[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 281.18 # Storia do Mogor 281.18 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 281.18 - **Language:** English ### [281.18.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.1) But the reverend Jesuit fathers, always restless, always adventurous, seeking to gain notoriety either for good or for evil, did not act in that way. They did not keep themselves within the bounds of moderation, like those poor blind creatures \[the Hindus\], but, still insisting on their point, brought to a crisis by a remarkable act what they had to that time no more than laid the train for. By this act all was lost, and thereby their reverences, owing to the harm they have done, have betrayed an unhappy want of foresight. Touching them by it too much on the quick, they have forced the Hindus to reveal their resentment, and once for all avenge themselves for what they had suffered by instalments from these good fathers. Thus the Hindus planned, brought into existence, and set alight the persecution of Tanjor of which I speak. It sped on like a raging torrent, and in a moment overwhelmed and ruined everything. It destroyed the ripe grain ready to be garnered by the evangelical labourers, withered up what was in the stalk and about to produce seed, as well as what was still only springing up and giving rise to hope. Thus fell famine and desolation upon this field of the Lord, ruining the labourer absolutely, and bringing to naught his years of toil. ### [281.18.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.2) It is this want of foresight, my dear reader, which I call the proximate, immediate, and principal cause of the persecution at Tanjor. What was this cause, then, but the tragedy, or rather let us style it the farce, that the reverend French Jesuit fathers prepared at Pondicherry in this year of 1701, in the month of February. At that time the Sieur Deslandre (i.e., Deslandes), director of the French Company at their factory in Bengal, was present. It took place before their house, in the presence of the Hindus and of their priests called Brahmans. Its author was the reverend Father Dolu, a member of that same Society (the Jesuits). In this farce they represented the most respected and the most venerable gods of the people. Here are their names in the Malabar language and character, also in our alphabet: Virouma \[Piruma = Brahma\], Vistnou \[Vishnu\]. Rutro \[Ruttiran = Rudra\]. Rejaven \[Rishavan = Rishabha\]. Velaver \[Velavar\]. Also a goddess, wife of Brahma, called Paravadi \[Parvati\], Chivalami \[Siva-rami\]. ### [281.18.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.3) After stating some home truths, the actors, who were Malabar Christians, declaimed against these gods and against those men \[56\] who acknowledge and adore them as such. I admit this was done from zeal, but it was indiscreet and out of place. This can be soon seen, and that easily enough, from the lamentable and unhappy consequences. For they \[the Hindus\] plucked out the performers' beards and kicked them, following this up, after more ill-treatment and buffeting, by knocking them down and pitching them under the stage into a sort of fire intended to represent hell. ### [281.18.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.4) There were Brahmans and other Hindus present at this farce, having been invited by the people of the reverend Jesuit fathers and their servants. For several days before the performance they had run about the streets of the town announcing that on such a day there would be a play. Offended and disgusted at this public contempt shown to the majesty of their gods, through their images, the Hindus present reported the facts to the other Hindus and Brahmans of Tanjor. To the existing complaint they annexed all the things done at other times by the same reverend fathers against them and their customs. Their object was to instigate the Tanjor Hindus to take vengeance in their behalf upon the Christians of that kingdom, who were the subjects of the Hindu king there. Thus the Christians of Pondicherry would be made to suffer in the person of those of Tanjor, the Hindus not being able to do anything themselves at Pondicherry, where the Christians live under the French flag and the wise rule of the governor, Monsieur Martin. ### [281.18.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.5) One of the principal Hindus, who was a teacher within the palace of the rajah or king, espoused the cause of his outraged gods. Wishing to make the Hindus of Tanjor realize the full horror of the sacrilegious attack — nay, the divine high treason — committed upon them by the Christians of Pondicherry, he resolved to repeat that same farce in his fellow-citizens' presence. They were irritated to a degree beyond what can be imagined by this simulated sacrilege, and from that moment dreamt of nothing but the destruction of the Christians, and the prohibition of that free exercise of their religion which up to that day had been permitted to them. Action must be taken before their own temples were destroyed and their idols abased — events they held as certain to happen in the future if the Christians became the more powerful party. This superiority might well be apprehended, since the Christians were growing in numbers from day to day. From this moment the Hindus sought the means of realizing their project. The Brahman teacher, having succeeded in his first design, which was, as I said, to irritate the Hindus against the Christians, resolved to produce the same impression on the king's mind as he had already produced on those of his subjects. To secure his object and carry out his enterprise successfully he had recourse to the following stratagem. ### [281.18.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.6) He prepared a public procession in which was carried, with all the state and pomp of which these people are capable, a representation of the Saviour, and round Him stood their five gods already named, in the posture of slaves and servants. One of them presented Jesus with a tray or basket containing betel, a sort of plant that I have before spoken of (I. 39, III. 6), another a platter of areca-nut, another some prepared lime such as is used to spread on the betel, another something else, and so with the rest. But the representative of the Saviour refused their offers and ill-treated them, kicking them after the fashion of the actors in the Jesuit farce at Pondicherry. The procession was made to defile before the king. Surprised at a thing so unusual, so extraordinary, and from his point of view so sacrilegious, the prince asked with an angry and threatening countenance what it all meant — what was the signification of this unusual ceremonial. Thereupon the Brahman author of the piece — ' ... In utrumque paratus, Aut versare dolos, aut certae occumbere morti ' (. . . Ready for either alternative, To upset their plots, or submit to certain death) — ### [281.18.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.7) took up his parable and said to his majesty that he who was seen exalted over venerable gods, repelling them, rejecting them, kicking them, whilst they, in the attitude of slaves and servants, presented betel to him, was the God of the Christians. It was a new god, for they had never heard of him until a few years ago. Certain Brahmans who declared they had come from Rome, though it could no longer be doubted that they were Farangis, had come into his country and dominions preaching everywhere and announcing that this God was greater than theirs (the Hindus'), and more powerful. For these Christians dealt with and looked on the Hindu gods as devils, only fit for contempt in every way. This opinion they had shown several times in different plays that they had performed in his majesty's kingdom, in which they had dishonoured and reviled the Hindu gods under the guise of evil spirits. This had happened recently at Pondicherry, as they were informed by several letters from the Brahmans, their brethren, who had been ocular witnesses of what the Christians there had done. Those Christians are of the same religion as those in Tanjor territory. Not being restrained by fear there, as are those in this kingdom, it was at Pondicherry that they had done what the others here have not yet dared to do, except in riddles and allusions. ### [281.18.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18.8) 'For in a tragedy which they have played in one of the public squares, they have represented the gods as we have presented them now before you. After some horseplay, mockery, and contempt, they ordered our gods to be kicked, saying that their would-be god was destined to come and expel and destroy ours, at the same time taking possession of this kingdom. We have acted thus merely to carry our complaints before your majesty, and let you see the importance of the subject. It is concerned with nothing less than the ruin of our pagodas, the destruction of our altars, the upsetting of all that is held most sacred amongst us — in short, the religion of our fathers. To crown it all, there would arise the evil of your losing your kingdom.' For these reasons they had taken, they said, the liberty of representing before him the pretended god of the Christians kicking the other gods when they stood before him as servants and slaves. In no way had they meant to abandon the respect due to their gods, or to show them contempt. Of this they most humbly prayed his majesty to be assured, and they had full trust that he would apply an early remedy before the evil had grown and become incurable. It had been already long enough overlooked. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.281.18) · Pramāṇa