Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-06-14
Extraordinary stories OF an Indian FaL,r.


this morning by the arrival of u very celebrated
character IN the Puniaub, person we had all
expressed great anxiety to see, and whom the
Maha-Rajah had ordered over from Umrutser
on purpose. He is Fakr by name, and is
held in extraordinary respect by the Sikhs, from
his alleged capacity of being able to bury him.
Selfalive for any period of time. So many s,o.
ries were current on the subject, and so many
respectable individuals maintained the truth of
these stories, that we felt curious to see him.
He professc. 10 have been following this trade,
it so it may be called, for some years, and con-
siderable time ago several extracts from the
letters OF individuals WHO had seen the man ir
the upper Provinces, appeared in the Calcutta
papers, which were at the time, naturally G.
nonpb' looked upon as mere attempt at
a hoax upon the inhabitants of Calcutta. Cap.
tain Wade. political agent at Ludhana, told
me that he was present at his resurrection after
an n,erment of some months General Ventu-
ra having buried him in the presence of the
Maha-Ra jan and many of his principal sirdars;
and, as far as can recollect, these we're the
particulars as witnessed by General Ventura -
After going through regular course OF prepa.
ration, which occupied him seven days, and the
details ofwhch are too disgusting to dilate upon,
the Fakir reported himself ready for intcrment
in vault by order otthe Maha-Raah. On the
appearance OF Runlcct and his court he proceed
ed TO their final preparations that were nccCs-
| in nd f,or .;,l,
wax his cars and nostrlIs, he was stripped and
placed in linen bag and the last preparation
concluded by turning his tongue forwards, and
thus closing the gule', he Immediately died n.
way in kind of lcthargy. The bag was then
closed, and sealed with Runicct's seal. The
box was then placed in vault, the earth thrown
in and trod down, and crop of barley sown
over the spot, and scn'rics placed round it.
The Maha-Rujah was, however. very sceptcal
on the subject, and twice in the course of ten
months he remained under ground, sent people
TO dig him up, when he was found to be in cx-
actly the same position, and in state OF perfect
y suspended animation. At the termination of
the ten months, Captain Wade accompanied the
that he examined him personally and minutcly,
and was convinced that all animation was per.
tectly suspended. lie saw the locks opened
and the seals broken by the Maha Rnjsh. and
the box brought into the open air. The man
was then taken out, and on feeling his wrist
and heart, not the slightest pulsa,ion was per
ceptble. The first thing towards restoring him
TO life, was the forcing his tongue back to It's
proper position, which was done with some lit
tie difficulty by n pcrson inserting his finger
and ioicibly pulling it back, and continuing To
hold it until it gradully resumed its natural
place. Captain Wade described the top of his
head to have been considerably heated but
all other parts of the body cool and healthy in
appearance. Pournga quantity of warm water
upon him constitutes the only further measures
| for his restoration, and in two hours time he is
as well as ever.
| Ca my return to Simla, accident placed in my
hands the appendix To medical topography OF
, Ludhiana by DR.. McGregor of the horse artille-
! ry, by whose permission have extracted the
following account of the former in,erments and
t resurrection of the Fak.r:-"A Fakir who or.
! rived at Lahore engaged to bury himself tor any
= length of time, shut up in box, and without
either food or drink Runjcet naturally disbc-
q eved the mans assertions and was de,ermi-
ned to put them to the test. For this purpose
e the takir was shut up in wooden box, which
] was placed IN a small apartment below the
] middle of the ground there was a folding door
\ to this box, which was secured by lock and
/ key. Surrounding this apartment, there was
b the garden-house, tie door OF which was like
!. wise locked, aud outside the whole high wal
$ having It's doorway built with bricks and mud
y IN order to prevent any one from approaching
1 the place, line of ntIcs was placed aud re-
e lleved al regular intervals. The strictcst wa,cl
d was kept up for the space OF turiy days and Tor
d 'y nights, at the expiration of which period tho
}. hlaha Roia, attended by his grandson and scye
/, raj of his sdars, as well as General Ven
l. tura, Captain Wade, and myself, proceeded IL
: disinter the iakir. The bricks and mud wer,
e removed from the outer doorway the door 0
II the garden house was next UNLOCK hcd--and last
e ly, that of the wooden box containing the Fahir
: the latter was found covered with a white sheet
ia on removing which the figure of the man pre-
ii sented itself in a sitting posture-his legs am
= arms were pressed TO his sides, his legs am
thighs crossed. The first step of the operation
J. OF resuci!aiiou consisted in pouring over hi
T. head quantity OF warm water after this he