Temple of Jaggannat’ha and of the Rath-Jatrd. 259 
upon two separate Raé’hs like that of JaccannAr’Ha, except being a little 
smaller, the one having only fourteen wheels and the other twelve wheels. 
The Rajah is surrounded by a large train of priests, and immediately pros- 
trates himself before the idol JaccannAr’Ha, amidst the shouts of the pilgrims 
and the piercing notes of the shrill silver trumpets ; he then with a broom 
sweeps the floor of the car, and is presented by the priests with a silver 
vessel containing essence of sandal-wood, with which the floor is sprinkled 
all around the idol, from whom he receives, as a mark of honour, a garland 
of flowers, which the priests take from the image, and put round the Rajah’s 
neck. ‘The Rajah then descends from the car, and proceeds bare-footed to 
the car of each of the idols, and endeavours to propel them forward, with- 
out which ceremonies it is supposed they could not afterwards be moved. 
On a signal being given a most active scene commences, and several thou- 
sand men, each holding a small green branch in his hand, come running to 
the Ra?hs, clearing their way through the crowd for a considerable distance 
in regular files, and immediately lay hold upon the cables, each man first 
having touched the car with his branch, and then, aided by the pilgrims 
(men and women), pull the Rahs to their destination, taking care to keep 
their faces towards the idol, who is driven to his garden-house where he 
resides, and is worshipped for four days, and then returns in the same way 
to the temple. The manifest helplessness of the block of wood during this 
journey does not in the least weaken the faith of the infatuated pilgrims, 
and I assure you that he is carried the whole journey amidst the shouts of 
his votaries, who are eager to worship the images, and will submit to any 
thing rather than being prevented from accompanying the idol on that 
occasion; and if ever I should consider interference dangerous, I would 
not hesitate to pronounce it to be so on the occasion of this festival. Allow 
me however to observe, that the servants of the Government do not inter- 
fere with the interior economy of the temple, and far less with their clerical 
and spiritual ceremonies, which are entirely left to the Rajah of Khurda 
as high-priest. The servants only collect the tax, which is expended in 
keeping up the road to Jagganndv’ha, and for the rest limit their interference 
to the protection of the pilgrims against any oppressions of their priests and 
Pandils ; the fees paid by them are very moderate, are gladly paid by the 
wealthy, and never objected to by those in moderate circumstances, and 
the really poor and by far the greater number of pilgrims are invariably 
exempted and admitted gratis to the temple, and have the benefit of the 
