90 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
land. From these stores they are obliged, after pro- 
viding for their own necessities, to administer assist- 
ance to the sick or enfeebled among the pilgrims, who 
have no means of their own. What restrictions are 
placed over these rapacious harpies to secure a punc- 
tual performance of the duty I know not, but certain 
it is, that they are not unfrequently observed to render 
such goodly services to the distressed ; though judging 
from what an European may know of their character, 
I should be of opinion that there exists not a more 
heartless race of men, or any so utterly unsympathis- 
ing in the sufferings of their fellow-creatures as these 
Brahmins. 
The greater part of the temples are dedicated to 
Siva, or to his son Genesa, these being the deities now 
especially interested in the welfare of the city, as may 
be seen by the foregoing history ; but there also appear 
to be not a few in honour of every other divinity in the 
Hindoo pantheon. The worship of Siva is performed 
amidst the grossest obscenities, which are utterly dis- 
graceful to humanity, but which, being regarded as 
divine, it is wonderful to state, do not move to shame 
even the most modest of the female votaries. The 
insignia of this deity, and the symbols of his presence 
within the temple, are not to be mentioned. Accord- 
ing to the doctrine of metempsychosis, to destroy is 
only to regenerate in a new form, and therefore Siva, 
the god of destruction, is worshipped also as the author 
of life ; and in these contrasted characters, he is at 
