Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-04
NO. 2sl.
Misfella,,eoMs.
A HINDOO FUNERAL.

tuV CAIldCG lTOu tue IeLIcr Oh
Lieut.. c. E. Yates, Assistant Political
Agent, Bombay Staff Corps, relative to the
death OF Maharana of OodeypoOr:
The REsIDENCY, OoDEYPooR,
RAJPooTANA. Oct. II, 1874.
would have written before if could
have found time, but have been in such
continual state of excitement lately that
it was impossible. Iwrote to you last Just
after my arrival from Erinpoora, on the Sd.
and forget when mentioned to you that
the Maharana was dangerously i'll. He
had been so for some time, and am sorry
think there was chance OF his recovery,
he had another attack and died most sud-
denly two days ago On the 4th inst. DR..
Macdowell arrived here from Neemuch,
eighty miles off, to consult with DR..
Burr here about the Maharana, for they
had hopes of his ultimate recovery, though
very slight one. On the 7th he was much
better, but at 10 O'Clock at night the doc
tors were sent for, as the Mahana was in
great pain. They returned to us very
shortly to say that it was all over, and that
they had left him dying; another abcess
had burst in the liver, and the shock had
been too much. Col. Wright. the political
agent here, and at once buckled on our
revolvers, and jumping into the carriage,
drove off to the palace as hard as We could
go. The Maharana had died Just minute
or two before our arrival, without naming
any successor. He had no children of
his own, and he had always refused to
adopt, as is customary according to Hin
doc law. He left two uncles both of whom
were at deadly enmity with each other,
and we were afraid that there would be q
row between them tor the succession;
however, luckily everything went OFT quiet
ly. Each of these uncles, must tell you,
had been accused of having bewitched the
Maharana, and the row was just coming
to q crisis when the latter died. One un-
Gle at the time was living in garden next
to the Residency, where he had come for
refuge and the protection of the political
agent. Three days before his death the
Maharana was weighed against gold, he
in one scale and gold monurs in the other.
This enormous sum, about lac and
half, 100000 rupeea,) was TO be distribu-
ted among the Brahmins; consequently,
the city was crammed full of these people,
who had come from miles round to parti.
pate in the spoil. l saw myself no less
| than $4,000 of them fed in the palace few
days ago, and after the feast was over
piece of gold to the value of between
| three and four roupees was given to each
as they went out Of the palace gates that
| is how the numbers were ascertained.
Well to return to the subject, Colonel
Wright and l, after hearing of the Mahar-
anas death, went down again to the wait
ing hall below. We found that all Col,
Wrghf's orders had been carried out. The
Zenana doors were locked and everything
was comparatively quiet. The entire
Government. of course. lapsed into Col.
Wright's hands, and he is at present the
dc tdcto ruler of the country. The excite
ment, which was great at first, gradually
got less, and about two o'clock in the
morning it was all pretty quiet. We lay
down in our clothes, and took short nap,
but neither OF US had any sleep. l do not
think the women of the Zenana got news
of the Maharana's death for some time,
and did not show their grief till early
morning. Just at dawn we were startled
by fearful wall from the Zenana, which
contains, am told, 500 women, so YOU
can fancy what a row all these wailing to-
gether could made. Their cry was taken
up by all the people in the palace. and
went on, may say, almost without inter-
mission for some three hours, till the body
was carried off to the place of cremation.
troops OF women came in from the city,
all wailing and crying in chorus. These
all passed through the palace into the Ze-
nana to add their lamentations to those of
| its inmates, and as day broke the prepara
tions Tor the funeral went on and the crowd
| began TO get thicker and thicker. At this
| time the women in the Zenana began to
| get most violent. The two wives and the
favorite concubine of the Maharana made
most determined efforts to break through
| the doors. and doubtless they would have
succeeded in getting out had not Col.
Wright taken the precaution of having
them locked in in the time. l had poses-
sion OF the key all the time. They wanted
to be allowed to commit 'suttee' and to be
burnt along with the Maharana, and sent
message after message to Col. Wright
begging to be let out. Their efforts to
get out were so determined that Col.
Wright at last posted the two chief mobiles
| of the State at the doors. and told them
that he would hold them personally re-
sponsibe that no one got out. 1t is rule
here that il u woman gets out of the Ze-
mana and shows her face she is either
obliged TO become '.suttee" and be
burned, or else to commit suicide. At last
the Maharana S mother sent message to
Col. Wright begging that as none of the
others were allowed to become suttee she
might have permission to do 80, as no Ma
harana OF Oodeypoor had ever died alone
and 1t would be disgrace if her son was
to do so. All the time great preparations
were going on for the funeral procession.
The noise was tremendous: in addition to
| the wailing of some 1000 women in the
Zenana, all the men were bowling and
| beating their breasts. They brought lot
of Jewels on the tray to the Colonel which
were to be put upon the corpse; pair Of
earrings, Il beautiful necklace, and an
anklet were to be burnt with the body.
The rest were to be brought back. The
Colonels permission was also asked to
take 5000 rupees out of the treasury for
distribution along the road. About 0 o.
clock in the morning a lot of Brahmins ar
rived and went up into the Palace, and
shortly after the body was brought down,
dressed up in full Court costume and be-
decked with jewels. 1t was placed In a
sort OF seden chair in sitting position,
covered with canopy ofcrimson and gold
| 1CnNryvrnUp ~,