Travels in India (Tavernier) 39.1
Travels in India (Ball) 39.1
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39.1.1
Route from Masulipatam to Gandikot, a town and fortress in the Province of Carnatic; and the Author's transactions with Mir Jumla, who commanded the Army of the King of Golconda; in which also there is a full description of Elephants. We left Masulipatam on the 20th of June at 5 p.m., and slept at a garden — which is, as I have said, only half a league from the town, and belongs to the Dutch, the chief of whom accompanied us, and we amused ourselves pretty well during a good part of the night. The following day being the 21st, after having taken leave of the Dutch we travelled 3 leagues, and slept at a place called Nilmol. On the 22d [July] we travelled 6 leagues to-Woupiir, another village, and before arriving there we crossed a river on a raft. On the 23d [July], after a march of six hours, we halted at Patemet, which is but a poor village, and on account of the rains we were obliged to remain there on the 24th, 25th, and 26th.
39.1.2
On the 27th [July] we arrived at a large village called Bezwada, not having been able to accomplish this day more than a league and a half, on account of the quantity of water which flooded all the roads. We were obliged to halt till the 31st, as the rains had so much flooded the river that the boat could not hold its own against the swift current of the water, and they had not the intelligence to stretch ropes across the river. Besides which it required some time to enable the horses which the King of Persia was sending to the King of Golconda to cross over; they were then reduced to fifty, because five had died at sea. They were being taken to Mīr Jumlā, who was the Nawāb or Grand Vizir, because anything that he has not seen, or which has not been approved by him, is not shown to the King, who buys nothing and receives no present except with the advice of his Prime Minister, who consequently must have the first view; and this, as I have said, was the reason which compelled us to go to the Nawāb at Gandikot. During the sojourn which we made at Bezwada we went to see many pagodas, the country being full of them, and there are more there than in any other part of India, because, with the exception of the Governors of the place and some of their servants, who are Muhammadans, all the people are idolaters. The pagoda of the town of Bezwada is very fine, and is not enclosed by walls.
39.1.3
You see fifty-two columns of 20 feet in height or thereabouts, which support a flat floor of large cut stones. They are ornamented by many figures in relief, which represent fearful demons and numerous animals — some of them being figures of demons having four horns, others with many legs and many tails, others which protrude their tongues, and others in more ridiculous attitudes. There are similar figures carved in the stones of the floor, and in the intervals between each pair of columns the statues of the gods are elevated on pedestals. The pagoda is in the middle of a large court, longer than it is wide, and the court is surrounded by walls which are enriched, inside and out, with the same figures as the pagoda. A gallery supported by sixty-six pillars, like a sort of cloister, runs all round the wall inside. You enter this court by a great gate, above which there are two large niches, one over the other, the first of which is supported by twelve pillars, and the second by eight. At the base of the columns of the pagoda there are old Indian inscriptions, which the priests of these idolaters have much difficulty in deciphering. We went to see another pagoda, built on an elevation, and it is ascended by a staircase with 193 steps, each being 1 foot high. The pagoda is square, with a dome on top ; there are figures in relief around the wall like those in the Bezwada pagoda.
39.1.4
There is an idol seated in the middle, after the manner of the country, with crossed legs, and in this position it is about 4 feet in height. Its head is covered by a triple crown, from whence proceed four horns, and it has the face of a man turned towards the east. The pilgrims who come for devotion to these pagodas, when entering, join their hands together and carry them to their foreheads, then they approach the idol waving them and repeating many times (the words) Ram, Ram, i.e. God, God. When they are close they sound a bell thrice, which is suspended from the idol itself, of which they have previously smeared different parts of the face and body with various colours. Some carry bottles of oil, with which they anoint the idol, and they offer it sugar, oil, and other articles of food — the richest adding money. There are sixty priests who attend this pagoda, and live with their wives and children on the offerings which are brought to the idol. But in order that the pilgrims may believe that the god takes them, the priests leave them before the image for two days, and on the evening of the third they appropriate them. When a pilgrim goes to the pagoda in order to be cured of some malady, he takes, according to his means, a representation in gold, silver, or copper, of the diseased member, which he presents to his god; he then begins to sing, this all the others do also after their offerings.
39.1.5
Before the door of the pagoda there is a flat roof supported by sixteen pillars, and opposite is to be seen another supported by four, where food is cooked for the priests of the pagoda. Towards the south a great platform has been cut in the mountain, where there is shade afforded by numerous beautiful trees, and you see also a very fine well. The pilgrims come there from great distances, and if there are any poor among them the priests feed them with the alms which they receive from the rich who come there out of devotion. The principal festival of this pagoda is in the month of October, at which time there is a great assemblage of people from all quarters. When we were there there was a woman who had been three days in the temple without once leaving it, asking the idol from time to time, since she had lost her husband, what she should do to bring up her children and feed them. Having inquired from one of the priests wherefore this woman had received no reply, and if she would receive one, he said that it was necessary that she should await the will of their god, and that he would then answer what she asked. I immediately suspected some deception, and, in order to discover what it was, resolved to enter the pagoda, especially as all the priests were absent, having gone to dinner, there being but one only at the door, of whom I freed myself by asking him to go to fetch me some water at a fountain, which was two or three musket shots away from the place.
39.1.6
During this time I entered the temple, when the woman, on catching a glimpse of me, redoubled her cries, for, as no light entered the pagoda except by the door, it was very dark. I entered, feeling my way in order to ascertain what took place behind the statue, where I found there was a hole through which a man could enter, and where, without doubt, the priest concealed himself and made the idol speak by his mouth. I was not able to accomplish this so quickly but that the priest whom I had begged to go to obtain water for me returned and found me still in the pagoda. He cursed me because I had profaned, as he said, his temple, but we soon became friends by means of two rupees which I placed in his hands, and he at the same time offered me betel.
39.1.7
On the 31st we left Bezwada and crossed the river, which goes to the mine of Gani or Kollur. It was then nearly half a league in width, on account of the heavy rains which had lasted during eight or nine days. After having travelled 3 leagues on the other side of the river, we found a great pagoda built on a platform to which one ascended by fifteen or twenty steps. There was an image there of a cow in black marble, and numerous idols of 4 or 5 feet in height, which were all deformed, one having many heads, another many arms and many legs, another many horns, and the most hideous are the most adored and receive most offerings. At a quarter of a league from this pagoda there is a large village. On this day we marched 3 leagues farther, and slept at another village called Kah Kali, near which there is a small pagoda where there are five or six idols of marble fairly well made.