Travels in India (Tavernier) 129.2
Travels in India (Ball) 129.2
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129.2.1
Returning to the pagoda at Benares. The building is in the figure of a cross, like all the other pagodas, having its four arms equal. In the middle a lofty dome rises like a kind of tower with many sides, which terminates in a point, and at the end of each arm of the cross another tower rises, which can be ascended from outside. Before reaching the top you meet several balconies and many niches, which project to intercept the fresh air; and all over the tower there are figures in relief of various kinds of animals, which are rudely executed. Under this great dome, and exactly in the middle of the pagoda, there is an altar like a kind of table, of 7 to 8 feet in length, and 5 to 6 wide, with two steps in front, which serve as a footstool, and this footstool is covered by a beautiful tapestry, sometimes of silk and sometimes of gold and silk, according to the solemnity of the ceremony which is being celebrated. The altar is covered with gold or silver brocade, or some beautiful painted cloth. From outside the pagoda this altar faces you with the idols which are upon it; for the women and girls must salute it from the outside, as they are not allowed to enter the pagoda, save only those of a certain tribe. Among the idols on the great altar there is one standing which is 5 or 6 feet in height; neither the arms, legs, nor trunk are seen, the head and neck only being visible; all the remainder of the body, down to the altar, is covered by a robe which increases in width below.
129.2.2
Sometimes on its neck there is to be seen a rich chain of gold, rubies, pearls, or emeralds. This idol has been made in honour and after the likeness of Bainmadou, who was formerly a great and holy personage among them, whose name they often have on their lips. On the right side of the altar there is also to be seen the figure of an animal, or rather of a chimera, seeing that it represents in part an elephant, in part a horse, and in part a mule. It is of massive gold, and is called Garou, no person being allowed to approach it but the Brahmins. It is said to be the resemblance of the animal which this holy personage rode upon when he was in the world, and that he made long journeys on it, going about to see if the people were doing their duty and not injuring any one. At the entrance of the pagoda, between the principal door and the great altar, there is to the left a small altar, upon which an idol made of black marble is to be seen, seated, with the legs crossed, and about two feet high. When I was there it had near it, on the left, a small boy, who was son of the chief priest, and all the people who came there threw him pieces of taffeta, or brocaded cloth like handkerchiefs, with which he wiped the idol and then returned them to their owners. Others threw him chains made of beads like small nuts, which have a naturally sweet scent, which these idolaters wear on their necks and use to repeat their prayers over each bead.
129.2.3
Others also throw chains of coral, others of yellow amber, others fruits and flowers. Finally, with everything which is thrown to the chief Brahmin's child he wipes the idol and makes him kiss it, and afterwards, as I have just said, returns it to the people. This idol is called Morli Ram, that is to say, the God Morli, brother of the idol on the great altar. Under the principal entrance of the pagoda one of the chief Brahmins is to be seen seated, close to whom is a large dish full of yellow pigment mixed with water.
129.2.4
All the poor idolaters come one after the other to present themselves to him, and he anoints their foreheads with some of this colour, which is continued down between the eyes and on to the end of the nose, then on the arms and in front of the chest ; and it is by these marks that those who have bathed in the Ganges are distinguished. Those who only bathe in their dwellings (for they are all obliged to bathe before eating, and even before cooking), those, I say, who have only bathed in well-water, or in water brought from the river, are not properly purified, and in consequence cannot be anointed with this colour. It may be remarked that the idolaters, according to their castes, are anointed with different colours ; and in the Empire of the Great Mogul, those who are anointed with yellow belong to the most important tribe, and are the least impure. For, when attending to the ordinary necessities of nature, the others content themselves with carrying a pot of water to wash themselves with, but these always use a handful of sand, with which having first rubbed themselves, they afterwards wash. So that they can say their bodies are clean, that no impurity remains, and they may then take their food without fear.
129.2.5
Adjoining this great pagoda, on the side which faces the setting sun at midsummer, there is a house which serves as a college, which the Raja Jai Singh, the most powerful of the idolatrous princes, who was then in the Empire of the Great Mogul, has founded for the education of the youth of good families. I saw the children of this Prince, who were being educated there, and had as teachers several Brahmins, who taught them to read and write in a language which is reserved to the priests of the idols, and is very different from that spoken by the people. Having entered the court of this college, being curious to see it, and throwing my eyes upwards, I perceived a double gallery which ran all round it, and in the lower one these two Princes were seated, accompanied by many young nobles and numerous Brahmins, who were making different figures, like those of mathematics, on the ground with chalk. As soon as I entered, these Princes sent to inquire who I was, and having learnt that I was a Frenchman they invited me to ascend, when they asked me many things about Europe, and especially about France. One of the Brahmins had two globes, which the Dutch had given him, and I pointed out the position of France upon them. After some conversation of this kind they presented me with betel; and before I took leave I asked the Brahmins at what hour I should be able to see the pagoda open.
129.2.6
Having told me to come on the following morning a little before sunrise, I did not fail to be at the same house by that time, where the Raja had caused a pagoda to be built on the left of the entrance. In front of the door there is to be seen, as it were, a gallery sustained by pillars, where many people were already assembled—men, women, and children—awaiting the opening of the door. When the gallery and a part of the court are full of people, eight Brahmins approach, four on each side of the door of the pagoda, each carrying a censer; and there are many other Brahmins who make a great noise with drums and other instruments. The two oldest of the Brahmins chant a canticle, and all the people, after they have intoned it, repeat the same while singing and playing instruments, each one waving a peacock’s tail, or other kind of fan, to drive away the flies; so that when the door of the pagoda is opened the idol may not be inconvenienced by them. All this fanning and music lasted a good half-hour, then the two principal Brahmins began to sound two large bells three times, and, with a kind of small mallet, they then knocked at the door. At the same moment it was opened by six Brahmins, who were inside the pagoda, and 7 or 8 paces from the door an altar was to be seen with an idol upon it, which is called Ram Kam, who is the sister of Morli Ram.
129.2.7
She has on her right a child in the form of Cupid, who is known as the god Lakshmi, and on her left arm she carries a small girl called the goddess Sita. As soon as the door of the pagoda was opened, and after a large curtain had been drawn, and the people present had seen the idol, all threw themselves on the ground, placing their hands upon their heads and prostrating themselves three times; then having risen they threw a quantity of bouquets and chains in form of chaplets, which the Brahmins placed in contact with the idol, and then returned to the people. An old Brahmin who was in front of the altar, held in his hand a lamp with nine lighted wicks, upon which, from time to time, he threw a kind of incense when approaching the lamp towards the idol. All these ceremonies lasted about an hour, after which the people retired, and the pagoda was closed. The people presented the idol with a quantity of rice, flour, butter, oil, and milk, of which the Brahmins let nothing be lost. As this idol has the form of a woman, all the women invoke her, and regard her as their patron; this is the reason why (the temple) is always crowded with women and children.