Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-25
The sacred city of Be,ares

Z
time on chilly moonlight night. IN a ricSe-
" vehicle that threatened 90 turn over every
moment on bridge OF boats, with olly a
very vague idea Of where he would fnd a bel
Tor the night-thst bed being. At all events.
quite six miles off-might fafl al that par
~ LIAR psl moment 70 recognize the attractions
~ benares. On The other hand. a believer an
ShlNa, a red-turhsned, shutting white patst-
coated, llve-colOred native OF Hindostap
Win Win kls hesrt SCI upon visiting the sscret
City OF Inula. would leap for 10Y: would forget
The mist and the dimness the chilly WIND
and clammy air, the chance OF having ~
Geo and Possibly no board either. and rejoice
Win exceeding JOY at the prospect OF piuug-
ing In the Ganges next morning aud WASH
lng away what peccadflloes and worse
might chg TO his soul. The slow-mov-
ing, shrunken stream-for the rains are
long since past-would assume a new an
pCaTarce. Nonder innumerable stems down
10 the river would be but as Jacobs ladder
reversed; not, indeed, leading upward 20
glory. bat downward TO happiness here and
hereafter. A grand position f. that OF
Hiudoo pilgrim 10 Benares-a lot 10 be en-
WED by the myriads who live In the far north
and the millions who inhahit the distant
south, the natives OF the Malahar coast aud
those whose vista is view OF the Coromsu-
del Sea. These may yearly send their roll OF
furiuaate men-men who have done wrong
ard had misgivings, but who cone hither u
baihe and be morally clean hencefOrth aud
forever, but the vast majority can hope for
10 striving, no indulgence. no pardon. the
waters OF the Bombay ALBANIA or the Madras
PhsrpaT may be blue and beautiful, bat the
DO EoCd 10 the crowds OF natives whose dread
il SILVA. the destroyer. OF course the
wealthy OF the land can come hither aud he
hlest. See Naples aud die" SAYS the tai
iaEs. "See Benares aud die" echo the Hin
docs; and I'm hope OF dying here aud being
consumed by The fire on the river shore,
many rich native hurrieS on, despite agony
OF body indeG crlhsbie. What becomes OF
him when he reaches the sacred city? Visit
the river banks, and, entering dlngy, or
covered boat, move slowly down the stream
ffRa ri faar IL d.
somewhat similar TO the Essex marshes,
which skirt the Thames below Tlbary.
there is the palace OF the Mshsrsjah OI Be
mares at a distant point, but with this eN-
ception The right side of the Gauges il de-
serted. ON the left, however, a very iii tferout
picture presents Itself, and such a one a. can
not be forgotten so long as memory lasts. A
great city suddenly fronts us-a city not only
sacred, but grand in its edifices OF palaces
and temples, the chief or which are on the
waters edge. Here are hundreds OF ilghfS OF
stone steps forty or fifty Net broad, rising
high up the river bank. The steps or
'ShautS, lead 10 magnificent Oriental bu Id
lngs. Here IS the Ghaut Scindia, with the
palace or the ruler OF q waliOr above. there
the Ghaut NagpOre, with the Raj ans house
AT the summit; little further on the Ghauts
81 NiZianagram, Benares, NagpOre, aud
PeShwa, with the mansions attached The
subsisting Maharajahs aud Raj abs, having
always an eye 10 the possibilities OF fate,
ana anxious 10 make 1.-THE best OF both
worlds have house in the sacred city,
where they can comfortably retire when the
warning comes aud preparation for de-
paTture is judicious. Poorer people must
manage Without all this, and, indeed,
GO so manage. In view at this mOmeut are
thousands Of them bathing in the water. Ia D.
ping IL, washing their clOthes-if a waist
cloth can be called "clOthes"-and taking an
vessel full Of the sacred water for the koa-
ell OF their friends. The water is not bright
or clean. IL might, were IL no; 50 sacred, be
called very dirty. And there are, Just now
At any rate, some thousands OF people BATH
ing ia IL continually. But that matters aot.
y is The holy river, and the wOTshipers OF
the Ganges MI their mouths with the water.
lave IN IL, drink OF IL, quite happily. Every
dip they take, every drop they swallow.
washes off moral uncleRuliuesS. To Us stran-
gers the sight Is amazing. Under the shadow
OF temple aud mansion alike, troops OF men
women and children are coming down the
steps. A short prayer, a mOmeutary uplift-
ing OF the hands, a certain, or rather uncer-
tam, rolling OF the eye balls, and Thea a
plunge into the river. All along the bank.
hucG!ed together against the landing stages
IN the stream up 10 their necSS, cIuging TO
the bamboo posts 10 which boats are fas-
tened, every devotee is happy, each re8 Is 70
pay for a garland OF yellow flowers each de-
teImlned 10 make tue most OF a liberation
from the i'll deeds OF the past.
While thinking about this unwOn ted scene
the bOatmad attracts attention by a touch
On the arm, 70 say we are opposite the burn-
ing ghaut. To be burnt at Calcutta or Bonn
bay may be a satisfactory contemplation for
the dying native but 10 be placed on the
iunereal pyre at Benares, TO be first OF an
ashes thrown into the sacred river, f. indeed
happiness. As We look on the shore. the
boat being drawn close to the edge, a curious
sight meets our eyes. In a little space, fash
iOUed somewhat after the shape OF an amphi-
thePter, are three burning heaps OF wood
Looking down upon these, quite thirty feet
feet high above the pyres, and enveloped i'm
the smoke, are some forty or rifty men and
women, perched on the steps like so many
rocks. looking complacently down, while the
remains OF the relatives are being consumed.
Down at the waters edge, partly IN the
water, indeed, are two human bodies. One
is that OF woman, the other Of man; each
is wrapped in white linen. Very little cere-
moDy is needed, but that little is observed
The fire pile has been prepared for the re-
ception of the corpse TO be burnt. The body
Is therefore placed by the side of the river.
and then dipped into the water, so that all
the sheet is covered. Lest there should be
any doubt about this, however, a vessel OF
water is twice emptied over the head OF the
COZ pse before il is removed, and then the two
mon in attendance, lifting the body, place IL
upon the pyre; logs OF wool thrown 10 them
by assistants are laid on IL; light, dry chips
placed beneath; torch is fetched and the
light applied; there is a blaze, and-Of the
rest nothing need be said.