382 THE KAOL OR HIGH PRIEST. 



itself, which is built on the rocks overhanging the river, is 

 small and unimposing, being an adjunct only to the general 

 sanctity of the whole locality as a chief source of " Holy 

 Mother Ganges," and so by Hindoos devoted to the homage 

 of the Supreme Deity. In its immediate vicinity some rest- 

 houses for the pilgrims, the residences of the officiating Brah- 

 min priests, and a few shops, chiefly occupied by vendors of 

 sweetmeats, are clustered together. The shrine is dedicated 

 to Vishnu, the divinity of the Hindoo triad who, according to 

 Brahman theology, represents the beneficence of the one Eter- 

 nal and Omnipotent Being, as Brahma and Siva personate the 

 wisdom and power. Large quantities of rice are daily cooked 

 within the precincts of the temple by the priests, nominally as 

 an offering to the Deity, but really more for feeding the poorer 

 class of pilgrims who come to do "puja" (worship) there, 

 charity and hospitality being among the chief attributes of 

 the Hindoo religion. The expense of this is defrayed from 

 the offerings made at the shrine, those of the wealthier pil- 

 grims being often very considerable both in money and jewels ; 

 and by the Eaol himself, who is the recipient of the rents of 

 certain villages and lands with which the temple is endowed. 

 This divine, who holds such a high ecclesiastical position 

 among Hindoos, is, I believe, always inducted, as Eaol or 

 chief priest at Badrinath, from a certain family in which this 

 office is hereditary, residing somewhere in the uttermost parts 

 of the south of Hindustan. 



On the evening of my arrival the Eaol showed his hospi- 

 tality by sending me a liberal present of sweetmeats. Next 

 morning I started to visit Bussoodara, a consecrated waterfall 

 some five miles farther up the glen, and about 2000 feet 

 higher than the site of the temple, paying a visit en route to 

 the high priest. His holiness, contrary to what I should 

 have expected, had nothing of the ascetic either in his appear- 

 ance or demeanour. I found him a pleasant, intelligent man 

 of the world, and his spiritual calling had seemingly not 



