Storia do Mogor 265.14
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 265.14
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265.14.1
In this city a woman, young, beautiful, seventeen years old, made a religious vow to her idol to do penance by standing for nine years and never lying on the ground. At the time when I saw her two years remained for the accomplishment of her vow. She performed this penance solely in order that when she had finished it she might enjoy the pleasures of this world at her will. This woman's mode of existence involved eating and drinking standing, together with relieving nature in the same position. For this she had persons who attended on her. When she was tired and wanted to rest or sleep, she leant her body upon a stick hung from two ropes. Her legs were swollen. Many Hindu people resorted to her out of piety, offering her ample alms. I made considerable effort among the learned to discover the year and time when this city was overthrown. These men told me that it was about seventeen hundred years ago. The city is close to a river which has many hollows, and on its banks Aurangzeb and Murad Bakhsh fought a severe battle with Jaswant Singh and Qasim Khan (Part I., 178).
265.14.2
Aurangzeb having resolved on war with the Rana, a Hindu king, as I have related (II. 186), recalled Shah 'Alam, ordering him to march to Ujjain, and halt there until the rainy season had passed and further orders should be issued. We acted accordingly. I noted during our stay at that city that a Brahman dwelt in a house adjacent to a ruined temple. To that house resorted many women, not from piety, but for evil purposes. But they were foiled, for the Brahman was a chaste man. Seeing they could not gain his affections, they resolved to ruin his father. To do this they came to Shah 'Alam's court, saying they wished to make him a present of treasure, as they knew the place where it was buried.
265.14.3
On hearing this good news Shah 'Alam invested her with robes of honour and mounted her on a fine horse, surrounded with officials, well-armed soldiers, pipes, and instruments of music. When they came close to the house of the merchant, he (Shah 'Alam) ordered them to dig. They found some stones of an ancient temple, but nothing of what the Brahman woman said. But the latter told them to break down the wall of the merchant's house, and there they discovered much money. Then the officials suspended operations, not thinking it advisable to knock down other houses; for they perceived the Brahmani's ill-will, and they took her back to the prince. On receiving their report, he ordered them to tear in pieces the robes that had been conferred. Then, mounting her on an ass with her face to its tail, she was taken round the city, and after a flogging, was released.
265.14.4
The river Kishna is thus called because the Hindus say that their god Kishna, shooting an arrow into the mountain-side, opened a way for it. For this reason they gave it his name; and in the Hindu books it is said he was of marvellous strength, hurling mountains about the world. At the distance of one league from the village is a high mountain ridge, on the top of which stand great rocks like pyramids at a little distance from each other. The Hindus believe that there came here a god opposed to the god Kishna, and, scoffing at him in his mother's presence, said he did not possess the strength he boasted of. In a passion his mother exclaimed : ' I will show you his strength, so that you may believe.' Seizing the nipple of her breast, she squirted the milk in the direction of the mountain. It came forth with such force that it rent and tore away that mountain-top. Thus, as a sign, those stones like pyramids still stand there. She said : ' Behold the milk that my son drinks, what power it has; you can judge then what is his strength.'
265.14.5
I believe the reader will not weary in his enjoyment of the many stories I bring up about the people of India. It happened that I was on my way from the court to Lahor when I came up with a Hindu, well attired, accompanied by some of his friends, and taking with him several bearers carrying trays of sweet fruit, rose-water, goats, and hens. All these were followed by players on pipes and cymbals, as I have already described (III. 127). Curious to find out the cause of all this joy, I learnt how the said man was a trader who had come home after six years and found his wife had brought forth four sons. Delighted at finding his house thus favoured, he invited his relations and neighbours to a feast [206]. Some readers will protest at what I have said, because they have no experience of the artfulness of Indian women. The husband asked his wife how she got these sons. She answered that while asleep she dreamt of him, and from that moment was with child. The Brahmans upheld her in this asseveration, one of them being her lover. They appealed to the example of their false gods, of whom it is said that they were born, one from perspiration, another from the dew of the nostrils, and another from making water on the ground, from which a figure proceeded. The woman's husband, accepting these explanations, was entirely satisfied.
265.14.6
I will give a brief account of the feasts and practices in Hindustan at births and marriages. In the case of any great man having a male child born to him, the feasting and banqueting are prolonged, with much music and sounding of instruments, and the relations assemble to present congratulations to the new-born child. These people send their presents called quichydi (? kishti, a tray). They consist in a great assortment of different trays full of fruit, fresh and dried, a quantity of sugar, camels laden with sugar-cane, sweetmeats of various colours, rose-water, all kinds of food-supplies, butter, oil, pieces of silk and fine cotton cloth, together with some gold and silver coin. The whole of these things are brought out of the house at night escorted by a number of torches and lanterns of various colours, flags, dancing-women, musicians with drums [tabales = tabl (?), Urdu] and other instruments, cavalry and elephants. In the midst moves the lady with her damsels in palanquins and carriages, surrounded by many armed men on foot. Thus they traverse the principal streets of the city that all may see their grandeur and the expense they are at. All this grandeur, profuseness, and almsgiving usual among the Mahomedans are meant to leave a memory of them in the world. There is no intention to be charitable. Six days after the birth the final feast is given ; it lasts all night with great illuminations, music, dancing, and fireworks.
265.14.7
At a wedding the feasting lasts fifteen days, and the friends and relations send their kishti in the way already stated. At seven o'clock at night the bridegroom sallies forth on horseback, finely clad, with a gold network fixed to his head and falling down to his chest, being also decorated with various flowers according to the season. Thus accoutred, he passes through the principal streets very slowly with a number of torches, women dancing and men playing upon elephants and camels, making a great noise, and the musical instruments sounding. As they proceed along the route they let off bombs and fireworks. A large cavalry escort follows. Thus they proceed until they arrive at the bride's door. Here there appears and stops the way a numerous body of men with rods in their hands, shouting to them not to come any nearer. The people with the bridegroom draw up when they see the way is barred. They demand that it may be opened to them, the bridegroom having business within. Making believe to be adversaries, some of the others begin to resist with oranges, lemons, egg-plants, turnips, radishes, and similar things. This being ended, they grasp their canes and make a great tumult and outcry, being all in disorder, the turbans of one set falling off, while another group tear each other's clothes. But they do not touch the bridegroom.
265.14.8
At this moment of their efforts to enter, there appears some person on behalf of the bride, who shouts that there must be a truce. All becomes quiet, and they listen to his statements. He says that before the doors are opened for the bridegroom's entrance it is necessary for him to pay some money to be allowed a passage. Thereupon the quarrel is partially resumed. At this time a man of some position advances from the bridegroom's retinue and says the bridegroom ought to have nothing to pay, but on his behalf he will give a present. He distributes some rupees, and the gate is opened.