Travels in India (Tavernier) 129.1
Travels in India (Ball) 129.1
- Language
- English
129.1.1
The idolaters of India have, both in the towns and country parts, a great number of temples, large as well as small, which they call pagodas, where they go to pray to their gods and make offerings ; but many of the poor people who dwell in the forests and mountains, far removed from villages, take a stone, and rudely trace a nose and eyes with yellow or red colour upon it, and all the family then worship it. The four most celebrated pagodas are, Jagannath, Benares, Muttra, and Tirupati (Tripatty), of each of which I shall give a separate description. Jagannāth is the name of one of the mouths of the Ganges, upon which the great pagoda is built, where the Great Brahmin, that is to say the High Priest of the idolaters, resides. The form of the choir or interior of this pagoda is as follows ; and it is similar, in proportion, in all the others, which are built upon the same model, in the form of a cross. The great idol on the altar of the choir has two diamonds for his eyes and a pendant from his neck which reaches to the waist, and the smallest of these diamonds weighs about 40 carats; he has bracelets on his arms, some being of pearls and some of rubies, and this magnificent idol is called Kesora. The revenues of this great pagoda are sufficient to feed 15,000 or 20,000 pilgrims daily, and these numbers are often to be found there, the pagoda being the object of the highest devotion by the Indians, who visit it from all quarters.
129.1.2
It should be remarked that jewellers, who come like others, are not now permitted to enter the pagoda, since one of them, who allowed himself to be shut up during the night, extracted a diamond from one of the eyes of the idol, intending to steal it. As he was about to leave in the morning, when the pagoda was opened, this thief, they say, died at the door, and the idol performed this miracle as a punishment for sacrilege. What makes this pagoda, which is a grand building, the principal one in India, is, that it is situated on the Ganges, the idolaters believing that the waters of that river have a special virtue, which cleanses them from defilement when they bathe in it. That which causes this pagoda to be otherwise so rich (for it supports up to 20,000 cows) is the great amount of the offerings made every day by the incredible multitude of people who arrive from all parts. But these alms are not altogether at the discretion of those who give them, as they are fixed by the High Priest, who before granting permission to the pilgrims to shave themselves, to wash themselves in the Ganges, and to do the other things necessary to fulfil their vows, taxes each one according to his means, of which he is very exactly informed. Thus he receives enormous sums, from which he himself derives no profit, all being expended on the feeding of the poor and the support of the pagoda.
129.1.3
The Grand Brahmin, then, distributes to the pilgrims whatever food is required, each day, as butter, milk, rice, and flour; but to the poor, who are in want of utensils to cook their food with, it is given ready cooked. It is a surprising thing, and well worthy of notice, to observe how the food is distributed to the poor people who have no pots. In the morning the rice is cooked in earthen pots of different sizes, and when the hour has come when these poor pilgrims arrive to ask for food, if, for example, there are five, the Chief Brahmin orders another Brahmin to take a pot full of cooked rice, which he lets fall, and the pot breaks itself equally into five parts, of which each pilgrim takes one, and likewise in proportion, more or less, according to the number of people who present themselves to whom the rice is to be distributed. The Brahmins never cook twice in the same earthen pot, but use copper pots frequently, and they have for plates certain leaves larger than our walnut leaves, which are stitched together. They have, however, a kind of dish about a foot in diameter, which is used to melt butter, in which they dip the rice with their fingers when eating, and a small ladle for the melted butter, which is drunk as we drink a glass of Spanish wine after a repast. I come now to a more detailed description of the idol on the altar of the pagoda of Jagannath.
129.1.4
It is covered from the neck to the base with a grand mantle which hangs on the altar, and this mantle is of gold or silver brocade according to the nature of the ceremonies. From the first this idol had neither feet nor hands, and this is how this fact is explained. After one of their prophets was taken up into heaven, when they were all plunged in tears and laments at losing him, God sent to them from heaven an angel who was like the prophet, so they treated him with great honour and respect. But while the angel was afterwards engaged in making the idol, impatience seized upon them, and they removed it to place it in the pagoda, although, as yet, it was unprovided with feet and hands. But as it was too deformed, they made hands for it of the small pearls which we call “pearls by the ounce.” As for the feet, they cannot be seen, being concealed under the mantle. There is nothing left uncovered save the hands and face ; the head and body are made of sandal wood. Around the elevated dome in which the idol is seated, from the base up to the top, there are numerous niches containing other images, the majority of which represent hideous monsters, and they are made of stone of various colours.
129.1.5
On each side of this great pagoda there are other much smaller ones where the pilgrims make their smallest offerings, and those who, on account of sickness or in their business, have made a vow to some god, take there an image or semblance of the object in memory of the benefit which they believe they have received. This idol is anointed every day with scented oils which make him quite black. He has on his right hand his sister who is called Soiora, who is also represented standing and clothed; and on his left his brother, also clothed, who is called Balbader. In front of the great idol, somewhat to the left, his wife is to be seen, who is called Kemui, she is of massive gold, and represented standing, the three others are made of sandal wood. The two other pagodas are intended for the residence of the chief Brahmin, or High Priest, and the other priests who serve in the great pagoda. All these Brahmins go about with bare heads, and the majority are shaved, having for sole garment a piece of cloth, a part of which wraps round the body, and the remainder is worn like a scarf. Near the pagoda the tomb of one of their prophets, named Cabir, to whom they do great honour, is to be seen. It should be remarked that all these idols are on a kind of altar surrounded by gratings, for no one is allowed to touch them, with the exception of certain Brahmins appointed by the High Priest for that purpose.
129.1.6
I come to the pagoda of Benares, which, after that of Jagannath, is the most famous in all India, with which it is even, as it were, on a par, being also built on the margin of the Ganges, and in the town of which it bears the name. The most remarkable thing about it is that from the door of the pagoda to the river there is a descent by stone steps, where there are at intervals platforms and small, rather dark, chambers, some of which serve as dwellings for the Brahmins, and others as kitchens where they prepare their food. For after the idolaters have bathed, and have gone to pray and make their offerings in the pagoda, they prepare their food without any one but themselves touching it, through the fear they have lest any one who approached it might be unclean. But above all things, they ardently desire to drink the water of the Ganges, because, as soon as they have drunk it, they believe, as I have said, that they are cleansed from all their sins. Every day large numbers of these Brahmins are to be seen going to the clearest part of the river to fill this water into round, small-mouthed, earthen pots, which hold about a bucketful. When they are full they are taken to the chief priest, who directs the mouth to be covered with a very fine cloth of fire-colour, in three or four folds, upon which he applies his seal. The Brahmins carry this water at the end of a stick, which is flat like a lath, from which hang six small cords, and to each of them one of these pots is attached.
129.1.7
They rest themselves by changing the shoulder frequently, and they sometimes travel three or four hundred leagues of country with this load, and then sell it, or make a present of it, but only to the richest persons, from whom they expect a liberal reward. There are some of these Idolaters who, when they celebrate any festival — especially when their children are married — drink this water at a cost of 400 or 500 écus. It is only drunk at the end of the repast, as we drink hypocras or muscat in Europe, each (guest) receiving a cup, or two, according to the liberality of the host. The principal reason why this water of the Ganges is so highly esteemed, is, that it never becomes bad, and engenders no vermin ; but I do not know whether we should believe what is said about this, taking into consideration the number of bodies which are constantly being thrown into the Ganges.