Travels in India (Tavernier) 135.2

135.2

When I was at Agra in the year 1642 a somewhat strange thing happened. An idolater called Voldas, who was broker to the Dutch, and was about seventy years old, received news that the chief priest of the pagoda of Muttra was dead. Immediately he went to see the Chief of the Dutch factory to ask him to examine his accounts and close them, because, as he said, their Chief Priest being dead he also wished to die, to serve that holy man in the other world. As soon as his accounts had been examined he entered his carriage accompanied by some relatives who followed him, and as he had neither eaten nor drunk since he had received the news, he died on the road, having refused to take any food. The idolaters of India observe this custom, that when any one yawns they crack their fingers, while crying out many times Gmarami, that is to say, remember Narami, who passes among the idolaters as a great saint. This cracking of the fingers is done, it is said, to prevent any evil spirit entering into the body of the yawner.