$2 Travels in India. Part. II, 



While weftay'dat Bez.9u.trt, we went to lcc feveral Pagods, of which the 

 Country is full 3 there being more than in any other part of tndU ; for u n l e f s 

 it be the Governours* of Towns; and fome of their Domefticks, all the reit of 

 the Inhabitants are Idolaters. The Pagod belonging to the Town of Beuum 

 is a very large one, but not clos'd with Walls \ it coniiits of fifty-two Pillars 

 twenty foot high, that uphold a flat roof of Free-itone ; they are ' ado rn'd with 

 feveral cmbofs'd Figures of ugly Devils, and feveral forts of Creatures. Some 

 of thofe Devils are made with four Horns, others with many Legs and mm 

 Tails , others lilling out their Tongues, and others in feveral other ridiculous 

 poftures. The fame Figures are cut in the Stone of the Roof, and between 

 the Pillars ftand the Statues of their Gods upon Pedeftals. The Pagod is bu ; !c 

 in the midft of a Court, of a greater length than breadth^ encompafs'd with 

 Walls, which are adorn'd within and without,, with the fame Figures as the 

 Pagod ; and a Gallery upheld by fixty-fix Pillars, runs round the Wall, after 

 the manner of a Cloyfter. You enter into this Court through a wide Portal 

 upon which are two Niches, one above another, the firft upheld by twelve' 

 the other by eight Pillars. At the bottom of the Pillars of the Pagod, arc 

 certain old Indian Characters, of which the Priefts. of thofe Idolaters themielvcs 

 can hardly tell the meaning. 



We went to tec another Pagod, built upon a Hill, to which there is an af- 

 cent of a hundred and ninety-three fteps, every one a foot high. The Paa d 

 is- four-fquare, with a Cupola at the top -, and has the fame embofs'd Figures 

 as the Pagod of Hezouart, round about the Walls. In the middle, there" is an 

 Idol fitting crofs-leg'd, after the manner of the Country j and in that fitting 

 poiturc Jt ts about four foot high 5 upon the Head it has a Triple Crown, from 

 which four Horns extend themielves j and it has the Face of a man, tuni'd to- 

 ward the Fair. The Pilgrims that come out of devotion to rhefe Paged*, when 

 they enter, elafp their hands together, and rear them up to their foreheads- 

 then they advance toward the Idol, tolling their two hands 16 elaipt together' 

 and crying out feveral times Ram y Ram, that is to fay, God, God. When they 

 come near, they ring a little Bell that hangs upon 'the Idol it felfj after they 

 have befmearM the Face, and feveral parts of the Bodv, with feveral forts of 

 Painting. Some there are that bring along with them Viols of Oil, with which 

 they anoint the Idol j and beildes, they make an Offering to it of Sugar Oil 

 and other things proper to be eaten ; the richer fort alfo adding pieces of Sil- 

 ver. There are fixty Priefts that belong to this Idol, and maintain themfclves, 

 their Wives, and Children upon the (Jrrenngs brought, to the Idol. But to the 

 end the Pilgrims may believe the Idol takes them, the Priefts let them lye 

 two days, and the third day in the evening they take them away. When any 

 Pilgrim goes to a Pagod, to be cur'd of any diftemper, he brings the Figure 

 of the Member affeded made either in Gold, Silver, or Copper, according to 

 his quality, which he offers to his god 3 and then falls a finging, as all the reft 

 do, after they have offer'd. Before the Gate of the Pagod, there is a flat 

 Roof, upheld by fixteen Pillars, and right againft it, is another upheld by eight « 

 which ferves for the Priefts Kitchin. On the South-fide there is a large Plat- 

 form cut in the Mountain, where there is a plealing fBade of many fair Trees, 

 and feveral Wells digg'd in the ground. Pilgrims come far and near to this 

 Pagod ; and if they be poor, the Priefts relieve them with what they receive 

 from' the rich, that come there out of devotion. The great Feaft of this Pa- 

 god is in the month of Otlaber, at which time there is a great concourfe of 

 people from all parts. While we were there, there was a Woman that had 

 not ftirr'd out of the Pagod for three days together ; and her prayer to the 

 Idol was, fince fhe had loft her Husband, to know what {he fhouW do to bring 

 up her Children. Thereupon asking one of the Priefts, wherefore fhe had no 

 anfwer, or whether fhe was to have any anfwer or no j he told me, that fhe 

 muft wait the pleafure of their God, and that then he would give her an an- 

 fwer to what fhe expected. Upon this I miftrufted fome cheat, and to difco- 

 ver it, I refolv'd to go into the Pagod when all the Priefts were abfent at Dinner, 

 there being only one that flood at the Gate, whom I fent to fetch me fome 

 water at a Fountain two or three Musket-fhot from the place. During that 



time 



