The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-24
The Feass OF Juggernaut.

The Indian correspondent of the London
Times thus alIudes to the Hindoo feast at
which he was present: i saw nothing atall
like RIGHTEOUSNESS during my tour, and 1t is
curious fact that this is the one festival that
empties all the zenanas. The women arrive
in crowds, numbering from thirty to forty
each, 10 some cases from long distances, each
woman bearing her Offering of rice. flowers.
fruit, etc, for the god. No good Hindoo dares
to refuse his wife permission to assist in doing
honor to Juggernaut, and it is possible that
there may be improprieties in some way be-
fore the mass Of the people reach home,
though l am convinced that there is
nothing of the kind on the scale sup
posed by many good people in Eng
land, and whnt there is must be apart
from the festival. The temple is in large
Enclosure, and when saw it last week was
lighted up. The Enclosure was literally
flied with people, mostly, if not entirely,
women and children, oil stretched on the
ground asleep, or trying to sleep. Not 4
foot Of the Enclosure was unoccuplcd. In
front Of the ear there is much larger space
of ground open to the road, ana it was Sin-
ilarly crowded, and so were the sides OF the
roads, highways and byways, for, am sure,
two miles. The full moon, shining from Il
cloudlcss sky through the picturesque ban-
boo, pIantain, and cOCoanut-alm, upon the
white coyeringS-I can hardly say dress
and upturned faces Qhe latter the very pic
ture of placid serenity) supplied light and
Shade for Il picture TO which the practical
life of Europe has no counterpart, or any
thing at all approaching one.
"For about mile on each side of the car
the centre OF the road was uenscly crowded
with men of all castles and positions i'll life,
laughing and chttering with IL noise that
resembled nothing so much Us the distant
roar of the sea. And still the bands of
women came strolling in from every road
that led to the temple and the car and right
glad many of them seemed when they had
relieved themselves Of their loads and
thrown themselves down ut the roadside to
pass away the few hours before morning.
They all, men or women, courteousiy made
way for our horse, slowly led along the
There was no drink, no qualrelling, a
few merry go-roundS going round, IL
few peep-shows open, books and a thou
sand other articles for sale; several
native Christian preachers denouncing
Juggernaut sturdiy, and no one ill.,
terlering with them in the least,
but in many eases listening quietly
and going away us quietly. That is the
scene, roughly sketched, OF the night be-
fore the bathing of Juggcrnaut l do not
think there is Il people in the world who
would so patiently have heard their god de-
nounced under the very shadow OF his TEN
pe--on the sacred ground certainly--on the
night before his great festival. 1t is Il mar
vellous scene, and would make the fortune of
good artist who could hit upon such u
night for sketch rs few friends and had
for our view this year. / am bound to say
that believe the festival 20 have been oitener
dreadtully caricatured than even passably
fairly portrayed in England. am sure that
if Dean Stanley had been present, and mas
ter Of the Bengalee tongue, he would no
more have preached to that people than l
would"