Travels in India (Tavernier) 129.3

129.3

The Raja, in order to have this idol in the pagoda of his house and to get it from the great pagoda, has expended in gifts to the Brahmins and in alms to the poor more than five lakhs (500,000) of rupees, which make 750,000 livres of our money.
On the other side of the street in which this College is situated, there is another pagoda called Riciiourdas, from the name of the idol on the altar inside, and lower down on another small altar is the idol whom they call Goupaldas, brother of this Riciiourdas. Only the faces of these idols, which are made of stone or wood, are exposed to view. They are black as jet, with the exception of the image of Morli Ram, which is in the great pagoda and is uncovered. As for the idol Ram Kam, which is in the pagoda of the Raja, it has two diamonds in the eyes which this Prince has had placed there, together with a large necklace of pearls, and a canopy sustained by four silver pillars over its head.
At eight days’ journey from Benares, due northwards, a mountainous country is entered, which in the intervals has beautiful plains sometimes 2 to 3 leagues wide. They are very fertile, producing corn, rice, and vegetables, but that which injures and ruins the people of this country is the abundance of elephants which eat a considerable proportion of the vegetables and grain. If a caravan of travellers passes through this country where there are no caravansarais, as they are compelled to camp in the open fields, they have much trouble in defending themselves during the night from the elephants which often come to carry away the food. In order to prevent them the travellers light fires, fire numerous musket-shots, and from time to time some of them cry with all their might, and make a great noise to frighten these animals.
In this country there is another pagoda, well-built and very ancient, and ornamented within and without with many figures, which are representations of girls and women only. Men never go there to worship, and on that account it is called the girls’ pagoda. It has an altar in the middle like the other pagodas, and upon this altar there is an idol of massive gold about 4 feet high, which represents a girl, standing, whom they call Ram Marion. She has on her right a child, standing, made of massive silver, and nearly 2 feet in height, and it is said that this girl living a holy life, the infant was taken to her by the Brahmins to learn her creed and how to live well ; but at the end of three or four years, during which the child had dwelt with the girl, it became so clever and accomplished that all the Rajas and Princes of the country wished for it, and, at last, one of them carried it off one night and it has not since been seen. This idol has on her left, at the base of the altar, another idol representing an old man, whom they say had been the servant of Ram Marion and the child, and the Brahmins pay great reverence to this idol. They come to it but once a year for worship, and it is necessary for them to arrive on a prescribed day, which is the first day of the moon in November, because the pagoda is only opened at full moon. During the fifteen days which intervene all the pilgrims, both men and women, must fast from time to time, wash their bodies three times every day, without leaving a single hair in whatever place it may be, all being easily removed by the use of a certain earth with which they rub themselves.