MENDICITY PILGRIMAGES. 229 



take to give even an outline. Fulsome praises addressed 

 to some chosen deity, frequently the repetition of his name 

 for hours together, constitute the favourite occupation of 

 the worshipper. 



Among the religious duties of the Hindoo begging holds a 

 conspicuous place. It is incumbent on all who aim at dis- 

 tinguished sancity to make mendicity the only source of 

 their subsistence ; and deep is the degradation of a devotee 

 of high class when obliged to betake himself for support 

 to an honest trade. The extensive prevalence of the same 

 idea in the Romish church, where the mendicant orders en- 

 joyed such reputation, shows it to have a foundation in hu- 

 man nature ; but it is nowhere carried to so preposterous 

 an extent as in Hindostan. Mr. Ward hesitates not to 

 affirm that an eighth part of the inhabitants of Bengal and 

 Bahar subsist in this manner. Thus they form a begging 

 population of upwards of two millions ; and the alms re- 

 ceived by them, supposing each to obtain only a rupee a 

 month, will amount to three millions sterling ; a sum an- 

 nually extracted from the labouring classes, who in general 

 are extremely poor. 



Devout pilgrimages are in like manner performed by the 

 Hindoos to a great extent. All the principal roads are 

 crowded with people hastening to the sacred shrines and 

 waters. The most celebrated temple for this purpose is 

 that of Jagannatha or Juggernaut, in Orissa, which is also 

 frequented by vast crowds to witness the impious rites there 

 celebrated. Another grand object of attraction is found on 

 the banks of the Ganges, particularly at the prayagas, or 

 junctions with its tributary streams. The influx of the 

 Jumna renders Allahabad one of the chief among holy 

 cities, and to bathe at the point of confluence atones for 

 almost all the deadly sins. Still higher value is attached to 

 those meetings of the waters that take place in its upper 

 course, amid the grandeur of mountain scenery. Hurdwar, 

 where the Bagiruttee and Alacananda unite in forming the 

 Ganges, attracts at a particular season sometimes two mil- 

 lions and a half of pilgrims from the remotest provinces. 

 About 45,000 or 50,000 adventurous devotees scale the tre- 

 mendous cliffs of the Himmalehs, till they reach the shrine 

 of Bhadrinath, and some even ascend to that of Gangoutn, 

 where the holy river is seen bursting from beneath the eternal 



Vol. ii. — fcr 



