# Life in India

Frontispiece.
Preaching in the Village.
Life in India;
OR,
MADRAS, THE NEILGHERRIES, AND CALCUTTA.
WRITTEN FOR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION.
Philadelphia:
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION,
No. 316 CHESTNUT STREET.
NEW YORK: No. 147 NASSAU ST.
BOSTON: No. 9 CORNHILL..... CINCINNATI: 41 WEST FOURTH ST.
LOUISVILLE: No. 103 FOURTH ST.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by the
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.
PREFACE.
The author ventures with much diffidence to make an humble contribution to the stock of public information on India and the Hindus.
It has not been his aim to tell all that could be told of India; this would call for folios. Nor has he attempted to give a popular compend of the whole vast subject; this would demand a volume whose size and style would defeat his object; and, moreover, it has already been ably done by authors in this country and in England. He has rather aimed, by a series of sketches, simply and familiarly drawn, to give some definite impressions on a number of points connected with that interesting land and its teeming millions; and more especially ​as seen in those parts of India which have come under his own observation. He has sought to show how the missionary reaches the shores of Southern India; what sights and sounds greet him on landing; how Hindus live, act, and worship; in what ways they are approached by the missionary; and what are the effects of his labours among them.
Though indebted for many facts to those who have preceded him, the writer has thought that reality and definiteness of conception would be most promoted by giving mainly the results of personal experience and the incidents of personal travel. In themselves of slight importance, they yet serve to illustrate the subject, and so to answer the end he has in view.
Though a residence of scarce four years hardly suffices for such an acquaintance with a foreign nation—and that, too, one so unlike our own—as would justify the present authorship, yet he trusts that a ​diligent study of the people during that time, with the aid of information drawn from books of known authority, will be found to have prevented the occurrence of many serious errors. The reader should be warned against the very common mistake of taking, as applicable to all India, statements true only of certain districts or provinces. India is an aggregate of nations having many things in common, but being in many things diverse. This should be borne in mind, and a distinction be made between local and general facts.
A scientific accuracy in the spelling of Eastern names and terms has not been sought. The mode most commonly used in Southern India has been usually adopted.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
* PAGE
* The Departure................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13
* The Ocean................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
* Across the Line................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
* High Latitudes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................28
* Joyful Days................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................38
* Death at Sea................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................45
* Land Ho!................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
* Madras Roads................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
PART II.
* Chintadrepettah................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................59
* A Morning Walk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................69
* Mount Road................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................74
* Chintadrepettah Schools................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................79
* Triplicane................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................90
* The Sabbath at Chintadrepettah................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................97
* Car-Drawing................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................102
* Housekeeping in Madras................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................109
* The Language................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................128
* The Verandah School................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* Sanjuvarayan-pettah................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................143
* Roman Catholicism in Madras................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................154
* Street Preaching................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................165
* Black-town................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................183
PART III.
* Palankeen Travelling................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................204
* Arnee................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................222
* Villages in Carnatic................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................229
* Varey-punthal................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................241
* Perumanaloor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................248
* The Jainas................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................255
* Vantha-vasi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................262
* Trivatoor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................277
* Conjeveram................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................281
PART IV.
* PAGE
* Caste................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................289
* The Brahmins................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................301
* The Palm-Trees and their Cultivators................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................308
* The Hindu Pastor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................331
* Religion of the Hindus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................349
PART V.
* Travel in the Carnatic................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................383
* Bangalore................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................397
* To Seringapatam................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................416
* Palhully to Ootacamund................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................424
* The Neilgherries................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................440
* Todars of the Nilagiri................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................445
* The Badagas................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................457
* Coimbatoor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................473
PART VI.
* Calcutta................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................493
* Missions in Calcutta................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................521
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
* PAGE
* Preaching in the villages (Frontispiece.)
* Madras catamaran................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
* Madras from the roadstead................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
* Temple to Ganesha................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................69
* Peon or policeman................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................71
* Castor-oil mill................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................73
* Bazaar shop................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................92
* Mission church, school-house, and bungalow................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................99
* Plantain in fruit................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................112
* Writing on palm-leaf, book and letter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................147
* Cavady-man with water-pots................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................190
* Hindu women at a well................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................192
* Silversmith at work................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................197
* Camel and rider................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................203
* Palankeen in motion................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................204
* Hindu family journeying................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................219
* Woman with water-chatty................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................229
* Hindu weaving................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................235
* Fanning and beating rice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................264
* Gobram or pagoda................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................283
* Vaishnava Brahmin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................301
* Brahmin at his meal................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................305
* Young palmyra................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................316
* Toddy-gatherers................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................318
* Disease leaving the Madura king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................370
* The king's ministers................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................374
* Musical instruments................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................382
* Buffalo cart................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................393
* Sepoys................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................401
* Water-booth and soldiers................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................428
* Elephant with howdah................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................431
* Todar family................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................446
* Bazaar of a Hindu town................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................486
* Hindu house................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................492
* Government-house, Calcutta................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................499
* Hindus eating................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................501