A History of Assam c12.169

c12.169

“ The common people bury their dead with some of the Burial property of the deceased, placing the head towards the east customs. and the feet towards the west. The chiefs build vaults for their dead, and place therein the wives and servants of the deceased, after killing them, together with necessary articles for a few years, including various kinds of gold and silver vessels, carpets, cloths and foodstuffs. They cover the head of the dead very strongly with stout poles, and bury in the vault a lamp with plenty of oil and one living lamp attendant to remain engaged in the work of trimming the lamp. From the ten vaults which were opened (by the Mughals) property worth nearly ninety thousand rupees was recovered.* One of the marvels was that from the vault of one of the queens of this country who had been buried eighty years ago, a gold betel casket was taken, within which the betel leaf was still green. The author did not see this casket.