The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-11-25
BURNING TIE DEAD.

now the Kite Is Performed BY the H.ndoei
"a Cosity Cercmony--A Hundred DsRu.
tfful Girls Bnrncd nj n Suffice in Raipu.
tann.
The most expensive ceremonies in
India, says correspondent, are mar
riages and funerals. Every Hindoo with
apractical turn Of mind, and who regards
with reverential awe the teachings OF
the priesthood, looks forward with
dread to the period when his eldest son
is to be married, or to the death Of his
father. In nine cases out Of ten these
events prove the ruin and disgrace of q
family, plunging them into debt or cut
ting them off from their caste if they
refuse to expend vast sums upon either
of the ceremonials. The more enlight-
ened Hindoos appreciate the foolishness
OF these expenditures, but superstition
and the priesthood are as yet too strong
for them. All Hindoos burn, and Mo-
hammedans bury their dead. In South
India greater attention is paid to the
ceremonial, preparation OF the corpse
and arrangement of the pyrefhan is the
custom in North India, and for this
reason shall first describe what have
seen i'll Madras. Hindoos frequently
hasten the death Of sick man. When
they make up their mind that the patient
Is abo!t ito depart this world, they calm
iy begin to ascertain how many yards OF
muslin will be required for his ehroud,
and actually take him from his bed and
place him in O wooden trestle prepare
tory to giving him his final bath. These
preparations are made several minutes
before the breath has left the mans
body, and whilehe yet retains his con-
seriousness. No native ever permits any
person to breathe his last within four
walls. 1t is a curious superstition, not
unconnected with sanitary reasons, but
still it must be wretched for. the dyinA
man to see the )prepAratiSas for hit
funeral conducted with 'delfberation by
those who ought to be plunged in grief
Never has the dying native to bid his
friends dry their tears. II there is any
weeping it is done by the person who is
about to die.
These ceremonies are only IN vogue
among the lower castles Of the.Hindoos,
the BrahmiAs differing in some i'm.
portant particulars. For instance, they
have no music during the time the
corpse is being carried to the burning
CHAT, nor do they have any frantic
zealots rushing about and fighting in-
aginary demons. No sooner is the body
completely covered up, and holes made
in this oven, so rs to- permit the smoke
to escape, than the son betakes himself
TO tree, and, sitting under its shade,
awaits there the arrival OF the barber.
Ii is obligatory upon Brahmin TO keep
hIa fQQa Al auaH Ittk 11,...,a.
OF father it is permissible to let the |
beard grow as sign OF sorrow and i'm
pending disaster. But directly the |
funeral services are over he must sub.
NIT to DO shaved from the crown of his |
head to the soles Of his feet. Two
BARRIERS are generally employed in this
task, and, as the razor has to pass over
every part OF the mourner's body, some
time is consumed in its accomplish |
ment. The head is, Of course, shaved |
first, the eyebrows next, and then the |
eyelashes are cut of, and so on until |
there is not single hair visible ON the |
body Of the bereaved son. The wild |
owed woman has to undergo the same
operation, but with this difference, that !
she is never again permitted'to let the
hair grow either on her head or on her (
eyebrows.
The shaving completed, the most i'm
portant part of tho ceremony has to
come. That is the feast. If the de.
ceased be Brahmin, he has to feed all
the Brahm;ns in the village, and as
their number is legion and then appe-
tites voracious, the family purse is
nearly depleted. Filial affection is one
OF the singular characteristics of thb
Hindoo. The relationship between
father and son is regarded as holier
and is more truly respected than that
existing between husband and wife.
No sooner. however, is the hasd OF the