RAMISERAM. 



exprefs in favourable weather will run from Columbo to Ma- 

 dras in eight days, and the journey lias been accomplifhcd 

 once in feven days. (See Man A Alt.) The iflc of Ramife- 

 ram, which is the limit of the Hindoo religion in more mo- 

 dern times, and of the conquefts of the Mullnlman princes, 

 is, as we have faid, feparated from Ceylon by Adam's 

 bridj^e. The ifland is low, fandy, and uncultivated, ex- 

 cept with a few fcattered Pahnira and cocoa-trees. The pa- 

 SjoJas, for which it is fo famous, lie on the Ceylon fide, near 

 the fea, and are the refort of innumerable multitudes of dif- 

 ferent fefts of religion in India, during the feaf<m of certain 

 fellivals. The numerous pagodas are coiiIlruiSted in the fame 

 llile with thofe on the Coromandel coafl ; and they arc fur- 

 rounded with the houfes of the brahmins, prieds, and other 

 religious perlons, whofe zeal leads them to attend on their 

 temples ; among whom, in particular, may be feen the de- 

 fcendants of the Tamuls, Telingas, Cananans, Mahrattas, 

 and Orias, who compofe a great body of the original inha- 

 bitants of the fouthern peninfula. Their houfes are built of 

 the cocoa-tree, in fmall fquares and ftreets, where their fami- 

 lies are feen reclining on the little mud terraces, and under 

 the'payals or virandahs. They do not allow Europeans to 

 enter tliefe temples ; but they are known to refemble thofe of 

 the coaft in their crowded ornaments, fpires of brickwork, 

 long porches in front, and viltas, at tlie extreme end of 

 whicli are placed the deities, in an obfcnre fituation, fur- 

 rounded by lamps burning day and night. The fame re- 

 ferve to ftraugers fubfifts among all the fouthern brahmins. 

 The brahmins allow no labour or cultivatiftn to be carried on 

 in the ifland of Ramiferam, confidering it altogether as fa- 

 cred. The contributions of thofe who viiit it are fufficient 

 for the fiipport oi the temples. Several of the neighbour- 

 ing Poligar chiefs contribute largely, and fome of thefe 

 rajahs have ilatues crcdled to them for their gifts. The chief 

 pagoda has feveral of thefe ftatues in its different fquares. 

 XjOW as the fand lies in this ifland, good water is ealily pro- 

 cured ; for on fcooping it up, the water coUefls immediately 

 in the holes ; but this is not the cafe in Manaar and the weft 

 coaft of Ceylon. 



The guardianfhip of this facred ifle belongs to a family of 

 devotees, called " Byragees," the chief of whom is always 

 doomed to celibacy : the fuccefhon being earned on by the 

 iiflers or the collateral branch, who only are permitted to 

 marry. This inllitution is fimilar to that of the fovereignty 

 of the TravancoriaiiS and Nairs of the Malabar coail. The 

 clothes and turbans of the devotees are of a tawny red co- 

 lour, decorated witli large black beads, of a particular kind 

 of wood. From the pagodas jiifl mentioned there runs out 

 along narrow piece of land, terminating in a point, within a 

 mile of which is a choultry at Tona Goody. This is a 

 fquare of houfes with a court inclofed for the accommodation 

 of pilgrims, who come to the fartheft point of the ifland to 

 perform their ablutions in the fea, the moll facred and 

 the pureil of their ceremonies. A brahmin takes care of 

 this choultry, and a pole with a liglit is fixed at the end of 

 the point to direft the pilgrim. N. Lit. 9° 18'. E. long. 

 79° 22'. Percival's Ceylon. 



Of the temple in this ifland we fiiall give fome .account, 

 extrac'ted from a publication of Mr. Cordiner, who viflted 

 it. The external appearance is not remarkably grand, and 

 at a diltance, no idea is excited of the minute ornaments and 

 laboured workmanfhip which ftrike the eye on a nearer in- 

 fpedion. All the architecture feen without doors is nifigni- 

 ficant, compared with the magnificence of the interior. 

 After an examination of the whole ftrufture, which is en- 

 tirely of hewn ftone, Mr. C. deemed the extent of mafonic 

 labour in its ereftion, mull have been equal to that of ai;y 



8 



of the moll fplendid cathedrals of Europe. " On entering 

 it we Wire," he fays, " completely aftonifhed at tlie gran. 

 deur of the workmanfhip, ;ind extent of the dimenhons, 

 which far furpafled any i(k-a that we had formed of Indian 

 magnificence." From the well gate a low gallery, 144 feet 

 ill length, with three rows of pillars on each fide, leads down to 

 the centre of the building ; where it briinclies off, in galleries 

 fimilarly conftruftcd, to the right r.nd left, each extending 

 150 feet, then running from weft to eafl 500 feet, and en- 

 clofing an oblong reftaiigular fpace. The gallery runs alfo 

 along the centre of the temple 788 feet, and a fimilar gal- 

 lery runs acrofs from north to fouth, where are like en- 

 trances, interfefting the former in the centre of the rcftan. 

 gular fpace. All the galleries have on each fide triple 

 rov.-s of maffy ftone pillars, of highly laboured workman- 

 fhip. Thofe in the front line are the largcft and mofl fu- 

 perb, having a huge lion, with the mouth wide open, fculp- 

 tured in bas relief, above three diflinft capitals, over which 

 are a fcroll, and .i richly ornamented cornice. Statues of 

 the fize of life are attached to many of the pillars, repre- 

 fenting gods and deified perfons. The pillars ft and on a 

 continued bafement, forming the floor of the galleries, raifed 

 three feet, with fteps to nfcend by, all of ftone. The 

 roofs of all the galleries are flat, formed of ftones reaching 

 acrofs, from the projeftion of one cornice to that of the 

 other. The galleries are eighteen feet wide, and in the cen- 

 tre thirty feet high from the floor. The number of pillars 

 within the temple amounts to 262S. The edifice is inclofed 

 by a heavy ftone wall, 20 feet high, 830 feet from eaft to 

 weft, and 625 from north to fouth. Large as thefe dimen- 

 fions may appear, they arc ftated to be but fmall compared 

 with thofe of temples on the continent of India, one of 

 which covers a fquare mile of ground. The covered gal- 

 lery, fronting the fouth gate, which feems unfmiflied, 

 ftrikingly refembles the entrance of the Elephanta cavern, 

 near Bombay. Solid pyramidal erections furmonnt the 

 wellcrn and eaftern entrances, compofed externally of a 

 great number of fmall pillars, two and two, in the form of 

 window Irames or gateways, rifing one above another, in 

 fcven different (lories. That over the weilern, which is the 

 principal entrance, appears to be 150 feet high ; the eaftern 

 feems lower, and unfinifhed. The ngrth and fouth gates are 

 lefs majeflic than the others ; but their completion is faid to 

 be intended, when they will be fimilarly furmisunted and or- 

 nam.ented as the weftern portal. Privileged perfons, among 

 whom were women carrying water-pitchers, appeared con- 

 ftantly palTing and re -palling about the interior of the 

 temple. 



Two hundred Brahmins are attached to this temple, and 

 fupported in eafe and luxury by its endowments. It is de- 

 dicated to Siva, the deftroying power, called by the vulgar 

 Rama Lingam. It contains likewife, Mr. Cordiner fays, 

 images of Vifhnu the preferver, and of all the fubordinatc 

 divinities. Of Brahma, the creator, he ftates, the Hindoos 

 never dare to form any hkenefs. This is a common error, 

 that is explained and correfled in the article IdOL.\try of 

 this work. ■. 



A broad ft reet runs parallel to each fide of the tempfe 

 compofed of comfortable houfes, and large choultries for 

 the accommodation of pilgrims and travellers, of ft' me, witb 

 flat roofs fupported in front by pillars ; the fronts being 

 open. In one of thefe Mr. Cordiner obferved two ivory 

 palankeens inlaid with gold, the property of officers be- 

 longing to tlie fancluary. In others he noticed five car- 

 riages, called by the Enghfh Swamy coaches, ufed for the 

 purpofes of carrying the idols in proceflion : the ufe to 

 which the ivory palankeens are, we apprghend,^ alfo apphed. 



Thefe 



