Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-12-23
Death of a HindOO Chief.

Death of Hindoo Chief.
a letter from Oodeypoor, Raspootana, to
the London Times, under date of October
u and If, gives some interesting particu-
lars concerning the death Of the Mahara-
ma of Oodeypoor, who was the head of all
the HindooS in India. the descendant Of
back for more than 1900 Years.
He died on the Sth of that month. Three
days before his death he had been placed
in one scale and gold was thrown into the
other, until both were balanced. The
amount of gold was about 10000 rupees
(Sl .050. .0OO). and this sum was intended to
be distributed among the Brahmins, who
tlocked into the city in order to share in
the distribution. There were over 10000.
600 of them fed in the palace, each of
whom after the feast received piece of
gold worth between three and four rupees
After the Mahlran'S death the doors of the
Zenana were locked. but the women, about
five hundred in number. did not hear Of
the event until next dwy. Then there WAS
4, fearful Outcrv. and some Of the f.vorite
wives and concubines begged to be per-
mitted to die on the funeral pile. Strict
-luard was placed upon them. by Colonel
/ " fright. the representative of the British
government, who bee ime hv the lack OF Il
successor to the dccea>d ruler the de IIcto
ruler of the country. Meanwhile troops OF
women. wtiiny in chorus, came into the
city: men We're bowling and beating upon
their breasts, anl the scenes Of that Il "
Is described. were of u most distractiny
kind The women in the Zenanl seemed
determined To yet ou- ard even threatened
10 throw themselves from the windows.
All this time the preparations for burning
the DO Y were going on. \ lot OF jewels
were selected To be placed upon the corpse,
and Colonel Wright WAS asked to allow
live thousand rupee, to be taken nom the
treasury to be distributed on the road. Oh
the Jewels Il p'lr of earrings, y beautiful
necklace and IN anklet were to be burned
the rest being brought back. The funcra
~oltmntic> are ;hus described:
About nine o'clock in the morning
lot Of Br;.hmins arrived and went up int,
he palace, and shortly after the body was
brought down, dressed up in full cour,
costume and bcdccked with Jewels. II
was placed in 4 sort OF sedan chair in {:
sitting position, covered with = canopy OF
! crimson and gold, and WAS thus borne on
the shoulders of :, lot of Brahmins The
procession was formed and went off, fiji 81
guard of Kaipoots, then men carrying
the five thousand rupees. then another
yutrd, then some twenty or thirty torch
! bearers with lighted torches, then some
men with lighted candles. then whole
/ crowd Of Brahm. ms. in the midst of whict
WIS the body borne aloft on their shoul
dcrS. Some of them sprinkled the body
with rose leaves and flowers. others car
lied palm branches, two others one or
each side, waved long yak tails about t
keep off the flies, Just as they would have
lone had the Mah,rana been alive; theI
came the emblem ef royalty, the Iiindot
Soorni,' or sun. the red umbrella, an'
other pa, aphernalia. The w,illng rs sool
the body WAS brought out in sight Of tn
rowd WI, Tremendous. The place Of ere
mation, where All the Royal tombs are, i
/ place of some two miles outside the cit,
walls. The whole populace followed tn
Dodv there, and aS soon rs the ceremon,
WIS over. every man WAS clean shaved
beard, Whi>kerS, moustacke, antsevcn tn
hair Of the head All Raj. oots wear Ion,
lowing wliSker>, which they were in tn
habit OF winding round their ears. and
must have been a great grief to many
man to cut them off. There is not n ma
IN the country now with any hair on hi
face, and it rivcs thom the funniest ap
pearancc possible.
The Maharanu died without naming
successor. left no children Of his own. an
having refused always to adopt chlldre
. 1t is customary according to Hindoo law
the succession WAS left in dispute hetwee
two uncles, who with their armed follow
rs, stood ready TO hew each other out {
. the. which they would have speedily don
l had it not been for the deterIing intluenc
. of the British authority, in this case veste
: in one man. unbar ked by troops Such
the respect for England's power in Ind
| at present however. that Col. Wright,
, the date of the letter containing the:
facts. had been able to preserve ords
f Each of the two unclcs had been accuse
: of l;ewitching the deceased. these charge
t being dropped when the end came, ar
4 the result was that an effort was made
t secure the instatement of il son of the eide
e one in the vacant place. This, rs the be
G. could not exercise authority until atta
Il ing his majority, would have placed II
.. Government in Col. Wright's hands 4
;, several years. but there appears to be
much going on among the people secret
1t that the Europeans cannot tell what
/ day may bring forth.
: The mother of the Maharana, q regul,
J., old virago, tried all manner Of schemes
: insure the destruction of the elder cand
date for the throne, and tried for four d;.
" to starvc herself. but gave it up as a ha
n Job, much to the regret of many. Othe
II also made much trouble, and Col. Wrigl
e who grew very unpopular for disallowil
u the right of Suttee, WAS hadgered by
II certain class. who wanted to be allowed
h give away in aims S35O,00O to make I
!, for the slur thus cast on the Maharana
AZ name.