The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-04-18

ed by fanclful naval designs, brilliant
4 light, and variegated 1drapery, by NOV
ing crowds and splendid costumes, re
fieeted by mirrors, crystals and gold,
was produced here; while the senses
Were ravished by the perfume of burn
4 ing incense and tropical flowers. Though
] dazzled by cross-lights, and bewildered
by the indescribable glitter, we passed,
under safe guidance, from our own
barge to that of the Maharajah of Be
mares. Under the same conduct we
/ passed through successive chambers,
each yarying'in enchantment from the
Others, until we reached the curtained
and festoOned central saloon, apprO-
priated to guests. Here rose-water and
i neroh gushed over us from silver and
crystal fountains; champagne and sher-
bets sparkled in golden vases; buffets
/ groaned with the weight of fruits, con
ifectionery and ices while beautiful
nautch girls in gauzy attire performed
! their most sacred and celebrated songs
and dances to their strange music.
1t may be imagined we were filed
with emotion, when, in an interval of
/ this elaborate Asiatic exhibition, the
solemn measure of "CIory Halleluiah "
from a full European orchestra burst
upon our ears. The performance of
this great marching anthem of the Union
army in the late war, was thoughtful
recognition on the part of the mahara-
jah of Mr. Stewards presence. We
took leave of our princely entertainers
at twelve o'clock, leaving the pageant
of the Ganges to go on during the
whole night for the enjoyment of those
who, unlike ourselves, had strength
enough to endure it. a rsr. aE
THE GHAUFs OF THE GANaEs.
Long before John baptized in the
Jordan, the Asiatics had conceived the
beautiful idea that certain rivers are
holy, and that their waters have the
mower of "cIeansing from all sin." The
Ganges is, as it always has been, that
river. of the Hindoos. They must come
hither as pilgrims from the most distant
regions, at least. once in lifetime, and
even once a year, if they can. They
come here, moreover, if they can, to
! die; because, to die in the holy city,
| secures a direct entrance into paradise
Native princes, successful baboos, and
rich zemindars, please the Bramin
priests and the people, and think also
that they please the gods, by erecting
majestic temples and buildings, costly
marble ghauts for the use of the pill
grims as we'll as burning ghauts To
reach these ghauts, the high, steep
banks of the river, for miles in length,
are terraced with perfect stone steps.
The temples rise to the height of five,
six, seven, eight, nine stories. They
are built of marble and freestone, pier
ced with windows of every conceivable
graceful shape, and are extravagantly
ornamented with colennades, corridors,
balconies, inches, large and small
domes, towers, pavilions, and pinnacles,
which are set off with gliding and
bright coIors. The mosque, with its
tapering minarets, occasionally inter
iected among the temples, lends pleas
ing relief to the Hindoo architecture,
while its severe form and outlines seem
to reprove the prolific imagination of
the Hindoos. A highly-picturesque
scone presented itself on the river bank.
Citizens, pilgrims, men, women, and
chldren-singly, in groups, and in
throngs-are ascending and descending
the staircases, bearing on their heads
bronze urns and vases, large and small,
of forSs as graceful as the Etruscan.
Even the stately elephant seems to have
adopted the mystic faith, for we saw
him many times walk down the stair
case, which had been nicely adapted to
the human footstep, fill his trunk, and
solemnly return. Pilgrims were plum
ging into the water from platforms and
boats and barges of fanciful construc-
ton, some IN the shape of peacocks,
swans, and fishes All the devotees
dress IN snow-white robes as they leave
the water, to give effect to the idea that
immersion purifes The funeral-fres
of the previous night are still blazing.
How can they be extinguished? ALI
that are in the city must die, and all
that die are brought here. Having
passed the entire river-front in the yacht
we dismissed it and returned through
the streets of the city. They are close
and narrow, but well paved, and COM
pared with the Chinese Sties, excepting
Canton, they are clean. The chief
temple is that of silva, the representa-
tive of the principle of destruction and
reproduction The dome and the tow
ers are of FURNISHED gold. silva is the
same round, black stone set in the floor
as at Calcutta. For greater reverence
is paid to him here. Access and egress
are made almost impossible by the null
titude of pilgrims and yotaries, who
come into the temples laden with per
fumes, fruits, flowers, and urns of holy
water. Priests receive these obIations
and appropriate them as perquisites,
nor did the holy men disdain to receive
some bright silver rupees from our un-
worthy and profane hands. These
small, gentle, and very pretty sacred
white cows, with wreaths of orange
flowers and roses around their necks,
wander at pleasure in the holiest recess
es of the temple, among the worship
pers, who feed them with rose-leaves
and locus-fowers. l- sza-rs "
But what poor apology for human
1avOtiO4 ie tl,a+ ,F Sl;,zo. ,~,,,,-,,,.c5 LII
the exhibition of that sentiment which