Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-03-30
BATHING AND BURNING.
Benares, the Holy City of the Gan8es---Its
Funereal fyres and Monkey Temple.

Funereal Pyres and Monkey Temple.
The correspondent of the London
Telegraph writes as follows: In view
at this moment are thousands Of natives
bathing in the water, tapping it, wash
ing their clothes-if waistcloth can be
called "clothes"- taking up ves-
selful of the sacred water for the benefit
of their friends. The water is not bright
or clean. 1t might, were it not 80 sacred,
be called very dirty. And there are just
now, at any rate, some thousands of
people bathing in it continually. But it
is the holy river, and the worshipers of
the Ganges fill their mouths with the
water, lave in it, drink of it, quite hap
PLY. Every dip they take, every drop
they swallow, washes off moral unclean-
liness. To us strangers the sight is amaz-
ing. Under the shadow of temple and
mansion alike, troops of men, women
and children are coming down the steps.
A short prayer, momentary uplifting
of the hands, a certain, or rather uncer-
tain, rolling of the eyeballs, aid then q
plunge into the river. All along the
bank, huddled together against the land
ing stages, in the stream up to their
necks, clinging to the bamboo posts to
which boats are fastened, every deyotee
is happy, each ready to pay for garland
of yellow flowers, each ready to make
the most of liberation from the i'll
deeds of the past.
While thinking about this unwonted
SCENE. the boatman attracts attention by
touch on the arm, to say we are oppo-
site the burning ghaut. To be burned
at Calcutta or Bombay may be satisfac-
tory contemplation for the dying native;
but to be placed on the funereal pyre at
Benares, to be first Of all washed in the
Ganges, and then to have his ashes
thrown into the sacred river, is indeed q
happiness. As we look on the shore,
the boat being drawn close to the edge,
curious sight meets our eyes. In q
little space, fashioned somewhat after
the shape Of an amphitheater, are three
burning heaps of wood. Looking down
upon these, quite thirty feet high above
the pyres, and enveloped in the smoke,
are some forty or fifty men and women,
perched on the steps like so many rocks,
looking complacently down while the
remains of their relatives are being con-
sumed.
Down at the waters edge, partly in
the water, indeed, are two human bodies.
One is that of woman, the other OF a
man each is wrapped in white linen.
Very little ceremony is needed, but that
little is observed. The fire pile has been
prepared for the reception 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, q vessel
of water is twice emptied over the head
of the corpse before it is removed, snd
then the two men in attendance, lifting
the body, place it upon the pyre; logs
of wood thrown to them by assistants
are laid on it; light, dry chips placed
beneath torch is fetched, and the
light applied there is blaze, and-of
the rest nothing need be said.
Benares is holy city ; it is notable in
many other respects. We're nothing
more to be seen, the observatory, its
golden temple, its sacred well, and its
strange bazaar would give it the title to
be ranked among the most notable
places in the world. But it has, in addi-
tion to all these, and the most holy point
of the Ganges, long groves OF trees
orange, citron, plantain, and palm-and
the most singular monkey temple in the
world. On arriving at the temple we
were supplied with plate of parched
peas and number of white sweetmeats,
of which it was said the monkeys had
many times signifed their appreciation.
and, thus furnished, we entered the
temple. Up in the neighboring trees,
on the walls and the roofs of houses, In
the roads chasing luckless children, and
on the fronts of the shops, these crea-
lures seemed to be everywhere. That
they were mischievous was also un-
doubted, for now and then they would
hurl stones or pieces of wood at passers-
by with an aim by no means to be de-
spised, or would lean over the wall and
quietly snap off the turban OF some
thoughtless pedestrian, who might shout
and call not only the monkey, but the
| QOuhGy D SlSbSI duo LuoDuCA -pho oP
proved style of abuse here-all kinds OF
unpleasant names but bis turban might
be considered as gone, all efforts OF it's
owner Notwithstanding, and the best
thing he could do would be to buy an.
other puggaree as quickly as possible.
Our entry to the temple was a signal fol
a general assemblage of these pleasant
animals. They tumbled down from the
minarets of the temple, they came over
the walks by scores, they wriggled
through holes and crevices, aud rushed
in at the doorways. Fortunately, they
were peaceably inclined, and as the stock
of sweetmeats and peas was large, and
their hunger not great-for they are fed
on an average fifty times a day by pill,
grims and worshipers-they were con,
tent to take what was thrown them, and,
filling their cheeks as full as possible,
make off.