Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-09
Written for the CEsrnE DEMOCRAT.
Maharashtra.
ny REV. dALEN W. SELLER.

WIN ah outiihc VI lHuluH nlStOIy anu
institutions.
The Hindus are the descendants of
the Aryan race, from which also the
Caucasians of the West are sprung.
They came from Central Asia, probably
near Bactria, 5000 years ago, and found
India inhabited by tribes inferior to
themselves in knowledge and civiiza.
ton, and Of much darker complexion.
They naturally came into collision with
the aborigines, whom they called Dasyt,s
natives, as they themselves are now
called by their English conquerors. The
Dasyus were gradually driven from
their most fertile regions to the table.
lands and mountainous districts of
South India and their descendants,
known as the Kols, Bheels, Mahars,
Mangs, &c, are still numerous in Central
and Southern India. Ethnographically
speaking, the aborigines are not Hin.
dus, being despised as outcastes by the
latter. All the Brahmans, in ancient
times, were priests, scribes, teachers,
ascetics, &c, and the Hindu race was
divided into four castes-Brahmans
Kshetrias, Naishyas and Shudras The
kshetrias were warriors, the Naishyas
merchants, and the Shudras, farmers
and mechanics. But, in the course OF
time, these castles were subdivided into
scores of castles, according to the mum.
Der of trades and professions; and in.
tercourse with those engaged in menial
labor and with. outcastes was gradually
discontinued. ppn the Brahmans are
divided into a imber of castes, and
the members of1 shese different castes
do not in;ermarrS Caste is one Of the
leading featuresl of Hinduism, and its
rules are closely interviewer with those
of their ceremonial religion. Indeed, a
mans caste determines not only his
social position, but also his religion.
As foreigners do not belong to any Of
the Hindu eastes they could not become
Hindus, in religion, even il they wished.
The main feature in the religion Of
all Hindus is the transmigration Of the
soul. They believe that the Divine
Spirit pervaIes the universe, and that
the soul of eveyy person is part of the
Spirit of God, and after a series Of trans.
migrations is finally absorbed in the
oIety. The Bra.1m is believed TO be
IN 'he highest tage Of probation, and
1t he violates cad Ste rules or ceremonial
laws, his soul is, after death, kept in
purgatory until Stonement is made,
after which it re alaimates the body of
man or beast until 1 again reaches the
state OF probation Preparatory to ab.
sorption. Hindus believe. too. that a
host of deities have emannted from tho
divine nature, some OF whom have be.
come incarnatc to fulfil nl various pur.
poses. Household g. {, also, are mum.
eroa'. These pref lirh .rl, observation.
Will suffSe 70 tbcial and = on future ref.
eFenoe. 'c'l>.Alisiou' Gus.
toms of India.
.haharashtra comprehends,a surface of
about 100000 square miles, and is
bounded on the north by the Sautpoora
mountains, on the west by tAe Indian
Ocean, and the most easte,I ksint is
Nagpoor. The name of th2Ssa is
derived from maha. great, and rashtra,
kingdom. In ancient times II was prob.
ably ruled by one Hindu king or raja.
and the Marathas we're the dominating
race. Subsequently the kingdom was
divided into small principalites, all OF
which had to submit to one Of the Ma.
homedan conquerors in the lith cen
tury. In the 10th century the Marathas
we're subject to the independent Ma.
homedan dynasty at Bejapoor, and
through the influence OF Brahmans at
the court Of Bejapoor they rapidly rose
into importance. But il was not until
the lIth century that they were organ.
lied into nation by the great Shiysjee.
Shivaiee was born in 1927, and early
in life showed an aptitude for military
exploits. Most of the fortresses in
Western India were in possession Of
Mahomedan Khans or Hindu noble.
men, and as the ambition of Shivajee
developed he formed designs of captur.
ing these one after another, by bribery,
treachery or open force. lie gathered
trusty bands Of mountaineers called
MaWuiees, to whom he held out the in
ducement Of plumber, and like the willy
tiger he would often issue from noun.
tain deiiles or recesses and spring upon
his unsuspecting enemy. lie thus ex.