HINDOOS. 
139 
tlie night in mirth and revelry ; convinced that by this praiseworthy 
act he has propitiated the favour of the bloodthirsty deity for twelve 
years. On the morning of the following day, the corpse is taken 
from the hole into which it had been thrown ; and the idol is laid 
aside till the next Dusrah, when a similar sacrifice is made. The dis- 
continuance of this barbarous superstition was occasioned by the 
knowledge of a very revolting case having been conveyed to the 
peishwa of the district, some time before Poona was added to the 
British dominions ; who suppressed immediately this order of the 
brahmins, or at least forbade the exercise of their detestable rites 
within the limits of his government. 
Adoration. 
Mr. Ward, one of the Baptist missionaries at Serampore, in a work 
on the History and Literature of the Hindoos, has giyen the follow ing 
curious account of the modes of adoration, which they call Podja. 
“ Previously to entering on this act of idolatry,” says he, the per- 
son bathes ; returning home, he washes his feet-, spreads a blanket 
or some other proper thing to sit upon, and then sits dow n before 
the idol, having the articles necessary for worship before him ; a 
kosha or metal basin, and a koshee or smaller one, a small wooden 
/ stand, a metal plate, an iron stand to hold five lamps, a censer, a 
brass stand with a srnal) shell placed on it, a metal plate on w hich 
to place dowsers, a metal bowl into which the water and flowers are 
thrown after they have been presented to the idol, a metal jug for 
holding water, a metal plate to be used as a bell, a shell or sacred 
conch which sounds like a horn, with a number of dishes, cups, and 
other utensils for holding rice, paint, incense, betel, water, milk, 
butter, curds, sweatmeats, flow'ers, clarified butter, &,c. Having all 
these articles ready, the worshipper takes water from the kosha with 
the koshee, and, letting it fall into his hand, drinks it; he then takes 
a drop more, then another, repeating incantations. After this, with the 
finger and thumb of his right hand, he touches his mouth, nose, eyes, 
ears, navel, breast, shoulders, and the crown of his heail, repeating 
certain forms. He then washes his hands, makes a number of motions 
with his fingers, and strikes the earth with his left heel three times, 
repeating incantations. When this is done, he flirts the first finger 
and thumb of his right hand, waving his hand toward the ten divi- 
sions of the earthy closes his eyes, and repeats incantations to purify 
his mind, his body, the place where he sits, as well as the offerings 
about to be presented, which it is supposed may have become unclean 
by having been seen or touched by a cat, a dog, a shackal, a shoodrii, 
or a Mussulman. ' Next, he takes a flower, which he lays on his 
left hand, and, putting his right hand upo.n it, resolves in his mind 
the form of the god he is worshipping. He then lays the fiow'er on 
his head, and joining his hands together, cl.sses his eyes; thinks upon 
the form — that he has a nose, eyes, four arms, four heads, &c.— and 
then recites the outward forms of worship in his mind. He now 
presents the offerings : first, a square piece qf gold or silver, as a 
seal for the god, inviting him to come and sit down, or visit him ; 
and then asking the god if he be ha.])py, repeats for him, “ Very 
