INDIA. 



107 



raca. There are several other places of pilgrimage, 

 particularly t Parkur, to which place 70.<I>0 pil- 

 grim* annually go, to see an ulol made of mirhle, 

 which, after the ceremonies are performed and paid 

 for, is carefully concealed in a spot known only to a 

 few. And at Sagur island, which lies at the junction 

 of the Paltcut branch of the Ganges with the ocean, 

 many of the pilgrims used to sacrifice themselves or 

 their children i -tors and shdrkv which abound 



here : but in 1 802 the practice wa abolished by Lord 



It would carry us far beyond our limits to not ce all 

 the various <uperstitiou* opinions and practices of the 

 ie, however, may be very briefly touch- 

 cd upon, it' the bodies of those who have not been 

 careful, durin*; their livp. Ui secure the pardon of their 

 ins, are thrown into the Ganges, they will he allowed 

 to iran-mi^ratr in SU ch another form at will at hut 

 bring them t heaven. The soul* of the decewed may 

 also be released from punishment, if their friends will 

 put on a stone, rendered (acred by having been un- 

 priSMrl by Vbhnu, a certain paste, and at the tame 

 time repeat the name of the deceased. The painful 

 distortion* and tortures to which the Jogui* subject 

 themselves, are tow disgusting to be related, and could 

 not be credited except on indubitable testimony. I )n- 

 ferent kinds of suicide are held by the Hindoo* to be 

 mariturious, rix starving; covering themselves with 

 cow dung, and setting it on fire, anil thus being coo. 

 MHBed ; burying themselves in snow ; and cutting their 

 throaU at Allahabad. to this but specie* of suicide, 

 performed at the eclipses of the sun and moon, jjiiel 

 wealth is promised in a future state. Sur, i* the art of 

 predict hg events, by observing in what manner the 

 breath issues through the nostrils. Akum, teach** 

 what i* contagious and hurtful, and what advantageous. 

 is the art of discovering what is happening, 

 or will happen, by observing the motions of bird*. 



all, are omens learned by throwing dice. Sam- 

 dirg, by observing the form of the limus, their mo- 

 tions, asvl the line* and moles on the body Garwd. is 

 the art of repeating incantations for recovering a per- 

 son stung by a serpent Indctjal, includes the art of 

 necromancy, talitmana, aad alight of hand. I 

 lowing rliieam an regarded as punishment* for crimes 

 in a former state : Lameness, for having kicked a Brah- 

 nin a fever, for killing an innocent ,- ; 



Cough, for killing a Brahmin : For these punishment*, 

 the expiations are prexots of gold to Brahmin*. Some 

 of their superstitious practice* have already been de- 

 acribed : A few other* nay be noticed. The practice 

 of the widow bum mg herself on the funeral pi lent* her 

 " well known. There are nine kinds of trial ; 

 by ordeal by the balance by fin by wau-r by poi- 

 aon by the cosha, or drinking of the 

 idols have been washed by rice- 

 red hot iron and by images. Infanticide was practis- 

 rnany tribes of Hindoos; by some, their chil- 

 dren'n lives were devoted to the amend water*. Other 



<>. of high caste in Benares, on a prospect of be- 

 ii table to provide uiul>ly for their female chil- 

 dren, were induced, not unfrcuucntly, to put them to 

 death ; and other catee of Hindoo*, with a view : 

 * " 1 proces* cnge tor a 



opposed injury, would murder their female* or their 

 children, being persuaded, that by such mean* they 

 could obtain spiritual vengeance against their adver- 



Thi put specie* of .ufauiicidc, which, a* well a* the 



others, has been abolished by the British government, Statistic^ 

 is one of the modes of what is called dherna ; this is W "V >> ' 

 generally practised by a Brahmin, in order to obtain Dherna. 

 justice, or enforce a petition. For this purpose he 

 places himself before the door of the person from whom 

 he w ishes to obtain his object, and threatens, if he per- 

 severes m refusing it, that he will put an end to his 

 lite by a dagger, or poison, which he always has in his 

 hand. The Rrihmin, as well as the person thus be- 

 sieged, fast, so that the latter is almost always- obliged 



ill Another mode of dherna, which is employed 

 to recover property, is by the person standing up with 

 an enormous weight on his head, which he swears to 

 supp rt till he attains his object. But the most despe- 

 rate species of it is that called (nr ; a pile of wood is 

 erected In-fore the door of the besieged party, and on 

 this a cow, or an old woman, is placed ; the pile is set 

 fire to, unless the request is granted. These species of 

 dherna are common in Hindustan Proper, and in sume 

 part* of the Decan, especially among the Mahratta 

 tribes ; but they do not appear to prevail in the south- 

 ern p.irts ot India. 



At Surat there is an hospital for animals, supported 

 by the superstition of the Hindoos ; not only quadru- 

 ped* and birds are received into it. but it has also 

 wards for bugs and other vermin, which are carefully 

 nourished ; this is perhaps an extreme instance of the 

 uperstitious dread which the more rigid Hindoos en- 

 tertain of destroying animal life; but the practice of 

 sweeping the ground carefully, and very gently, in 

 order that no living being may be trod upon, and of 

 constantly keeping gauze before the month, that no in- 

 sect may be inhaled by the breath, are by no mean* 

 uncommon among the more devout Brahmins. 



The religion of the Hindoos strongly enjoins mar- Mirrisgrs. 

 riage a* a sacred duty ; but as strongly reprobates the 

 marriage of any of the younger branches oi a family 

 before the elder : marriages usually take place when 

 the children are 1 1 year* old. Polygamy is permitu d, 

 but seldom practised, except where the wife is barren. 

 A* a powerful religious pnjudicc or feeling prevail* in 

 favour of leaving a representative, a third marriage is 

 even allowed; and if all are unfruitful, a child i* adopt. 



The marriage* of the Hindoos are celebrated with 

 great pomp and expence, and are attended with a vast 

 number of ceremonies : the most material part of the 

 ceremony oemiet* in the bride'* taking seven steps, for 

 the marriage i* not complete till the seventh step is ta- 

 ken. In the evening the bridegroom points out to hi* 

 bride the polar star, a* an emblem of stability ; for three 

 days they remain in the bouse of the bride's father, 

 where the marriage i* celebrated ; and then a formal 

 entry into the bridegroom's house takes place : many 

 ceremonies attend thi, the principal of which -is the 

 liberation of a cow, which had been tied up in the 

 northern side of the apartment, by a barber, who at- 



iur that purpose, and exclaim*, " the cow ! the 

 cow .' ' 'I IK- Hindoo* make present* to the lathers of 



:irides, instead < u. dowers. All persons 



Itearing the sixth degree of affinity, or even the tame 

 family name, are forbidden to intermarry. 



A* it i* deemed oi such high importance to have Birth. 

 children, the wile, during her pregnancy, i* attended 

 to with great care ; when the has attained the seventh 

 month, a particular festival i* celebrated, and another 



she is delivered As soon as the child is bom, 

 it is bathed with cold water: information i* imme- 

 diately sent to the m.igislrate, in order that it may be 

 added to the list ot those who compose the caste to which 



