guruship

293

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY.

A.u.

1581

and he

was who collected the verses

it

predecessors, and, adding thereto

also

many

from the writings of the Bhagats or

before

of his

own and many

Saints who lived

of his

Nanak's days, he compiled that holy book of the

Sikhs, the far-famed

'

Adi Granth.'

wore no longer the garb

of a

Guru Arjun, moreover,

Fakir like the earlier Gurus,

but kept the state of a prince, and busied himself in trade

and

Muhammadan Government

"Whereupon the

politics.

awoke, and Guru Arjun was

slain.

Then succeeded, a.d. 1606, Har Govind, the sixth Guru

and he it was who armed his followers, and first fought
against the Muhammadans.
And there followed him in the
Gnruship Har Eai and Har-Kisan and Teg-Bahadur and the
tenth of the Gurus was Govind Singh.
;

In the year 1675

He had

of our era

Govind Singh became Guru.

been born at Patna, and by the Pandits there his

mind had been

filled

with

superstitions

of

Hinduism.

Wherefore he began his military career by cutting

head

of

off

the

one of his followers (who willingly offered the same)

and giving
with this

it

in sacrifice to the Goddess Durga, who, pleased

devotion,

appeared

forthwith,

thy sect will prosper in the world."

Govind Singh

is

and

And

"Go,

said,

so it did, for

said to have gained for the Sikh persuasion

120,000 disciples.

Many

who added

names

to the

other things he did ; and he

of his followers that

" Singh," or " lion," whicla to this

day

was

it

surname

is cliaracteristic

of

of the

Sikhs.

But

at length (a.d. 1708) his death

drew near, and

" his

heaped up a pyre of sandal-wood, and kept every" for his cremation.

Then " they all joined their
ready
thing
disciples

hands, and asked,

'

true Guru,

whom wUl you

seat, for

sake of our welfare, on the throne of the Guruship

'

the

He

AMONG THE

294

GODS.

As the nine Kings before me seated at their death

another Guru on their throne, so shall I now not do I have
answered,

'

intrusted the whole Society to the

divine male.

After

me you

shall

bosom

of the timeless,

everywhere mind the book

Granth as your Guru whatever you shall ask it, it

show to you.' ... He then, sat himself down on the
funeral pyre, and having meditated on the Supreme Lord,
All the Sikhs and
... he closed his eyes and expired.
of the

will

who from many

saints

shout of
of

'

many

Victory

'

parts were assembled there, raised a

and sang a beautiful song, and the eyes

people were

filled

with tears on account of the

separation of the Guru."

Such

histories

do the travellers rehearse as the broken

engine crawls pufifing along at a rate which a snail would

and

Am-

told us

what

despise, until at length the journey is nearly over

ritsar

not far

off.

" Philippa," exclaims Irene, "

the Sikh religion

most

is like

Do

you have never

pray be quick, for we are

al-

there."

" It is a

reformed phase of Hinduism," says Philippa

its

chief merit is the rejection of idolatry,

of

one formless, timeless god

system

is

pantheistic; but

it

whom
is

who

is

"

and

they

call

Hari.

The

monotheistic too, and the

Granth abounds with personal epithets addressed

Absolute Being

and the recognition

the root and the ground of

It is interesting to notice that that

to

the

all things.

fundamental and almost

universal instinct which creates a longing to worship some

one

who

is

human

as well as divine,

and which in Hinduism

expresses itself in the myths of Vishnu's avatars, appears in

Sikhism as a tendency to regard the Gurus as successive

incarnations of the Formless One, and to pay

them divine

295

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY.

The Metaphysic

honours accordiugly.

of Sikhism, like that

But here we are

of other pantheistic systems

at

Am-

ritsar!"

So long time has the journey taken that not

remain for sight-seeing

and our

many

hours

travellers, ignoring the other

sights of the city, drive straight to the Pool of Immortality.

It is surrounded

tinguished chiefs.

hy a square of palaces, the Imngahs of disThe pavements are all of marble from

Jaipur; and the marble tank

of

water 470 feet square.

contains a grand sheet

itself

In the midst of the waters, ap-

proached by a marble causeway,

rises the

Golden Temple,

nearly cubical in form, and decorated with wonderful richness.

In

all their

wanderings the travellers have never seen

The lower part

the like.

of the walls is faced

with snow-

white marble slabs (many of them were stolen, they say, by

Ranjit Singh from Jahangir's tomb at Shah Darrah) inlaid

with arabesques of conventionalised flower-sprays in many-

hued precious

But above

stones.

this

gleaming dado,

the temple, walls and cornices, dripstone and

columns, cupolas and

per, reflecting the
is

almost

all

roof, slender

one blaze of gilded cop-

finials, are

mighty sunlight with a brightness that

Beautiful

terrible.

is

the contrast between the

snowy marble and the burnished gold; and every detail

is reflected in tlie glassy waters with scarcely diminished
lustre.

To ask whether the temple

is

in good taste, would

as absurd as to inquire whether the martial adorn-

be

ments

of the

Duke

of

Diamonds

Prince) were festhetically correct.

those

who apply

humdrum

(or

any other

fairy-tale

I have no patience with

to the fantastic splendours of India the

rules of art

which mere mortals have

to build

by!

Of the palaces our

friends only have time to enter one,

AMONG THE

296

the hungah of Takht Akal,

GODS.

made conspicuous among

its

by a resplendent gilded dome. Here they are introduced to the sword of Govind Singh, and other relics of the

fellows

Gurus preserved in a gilded

ark.

visitors betake

Thence the

them

to the

west side of the

tank, and prepare to pass along the causeway into the island-

They are now despoiled

temple.

of their shoes,

which they

willingly relinquish as a sign of respect to the magic fane of

gold;
still

for,

though looking as

if

built

by enchantment,

it is

a monotheistic temple, and doubtless possesses some

The causeway

weird kind of holiness.

is

approached by a

grand gateway of marble, wherein the travellers ascend to

an upper room and behold the wonderful jewels wherewith

the holy Granth
festivals,

pearls,

and a

is

adorned when carried in procession at

chowries with golden handles, and strings of

tall

priceless

canopy of pure gold thickly

set

with

diamonds, rubies, and emeralds of astonishing size and lustre,

and further adorned with pendent

tassels of pearls.

Descending thence and passing out on to the causeway,

our travellers go on between

tall

lamps

of marble, looking

wonderingly the while at the extraordinary scene around

In the clear waters of the tank some pilgrims are

them.

devoutly bathing

way

sit

and on the bright pavement

many solemn

figures

of the cause-

of white -robed

Sikhs,

who

mutter under their breath that secret name of Hari which

none but the

and

initiate

the average Hindu.

eyes

is

religion.

more

Striking figures are these,

free

and

dignified than that of

In their grave faces and steadfast

something which

and kindness are

full

may know.

their bearing is far

calls

to

strictly inculcated

The dark, handsome

mind that
by the law

truthfulness
of the

faces are well set off

Sikh

by the

black beards, each ending in two plaits, which are

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY.

297
To

turned back into the silky black cloud of the whiskers.

shave either head or beard

The women

among

forbidden

is strictly

plait their hair in a

Sikhs.

compact peak, which stands

They

out like a horn at the back of the head.

wear

also

gigantic earrings, several in each ear.

But
with

it is

hard to look at anything but the temple

its brilliant reflection

itself,

piercing the clear depths of the

A sound

water with inverted domes of gold.

of deep-toned

chanting comes out through the temple door; but, as the

visitors enter, the voices cease,
tlie

and they

find themselves in

Beneath

presence of a silent assemblage of worshippers.

a canopy of state

lies

the ponderous tome of the Adi Granth,

whereof some irreverent scholars have said that in

world exists not another book so stupid for

on cushions,

it is

wrapped in a rich covering

fragrant roses are scattered over

of grain, the

Before

tlie

Granth

sits

it is

of silk,

little

a white -turbaned personage

ovei-

the assembly.

waves a cliowrie over the holy Book

settling

Near

it.

all

the

Besting

and
heap

accumulated offerings of pious worshippers.

seems to be presiding

on the

a semicircle

its size.

sit

who

continually

to prevent the flies

folds of its silken wrappings.

on the

He

from

Facing him in

floor the other worshippers,

a solemn

company, with one or two musicians among them, who hold

in their hands quaint native instruments wherewith to ac-

company the chanting.

The walls and vaulted

ceilings of

the hall are covered with gilding and with elaborate designs
in colours.

have our

by

tliis

India

travellei-s

is

the land of reflected lights, but never

beheld such a strange effect as

vaulted ceiling ;

for, reflecting

without, the golden vaulting throws

is

caused

the mighty glow from

it

downward on the

assembly of worshippers, until their snowy robes and turbans

are all dyed in gleaming colour.

AMOKG THE

298

The presiding dignitary

GODS.

receives the visitors with grave

and gracious courtesy, even uncovering the holy Book that

may

they
of

He

see the unfamiliar writing.

them with a small cup made

also presents each

what looks

of

like white

'No doubt these are specimens of that sacred sweet-

sugar.

meat (consisting

of flour

Guru Govind Singh

make and

lowers to

and sugar and melted butter) which

in his dying speech directed his foldistribute, saying, "

Whichever

rupee and a quarter, or for as

much

he

as

disciple

make

for one

is able,

Karah

wishes to have an interview with me, he shall

parsdd; then, opening the Book and bowing his head, he

will obtain a

reward equal to an interview with me."

is

presented a sacred rose

of the

waving chowrie exclaims

Next, to each of the travellers

from the Book

and then he

in the vernacular, " It

is

enough"; and they

find that they

As they go out they admire

are expected to withdraw.

the

devotion expressed by the worshippers as they enter and

the

leave

temple.

Each one

prostrates

himself

on the

threshold, placing his head against the stone, and reverently

touches with his hand

own

first

the threshold

itself

and then

his

forehead.

The

visitors

now ascend

to a gallery in the

the temple, and thence go up to the roof.

freely

among

the dazzling cupolas

to tread within that sacred circle

As they

drawn

forth,

Book ?

and the deep voices

chanting

who

pavement of
Book and adorned

in the

explore the outside of the

building, the musicians within again take

strains,

of

only they are not allowed

the roof immediately above the sacred

with peacocks' feathers.

upper part

Here they wander

up

their interrupted

of the turbaned congregation ring

shall say

Perhaps that solemn

what passage from the holy

hymn

of

Nanak, which comes

299

THE POOL OF IMMORTALITY.

as near as anything else in the

Granth to the dignity

of true

devotion.

"Hymn
"

to Hari.i

my heart, and for ever beside me

my Belovfed
Thou art my Honour and Jewel My soul in Thy presence

Thou

art tlie

Thou

Friend of

art

my

Friend,

Moment by moment must

be.

my dearest, the breath and the life of my being

Who is my Prince, and the Lord of my spirit, but Thee 1

Thou

art

me ?
Thy word ?

AVhere wilt Thou set

What

is

Lo, there will I tarry in silence

I will do

By Thy

Whithersoever I look, Thoti art there.

Gladly Thy Name is confessed.

Thou

my treasure, in Thee is the store of my riches

my delight is in Thee, and in Thee is my rest.

Thoxi art

my glory, my loved
Lo,

Thou

art

He

one,

my

shield

that upholdeth

Freely

Thy

Thou
1

From

the

secret, the

One

art the Helper,

my spirit

Hari, of

my shelter

for the Teacher,

established.

Nanak Thy

slave

"
!

prose translation in The Adi Granth "...

Gurmukhi ... by Dr Ernest Trumpp.

literal

tlie original

in

and

Ever of Thee are the thoughts of my heart

When to Thy servant he gave

from

servant

art

All

'

it.

translated

300

CHAPTER

XIX.

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBEE

March

is

Lahor and

already far advanced

set forth

when

PASS.

the travellers leave

on that northward journey to which

they have long looked forward as the crowning achieve-

ment

of

their Indian wanderings,

an

expedition wherein

they hope to penetrate to the north-west frontier of India

and into the wild recesses

The

first

a very hot journey

gathered;

of the far-off

day's journey brings

and the

it

is.

plains,

them

to

Khaiber Pass.

Eawal

Pindi,

and

Already the spring crops are

lately

so

richly

covered with

verdure, are turning, beneath the blazing sun, to a scorched

expanse of yellow.

Crossing the Eavi, the railway runs

nearly due north for sixty-two miles, as far as Wazirabad

on the southern bank of the Chenab; then, crossing the

broad

stream,

arrives

at

Gujarat, where

the

travellers

memorable 21st of February in the year 1849

and the great battle that was fought thereon, the deathblow to the power of the Sikhs. Vividly do they picture
recall that

to themselves the headlong flight

and the hot pursuit, and

the closing scene at Eawal Pindi, where General Gilbert

received the Sikhs' submission.

Meanwhile the

train speeds

on north-westward through

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBER

301

PASS.

the Jetch Doab, and so across the Jhilam and away north-

westward

Through the hottest hours

still.

scorched plains glow like

from the nortli-eastward horizon,

rise

up

ness the snow-clad mountains of

Kashmir

burden

is

of the

overwhelming heat

think, for

lei's

of the

day the

but on the right,

a furnace;

in shining loveli;

and

to bear the

worth while, our travel-

sake of that constant vision of ideal

tlie

coolness and beauty.

"

My

says

dear,"

Irene

to

her youngest

sister,

"

why

do you gaze at the mountains with that wool - gathering

expression of countenance?"
"
'

"Wool

pression

gathering,' Irene,

scarcely an accurate

is

I was merely recalling the ancient

legends which

how

tell

the land of Kashmir

by an aged and venerable Dragon

by reason
all

of

whose dignity the coimtry

the surrounding peoples.

all

filled

mighty
is

ex-

Buddhist
is

guarded

IsTaga Prince,

reverenced by

In ancient days a vast lake

that region of the earth, and in the waters of

Dragon had made his home. Then came

Madhyantika, the wise and holy Arhat; and he sat in a
wood on a mountain's summit, wrapped in profound meditaAnd the Dragon saw him fi-om the lake below, and
tion.
that lake the

being

filled

to tell

with reverence and

him what

service

faith,

he besought the Arhat

he might perform.

And the Arhat

Xaga would

made

request that in the centre of that lake the

grant

him so much dry groimd as his knees might securely

Then the great Xaga Prince withdrew the waters,

rest on.

and granted that spot

began to grow,

till

of

ground

but presently the Arhat

his knees filled all the space where that

and the good Xaga

still

kept back the

waters, for he would not break his promise.

So that kind

great lake had been

Dragon could dwell no more

in his ancient

home

and, going

AMONG THE

302

GODS.

forth in sadness of heart, he abode in a little lake that

There shall he dwell

the north-west of Kashmir.

lies to

but when the

in silence while the law of Buddha endures
law- declines and is no more taught on earth, then shall
;

and become a lake once more, and that

this land return

good Dragon

shall

Nor

aforetime.

is

come

home and dwell

to his

therein as

that day far distant now, for long years

ago in Kashmir the fountains began to

again, bub-

rise

up ever more and more in token that the time draws

bling
near."

"That

"and

is

its

says

pretty story,"

meaning

is,

Philippa

preached in Kashmir, the old serpent

historic times

to

it

my

worship

was suppressed, and those who

were obliged

meditatively,

when Buddhism was

I suppose, that,

to leave the country.

dears, to sift these curious legends,

still

It is

and

of

pre-

adhered

always well,

to seek,

among

worthless accretions, for hidden grains of truth."

"

My

poor, dear old

Dragon

never, never have mentioned

to be 'sifted'

At

sighs Sebaste

"

him

if

" I

would

had thought he was

by Philippa."

length comes the welcome hour of sunset; and at

a quarter

to eight in the evening, wearied out with twelve

hot hours' travelling, our friends are fain indeed to arrive

at

Eawal

Pindi.

Except Bishop Milman's tomb, the Port, and the cantonments, there

is

very

little

travellers are again rushing

reach Peshawar.

On

to see,

and the next day the

away north-westward, eager

their right

the lofty chain of mountains.

still lies

to

in stainless glory

Here and

there,

between

nearer and lower peaks, appear the far-off heights of snow

but more wonderful than even their dazzling and ethereal

"

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBER

303

PASS.

beauty are the iridescent opal -hues that rest and change

and melt one

and shadowy

into another on the rocky slopes

a harmony

folds of the intervening ranges,

tender colours, the glory of

many

In those purple

be seen in Europe.

of exquisitely

hot climates, but never to

lights

and deep-blue

shadows, in the delicate softness of the rainbow

enchantment as

irresistible

of

some land

of

lustre, is

Above and beyond

has nothing to do with earth.

an

magic light that

all

the

beauty there seems to be a radiant mystery about that

far-

making one long

off region,

to reach it with a wild

and

childish eagerness that is hard to understand.

"And

if

you could have your wish,

my

friend,"

some

"how much do you

unseen moraliser seems to be saying,

think you would find there of the wondrous glories you

imagine yourself to be looking at

light

which makes that part

It is a

mere

effect of

of the landscape look like a

you could go thither

you would see that those shining heights and dreamy depths
fairyland of mysterious loveliness.

of

If

shadow are nothing in the world but barren rocks and

and you would find the walking rough and dis-

gullies;

agreeable, and
It

would very soon wish yourself back

would be a good lesson

teach you to realise that

Ah

yes,

Mr Moralist,

indeed a saddening
to

'

things are not

what they

had not thought

reflection.

And

seem.'

and it is
manner were we

of that

in like

again.

and would

of experience for you,

examine accurately the greatest picture that ever brought

fame

to

an

enough) that

artist,

we should

it is really

paint on a canvas ground.

and eloquent books,

if

see

(if

only

we

could get near

nothing in the world but blotches of

Xay,

sir,

even your own learned

their pages were accurately

examined

with a microsoope and subjected to chemical analysis, would

enforce the same sad moral that " things are not

what they

"

AMONG THE

304
seem."

Is

it

not so with

near to look into

all

beautiful

is

if so,

Beauty

thing as real beauty.

that

with the

it is

who fancy they

What a
And what
"It

spirit that

no such

is

exists not, save in the vain

see

it

unless, indeed,

a spiritual thing, and

is

we must draw near

!

"

exclaims Irene

frown, Sebaste "

to

it.

alarm.

in

you muttering under your breath

are

!
;

when we draw

surely there

were possible to think that beauty

it

"

GODS.

that

And

it ?

imagination of those

"

"

"

absurd and ridiculous, Irene, what people say!

is

They had

up

better hold their tongues instead of setting

to

be moralists and philosophers."

!

" This is

serious " exclaims Philippa

and no philosopher or moralist

"

But,

my

is

One

them says that a

of

statue

is

that

it

is

in the matble block,

men

between matter and form

fanciful

my

and the

mode
an

of expression.

evil lies

Why

in his

cell,

'

much

to seek

thou seest not

;

deeper than mere fancy and grace of

k

Kempis was

infected

by

For, exhorting the

no earthly delight but

to

remain alone

in the persuasive cadence of his sweet Church-

Latin he says,

elements

it

an insult to the understanding

Even dear Thomas

monk

the difference yet

do you consider

thanks to his exaggerated asceticism.

good

'

know

affront, Irene,

expression.
it,

don't

since

dear, that saying about the statue is only a

personal affront
" It is

forth, Irene

it

more than twenty-two centuries

Aristotle wrote, and that

"But,

What

only waiting for the sculptor's hand to call

To think

Speaks,

ever to bark again."

dear," says patient Irene, " try to tell us

have they said lately to hurt your feelings

"

" Sebaste

'

What

canst thou see elsewhere which here

Behold the sky and the earth, and

for of these all things are made.'

The

all

the

fallacy is so

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBER

obvious and, childlike that one almost loves
for it ; but of that

same

PASS.

305

him

the better

fallacy the moralisers

have made to

themselves spectacles through which to look, not only at the

beauties of Nature, but also at those life-landscapes, the

wayward hope is wont to

them nothing but stocks and stones

distant views of the future that

gaze

at, till tliey

and mist5
"

see in

of dull delusion."

My dear," says the Father, " I

moralisings have to do with

arriving at Atak, and here

looking

at,

"

it.

how
with

how

Kabul

bare and rugged the

it

coming to the ends

quaintly the

little

antique

fort,

deep, swift river!

little

shall see the

are."

viust be

its

are just

See what a narrow gorge the great

"What a savage landscape

"We

We

the Indus that you ought to be

is

rushing through, and

is

mountains

Punjab!

and in a moment more we

Eiver flowing into

Indus

do not quite see what such

tlie

is

"

exclaims Philippa.

And

of the earth at last.

Atak is perched up there,

that Akbar built, overlooking the

town

How

of

wild

it

all

looks, with only the

red-roofed church to seem familiar and home-like!"

So the train rushes

streams,

on, past the junction of the

and up the valley

of the

Here the

toward Peshawar.

Kabul

travellers

mighty

Eiver, westward

arrive soon

after

sunset; whereupon two turbaned drivers of gharries fight

furiously together for
forcibly separated

them and

their luggage,

and have

to be

by some dark-faced native policemen.

now called Peshawar, is an ancient city;

who was here about the year 400 of our era,

Purushapura,

and Fa-hien,
has

many

things to say of

while Hiuen Tsiang,

us

still

tion.

its

more curious matters

Here

it

long and marvellous history,

who journeyed

was that

to India in 629, teUs

of fantastic Buddhist tradi-

for long centuries

was preserved

AMONG THE

306

GODS.

the Buddha's sacred begging-bowl, that venerable fourfold

vessel

that the four Guardian Deities gave him, coming

from the four corners

separate

of

heaven and presenting each his

bowl; whereupon the Buddha placed them one

within another, and caused them to grow together and to

form one single

And

vessel.

happened that a

of old it

great conqueror had subdued the land, and in the pride of

would carry away

his boastful heart

far-famed virtue.

of

made

So,

triumph that bowl

in

when he and

to the Three Precious

his

Ones abundant

captains had
offerings

with

great devotion, he caused to be caparisoned a mighty ele-

phant, and placed the bowl on

elephant

fell

on

its

back;

but the great

and
waggon

his knees beneath that holy burden,

could not rise or move.

Then

in a four-wheeled

they reverently set the bowl, and eight elephants were

yoked thereto and dragged

it

they could not move

all.

was

and

ashamed,

the

sacred Purushapura.
Fa-hien's
it

visit;

daily received,

full,

but

at

alms

There

it

with

their strength, but

all

So the mighty conqueror

-

bowl

still

abode

and how, when poor folk

how

at

is

cast therein

an

few blossoms, the bowl was straight-

rich

But the venerable

Gone

peace

resided at the time of

men might throw

bushels of flowers and never be able to

no more.

in

and well hath he described the worship

offering of but very

way

it

antiquities

of

in thousands of

fill

it.

Purushapura are now

that ancient pipal

tree

which Hiuen

Tsiang describes as about 100 feet high, and under which,

Buddha discoursed of old. The very

name is almost forgotten of the mighty King Kanishka,
who at first "had no faith either in wrong or right," and
" lightly esteemed the law of Buddha," but who was eventTradition avers, the

ually converted to the faith, and held, about 79

A.D.,

the

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBEE

fourth great Buddhist Council
is

that great stiipa

summit
Gone,

400

to a height of

majestic building
too,

and vanished from the

that once reared

his

of

feet,

the

Fa-hien saw

that

307

PASS.

city-

towering

its

grandest and most

in his

journeyings.

the famous Buddhist Monastery, and that

is

other most sacred building wherein was enshrined in

solemn splendour the Buddha's begging -bowl.
Muham-

madanism reigns supreme and the chief interest of Peshawar lies now in the variety of the unfamiliar races that
;

haunt

its

Our

winding

streets.

travellers love the native

walls

mud, and

of

town with

its

encircling

wandering through the crowded

find

ways thereof an intensely

interesting occupation.

Never

before have they found themselves in such unconventional

company.

There are mighty Afghans arrayed in sheep-

skins,

and wild -looking

those

other

allegiance

to

Afridis,

unconquered

and shaggy specimens

mountain

tribes

of

who, owning

none, have favoured the British with their

friendship.
It is a strange city,

plore

it

and our

travellers

have time to ex-

while awaiting an- opportunity to visit the Khaiber

Pass, for only on certain days do the Afridis undertake to

guard

tlie

Pass so that

it

may

be safe for travellers.

But

at length the day arrives, an& early in the morning, while

the sunshine

is

as yet innocent of the cruel fierceness to

come, our friends drive westward across the plain, gazing

the while at the grand amphitheatre of rocky heights that

hems

the lowland round with so stern and immovable a

barrier.

"Wonderful

is

the colouring thereof,

and browns, and luminous depths

and then a radiant glimpse

About ten miles and a

deep purples

of azure shadow,

with

now

of far-off snow-clad peaks.

half the travellers drive, to the

AMONG THE

308

Fort of Jamrud, a point in that

which

GODS.

Here they

the boundary of British India.

is

only on maps,

line, visible

find

awaiting them their picturesque mounted escort, two tur-

baned Af ridis, bearing themselves with martial dignity, and

riding on horses so beautiful that our friends feel envious,

and eye with ungracious contempt the tumtums to which

But no let me not
they are fated. Now a tumtum
!

disperse with impertinent explanations the glamour of that

Tumtums

mystic word.

mouth

the

Many and uncouth are the

overtake,
wild, shaggy men free

rugged Pass.

own rude mountains, and proud

as

untamed

lions.

there are journeying caravans with hundreds of lordly

no

camels

unkempt
mane.
silk

and enter with eager expectation

still,

which they meet or

figures

as their

And

of the

and themselves, and so

Crossing the invisible border, they

set forth in procession.

speed on westward

and in them our

are tumtums;

.travellers dispose their tiffin-basket

sleek,

as their

meek -spirited
masters, with

thick masses

rough and
of

curling

Those from Afghanistan are doubtless laden with

and nuts and dyes

with

creatures, but

and

salt

tea

those journeying toward Kabul,

and

spices,,

and

stufi's

,from Indian

looms.

The rocky

sides of the

narrowing Pass are almost wholly

bare of vegetation, and, as mile after mile the sun pours

down an
of

ever more merciless heat, they glow like the sides

an oven.

But

at length the watershed

refreshing line of verdure

stream, as

it

the Kabul.

flows

Pass

is

away north-westward

And now

towering aloft on

marks the course

its

to

is

passed,

pour

itself into

the fort of Ali Masjid

isolated height,

and a

Khaiber

of the

beyond which,

is

visible,

alas

the

not safe for Europeans.

Presently the travellers pass some of the dwellings of

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBER

the mountain-folk,

many

of

them mere

309

PASS.

holes in the

moun-

and then,

tain-sides like the lairs of wild heasts;

arriv-

ing at the foot of the rock whereon Ali Masjid stands, they
leave their turn turns, and, in the cheerful

noonday sun, climb up some 400

a wild

man

warmth

feet to the top,

of the

guided by

clad in white and carrying a very long gun.

Starting merrily, they arrive subdued, and, with eyes too

nearly blinded to look at anything, creep feebly into the

fort.

Presently they find themselves in a shady verandah,

whence they look abroad at

their leisure

more absolutely rude and savage in

its

on a panorama

grandeur than any

they have ever seen.

Around and above them

tall crags

and masses of

rise in endless \'ariety of

form

rock, while at their feet, far, far

below, winds on, north-westward

still,

the narrowest part

way shut in by the rugged cliffs which

and left. Onward it winds, and onward march

of the Pass, a deep

lise to right

the caravans in long procession, moving slowly along the

narrow passage, and away on the road to Kabul; but our

travellers

may

The sha^y camels may go

not follow.

onward and onward

still

but they, on the very verge of

that alluring country which

is

ever a

little

sadly turn away and retrace their wasted

What

turnings back!

what a ridiculous
vague discontent
is

Oh, these

strange disappointment they bring!

bitterness of spirit,

They make one

vanity, to suspect

beyond, must

steps.

that

those

what perversity

eager longings for the

Beyond, which are the very essence of the travelling

are after all the expression of
satisfied

and

an

and

spirit,

instinct too deep to be

by mere fresh mountains and

plains

of

to think that all travel

valleys, fresh streams

cities.

Wistfully the travellers gaze along the Pass, and away

"

"

AMONG THE

310

GODS.

To think that they have

the northern mountains.

into

come

all this

way

for nothing

!that they have journeyed

over those thousands of miles to be turned

away

at last

from

the gate of that enchanted region on whose very borders they

seem

to stand.

makes one," exclaims Sebaste, " to

reach that other pass toward which we are journeying, and to
get through it and out into a wid6r world where barriers of
"

how impatient

Oh,

it

time are not, and where perhaps (who knows

?)

the whole universe before us, and explore

we may have
it

all

at

our

leisure

"You
"and

talk wildly,

my

dear," says Philippa, reprovingly,

flippantly too, I think."

" Flippantly

" cries Sebaste.

"

Do you

is

a graver matter than

to

copy those good people who pull a

talk of their souls,

just as

exceedingly serious too

like this

to

Why

Xabul

life,

can't

in a caravan

Philippa

if

Oh,

we be

all

think that death

Would you like me

long face when they

the rest of

it is

them were not

dreadful to be stopped

disguised as camels, and go

In a dejected frame of mind, but laughing too at their own

dejection, the travellers eat a picnic tiffin, and,

through the

fiercest

to their waiting tumtums,

Peshawar.

But

having rested

heat of the afternoon, descend at length

and begin the return journey to

as the overpowering glare

is

softened,

and

the air grows cooler and yet more cool, their drooping spirits
revive

and when the sun

figured in the

is

low and

glow of the evening

all

things shine trans-

light,

they are lost in

wondering admiration of the wild beauty of form, the gorgeous richness of colour, which on every side surround them.

Though the rocky

crags are bare

and

dry, yet are they so

PESHAWAR AND THE KHAIBER

PASS.

brightly bathed in vivid and clianging hues that they

to breathe

and

live, until it is

any reverent mind

less,

Thought

Love!

seem

hard to believe it possible for

upon material Nature as a lifemakes the

It is a scene such as

up in sudden

soul spring
is

to look

mechanical thing.

311

and thought

exultation, exclaiming,
is

Life

and

life

is

The world
Light, and

312

CHAPTER

XX.

FROM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

Eetuening toward Labor through the wide, scorched-up
the Panjab, the travellers begin to understand

plains

of

what

meant

is

in India

by

" the hot weather."

For one Sun-

day they stay at Labor, helpless victims to mosquitoes and

the
it

still

more

any longer,

of the
bala,

terrible sand-flies

and then, unable

set forth for exalted

Himalaya.

to bear

Simla and the breezes

South-eastward they travel as far as

Am-

and northward thence to Kalka, where, surrounded by

pomegranate-trees bright with scarlet blossoms, they rest for

one day at the very foot of the mighty

hills,

which rear

themselves up to their lofty height with slopes of wonderful

abruptness.

Next morning

at three o'clock, through the

fragrant night-air, they set forth

by

starlight

drive of fifty-seven miles to Simla, passing

strings of camels,

who

heavy and

on the upward

by the way long

carry on their backs the baggage of

who can escape

the dawn overand around them is

the Government and bi all other Europeans

from Calcutta
takes

for the hot weather.

them they

When

are far above the plains,

a whole forest of cactuses, their thick, green arms

with yellow blossoms.

The way

is

all

covered

haunted by wild monkeys.

FROM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

and there are many other things
views become grander and

313

to see as the mountain-

less confined.

Hour

after

hour

the air grows fresher, until, at more than 7000 feet above the
the ridge of Simla

sea,

And now

is

reached at length.

follow for our travellers days of peace and cool-

ness and freedom, and a rest from sight-seeing which they will

long remember.

Fivr

they ride on mountain-patlis, through

the blue-green shade of majestic deodars, or by forests of

rhododendrons ablaze with ci'imson blossoms, mingling with

the silvery foliage of the beautiful Himalayan oak-trees.

Sometimes the path

sometimes in a

lies

far-ofl'

along the edges of abysmal valleys,

glory of sunshine appear the per-

petual snows of the higher ranges to the northward.

for tlie little heights

would be

whereon Simla

they

mountains in Europe, but in the Himalaya

called

they almost resemble those

" so

itself is builded,

As

low as to look

hills of

nursery fame which were

like hollows."

who

name of Jako, reaches a

height of 80i8 feet and to his summit our travellers walk
before breakfast one morning when the air is full of dewy
One

of them,

rejoices in the

freshness and overflowing with sunshine.

an

ascetic,

with

As

tlie

a holy

>/ogi,

who haunt

the travellers approach his

tlie

little

his voice reading aloud in chanting

ment

surrounding

forests.

hermitage, they hear

monotone from some

Presently he comes forth, a

scripture.

wild figure in sti-ange

the top lives

said to have a sti-ange understanding

wild monkeys

volume of ancient

On

his face covered with a pig-

attii-e,

of the brightest yellow imaginable.

Percei^^ng that

the visitors desire to see not only himself but also his

monkey

friends,

he looks abroad among the deodars, and

The monkeys are

gives forth a peculiar cry.

and at

first

no answer comes

far away,

but presently, swiftly gliding

AMONG THE

314

GODS.

up the mountain-slope from below, rising noiselessly from

the deep shadows of the trees, the monkeys begin to assemble.
Wonderfully varied

is

There are old

the group they form.

monkeys and young monkeys, stout and mighty monkeys,

and monkeys slim and graceful, and one charming baby in
arms no bigger than a kitten. The visitors regale them with
grain and native sweetmeat,

which

the beasts

delicacies

snatch out of their hands in a defiant and ungrateful fashion

that gives a bad impression of

monkey manners.

Evidently

our travellers' white faces have excited suspicion and

for

toward their friend the yogi the monkeys are far more

With

gracious.

his yellow countenance

midst of the excited crowd, and beyond

tall,

dislike,

dark

a picture

trees,

to be long

Too soon comes the day

he stands in the
is

a background of

remembered.

of departure,

and the downward

plunge into glowing heat and the oppressive air of the plains.
Dreadful, after the breezes of the heights,

is

the glare of

the sun on the vast, scorched-up expanses of yellow

and, as

they journey southward toward Dehli, our travellers begin

to realise the

meaning

Writ, "I will

make your heaven

as brass

of that terrible similitude of

as iron,

Holy

and your earth

and your strength shall be spent in vain."

Travelling in such weather would hardly be safe without

many

mitigating precautions.

All Indian railway-trains are

furnished with a broad eaves of wood, but

drawn up

as well the

now must be

deeply-tinted window-panes, which

darken and deaden the tremendous glow without into something nearly as faint as our
is

own

so-called sunshine

and now

the time to keep continually drenched with water the round

tatties of khas-khas grass

without should enter.

By

through which alone the

air

from

such means our travellers succeed

in keeping the temperature within

down

to about 106 Fahr.,

FROM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

and very triumphant they

about

feel

very cool; but step outside for a

blaze,

and you

relief,

and be thankful indeed

will

no

it falls,

of delicious

compensated for

is

of flowers,

Then the

soft

and resplendent

cold and ghostly radiance as with us,

but a living glory of almost golden

ever

it

of the night.

heavy with the sweetness

with moonlight,

into the outer

for the contrast.

trying,

not sound

It does

it.

moment

come in again with a sense

Still, if the day is somewhat

by the glory and the beauty

air is

315

which

light,

yet,

seems to cover the ground with snow.

wherApril

weather in India almost tempts one to think with regret

those long -past days of the wicked Tareke, that
injurer of men,"

moon

also, in terror of

appeared always at

ill-

the

full."

Certainly he was not an estimable

arm

of

tyranny and

but then what austerities he had performed

whereby he gained
" for

from his heat

that passionate, bloodthirsty fiend,

character, for he "stretched put the

oppression "

"mighty

for then the sun, " out of fear of that

fated, violent monster, altogether desisted

of

his

power

him

It is recorded of

a hundred years he held

up

towards heaven, and^^e^^ his eyes

two arms and one

his

tt,pon the

that
foot

sun for the whole

time."

For two days our

travellers

rest

at Dehli;

they set forth south-westward to cross once

and then

more the bound-

ary of British India, and to visit that most wonderful of

native

cities,

Jaipur in Eajputana.

and Easter in a place

so thoroughly oriental is the strangest

of strange experiences.

The church

Christians are so few, that

the

number

To spend Holy Week

it

is

so small,

of Easter days that

have been

tween eighteen and nineteen hundred.

^

From

Hallied's

'

and the

seems hardly credible that

SUeeve Pouran.'

is

already be-

AMONG THE

316

GODS.

In exploring the city our friends are assisted by a whiteturbaned, grave-faced

ud-din,

and who

Muhammadan whose name

Eakir-

is

Many

speaks very creditable English.

wonderful things hath he to

tell

as that the precipitous

rock which, crowned by the Tiger Fort, overlooks the city

on

its

north-western

side, is

hollow, and that therein

Such things

safely stored the Maharaja's countless treasure.

are easy to believe

among surroundings

is

so unfamiliar.

The

extraordinary buildings, the gorgeous Eastern colouring, the

exuberant intensity of the native

life,

all

a sense of dream-like unreality which

unite to produce

makes

it

no longer

possible to be astonished at anything.

Of

is

plenty in Jaipur; and most

brilliant of all are those of the

hour before sunset, when the

brilliant scenes

there

broad streets overflow with sacred cows and thronging

and when

life,

come

all

the Maharaja's innumerable

forth to take the

Winds, with

its

air.

human

elephants

Then doth the great Hall

of the

multitudinous array of cupolas, glow softly

in the reddening light;

and

all

aglow in like manner are

the other palaces, and that central Ishwari Minar Swarga

Sul,

Then many dark'

"the Tower that pierceth Heaven."

faced citizens ride past on bullocks or camels, or are borne

by

their servants in jhanipans, or speed gaily along in elchas,

while the ladies drive forth in curtained hahlis drawn by

oxen, or in those glittering tents on wheels, ablaze with crim-

son and embroidery, called khdsa raths, " select chariots," as

indeed they well
less

may

be.

Wonderfully

motion of the crowds of humbler

sell for ever,

lively is the ceasefolk,

who buy and

and hasten always hither and thither in vivid

streams and eddies of ever-varying colour.

Often the throng

perhaps

is

parted to let a procession pass through,

a wedding-train of bronze-faced girls robed in

"

FROM SIMLA TO

317

JAIPUfi.

crimson, and carrying on their heads in open baskets goodlypresents from the house of the bride to be bestowed on the

bridegroom's father; or a wailing funeral -train on

to the burning-place,

away

carried

to

way

will

be

be thrown into the far-off Ganges.

But grave and decorous amid

elephants

its

whence the dead man's ashes

move slowly

all

the

the numberless

stir,

along, towering in their solemn dig-

nity like massive rocks above the eddying crowds

and high

set, and look down upon all

Most amiable of all the elephant worthies is a
dear little fellow whose age is two. In a sprightly manner
he makes a salaam to the travellers, and then puts out
lus baby-trunk in the most endearing way, as though he
said, "Have you got a banana about you that you don't

on their necks the mahouts are

tlie

world.

require

Most

of the private houses in Jaipur are painted a bright

strawberry-pink.

Other buildings there are in plenty, im-

posing palaces, and temples with

little idol-shrines

work

many

worshippers, and

middle of the broad

streets.

there are choice collections of native art-work to be

Then
visited

built in the

for

blue and

and our

travellers gaze

which Jaipur
scarlet, or

is

with delight at the enamel-

renowned,

more

rich harmonies

brilliant shades of blue

of deep-

combined

with wondrous mazes of delicate gold arabesqua

Our

friends fail not to visit the far-famed alligator-tank,

nor to feed with welcome lumps of meat its eager and voraIt is wonderful to see the monsters
cious inhabitants.
thrusting high above the surface of the water their great,

Truly was
gaping jaws bristling with saw-like teeth.
said of the crocodile, long ago in the days of Job
"

Who can open the

Eoimd about

doors of his face

his teeth is terror."

it

"

AMONG THE

318
The
find

go to pay their respects to the

travellers, moreover,

Maharaja's lions and

them

tigers,

They

to be.

GODS.

and very charming beasts

they

are in charge of a one-armed native

hand

keeper, who, to gain the visitors' applause, thrusts his

into the lions' mouths,

and pulls

their whiskers,

In this way he

them, until they growl and snarl in fury.

lost his

arm one

will soon follow

day,

and

seems likely that the other one

it

down one

and pinches

In another

of the lions' throats.

who used to be manSome say that man-eating entails a shabby coat

with mangy patches of bare skin but if so, these particular

place are kept several great tigers

eaters.

delinquents have remained in captivity long enough to re-

smooth and

and

gain their good looks, for their fur

is

only a greedy fierceness of the

eyes recalls their former

misdoings.

half-a-dozen

Two of them are known to have eaten some

men apiece, and of such achievement they look

fully capable.

that there

is

The bars

of their cage are so close together

and

paw being thrust out between

own face within a few inches of

no danger of a

them, and to place one's

theirs,

to gaze into their savage eyes, is a possible

instructive amusement.

eyes before.

They seem

The
to

travellers

and

have never seen such

have a curious magnetic power,

and with a sullen implacable gleam they

say, as clearly as

ever eyes said anything, " I should like to eat you

On

glossy,

another morning our friends explore the great Palace

of the Maharaja, which, with the gardens belonging to

covers one -seventh of the whole area of the city.

many
leaves.

of the gateways are

hung long wreaths

of

it,

Over
mango-

These, as Fakir -ud- din explains, prevent the en-

trance of evil spirits.

Presently the visitors are introduced to the Maharaja's

horses, three

hundred princely steeds

of all

imaginable na-

"

"

FROM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

319

Their stables are built round the exercising

tionalities.

ground, in the middle of which a wild boar

is

tethered with

a view to accustoming the horses beforehand to the terrors

of boar-hunting.

It is breakfast-time,

and the three hundred

horses have been led forth to be fed, and placed in two long

Each has a humble native attend-

rows facing each other.

ant

who

carries a large

bowl

wherein

of brass,

is

a delectable

compound of gram and milk and sugar and liquid butter.

The horses are far too proud to help themselves, and the
rich mass is crammed down their throats by the hands of
their obsequious servants.
travellers, as
ers, find it

It is

an absurd scene, and the

they pass between the long rows of banquet-

hard

to

maintain the requisite solemnity.

But

suddenly they come upon one solitary horse who, though

handsome and

dignified, has

of his companions.
is

Xo

none of the supercilious

sugar and butter for

him

airs

He

eating plain and wholesome grain from an unassuming

nosebag.
'

Fakir-ud-din, what

like the others

is this ?

Wliy

is

not that horse fed

Fakir-ud-din inquires into the matter, and then explains,

with a look of solemn wonder at the grave coimtenance of

the steed in question, "This is an English horse, and he

becomes Ul

if

fed on sugar

"With a smile of pardonable pride the travellers leave their

compatriot, and go in search of the Maharajas elephants.

Many
streets

them they have ah-eady seen parading through the

at evening; but there are some who never go out,

of

twenty or thirty gigantic beasts, kept only for fighting, and

poisoned into raging madness by some pernicious native

They are terrible to behold as that awful steed of

"
Indra, the Lord of the Sky," even the infuriated elephant

drnw.
'

AMONG THE

320

GODS.

dim with inebriety." ^ Furiously

and make wild grimaces at the
and stamp their mighty limbs, each of which is

Airavata, whose eyes were

up

they toss
travellers,

their trunks,

Sometimes, says Fakir-ud-

secured by a great iron cable.

chains

din, these strong

and then the

burst,

maddened

elephants wreak deadly vengeance on their cruel tyrantmasters. Truly it would seem as though Jaipur were one
of those three

magic

cities

(built long ago for the sons of

and chariots

Tareke) wherein were excellent wells and tanks,

and drunken elephants.

On
and

the day before their departure our friends rise early,

at

live

Amber, the
Jaipur
the

is

o'clock set forth to visit

seat of the former

now

the capital.

Kings

then through the sudden dawn.

morning sunlight as they come

buildings,

now

all

What

deserted,

our friends

start

on

foot,

forest of tall cactuses

are in full blossom,

it

Dazzlingly shines the

among Amber's

most desire to see

may

for the elephants

Those worthies,

stately

is

the

rumble, and they look

who should be awaiting

seems, have not yet arrived

and

wondering, as they go, at the dense

growing wild by the roadside.

and very beautiful

is

They

the crimson colour

of the small flowers wherewith they are covered.

road,

and

first,

but up the long and sacred

ascent thereto no wheeled thing

round anxiously

whereof

and half buried in luxuriant

the travellers

great Palace of the Maharajas

them.

of the State

Northward they drive among

through seas of ethereal moonlight at

hills,

leafage.

the ancient city of

Along the

and in and out among the cactuses, stray many wild

Secure in their sanctity, they have no fear of

peacocks.

native wayfarers
lers inspire
1

but the white faces of the English travel-

them with vague

From

the

'

uneasiness,

and

Viahnu Purana,' translated by H. H.

at their apAVilson.

FEOM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

321

proach they glide swiftly into the shade among the thronging

So regal are they in their jewelled plumage

cactus-stems.

that one feels tempted to steal pot-herbs for the rest of one's
life,

in the hope of incurring the penalty allotted to that

misdeed, and being born next time as a peacock.

Presently advances, from behind, a soft but ponderous
tread; and, turning round,

humbly kneel
and that

are

tlie travellers

welcome elephants, two solemn and

met by

their

dignified personages

who

The name of the one is Ganga,

Jawahur Kuli, whereof the significaPerfect Jewel."
Each has his face and trunk
before them.

of the other

tion is "

elaborately painted, and their countenances are benign and

affable.

As soon

have mounted, the great

as the travellers

beasts rise to their feet, and go swinging

and

rolling

and

flopping along toward the venerable deserted Palace.

It

was

built,

the learned say, by that

to reign a.d.

1592 (whose

is also

Man

Singh

who began

the great temple at Bindra-

who must not be confounded ^ith that earlier Man

Singh who built the palace at Gwaliar), and was finished
by Sawai Jai Singh II., who afterward builded Jaipur, and
called it after his own name, and in 1728 removed thither,
and made it tlienceforth his capital. A striking group of
buildings is the Amber Palace, perched picturesquely on a
ban, but

rock overlooking the waters of a lake wherein alligators are

said to live.

Passing the outer gate, the travellers enter a spacious

court,

and then, leaving

through

tlie

and marble

their gigantic

palace-buildings

halls

baths, with here'

and

steeds,

wander

and chambers,
tliere

far

corridors

a balcony whence

they look forth on the lake and far over the sunlit landAt last they find their way to the small palacescape.

temple dedicated to Shila Devi, who

is

none other than

AMONG THE

322

GODS.

their old acquaintance the goddess

many

Ambika, another of her

Amber

the whole place seems

human

sacrifices

is

enthroned in the palace-temple

sits

still

to

From
name of

herself.

Very hideous

said to be derived.

is

which

of her

Durga

appellations, the

the image
;

and over

linger the horror of those

which were daily offered in past days be-

The goddess

fore that dreadful image.

sits

in a recess, not

looking straight before her, but with her head turned aside.

In the good old times, they say, when she daily feasted on a
human victim, she looked forth into the temple with open

and gracious countenance

presumed
hour

but there came a day

when men
when the

to cheat her of her rightful tribute, and,

came round,

of the daily sacrifice

but a goat.

to bring her

nought

Then, in high disdain, the dread goddess turned

her head away, and ever since has eyed with scornful, side-

Nor can she now

long glance her miserable, makeshift kid.

be persuaded to relent even by the great yearly

sacrifice

wherein, at the feast of the Dasahra, are

for

delectation a

hundred buffaloes and

slain

her

hundred goats or

five

sheep.

Among
travellers

the unholy shadows of the haunted temple our

linger

long,

telling

Devi's wondrous achievements

'

Sapta-Shati,'

those

that most curious of

are solemnly chanted day

old

legends

of

the

which are written in the

Hindu

scriptures,

and

by day in Durga's numberless

temples.

Long, long ago

ence.
^

It

The

'

was the

was that the goddess came into

it

terrible

Sapta-Shati,' or

'

exist-

time of the demon-war, when the

Chandi-Pat,' has been translated into English

that learned Pandit, Cavali Venkat Rdmasswdmi,

who

by

says in his preface that,

"as an orthodox Hindu," he "firmly and devoutly" believes "that the theo-

machy
sense."

described in this sacred volume

is

to be taken in its plain

and

literal

PEOM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

Madhu and

great-cheeked demons

from the wax

and drove them from

from

all

it "

appeared as a flaming mountain," and

when they saw it, receded to the extremities of

Then that " effulgent lustre," that " peerless

the demons,
the regions.

was transformed

into the figure of a glorious goddess

extending through the three worlds.

created her face; the brightness of

The energy

Yama made

her arms were formed by the light of Vishnu.

were made by the energy of Brahma

of the sun.

Her

mystic

God

of Siva

her hair;

Her

feet

her toes by the rays

by the brightness

by the energy

of Parvak."

the deities vied one with another in bestowing

all

Vishnu gave her a chakra, that

on the goddess.

fair gifts

teeth were created

of Prajapati; her three eyes

Then

Then

their heavenly thrones.

the deities proceeded " a great mass of light," and

being conglomerate

light,"

Kaitabh, that were born

of Vishnu's ear, fought furiously against the

gods,

"

323

the symbol of universal supremacy.

circle,

Indra, the

Thousand Eyes, gave her a thunderbolt he took

from the elephant Airavata and bestowed it on

of a

also the bell

"

Durga the mighty.

roots of her hair.

The maker
.

"

gave her a lion

The Earth

battle.

filled his

rays in the

Jaladhi the Ocean conferred on her a

Himavant, King

prosperous chaplet of lotus."

Mountain,

day

of

of the

whereon she should

"

Dewy

ride to

also " granted a necklace of snakes,

and

the other deities gave her jewels and arms," and Shesha,
the Eang of Snakes, "gave her a necklace of serpents'

ornaments."

Then Durga shouted

wliich
terrific

filled

the sky.

soimd,

trembled.
claimed,

'

...

all

"

with a terrible voice, the sound of

The

eternal vault echoed with the

the world was alarmed, the ocean

The earth quaked,

the deities joyfully ex-

Victory to the rider of the lion

'

"

Terrible

was

AMONG THE

324

GODS.

the goddess to the hosts of the demons

"

she indented the

earth occupied by her foot, her crown struck the sky

sound of her bowstring

She grasped

world.

thousand arms;

all

fierce

the whole

terrified

the

subterraneous

the space of the regions by her one

war was waged between the goddess

and the enemies of the gods."

"The

great demons, encountered the goddess with a thou-

sand times ten million millions of chariots, and with elephants

and horses
in pieces

By

of like

number

by the shower

but Durga " sportively cut them

''

of her powerful shafts

and arrows.

the trident, by the mace, by the shaktirisfi, by the sword,

made
made an

she killed immense numbers of demons, and

fall

by the ringing

roar,

it

gods.

The

of the bell.

lion

produced a concussion among the

.

The gods were

gratified,

others to

excessive

foes of the

and poured down am-

Then came against her

aranthine flowers from heaven."

Chamara, the general of the demon-host, riding on an

But she

phant.

" leapt

head of the elephant, and direfuUy wrestled

enemy of the gods.

mounted and began

with the

"

Chamara from

his

demon,

body,

"

enemy

dis-

But

furiously to beat one another."

swiftly attacked the dreadful

of

fore-

"During the combat, they both

the lion of the goddess, that mighty "

head

ele-

from the lion to the globular

of beasts,"

and separated the

by the strokes of

his-

paws."
"

The band

of deities with the magnificent sages

the goddess," Devi the "Three-eyed," the

applauded

"Matron

World," who bore " wrathful redness of the eyes.

of
.

the

The

eloquent Indra and the crowd of gods, after the death of the

demons, bowing their heads, were delighted," and making

obeisance to the goddess, implored her " to rule the universe,"

saying:

"Thou

art

the

instigating cause

of

the

FROM SIMLA TO JAIPUR.

universal earth,

thou art

'.

325

the proprietor of this

world; thou art indefinable, inscrutable, and the excellent

...

principle of matter.
trident

and sword

and by the sound

Many

Ambika

preserve us by thy

preserve us by the ringing of thy

of

bell,

thy bowstring."

other battles did the valiant goddess

happened on a time that

"

For

fight.

it

Sumbha, lord

of the demons," and

"the mighty demon JSTisumbha" were

suitors for Durga's

hand.

But when Sumbha asked her

to be his bride, " the

goddess with a disdainful smile replied to him,

repeal

my

'

How

can I

determined vow that I formerly swore to without

consideration, that

whoever can vanquish

me

my pride, whoever
my husband?'"

equal to

whoever can oppress

vigour, he shall be

is

in combat,

me

in

Then Nisumbha sent against Durga Dhumralochan the

Smoky-eyed Giant, with an ai-my of 60,000 demons. But
the " supreme goddess," the " Supporter of the World," " became mightily enraged

she furiously rose and destroyed the

demons by her lion. Grasping some of them,

she dashed them against each other and killed the great
force of the

demons; she demolished some by the blows

The

lion tore

some with

his claws,

of her hand.

and some by the strokes

In a moment all that

army was destroyed by the magnanimous and enraged lion
of the goddess," and Dhumralochan was reduced to ashes by
of his paws, separating their heads.

the breath of the wrathful Durga.

Then "Sumbha, king of the demons, with agitated lips

thus commanded the great demons Chand and Mund:
'0 Chand and Mund; go ye with a great army against
So Chand
the Devi; kill ye the wicked lion quickly.'"
and Mund, "attended by four
forth in anger to

tlie fight.

"

sorts of

armies,"

Ambika then became

marched
terribly

AMONG THE

326

angry at her enemies

GODS.

rage changed her face into a hideous

moment and became " the

Her contracting brows overshadowed
her mouth expanded, she had a lolling

she was transformed in a

black,''

terrific-faced Kali."

her forehead;

"

tongue, a horrible red-tinged eye

She furiously

her front

filled

the regions.

upon the demons, and destroyed the foes

and devoured their forces.
The troopers'

fell

of the deities

and

chariots with their drivers she threw into her mouth,

chewed them with her teeth

goddess

killed

the giants died with the pres-

Chand beheld

"

sure of her teeth."

it,"

and rushed on the

"The dreadful-eyed goddess

frightful Kali.

angrily

her voice was horrible, her mouth became dis-

tended and
teeth.

The magnanimous

'.

some with the sword, and struck some

with the khatwanga weapon

shouted:

horribly.

and she gnashed with her tremendous

frightful,

The goddess made her

lion to rise, ran at

and laying hold on him by his

hair,

Chand,

she cut off his head

Mund, seeing the fall of Chand,

she made him to fall on the earth, and
instantaneously killed him with her sword. The surviving
forces perceived the fall of Chand and the valiant Mund, and
through fear retreated in all directions.
The lion roared
tremendously; the goddess rang the bell; Ambika shouted.
The sound of the roar penetrated to the extremities of the
regions, the mouth of Devi expanded hideously."
with her sword.

After

marched against her

this,

Such things the

travellers tell in the

gloom

of the blood-

stained temple, gazing the while at the hideous image of

the goddess, until a half-superstitious horror begins to

their minds.

fill

It is a strange sensation, often experienced in

India by our not very imaginative travellers, but hard to

make

intelligible to

those

who have never entered

idol-

"

FROM SIMLA TO

327

JArPUR.

who have made acquaintance

temples, or

fossil-gods of Egypt,

whose

life

only with the

and worship were over and

done with thousands

of years ago.
Here in India the gods
endowed with a hideous and personal vitality
which, fancy though it be, yet makes itself felt and feared.
Absui-d and unreasonable as the feeling is (springing perhaps
from some mysterious influence of unconscious suggestion

are

still alive,

set in

motion by the ardent conviction

multitudes of believers), yet

is it

of the surrounding

strong enough to give rise

to a curious notion, a half-felt suspicion that millions of

human minds

concentrated in one deep-seated belief

may

be

strong enough to project into something like objective exist-

ence the thought they have

"I

wish," exclaims

glibly about

'

made

their own.

Philippa, "that those

who

talk so

the ^-andalism of the early Christians

'

would

but live for a while among these demon-deities, until they

realise that there

may

be such a thing as a condition of

thought and feeling in whieli there

is

no possible compromise

between believing in the power of idol-gods, and straightway

knocking them to pieces

"Oh, hush, Philippa 1"

She has fixed

listening

"'

"She is
her sidelong glance upon you, and

cries Sebaste, shivering.

surely her eyes are gleaming

At

this

moment

enters the temple a group of

leading a black kid.

Moving

It is the time of the daily sacrifice.

to a little distance, the travellers sit

the performance of the

rite.

to stand before the goddess,

The pretty
and

horns and held by one of the

chopper

Brahmans

down

little

kid

to
is

watch

made

a cord is fastened to his

priests.

Then an ancient

a large and curious implement of sacrifice

is

Eice and flowers and

on the ground beside him.
Ganges water are sprinkled on the blade of the chopper

laid

AMONG THE

328

and on the unresisting head

All

kid.

is

now ready

GODS.

of the innocently unconscious

for the slaying of the victim,

the chopper should be raised in the air and brought

on the

kid's black neck.

But the chopper

is old,

and

down

and no

doubt blunted and jagged with hacking at something other

than the necks of kids
single

sary

blow

now

by one

an

is

to use a

it

it

is

made

and

brought

above his

all is

over

caught up by the cord

is

with a gurgling noise, the blood of the

to flow, while a stately

with his bare brown foot the

Then the brimming

is

is

lifting it

a rushing sound,

The head

This

can touch the ground and placed in a basin of

brass, whereinto,

victim

Brahmans, who,

down with

for the poor little kid.

before

and, as severing the head with a

newer and sharper sword.

of the attendant

head, brings

essential part of the sacrifice, it is neces-

still

holds

down

violently struggling limbs.

basin, with the

borne into the recess where

Brahman

head

sits

still

lying therein,

the expectant goddess

with a look of greedy discontent on her half-averted face

and over her hideous

smeared.

But

lips the

warm

blood of the victim

to hide this concluding rite a

is

Brahman draws

across the recess the folds of a crimson curtain.

Throughout the ceremony our travellers are haunted with

visions of former

clusion they

more horrible

come

spite of the heat.

of

the

Palace,

and

sacrifices,

forth into the

and

at its con-

sunlight shuddering in

Silently they return to the great court

so go rolling

and flopping away, en-

throned on the high and spacious backs of Ganga and

Jawahur Kuli.

329

CHAPTER
BOJIBAY

OUK

THE

XXI.

CAATES OF ELEPHANTA.

travellers' last railway

journey in India

is

a south-

\vestwai'd

rush lasting two nights and a long, hot day.

Awaking

in an atmosphere of tropical moisture and heat,

they find themselves surrounded by a forest of coco-nut

palms, and presently arrive in the city of Bombay.

Hence they
and the time
are

many

England in the good ship Clyde,

are to sail for

of tlieir stay is but a very

things in

Bombay

few days.

There

that are worthy to be studied

but by resolutely ignoring the existence of whatever they

have not time

at their

to see, our friends gain in the short time

command a

very satisfactory impression; and this

closing scene of their Indian wanderings will

remembered

always be

as a bright, many-coloured picture wherein are

blended in pleasant and dream-Hke confusion majestic buildings and picturesque streets, and thronging multitudes of

people with faces of

endless Miriety.

many

difierent

hues and garments of

Specially animated are the scenes in the

markets, and the travellers are fond of lingering in that

famous fruit-market where

is

massed and piled tt^ther a

marvellous wealth of tropical produce.

leaving India

when

"What a pity

the mangos are just in their glory

to

be

AMONG THE

330
But the

island of Eleplianta

GODS.

and the great cave -temple

therein are haunting our travellers' imagination, and before

long they set forth in a steam-launch to explore those

Eastward they steam

ancient wonders.

for

an hour, and

then land on the western side of a rocky island whereon

Gharapiiri the natives call

corinda- bushes grow.

Town

of the

by reason
and so

way

Eock "

but the Portuguese named

by Europeans even

called

found here,

On

to this day.

wise the

way

is lonely,

leading

their

some very

to the cave-temple the visitors fall in with

attractive beetles in a brilliant livery of scarlet

"the

Elephanta

it

of a great elephant of stone that they

it is

it,

but other-

upward with many

steps to a

height of about 250 feet above high-water mark.

Here

hewn

at length the travellers reach the great cave-temple,

into the hard, trap -rock to a depth of 130 feet.

thousand years old

older,

it is,

and the ghosts

travellers

enter

its

the learned say, or

of the

maybe a little
it.
As the

centuries haunt

gloomy depths, the desolate

wraps them round with a heavy,

irresistible

silence

oppression.

So dreary are the shadowy spaces, so hopeless the massive

rock-hewn columns, so daunting the immovable weight of

the darkly impending roof, that the visitors can hardly
rouse themselves to find out what

manner

of place they

are in.

The first to recover the power of speech is the ever strongminded Philippa, who remarks (with the more vehemence
because she has herself to convince as well as the others)
that they are not in a bad dream, but, on the contrary, in a

Brahmanic rock-temple well worthy

"

You

mainly

see,"

of a square pillared hall of

about 90

feet,

of careful study.

she continues cheerfully,

and

this is

"

the temple consists

which the side measures

approached on the North and

.the

"

BOMBAY

"

"

"

THE CAVES OF ELEPHANT A.

East and the "West hj

pillai-ed porticoes, at

unhewn

331

the sides of which

The principal
entrance, by \yhich we came in, is the northern, and only on
that side was tliere originally a free surface to workmpon.

are left considerable masses of

On

rock.

the east and west sides of the temple the solid rock has

been laboriously hewn away,

tires

""What

a tedious piece

pillar it is

with queer

little

it

What an

extraordinary

a great square pedestal 8 feet high,

first

gods sitting on the corners; and then a

sbort, round, fluted shaft

Why

work that

dolefully, "is to look at

tires me,'' says Sebaste

these oppressively heavy columns

kind of

of

one only to think of

and then a great bulging cushion

could they not carve out slim graceful columns here

like those in the rock-temples at the

"Because they had learned

"The work

severely.

Seven Pagodas

answers Philippa

better,"

at the Seven Pagodas belongs to an

In those days they

earlier stage of rock-cut architecture.

copied structural forms exactly, and did not realise that

pillars

which have thousands

ought not to waste

tlieir

slim and graceful as

about.

Even

structural

if

of tons of solid rock to support

strength in trying to look elegantly

they had only a wooden roof to think

Elephanta Cave

this

architecture,

those

is,

of course, copied

from

great beams of rock left

attached to the roof are unmistakably wooden in form; but

at the Seven Pagodas the analogy is

disastrous

were the

how

Bhima's Bath, and

the work was given

architectural

mind

results

up

of

it.

let

and very
forgotten

But you never had an

piUars as these to bolster

But

closer,

Have you

the roof settled and cracked, so that

in despair

I would rather not, Philippa,

"

much

up the

if it

would require such

!

roof of it

us hear the rest of your lecture, Philippa " ex1

AMONG THE

332
claims Irene.
the temple

is

"

You have

GODS.

not even told us yet to what god

dedicated."

" It is a Saiva temple," says Philippa, "

right

is

and here on our

the shrine or garlJia, in the middle of which stands

that symbol of Siva which

is

the central object of worship in

whose honour the temple was made.

They say that

it is

adored by crowds of worshippers on Siva's festival-days."

The shrine is a square rock-hewn chamber filling the space
included by four of the massive pillars. Each of its four
still

doors

is

approached by a

flight of six steps,

by two gigantic dwdrpdlas,

high.

and

is

guarded

or Doorkeepers, aheut 15 feet

These rocky personages are supported by those curious

figures of

dwarf-demons which are so striking a feature

this temple,

and are thought by some

of

to represent aboriginal

and lordly neighbours are

races of India, while their tall

supposed to symbolise the mightier and conquering Aryans.

Having

sufficiently

admired

these worthies,

enough contemplated the central symbol

and

long

stone (which

of

stands on a square base of rock awaiting the libations of

liquid butter

which

its

worshippers devoutly pour over

it),

the travellers go on through deepening shadows, until, reaching at length the southern wall of the temple, they

fi.nd

themselves confronted by that most solemn and impressive

of all the Elephanta sculptures, a colossal three-faced bust,

the far-famed Trimurti.

It is carved

in a recess whereof the depth

the sculpture

is

19

feet,

and

is

its

10^

from the living rock,

feet.

breadth

is

The height

of

21^

feet.

It

Brahma

the

represents Siva in the threefold character of

Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Eudra the Destroyer.

Very solemn, in the dim light of the gloomy temple, look

those three gigantic countenances, each crowned with a high

head-dress elaborately wrought with sculptured ornament.

'^^^i.f^

THE

BOMBAY
The

333

central face, looking northward into the cave,

Brahma, the Father

of

CAVES OF ELEPHANTA.

tallest of the three,

of the Vedas.

is

His head-dress

that

is

the

and he wears a pendent breast-ornament

and elaborate design. In his left hand he holds

probably a gourd, the characteristic drinking-vessel

of beautiful

what

is

Hindu

of a

ward,

ascetic.

The

that of Vishnu,

is

known symbol,

face on the right,

who

a full-blown lotus-flower.

He

Eudra, the Destroyer, faces eastward.

Vedic deity who in

He

is "

which looks west-

holds in his right hand his well-

later times

became

an ancient

is

identified

with Siva.

the god of the roaring storm, terrible as a wild beast

";

but, notwithstanding his destructive powers, he is described

as " the promoter of the desires of the

two worlds, and the

gratifier of the inclinations of the Universe."

his right

hand a cobra which, with

his eyes.

His

lips are parted in a terrible smile,

A projection

them the tongue

mouth is said by the learned
is visible.

lump

He

holds in

liood uplifted, gazes intO'

and between

at the corner of the

to be a tusk,

and a mysterious

in the middle of the forehead represents that third and

vertical eye

wherein Siva so constantly

rejoices.

From

that

third eye a flame will blaze forth one day, and all the world
will be

burned to ashes.

Strangely impressed by the silent majesty of the mystic

Trimurti, the travellers, with eyes growing used to the darkness, gaze awhile in silence

but presently the immovable

expression of the colossal countenances above

them seems

to

on their vague imaginings, and to carry away

their minds as captives into a mythic region of ancient
fable wliere the light is more dim, the shadows are more
confused than even in the gloomy depths of this abysmal
cast a spell

rock-hewn

temple.

So,

in the solemn

presence of the

faintly seen Trimurti, our friends begin to tell old legends

AMONG THE

334

Brahma and Vishnu and

of

GODS.

Siva,

and

of

how

the world

was made.

The beginning of all things, it seems, is Brahma the Imperishable and the Supreme for, in that far-off day when
the universe was yet undiscerned, the self-existent Spirit
"created the waters by meditation"; and in the waters
;

there floated a golden egg whereinto the self-existent Spirit

and from that egg he was born as Brahma

entered,

forefather

and creator

Brahma had
was

battle,

heads

five

Of

of all things."

old,

they say that

but Siva offended him, and there

and Siva cut

off

one of the heads, so that there

remained but four; and the head that was cut

chase to Siva, so that he fled before

But from the mouths

the

last.

left

the four Vedas came forth

Brahma

of

Brahma,"

and many other

bringing
"

duly sprinkled on minds

heat of the sun of

off

Cool
life

gave

and hardly escaped

it

of the four heads that

confer on the world.

knowledge

" the

is

at

were

benefits did

"the water of the

and refreshment when

disordered with pain through the

mundane

existence."

But Brahma must not be overmuch praised in a temple

dedicated to Siva. The " three-eyed lord " is here supreme,
and

all

other gods must be regarded as manifestations of his

power; wherefore the travellers bethink them

myths

of the Siva

of the

wUd

Purana, and begin to rehearse a wondrous

history wherein Siva

is

greatly exalted.

Long, long ago, when neither the four castes nor yet any
of the other creatures

had

as yet been brought into " the field

of existence," there was shining in stainless splendour a " ray

of essential light."

bubbled forth
"

"

And

"

out of the body of that ray " there

water like a boiling froth," which forthwith

enveloped the surface of the earth."

''

Markandeya Purfna.

And

Pargiter.

from the midst

BOMBAY

THE

335

CAVES OF BLEPHANTA.

whereon grew a

of the boundless waters sprang a lotus-plant

flower the length of whose petals was hundreds of thousands

With a

of miles.

light as it

had been thousands

suns the sacred flower shone, and from

of

come

it

of millions

did

Brahma

Having been born from the flower, he

marvelled greatly, saying, " Who am I ? and whence came
I ? and how should I employ myself ? and who is my
into existence.

creator

"

And

being unable to trace his origin, he began

to descend the stem of the

downward

still,

lotus,

climbing downward and

in hope to reach its root.

But when he had

descended for a hundred years, nor yet could see the end,

Then
he began to ascend the stem of the lotus, climbing upward
and upward still, in hope to reach the top. But when for
a hundred years he had " measured upward " the " road of
he returned to that place whence he had

set forth.

his desires," nor yet could see the summit,

he

fell

into a

"trance of thoughtfulness and perplexity."

Then, after twelve years, Vishnu sprang on a sudden into
existence.

crown

He had

of jewels

four arms and " a skin entirely black

on his head, and a yellow garment on his

breast " his eyes were " large as the flower of the lotus, his
;

body splendid as the purest gold;" around his neck "cornelians and diamonds were sparkling he appeared smiling
;

and simpering with a heavenly beauty that surpassed all

imagination." And forthwith Bralima "made a sign with
his

hand and

and be

said,

'

Who

distance.' "

at a
word, and " the

fire of

art thou, and from whence ?

But Vishnu was very angry

Arise,

at that

wrath began to blaze high " between

them, and they two prepared to do battle.

Then suddenly "shone out into view another luminous

whose splendour was like that of a dazzling flame

and his rays more bright than a thousand suns." He was
figure,

"

336
"

AMONG THE

GODS.

exempt from defect and increase, and from the past, present,
" and his form was that of the symbol of Siva.

and future

Then

said

Vishnu

war

signal of

Lo

Let us attain to

Why dost

"

Brahma,

to

a third excellence

extremities."

its

thou hold forth the

now

is

produced.

After this Vishnu, for a

thousand years, in the shape of a boar, descended into the

Brahma

nether regions, while

" for the

assuming the iigure of a goose, soared

same space
to the

of time,

world above."

So for a thousand years they "travelled over the superior

and

but

inferior worlds,"

they sought in vain.

still

Eeturn-

ing therefore to the place whence they had come, they per-

formed devotions

And

lence.

for a

at the

end

hundred years

to that third excel-

of that time Siva himself

was seen

proceeding from the essential light which formed the figure

He

of his symbol.

" as white as

with

had

" five

camphor " and

heads and ten arms," he was

" of great

strength,"

beauty and clad in " majestic garments."

all

and Vishnu doubted no longer concerning

they both exclaimed,

and opened
of the

mouths

their origin, for

This same

is

our Creator

in his praise with sacred mantras

Veda.

And
form

their

exulting, "

endowed

So Brahma

Siva told them, saying, " Another figure, in this same

of mine, shall appear

inferior

to

from a wrinkle

named Eudra; he

head, and be

my

shall

of

Brahma's

Between him and me there

own.

fore-

power not

possess

is

no

distinction."

After this
creation,"

came
tell,

Brahma "earnestly took him

and from the golden egg

into existence

which

is

a pity

but that, methinks,

;

for such

possess, that only to listen to

crimes,"

and heap up merit

to the

world

of the

is

all

of

creatures

too long a tale to

wondrous virtue

it "

work

is it

said to

will atone for the blackest

for the hearer.


BOMBAY
The Trimurti

THE

bust,

337

guarded by colossal diodrpdlas, who lean

is

on dwarf-demons
trast strangely

CAVES OF ELEPHANT A.

of

These figures con-

hideous aspect.

with the majestic calm of the great central

and the whole group

one of the most extraordinary

is

sculptures that the travellers have ever seen.

Adjoining

it

on the east

wall of the cave,

feet 9 inches high,

too

is

bull,

carved in this same south

side,

a group wherein the principal figure

is

and

calls itself

a form of Siva, and

Arddhanarishwar.

16

is

This

attended by Nandi his sacred

is

while around him appear

Brahma

seated on a lotus-

flower upheld by five swans, and Vishnu riding on Garuda,

and Indra, "the king

mounted on

of gods,"

his elephant

Airavata.

There are so many quaint

if

only

my

stories to

book would hold them

god,

and his

nity.

He

is

A'ery

be told about Indra,

He

an ancient Vedic

is

name, metbinks, has a ring of Aryan dig-

the god of winds and rains, and something of

Very curious

nature-worship lingers about his legends.

the history of

how

the might of the wind

is

Indra, set forth in that holy book of the illustrious

kandeya

Mar-

"Then uprose

mighty demon, encircled with

Vritra, the

flame, huge in body, with great teeth.

Indra, of immeasurable soul,

mighty demon

"S'ritra

He, the enemy of

mighty in valour, increased

But

daily a bow-shot in stature."

Indra,

when he saw

" aflectionate-minded " Sages, "

all creatures,

between him and

the

eager to slay him, trembled with fear,

and sent unto him seven Sages, desiring peace.

towards

is

derived from

who dehghted

Then the

in benevolence

brought about friendship and treaties

A^ritra."

But Indra

violated that sacred

Indra's
treaty, and slew Vritra the demon; and forthwith
slaying,
and
might was "overwhelmed by the sin" of that

AMONG THE

338

GODS.

ebbed away from his powerful limbs

quitted Indra's body entered the
things, invisible to the eyes of

There
of

is

and

wind

"

"

that might which

which pervadeth

all

men.

another legend which

tells

how

"

Indra the king

gods" once walked the earth in the form of "a bird

mighty in

size,

with broken wings, stricken with age, with

eyes of a copperish colour, downcast in soul."

to the four sons of a Eishi,

and what they answered, and

more than

said,

that befell thereupon,

all

can relate just now; for

moved away, and

Thus he came

But what he

and said

my

travellers

is

have

I perforce inust follow.

In another part of the temple Siva's wedding has been

carved in the rocky wall, and there are
of sculpture

which ought

to be

many

other groups

minutely studied.

Then

the supplementary excavations have to be explored, and

there are other rock-temples in the neighbourhood which

ought to be

Por these

visited.

last

no time remains, and, as the

back to Bombay Island, the night

is

travellers

falling fast.

steam

339

CHAPTER
BOMBAY

By

THE

Bombay

the city of

done their duty.

There

XXII.

TOWEES OF SILENCE.

the travellers have as yet not half

is

the Cathedral of

S.

Thomas

to

be

and the history of the Diocese to be studied and

time must be left wherein to rejoice over the fact that in the
visited,

Bombay

Presidency (including the native states appertaining

number

thereto) the

170,651.

of Christians is already

In Bombay city the Society

the Gospel

hard at work, having thereia

is

Clergy, and fifteen lay-agents.

and useful

institution,

the

no

less

than

for the Propagation of

five schools, four

That other most admirable

Society for the Promotion

Christian Knowledge, has been at

home

in

Bombay

for

more

than seventy years, and the Church Missionary Society

also

working vigorously.

There

ai-e,

of

is

moreover, a Mission to

Seamen, Church- work among the Jews, many Church-schools,

and I know not how many other kinds

labour.

Of the

travellers hear

interesting

of devoted Christian

and prosperous work

at

Puna the

much, with many regrets that they have no

time to go and see

it for

themselves.

But to such pleasant studies our friends can devote but

a very

little

whUe,

for

soon their inconstant minds are

attracted by a fresh object of interest.

Continually, dur-

AMONG THE

340

GODS.

ing their walks in the city, they meet the strange figures of

men in

unfamiliar costume, whereof the most

the Parsis,

part

curious

the

is

stiff,

curving head-dress

and ladies

arrayed in silken robes, with beautiful unmufifled faces whose

expression

iits

admirably with the well-known fact that their

owners enjoy more respect, and are more worthy of the same,
than any other gentile

Very

women

outside of Christendom.

cheerful are all Parsi countenances, and they wear a

look of good-humoured enjoyment which recalls that con-

demnation of asceticism uttered long ago by Ahura Mazda,

Kght: "Verily
... he who has

the Lord of

Zarathustra

is filled

And

has none.

of

the latter

but dead

the former

by the worth of a dirhem, by the worth

worth

of

an

ox,

by the worth

of a

man.

It

arrow

strive against the winter fiend,

by the

man

is this

death]

[of

does

above him

is

of a sheep,

can strive against the onsets of the Asto-vidhotu

strive against the self-moving

that

that can

that can

with thinnest garment on

and smite him on

that can strive against the wicked tyrant

the head."

him who

himself with meat

fills

much more than he who

spirit

is all

Spitama

riches is far above

two men, he who

with the good

not do so

I say unto thee,

In Bombay the Parsis number some 74,000, and

this is the

great bulk of the Zarathustrians, though some smaller bodies

still

remain in

cities of GuzerS,t,

and there

in their original Persian home, living

and Teheran.
steter, there

Of these

may

still

last,

'at

is

also a

remnant

Kermtln and Yazd

according to Professor Darme-

be 8000 or 9000

but their numbers

are fast diminishing.

Very
'

delightfully has that

Saored Books of the East.

Darmesteter.

'

same learned Professor

The Vendidad,'

translated

set forth

by Professor

THE

BOMBAY

TOWERS OP SILENCE.

341

the origin of the migration which brought the Parsis into

Guzerlt and thence as far as Bombay.

Sassanian Dynasty
thustra (one
that form

is

is

all

Muhammadan

battle of Nih,vand,

but in the seventh century

invasion befell, and the great

and before the second successor

Prophet the Sassanian Dynasty went down.

Persia brought over to the

were faithful to the teaching

ancestral home.

Muslim
fared,

Then was

must leave

and came

thereof, bringing it

their further journey to their present

of the

and such as

religion,

of Zarathustra

So forth they

and adopted the language

is

the

fall of

not allowed to call him Zoroaster now, for

a Greek invention)

of our era the

Until the

Persia followed the religion of Zara-

home

their

to Guzer,t,

with them on

in

Bombay.

It

a romantic history, and a beautiful one, but too modern

for the fastidious

what

minds

of our travellers,

their fancy wander away

first faint

who, with a some-

and unreasonable preference, love rather

childish

dawn

to let

into the far-off past, where, in the

of history, with a fair halo

around liim of

age-long tradition, stands in majestic grandeur Zarathustra's

mighty form.

He was born in
Was it the

ago?

ancient Media,

who

fourteenth century

how

shall say
B.C.,

as

long

some have

thought, and was he really a contemporary of Moses?

know

not; and what matters

it

so long as his birth took

place indeed, putting to flight the DaSvas, those fiends of

darkness, and that evil Drug, the Nasu, the demon of
" They rush," ^ cries the birth-hymn of Zarathustra,
?

death

"they run away, the wicked, evil-doing DaSvas; they run

away with shouts, the wicked, evil-doing DaSvas they run
;

away
'

casting the evil eye, the wicked, evil-doing Dagvas:

Let us gather together at the head of Areziira, at the gate

1

From

Professor Darmesteter's translation.

"

AMONG THE

342
of hell

For he

is

just born the holy Zarathustra, in the

How can we

house of Pourushaspa.

the iiends

is the stroke that fells

Down

are the

GODS.

procure his death

he

is

Drug

He

to the Drug.

Da^va worshippers, the ISTasu made by the

They run away, they rush

Da^va, the false-speaking Lie

'

away, the wicked, evil-doing Da^vas, into the depths of the

dark, horrid world of hell.

best of all good

And who was

Ashem vohu

Holiness

is

the

Vistaspa, that great

King

of Bactria, " the

mighty-speared and the lordly one," at whose court Zarathustra rose to power

Hystaspes we

call

him

after the

Greek manner, and try to think we know something about

him

but that he was not Hystaspes the father of Darius

seems to be

all

that

is historically certain,

except that he

supported Zarathustra, and encouraged the religion he taught.

"

We

sacrifice," saith

an ancient

liturgy, " to the awful kingly

Glory made by Mazda, that clave unto king Vistaspa, so that

he thought according to the Law, spake according to the Law,

and did according

to the

foes

and causing

Drug

before him,

Law, destroying his

Who,

the Da^vas to retire.

driving the

sought wide room for the holy religion; who, driving the

Drug before him, made wide room for the holy religion who
made himself the arm and support of this law of Ahura, of
this law of Zarathustra
who took her (DaSna, the Eeligion),
;

standing bound, from the hands of Hunus, and established

her to

sit

in the middle of the world, high ruling, never fall-

ing back, holy, nourished with plenty of cattle and pastures."

Zarathustra himself has fared but

learned.

ous

name

First they discover that the

is

"

Keeper

of

at the

hands of the

meaning

of his sonor-

ill

Old Camels," and then they do their

utmost to explain him away into a storm-god.

latter undesirable fate Professor

From

this

Geldner has rescued him,

BOMBAY
setting aside the

THE

TOWERS OF SILENCE.

myths that grew up among

the Magi, and showing

how his

343

his successors

supernatural attributes are to

be found only in the " later Avesta," while the Zarathustra

of the Gathas (those eai-liest of the Avesta scriptures) emerges
as a struggling, sorrowing Prophet with a personality that

intensely

is

human.

But shaU Zarathustra now be left in

peace ? Ah no
Professor Geldner is a valiant champion
but he is out-professored, alas by Zarathustra's relentless
!

foe.

Professor Darmesteter the learned and the terribla

the ancient Prophet live indeed

ground

shall be cut

Well, be

away from beneath

to the depths of insignificance.

it

religion

Xay,

even revolutionise the old

falls

Was

he the

faith.

but

Did he

Nay, for the development was

we can

he be called a great Eeformer

tion,

he

for Zarathustrianism is

a natvuul development of the ancient Aryan

long and gradual, and

Did

but the

work he cannot

there was none such for him to do.

new

his feet tUl

great

have done,

founder of a

so

trace no sudden changes.

Can

Xay, there was no Eeforma-

but an age-long, insensible growth, with never a violent

reaction.

venerable Zarathustra

home thy

spirit

yet looks

If

down on

from some ti-anscendental

this small planet

whence,

away to the
holy stars, what dost thou think of us now ? Of old thou
didst tell how, when the world was in making, aU the holy
more than three thousand years ago,

it

soared

and plants that are good, were fashioned

by Ahura Mazda,^ the Lord of light and life ; but Angra
Mainyu,^ who is Death and the Lord of Darkness, made all
creatures, all animals

creatures that are destructive and

evil.

In which catalogue,

" Ormazd " and " Ahrimau " are now, alas no more and although the
correct forms of the names look sadly unfamiliar, yet what am I that I should
presume to fly in the face of the learned !
1


AMONG THE

344

GODS.

couldest thou have foreseen the ages that were to come, would

European Professors have been placed

They it was who opened the door

to the ancient Aryan gods, and allowed a whole multitude of
beautiful myths to obscure the simplicity and the grandeur
It is the Magi's fault.

The Gathas alone

of Zarathustra's sublime conceptions.

the work of Zarathustra himself and his immediate disciples

can

show us Zarathustra and

his teaching as they really

But the Gathas are obscure and

were.

who know nothing of Eastern

them is presumption.

difficult

and

for

me,

languages, only to speak of

Yet, thanks to the labours of oriental scholars, the most

unlearned

now can

read the Avesta in English, and

a pity that they do not.

Avesta, as

we have

and richer

larger

it,

is

The task

for

what

whom we

the Avesta, as

There

is lost,

burned

say,

all

call

Alexander the Great.

we know them now,

is,

pare them for a

trifling

that price-

Still

and the writings

indeed, no universality about

moment with our own

them

to

com-

inspired Scriptures

would

case,

be

(setting aside the sacred

are, I suppose,

more beautiful and more

exalted than any other ancient -literature of the East.

any

of

But

and absurdity.

Hebrew books) they

we may

are truly a great posses-

to liken, for instance, the Gathas to the Psalms

mere

and glow

Sikander Eiimi, the mighty conqueror of Persian

be thankful that something escaped him

sion.

of a far

and the more we study what

we shall grieve
with anger against him who, they
tradition

truly

for the

but a precious fragment

literature,

remains, the more

less treasure,

it is

a sad one

is

no one can hope to understand anything

of

In
the

Parsi religion until he has read the Avesta.

There

Would

is

so

much

to say about that religion

that I could stay to trace

its

and

its history!

long development,

to

"

BOMBAY

THE

TOWERS OF SILENCE.

345

see the uncompromising Dualism of Zarathustra's original

teaching gradually changing to the definite Monotheism of
the present day; to disentangle the elements of Nature-

worship so conspicuous in the writings of the Magi, and the

myths that they borrowed from the

from Zarathustra's simpler creed.
is

old Indo-Iranian faith,

my

But

poor

book

little

a feeble beast of burden, and such overlading with heavy

materials would hardly be kind or wise.

And where

are

my

forgotten them, and

to visit the Parsi

Towers

may

as quickly as

?
I had almost
away without me
Let us overtake them

travellers all this while

now they have

driven

of Silence.

and indulge

in no more
South-westward they drive through the sunlight
morning, and eagerly converse by the way.
" Philippa,"

be,

What

badly indeed.

the use of knowing everything

is

sisters

these Towers of Silence

mean

Pray

Why

dead or burn them like other

these extraordinary places for

"

them

tell

"That

is

can't the Parsis

worship, that

bottom

of

is

Ahura Mazda

'

if

it

is

'

make

theii*

a passage in the ' Vendidad which

Maker

the

has not a great truth at the

are holy things, then they

get. the vultures to

'

quired of

says

"
all

Water, and Earth, and Fire the son of

luted by contact with the dead, and there

but to

connected with Nature-

if it is

no proof that

But

it.

bury

folk, instead of building

one of the most beautiful of

Zarathustrian doctrines, and

if

us at once what

Because of the holiness of the material world

Philippa.

early

exclaimed Sebaste, " you are treating us very

you don't instruct your

their

reveries.

of

Ahura Mazda

must not be
is

nothing for

graves for them.

tells

it

There

how Zarathustra in-

the All-knowing Lord, and said

of the material world, thou

pol-

Holy One!

if

man

'

shall

bury in the earth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse

of

"

AMONG THE

346
a man, and

what

What

it ?

the cleansing from

is

swered,

he shall not disinter

if

the penalty for

is

Tor

GODS.

that deed there

it

within the second year,

What

is

it ?

And Ahura Mazda

is

'

the atonement for

nothing that can pay, nothing

that can atone, nothing that can cleanse from

pass for which there

am
'

no atonement,

is

glad to say that there

The law

of

Mazda

takes

aWay the

ment,

...

is

it is a tres-

and

ever.'

Spitama Zarathustra

sin of deeds for

-

it

for ever

added the comforting doctrine,

indeed,

as a swift

ijt?

an-

which there

is

no atone-

rushing mighty wind cleanses the

plain.'

So doth Philippa discourse,

west corner of

Bombay

until, arriving in the south-

Island, the travellers reach the height

whereon stand the Dakhmas, or Towers

ascend the

hill

As they

of Silence.

where the sea - breeze blows, they

.

mind that ancient ordinance

call to

for the disposal of the dead,,

given of old, say the Avesta scriptures, by Ahura Mazda,

the Lord of Life, to his -righteous servant the holy Zarathustra.

For Zarathustra inquired and said

Maker

"

of

whither shall we
thou Holy One
we lay,; the bodies of the dead, Ahura
Mazda ? " And Ahura Mazda answered, " On the highest
summits where they know there are always corpse -eating
the

material

bring,

where

world,

shall

dogs and corpse -eating birds, 0. holy Zarathustra!

shall the worshippers
feet

and by the

hair,

of

Mazda

fasten the corpse,

with brass, stones, or lead,

There

by the
lest the

corpse-eating dogs and the corpse-eating birds shall go and

carry the bones to the water arid to the trees.

shippers of

Mazda

... The wor-

shall erect a building out of the reach of

the dog, of the fox, and of the wolf, and wherein rain-water

cannot stay.
afford

it,

Such a building

shall they erect,

with stones, mortar, and earth;

if

if

they can

they cannot afford


BOMBAY
it,

THE

TOWERS OF SILENCE.

they shall lay down the dead

man on

347

the ground, on his

carpet and his pillow, clothed with the light of heaven, and

beholding the sun."

Presently the travellers pass a small temple, which they
are not allowed to enter.
Herein is the sacred fire brought
long centuries ago from Persia, and kept perpetually burnEire, the Beneficent," the " Valiant Warrior," is holy

ing.

commonest forms, much more this symbolic flame

worshipped day by day with the consecrated
bundles of laresma} with stately ritual, and with chanted

in its

devoutly

hymns such
ago in the

"Bring

as that solemn formula used thousands of years

cities of

ancient Iran

libations \mto the

Fire, bring

hard wood unto

the Fire, bring incense of Vohu-gaona unto the Fire.

up the

sacrifice to the VS,zista Fire,

Spengaghra: bring unto

it

Offer

which smites the fiend

the cooked meat and the offer-

ings of boiling milk."

There are other fire-temples in Bombay, and there

is

story that into one of them, as a great and unprecedented

favour, an

American

traveller

he was led by the priest

was once admitted.

to the sacred flame,

for thousands of years that fire

"Is that so?" said the

now!"
But

my

travellers

Solemnly

and told that

had never been extinguished.

visitor.

"Fuff!

guess

it's

out

have passed on, and see before them

at length those five mysterious towers in one of which the

body

The

of every Parsi in

sooner or later be

laid.

and 276

feet

largest tower measures 25 feet in height

in circumference.
1

Bombay must

Each tower

is

entered by a square open-

These were bundles of tTgs, originallj-, I suppose, symbolic fuel for the
Fire, but now represented by lengths of wire bound together in

saci'ecl

bundles.

AMONG THE

348

GODS.

The

ing at the top of a flight of steps.

allowed to enter themselves

whereby

travellers are not

but a model

is

shown them

easy to understand the internal arrangements.

it is

In the centre
incline, is

a well, round which, rising from

is

a circular platform

filled

it

in an

with shallow grooves

The grooves

wherein the bodies of the dead are placed.

are disposed in three circles, the outermost reserved for men,

the next for women, and the innermost for children.

Eound
vultures

the top of the encircling walls of the towers huge

sit

expectant,

against the sky.

until a funeral

is

portentous

are all on the alert, watching

dead

left

is

forms

looming

alone.

with greedy eyes

hearts'

In a very short time a bare skeleton only

is left,

afterwards dragged

the

till

Whereupon down they swoop

thronging companies, and feast to their

is

dark

Very drowsy they look and indolent,

seen approaching. Then suddenly they

away with tongs and

cast

in

content.

and

this

into the

central well.

Eound
trees,

the

Dakhmas

vultures did not haunt

As

are planted

palms and other pleasant

forming a luxuriant garden which,

it is,

it,

if

those awful

might be delightful to wander

the very sunlight seems infected, and

to believe that ancient saying, "

that place whereon stands a

Nor

Dakhma

is

it is

the Earth happy at

with corpses upon

patch of ground will never be clean again

for that

in.

not hard

till

it

the

Long do the travellers linger near the

ways of those evil birds, and recalling
the discourse which Ahura Mazda spake of old to Zarathustra "the wisest of all beings": "Those Dakhmas that
are built upon the face of the earth,
Spitama Zara-

day

of resurrection."

towers, watching the

thustra
is

and whereon are

laid the corpses of

the place where the fiends are, that

is

dead men, that

the place whereon

BOMBAY

THE

TOWERS OF SILENCE.

the troops of fiends come rushing along, that

whereon they rush together

349
the place

is

and their

to kill their fifties

hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thou-

sands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands

and
as

it

On

myriads of myriads.

their

Spitama Zarathustra

Dakhmas,

those

...

those fiends take food.

It is,

were, the smell of their feeding that you smell there,.

men Thus the fiends revel

the Dakhmas arise the infection
!

untimely white.

on there,

of diseases

thus from

and hair

There death has most power on man, from

when the sun is down."

As our friends wander about recalling such fragments

the hour

of

the Magi's ancient lore, a funeral procession draws near,,

and, passing between the trees,

Dakhma whereon

nearest

moves slowly toward that

the giant birds of prey do more

The body

especially congregate.

of

the

dead

openly, muffled only in a white sheet, which,

last resting-place

the dead

carried

when

the

reached, will be taken away, so that

is

man may

is

lie,

according to the ordinance, clothed

only in "the light of heaven."

The mourners are

clad in

white robes, and walk in twos and threes, linked together

by cloths

With them

hands.

whereof they hold the ends in their

of white,

goes a dog, that most sacred of

Ahura

Mazda's creatures, whose very look is enough to put

" that haunts the helpless dead.
fl.ight the " corpse-drug

To

here in the East of

find,

all places,

to-

such reverence for

Hinduism regards him as unclean,

the dog
and it is written in the book of Virtuous Custom that if
raiment have been looked at by dogs it is no longer fit
But what said Ahura Mazda of old to Zarato be worn.
is

very curious.

"The dog,
Ahura Mazda, have made

thustra the wisest of

thustra

I,

men?

Spitama Zaraself

clothed

and

AMONG THE

350

self-shod, watchful, wakeful,

from man and

his food

GODS.

and sharp-toothed, born

Ahura Mazda, have made the dog strong

of

the evil-doer, and watchful over your goods,

And

sound mind.

shall the thief nor the wolf steal anything

torn in peaces

To

he

is

is

of

voice, neither

from his house,

the wolf shall be smitten and

driven away, he

injure dogs, or to offer

flies

them bad

away."

food, is to Zarathus-

and in sickness they must be

trians a terrible crime,

I,

body against

when he

whosoever shall awake his

without his being warned

to take

watch over man's goods.

to

care-

Long ago Zarathustra asked, and said "

Maker of the material world, thou Holy One if there be
in the house of a worshipper of Mazda ... a mad dog, what
And Ahura Mazda
shall the worshippers of Mazda do ? "
"
They shall attend him to heal him, in the same
answered
fully tended.

manner

as they

would do

The dog used

for

one of the

faithful."

away the corpse-Drug should be

to scare

" a yellow dog with four eyes," or " a white dog with yellow

ears;" but as four-eyed dogs are not easy to find in these

latter days,

and even a white dog with yellow ears may not

always be forthcoming, there prevails in this matter a great

deal of laxity, and the present funeral

brown specimen who, though not

looks quite equal to the occasion.

never again

may

way
it

is

followed by a dark-

He must

way whereon

times at least along the

carried, else that

is

fully qualified for the office,

be led three

the corpse has been

Drug-haunted and unclean, and

be passed through " by flocks and herds,

by men and women, by

Fire, the son of

Ahura Mazda, by

the consecrated bundles of baresma, nor by the faithful."

But

"

when

either the yellow dog with the four eyes, or the

white dog with the yellow ears,

Drug Nasu

flies

away

to

is

brought there, then the

the regions of the north in the

:!

BOMBAY

THE

shape of a raging

fly,

'

fiend

Perish,

" these

Drug

Mazda may

more

verethrem

brood of the

Drug
Perish away

to give unto death

'

Fire the son of

consecrated bundles of haresma, and the

The funeral train moves

Ke

Then the worshippers

bring by those ways sheep and

at their will

men and women, and

Drug

Perish away,

the living world of the holy spirit

oxen,

smiting words

must

Perish away,

to the regions of the north, never

of

fiend

Perish,

world of the fiend

Drug

tail sticking out, all

Kem nd mazdd

fiendish

Perish,

Bush away,

351

before the dog the priest

he goes

Yathd ahU vairyo

gd.

with knees and

And

stained with stains."

walk, chanting as

TOWEES OF SILENCE.

Ahura Mazda, the

faithful.''

on, the great birds begin to bestir

themselves, and our travellers turn away and begin to de-

scend the

hill, telling as

myth concerning
must make.

they go that strange Zarathustrian

the far journey that the souls of the dead

"When one

of the faithful

nights the soul abides hard by the head

ing the Ustavaiti G^tha

whoever he

be, to

"

Happy

plishment of his wishes "

he,

is

whom Ahura Mazda

departs, for three

of the corpse, sing-

happy the man,

gives the full accom-

In those nights

" his soul tastes

as much pleasure as the whole of the living world can taste.

And at the end of the third night, when the dawn appears
.

and makes Mithra, the god with the beautiful weapons,

all -happy

reach the
the

mountains,

way made by Time, and open both

then the soul enters

to the

wicked and the

righteous," and comes to the Kinvad Bridge, the holy bridge

There do the dead

made by Mazda.

"

ask for their spirits

and souls the reward for the worldly goods which they gave

away here below."

ful

one as

seems as

if

if it

Then

" it

seems to the soul of the

faith-

were brought amidst plants and scents

it

a wind were blowing from the region of the

"

352

AMONG THE

GODS.

... a sweet-scented wind, sweeter-scented than any

south,

And

other wind in the world.

faithful as

seems to the soul of the

it

he were inhaling that wind with his

if

and he thinks,

'

Whence

does that

my

scented wind I ever inhaled with

seems as

own

his

if

nostrils

conscience were advancing to

wind, in the shape of a maiden

nostrils,

wind blow, the sweetest-

fair, bright,

And

'

him

in that

white-armed,

And

as fair as the fairest things in the world."

it

the soul of

the faithful one addresses her, asking, " "What maid art thou,

who

art the fairest

own

his

maid I have ever seen

conscience, answers

him

"

"

thoughts, good words, and good deeds, of

am

thy

own

conscience

And

she, being

thou youth of good

good

religion, I

Everybody did love thee

for that

and

greatness, fairness, sweet-scentedness, victorious strength

freedom from sorrow, in which thou didst appear to me.

I

was

lovely,

and thou madest me

and thou madest

passes on

me

still fairer."

still lovelier;

first

step that the soul of the faithful

him

into the "

And

man makes

"

fair,

"

the

brings

Good Thought Paradise " " the second

man makes " brings him
;

that the soul of the faithful

step
into

Word Paradise " " the third step that the soul of
faithful man makes " brings him into the " Good Deed

tbe " Good

the

was

So the soul of the faithful

the Kinvad Bridge.

in felicity across

Paradise "

"

the fourth step that the soul of the faithful

man makes "

brings

with gladness

"

him

into the " Endless Lights."

So

pass the souls of the righteous to the golden

Ahura Mazda," to Gar6 Nm^nem the House of Songs.

But when one of the wicked perishes," for three nights

seat of

"

the soul abides hard by the head of the corpse, singing the

Kima

Gatha, " Kdm nemS

Ahura Mazda
"

To

zam : To what land

whom

shall I go

shall I turn,

with praying

In those nights he tastes as much suffering as the whole


BOMBAY

THE

TOWERS OF SILENCE.

And when

living world can taste."

he comes to the Kinvad

Bridge, "the holy bridge

made by Mazda,

leads to Paradise, then

seems

...

as

if

it

if

wind were blowing from the region

And

it

seems to the soul

'Whence does

all

of the

he were inhaling that wind with his

thinks,

the bridge that

to the soul of the

a foul-scented wind, the foulest-scented of

the world.

353

wicked

of the north,

the winds in

wicked

nostrils,

man

as

and he

that wind blow, the foulest-scented

wind that I ever inhaled with my nostrils ? " Then there

comes to meet him a horrible old woman who is none other
than his own evil conscience and the Kinvad Bridge, when
he would cross it, shrinks to a single thread, and he falls
therefrom, and goes down through the Evil Thought Hell
and the Evil Word Hell and the Evil Deed Hell, until he
comes at length to the Endless Darkness and the abode of
Angra Mainyu, the deadly, the fiend of fiends.
'

Such legends the

India

on

travellers recall

and when, on the morning

dawning

light glows brightly,

of

this their last

day in

their departure, the

and the world

is

transfigured

in that golden radiance which heralds the coming of the

"undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun," then seems to ring in

their ears that

sweetest of ancient Zarathustrian

hymns

chanted by the faithful in the early morning, before the

day has

fully come,

"GIh
"

when

the

Usha.hik1

dawn appears

Hymn

in the East

to the Dawn.

We

worship the lord Ushahina that rules our devotion

In th' order of ritual reigning
We worship the breaking of day and the upspringing motion
We praise, of the glorious morn.
We worship the Dawn that in splendour appeareth, refraining
Her glittering steeds, in the brightness of heaven upborne.
!

That

division of the

day which extends from midnight

Z

to 6 A. u.

AMONG THE

354

GODS.

The brave among men and the prudent thy glories are telling,
As servants to tliee ttey are given.
Of tliee is the brightness that shines in our innermost dwelling

Hail, hail to the manifold light

Dawn, and her steeds that so swiftly are driven

Far over the sevenfold Earth in all-radiant ilight " ^

Hail, hail to the

So at length comes the

last farewell,

Sea and long, bright days of

horizon

lie

and then the Arabian

Far beneath the eastern

rest.

That strange part

the vanished shores of India.

when they rode upon elephants and

met wild peacocks by the way, when stately palm-trees waved
overhead and the green parrots fluttered in the sun, when
they wandered through lordly cities among bright -robed
our travellers' lives

of

native crowds,

those

days have receded already to the im-

measurably long ago.

India has faded back into dreamland,

leaving behind but a radiant vision of verdant plains and

purple mountains, and faery gardens of tropical foliage where

strange birds of brilliant plumage soar and sweep through

the golden sunshine, and through

glorious moonlight glows;

all

the haunted night the

a vision of magic palace -halls

with walls of dazzling marble inlaid with precious gems

vision of ancient cities,

and weird temples

filled

with worship-

pers who, clad in gorgeous robes, bring fragrant garlands of

all

bright hues to honour their idol-king

a vision of sacred

Eivers gliding hard by palace- walls and bearing with them to

the far-off ocean a fragrant wealth of floral ofierings.

The

darkness of foul superstitions, the horrors of a degrading

worship, the nameless evils of a pagan civilisation,
these are for the
^

by

From the

moment

prose version in

L. H. Mills.

'

forgotten,

The Zend

Sacred Books of the East.

and India

Avesta,'

Part

is

iii.

all

a magic
translated

BOMBAY

THE

Fairyland far removed in

elfin light,

colours, transfigured with

all rich

355

TOWERS OF SILENCE.

shining with a glow of

enchantment

of radiant

mystery.

Slowly
waters
sea

and now

and

faded away, sinking beneath the deep -blue

it

the world

all

is

golden sunshine and azure

Day after day the same wide

sky.

a vast and shining

pavement whereon

plain

splendour the great dome of stainless blue.

for ever

and our

India

days, the dear white

cliffs

foreign seas

it

from

them whence,

of

home who have

far-off deserts or the strange wastes of

Gazed

vanished

will rise.

Hardly can they know the loveliness

never beheld

is

travellers gaze not long on its grave in the

sick longing toward the far-off horizon before

many

traversed,

unchanging

Eagerly they turn away, to look with home-

eastern waters.

after

is

rests in

at thence in the

shadowy

distance, it

shines with an ideal brightness which can only be seen afar

off.

It is like those

dream-homes which

fanciful

minds

so

often build for themselves in the sunny, far-off plains of a

dim and

indefinite future.

in the eyes of

that the heart of

he reaches

it,

Each one is an enchanted palace

and full of all good things

wistful architect,

its

man

and

can

desire.

And

finds it after all but

high-road, then he builds

after another yet;

him another

when, after long

toil,

an inn on the great

farther on, and there-

and seldom do such

travellers bethink

them that Home, being no merely physical thing, is not to be

reached, or even approached, by walking through miles or
years.
"

Ah,

well," says Philippa kindly, " it is quite right to

with a Moral

end

but the really original parts of your book,

Sebaste, are the quotations."

POINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.