j6S THIRTY-FIVE VEARS IN THE EAST. 



in bundles. The grocers wrap their spices and other articles 

 in these leaves instead of paper, and the confectioners and 

 curd sellers do the same ; the latter knit two or three of the 

 leaves together, either with wooden pins or with thorns, so 

 that they have the shape of a cup, in which they exhibit the 

 curds for sale j and the Hindoo mountaineers, who are not 

 permitted to use glass or china, employ them as plates in 

 which they serve their food. The rajahs Dhyan Sing, 

 Soochet Sing and Heera Sing were accustomed to take their 

 repasts from similar cups and dishes, sitting with their re- 

 tinue on white cloths, spread upon the ground. Every guest 

 has one or more of these cups placed before him, and they 

 only employ their fingers in eating, as forks, knives or 

 spoons are not used by the native inhabitants. The Maha- 

 rajah Gholab Sing, however, does not dine in company, but 

 invariably takes his meals alone, in the kitchen where the 

 dishes are prepared, having previously passed an hour or 

 two in performing his ablutions, and repeating his poojah 

 C prayers ). It is a common custom in India for every 

 Hindoo to prepare his own dinner. He makes a circle, 

 washing the hearth within it, beyond which no person, even 

 of his own caste, is allowed to pass ; and if any stranger, 

 ignorant of the custom, should place his foot beyond this 

 sacred circle, the dish he has been preparing is considered 

 as polluted, and is thrown away untouched, no matter how 

 expensive the ingredients may have been. There are a large 

 number of Hindoo castes, and much diversity prevails in 

 their habits and customs. In some of these, a person will 

 not eat of a dish prepared even by his own brother ; and 

 should he be dangerously ill, would rather confine his diet 

 to dried fruits than take any food which another person had 

 touched. This extreme peculiarity, however, attaches only 

 to a few of the Hindoo castes, as by far the larger number 

 resemble in this respect the Sikhs ( reformed Hindoos ), 

 who do not object to eat of any dish which has been pre- 

 pared by a Brahmin. One of my orderlies, i e., attendant 

 of my house, who was a Brahmin, had eaten of a cake which 

 had been bought at the bazaar^ but which by accident had 



