The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.s1.326.2

v2.c17.s1.326.2

When the Image is one hundred paces from the gate, the king despoils him of his diadem, dresses in new garments, and, advancing barefoot, and holding in his hands perfumes and flowers, issues from the town, accompanied by his retinue to march in front of the Image. He prostrates himself at its feet, and adores it, scattering flowers and burning incense. At the moment when the Image enters the town, the ladies and the young damsels in the pavilion above the gate, scatter from all sides a profusion of every variety of flowers, so that the car is completely concealed with them'⁸². The pilgrim noticed a similar festival at Patna at nearly the same time of the year, i.e., on the eighth day of the fourth moon of the month of Āṣāḍha, which in the Court Almanac of Pekin is called 'the holy birthday of Buddha'. Regarding it he says, 'every year in celebration of the eighth day of the moon Mao⁸³, they prepare four-wheeled cars on which they erect bamboo stages, supported by spears, so that they form a pillar two *chang* high, having the appearance of a tower. They cover it with a carpet of white felt, upon which they place the images of all the celestial divinities, which they decorate with gold and silver and coloured glass. Above they spread an awning of embroidered work; at the four corners are little chapels, having each a Buddha seated, with Bodhisattvas standing beside him. There may be about twenty cars, all differing from each other in their ornament and importance.