The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-02-20
ANGLO EHIND0o LIFE.
ffransiate for he . crsceat," from s.The Revue
Apas-aa. Monde.rI

temples have rendered u celebrated aeda a 8ynhan
! Of the name Of Nilakastlfa- He oHIclaied IN a |
pagoda, The revenue of which spficed for his sup-
port the study Of til. sacred texts, mediation aad
exialc reveries occupied his days hess than any
one he doubted his own yirtue aud the authority Of
hs word upon the lower classes Of the Hindeoss d
| whom he received offerings unfortuhatesy mrs
sianares were established IN his neighboEhood ;the
bell Of the church drew away little by lisle con-
siderable psrt Of the Brahmin's flock who found
himself almost alone at The foot Of his idols.
Rpined BY the deseri;on Of the faithin Nilskaniha
at first menaced them with the wrath Of the gods
then he decided to seek some other mode Of life
Efom The professions which the laws Of his caste
! permitted him to embrace, he chose that Of
| writer. A rich banker, who detestedl the Euro
/ peans and loaned them his money at great inter-
est, offered him place in his Office This circnn-
stance caused Niskantia to transplant his domes-
| tic gods in the mid 81 Of the hamlets which sur
rounded the great city OF Bombay. Resigned to
his lot, faithful in executing his task, Niiakanihs
seated himself on his heels between two cushions,
facing the diyan, where was enthroned the banker
there he passed half the day covering with gares,
with his red quill, the leaves Of the palm Tree,
which served him for register but, when the
hour OF repose arrived, he again Strengthened him
/ self up to his full height The humble writer be-
came again Brahmin, iFayessed with dignity the
courts and galleries which gave to the dwelling Of
the banker the aspect u palace. in The streets,
encumbered with palanquins light carriages and
heavy wagons, he walked With eyes haif closed,
and umbrella on his shoulder, allowing to float upon
his knees the uhduating folds Of his payne. trail
ing his slippers with that disdainfn slownsss ths &
affected careiessness which in an Asianc betrays
his pride and the feeling Of his own worth. As he
became farther removed from the city, his look
grew cheerful. the pure air and fresh breeze from
the sea playing among the palm trees, the
Light poured IN torrents from a sun Of fire upon an
extended horizon, all recalled TO him the influence
of that sovereign nature to which the Hindoos rem
der worshpa as the visible manifestation ofdisinty
| He recalled to mind the miraculous legends of
many recluses, BrahmiRs like himself, who, de-
lvering themselves up meditation IN The depths
Of the forest had acquired unlimited powerover
their fellow creatures. The FemenbFancc Of his
pagoda also returned 10 him his imagination be-
came exalted, and he arrived filed with mystic as
pirations at the entrance Of his dwelling, tvhers an
attentive hand disposed every thing 70 Aatter bis
pride and rejoice his sight. A drawing Of ioth.
IN chalk on the threshold formed species Of court
which no profans foot dared tread upon. garland
! of flowers, freshly gathered, swung beneath the
.
a With an elephants head, which the Brahmins in
. woke the god Of wisdom. In fine, the sanctuary
Of a pagods could rot have been more properly
. tended than the interior Of this mysterious bAbta.
ton. Nilakantha, on enierng there recognized
| the presence and care OF his daughter
f Bronpht M II, the nreiueees 81 her caste Rouk
I. mimic the daughter OF the BfahTnin, regarded her
1 self as belonging 10 a race Ntte interior to that
: The gods yeIy superior 10 tliat Of men. She ha,
no, even look OF curiosity for the elegant chariot
which sometimes tfaversed the hamlet. carfyin,
the rich EngIishnen of Bombay towards Thea
!, opulent villas The young Parseas with thei
\, | turbans Of muslin, striped with gold, whose I'm
features recalled those heroes painted on the ruin
az Persepolis had in vain cast curious looks toward
= her--they were hut barbarans in heraeyes 4
r draw each day from the consecraed pools, water f
ar abIution--to daily few moments az the fountain
Of with her young com panions -sedare and proud
he attentive to domestic affairs which she considere
A. as so MANY pious acts-such was the constant Ell
ployment Of her DAYS In the evening she seate
he herself with her father on the gallery m the house
4s then only she put on her richest costume A plat
n Of gold adjusted on the top Of her head wreath
ID fowersof pure white, placed upon her tetnPiei
'e bracelets OF all colors surrounding her arm irol
Or the elbow TO the wTlst--lngs of glstening an
OF sonorous copper claspng the anele-precious brl
lants suspended from the ears, and long sea-
ic striped with rose, which encrcled the waist, wa
10 lost beneath the shoulders and veiled the bosom
le composed this attire. Rouhminie wore il grace
e fully bird its punagei without childish JOY
le the desire to attract attention. The yellow TIM
- - the sandal powder thicky sprinked on her lace
= gave to her physiognomy Of fifteen the aspect Of
! dull and inanimate painted statue. 10 front {
his daughter thus decorated as an idol, Nilakaniit
= seated himself at the other extremity Of. The gal
ery in the simple costume OF an officiating braa
y min, with hair loose, arms and breast streake
u with gray lines, which he had applied by dippinI
!, his hands in the ashes Of the hearth. This aHsas
- teal tatooing and slender thread distinctive sg
n. of noble caste placed IN the form Of Saln
Andrews cross on his right shoulder, formed q
nd only rainent covering the upper part oi his boal
is. His crossed legs were lost IN the toids Of b
ng pagne, ths last word cannotreader an Engllsh,
Is. which presented in their arrangement certain ar
for there is much coquetry IN the disposition Of n
ed | costume, though simple even TO apsterlty y p
dy humid back OF the Brahmln gave evidence Of m
&c ablntons by which he had been cleansea from g
nt. impurities Of the day In this traditional keepn
,e OF the Hindoo priest Nliakanlha delivered hlnise
~ up 70 intense Thought Alexander IN az ms pomI
IT. might have approached HIM without causing m
y other Qogenes even to raise his eyes to say to hin
he withdraw thyseit from my sunshine.
bs IL.
- This monotonoas existence neither fatigued III
ca Brahmn nor appeared tedious TO The daughter; the
no dreamed Of any other The distant sounds frot
en- the European city made no more impression upo
Sc them than the waves on the shore One evening
i. when Rouhminie and her father, seated at the
- usual place, gently famed by the breeze wic
4 IL "a L. L,~eo