The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-06-16

ted point with the shout and the gesture o
insult, some of the Nishnuvitcs appeared
quite mad, they cap d on each others
shoulders, shook their large torches, and sang
defiance.
ut was at day break on the following
morning, that saw the Rutt i'll motion, ane
certainly it is a sight for the traveller; the
platform of this car or temple IS hive ant
thirty feet from the ground, and the tapes
tried canopy and its supporters and decora
tions FIVE and thirty feet higher; it is capa-
bic of containing twenty or thirty Brahminsi
the whole is solid, strong, curiousiy carved
and heavy; the wheels arc ten feet IN diam
etcr, solid, and of enormous thickness. Foui
cables one hundred yards i'll length, are at
tachcd to it, and with shoulders under, oil
hands Oh these cables there are certainly
not less than two Thousand labourer; engag-
ed in drawing it along. On it moves, high
above the upl;tted faces ofthe crowded wor-
! shipers;T these press to come near, to throw
up (with money! an offering of cocoa nuts;
the attendant Brahmin breaks and presents
them to the god, and cast them down again,
thus consecrated, to the wretched, yet glad
devotee, who shares them with the family
he brought up to the feast, and with which
he has to rctrace the long and weary way to
his native village.
This Rutt is dragged through the prin-
cipal streets, and on its return, when 1t ar
rives within a hundred yards of the spot
where il is to be drawn, up, there Is a shout
and veil. the movement is more rapid, and
fearfullv it towers and totters along till its
pondcrous wheels are again bcdded in their
resting place.
"During the whole of the scene, numbers
of young l5rahmins, armed with thongs OF the
deer,t* are eaping about in the crowd, strk-
ing now those who drag the car, now these
who press upon their path, and You may
observe wealthy and we'll dressed men come
and just put their land over to touch the
rope, and claim the merit OF having dragged
the car. The women hold up their little
children above their heads, and every sight
and sound speaks tumultuous JOY. But let us
pause, the crowds are dispcrisng:-Wh
are those twenty or thirty poor men covered
with sweat and dust, looking tolworn and
hungry, and now salaaming with fear to that
stern Brahmme They are village coolies,
who were pressed and driven in to drag the
car of Nshnu, the lowest of whose followers
would spuin them from his path.
"And here, come into this topc; and down
to the edge of this tank; look at these grupcs
OF poor families with their small and insult
ficient portion of cold rice. They are not
acknowledged, even By the Soodras, but
they wear the mark of Nishnu; class them
selves among his humble followers; have
come up to the feast, to worship, and make
the Offering OF their little all; and will now
go home, and practice the most painful e.
cQnomY for a year to come. Now enter the
courts Of this temple; here all is feastlnS
and smiles; these groups of sleek tat men are
t,lt r,,|I
ali entertainment provided for them by that
black Iindoo merchant Of the Bhysc cast,
with diamonds in his cars, and cunning in
Ms eyes, VINO has come up from Madras tor
the occasion.
such is an Indian festival pictorally
sketched. it were "A long, long comedy if ]
attempted to carry my reader behiud the
scenes, among Shenitadars, Moon shoes,
Poems, and the whole herd ofpcttv oppress-
ions; comedy say, but l mean it not I'M
fcclingly: the word tragedy, | reserve for
higher and more serious considerations, for
can there be deeper and more awful one,
or one more affecting to the heart OF the be-
lieving Christian, than to look upon these
millions feeding on ashes, their deceived
hearts turning them aside, holding fast lie
in their right hands, and seeing not the cup
Of ast0nishmcnt ana dcsolation prepared for
them"
",The Endian mother often, indeed gcncr-
ally carries hcr child astride OF her hip,
when she protrudcs for that purpose"
'iibc image Of Nishnu was very small,
adorned Win Jewels most richly, and clothed
with broc de-"
"''fc tiad;na is represented by the fig
Hrc Of 4 n 81 larger than life, with the head
oi an cag!t; the whole Of gilt copper
"EThc we'll known emblem OF Indian oy
atty"
"Small Temple Of Rest"
".Ierc the dcvotecs do not throw them
selves under the car, as at Jaggcrnaut."
So fhe skin at the deer is not considered
as poilutins."