THE P\RK. 121 



served, according to Svamijis idea, one very useful 

 purpose that of saving such valuable and slow-growing 

 trees from destruction in a country where cool shade 

 is a necessity during the greater part of the year. With 

 the womenkind of the neighbourhood it is an object of 

 especial veneration. One of the earliest impressions that 

 dream-like flit across my mind's eye is the dim recollect- 

 tion of a large tree, a crowd of women and children 

 dressed in their holiday's best, and a profusion of 

 flowers, fruits, and eatables. It was a great festive 

 occasion, when devout mothers from far and near were 

 gathered together under the ample shade of the ashwa- 

 thwa to worship sasti, and invoke the blessing and 

 protection of the benign goddess upon their darling sons 

 and daughters. This happened at that interesting period 

 of early childhood when we begin to understand the 

 difference between a cow and tree, a goat and a 

 dog, when, in fact, we just commence learning the ele- 

 ments of science which, in reality, consists of the know- 

 ledge of one thing from another. Since then often 

 have I witnessed the ceremony, in which mothers prayed 

 and grandmothers gossiped, children frolicked and 

 danced, laughed and sang. 



The Ashwathwa is a living being. We have grown 

 wiser, a new soul as it were is born in us, and we now 

 look at the familiar yet venerable ashwathwa not in the 

 old light, but as an organised being, endowed with the 

 properties of growth and reproduction. As a living being 

 it must needs have food and drink, both of which the 



