The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-13
M, 1urosopHrsrs IN BOMBAY.
Mo-. BIavatsky's Company Pay Visit - =
nindoo Theatre.

forms saluted us on every SIDE. Costumes. |
souipagos. buildings. religious observanccs-
an wero new and interesting; but l think
ro,bing surprised us more than the perform
snce TO which We were recently invited by the
ui,doo manager Of the Elphinstone Theatre.
We had all been diligcnt theatre.g oers in New
YORK. London. and Paris. but for unique and
alarming naivei6 Tho Abduction of Sta"
,nrpossed all we had ever seen. imagined. or
heard described.
The invitation. courteously given. was cour-
,eously accepted There was due exchange
Of salaams and ealutations. and the affair was
arranged. Attended by cort6ge OF Hindoo
iriends. all anxious to assist our imperfect
knowledge Of the language. we reached tho
theatre at the appointed time. mounted the
wide exterior wooden staircase and found our
,elyes in a great piazza opening into the bal
cony OF the theatre. the best. and. except the
parterrc the only place available for specta-
tors. Four velvet chairs. close to the centre OF
the wooden railing that garnishod the front OF
The balcony. were placed at our disposal.
The other seats were less sumptuous. and
the dingy benches that filed the parterre
looked extremely unnviting hard. and mar
row The play bill. a wonder and marvel OF its
kind. was placed In our hands. and read thus:
Xxi rnE eRElr eop oASAsHA m rRoririArKp.
"Fls EbAis, Thouts nries OH eoi spectator, come st.
sAd ~, The Aht1ios q S ply dep oia, aud oler
gaifpoa and ~ NhA The r5tnos eiH b b,HSdi many
ay. TIE f' grand tirs AMI dirison, are ehoics
,rfi Sr, abiaioa and n. dein of her asiaotor TA,r.
WI n gr,n ne adreafye u Rant he killer Of ne demons
S,o ~asnao' dsssvsei he sloVfcidl preparations"
This document was printed in Mahratti.
though the performance was to be In Goojerati.
and 1t also informed us that the price OF places
varied from Soc. to 12c. With 1t was a brilliant
Magenta-colored paper announcing that on the
evening Of Feb. the distinguished American
strangers had consented to honor the theatre
with their presence; and. to our surprise. we
learned that 5000 OF these handbils had al
ready been distributed in Bombay.
Surprise No. was the arrival OF the manager
followed by a servant carrying a basket. in
which reposed four bouquets and as many thick
ropes OF white flowers. 1t was easy to guess
that the bouquets we're destined for us, but we
were hardly prepared to find that the ropes
were TO DO twisted about our necks. with view
OF doing us greater honor. Such however. was
the managerial intention. and we were obliged
10 submit. and look as little like prize cattle as
we conveniently could but am afraid the gen.
eral effect was rather bovine especially. when
toward the small hours OF the morning. the
coffee. betel nuts. lemonade and cigars that
were offered us at short intervals failed TO keep
us always on the right side OF the boundary
line that divides sleeping from waking. 1t was
not that " The Abduction OF Sta" was wanting
In interest; on the contrary II was neurological.
religious. and poetic but IL was also long drawn
out Every sensation. surprise. and emotion
was stretched 10 the EXTREMIST point OF tensity
and sucked dry OF all the interest 1t could DOS
Iibly contain.
The story turned on tho adventures OF the
hero Ram. rs related in the Ramayana. from
which the Had is supposed TO have been bor-
rowed; and a slight antediluvian flavor may
De- forgiven in the play. when 1t is considered
hat the hero is supposed TO have lived 5000
years b. c.
1t was nearly o'clock when the curtain, ris-
Ing on the first act. revealed the god yishnu
and his wife reclining at sea. on what more re-
Iemtled mattress than the serpent We were
informed the diver was intended for. Behind
HE god and goddess was q three-headed
wooden doll. representing the Trinity. and
suspended from the wings were two nymphs
who famed the august pair. Balanced on
The green baze waves. this novel boat and
lis occupants moved before the eyes OF
HE spectators. while Hindoo song OF
the usual length RECALLED their ears. There
There is a peculiar quality in Hindoo music.
II Ia pathetic. nasal. and depressing. II sounds
ike the outcome Of long ages OF poverty and
enables the lean faEr to retain the same atti-
lude Of self-torture for hours and days at time.
We failed to trace any appreciate connection
between the first and the second act. in which a
King. turbaaed. crowned and iewelled. seated
In solitary state on his throne. bewailed an inn
pending separation from his son. and con-
tnued his wall in unchanged accents while n
long string Of courtiers filed in and took their
places around him. One would have thought
that the relationship Of father and son was
entirely new TO the world-as recently invented
a. Edison's phonograph-so thoroughly did the
venerable monarch expound all the bearings
Of the subject while the courtiers. uncourtier-
Ike remained rs stoidly unmoved by the re-
cital Of parental woes II they had been smitton
with deafness or carved out OF stone. The act
ended with a slow and monotonous dance. exc
cu,ed by one OF the masculine nymphs OF the
company. during which he did something
with his hands which they said was flying q
kite. and something with handkerchief which
was supposed TO represent playing on the hute
can only say that IL the depression Of the suf-
ferng King Was relieved by this performance
hlanind must have been peculiarly constituted.
When the curtain fell at last. we drank coffee
roamed about the theatre. and disported our
Selves according TO our own sweet VIII. Some
OF our party penetrated to the greenrOom, and
were greatly edited by what they saw therein
long row Of Hindoos stood in front OF high
bench ranged against the wall. and on which
was arrayed small fragments OF looking glass
and rough paint and powder pots. All OF
them had succeeded In bringing their faces TO q
most Unnatural degree Of pink and whlteness
but their hands retained their normal color, and
garments douned al the beginning Of the play
were usually retained unchanged until its ter
n nation. ono actor, arrayed in all the glory
Of green and red gauze bed gown, yellow I'M
Grrgurm 'nts and turban wonderful 70 be-
hnd, informed us in broken English, that he
hhI ho brother actors were mostly schoQlmas-
iers who taught the young idea 10 shoot during
thr day. and utilized their nightly leisure In
turning an honest penny, and an occasional
t4Wrr-aut on tho stage No women are en-
J. Iyrf ia The theatres and sta. the heroine al
The Piece, WAS first presented 70 us in the greer
I41m ia the form OF a tall, 1.-the. elegantly drapec
II qd'o, painted and powdered 10 perfection
ln'c
H. The third act the curtain again rose on
regal scene and we bcheld another king seated
IN state. with two long rows Of couriers on par
al. wooden benches before him. The only i'm
lfoWurnt on tho last scene WAS the appear
an y sta aud her attendants in balcony be-
hiui me throne. and the Introduction OF huge
Mo"dnu Triangle that lay near the iootlights
W. gathered from the chant that opened tht
proceedings and from the explanations 81 The
manager who had kindly taken up his post o.
interpreter near cur chairs that the august per
touag" On the throne was about to bestow The
hani u his daughter sta on tho fortunate in
ulNdunl whose proves aud muscles shoult
81.