River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-06-29

In her interesting Sketches OF ''Ihe
Orient and It's People Mrs HauSef
describes the mode Of disposing of
their dead, which 10 pIacticed 10y the
llindus The Ganges is considered a
sacred river, and It's waters are be
lieved to possess the power OF healing
the sick, sanctifying the souls OF the
dying, and cleansing the bodies and
souls Of the well from all impurities,
IL is the longing of every faithful
Hindu, when his final summons shah
GENE, 10 pass from the earth to the
land Of the spirits with his feet sub
merged in the blessed water of this
river, and with its mud filling his
mouth, ears, and nostrils. Thousands
of the sick and dying are annually
borne to its shores in their last mo.
ments, that they may have the assur.
ance Of Immortality through a death
in its embrace. After life has depart
ed, the bodies Of the Hindus are burn
ed on the banks OF the Ganges, and the
ashes are thrown into the stream. or
they are placed ON raft having a
lighted lamp at each corner, and are
pushed out into the current, while the
relatives watch the floating coffin with
eager eyes, until il sinks beneath the
water, OF the erocodlle5 make a mouth
full of it.
During the dry season, says Mrs.
Hauser, "human skeletons, nicely
cleaned and bleached, are seen scatter
ed on the sand. There is no telling
how many Hindus vOracious fish
eater devOus during a lifetime in
India, one Of the strange
sights that met us, as we entered the
Hughly River from the ocean was the
dead bodies floating by us, with birds
standing upon them, While at Cal.
cutta, several ladies of our company
wished to go to the railway-depot
on the other side of river, and,
before We could get the boat near
enough to the shore for them enter it,
we had to push away with our oars
several dead bodies Of men and women
that had floated down the stream and
lodged there.
II have often seen sick and dying
men and women hurried overthe dusty
road to the river. Sometimes they
were carried on light bedstead, on
men 5 shoulders, with only a piece of
cloth thrown over them to protect
them from the fearful rays OF the sun.
Sometimes they were carried in carts,
without springs, in which they could
not lie down, though too weak TO sit
up. They were often attended only by
a driver, who hurried on the oxen, re-
gGrdless of the pain and groans of the
dying one, lest they might not reach
the river ere life was gone The eldest
son usually accompanies his mother on
this last awful journey. When the
river is reached, she is placed partly
In the water, She must die now. To
return home, to be repulsed by the
Holy Mother Gange5, would be great
81 calamity than Widowhood. Toe
often the son hastena her death, lest
she should recover. The last sigh has
scarce escaped when her body is
thrust out into the stream, to become
food for alligators and vultures.
When invalids have once been placed
in the Ganges, in expectation Of their
decease, they are seldom proyid-
ed with either food on water, no mat
ter how long life may be protlacted.
Should the fresh air and the change
in their situation produce a change for
the better in their disease, as is some
times the case, the circumstance Is |
regarded as very unfortunate, being |
interpreted as an ayowal that then /
souls are rejected by the Ganges. Mrs |
Hauser repeats the account of IAN
aged Hindu mother, who was thus ex-
posed by the river bank for thirteen
days, fed only with a little milk, part
of the time without shelter from the
rains, and part Of the time screened
from alternate drnching showers, on
fierce heat of the sun, by a slight can
opy OF mats, Fol a consideration Of
2j rupees, the BIahmins allowed the
old woman to return home. and her
family To retain their caste, nOtWith.
standing the reprodch cast upon them
by the refusal of the Ganges toreceive
one Of their numoer
While the Invalid survives, the
friends usually continue with MIN on
her through the day, but at evening
the duty Of watching is given over to
q servant and the relatives retire. to
the comfort of their dwellings. when
death is imminent mud is stuffed into
the ears and n0strils Of the moribund,
and Ganges water is poured down the
throat, and thus life is fastened ia It's
exit.
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