Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-11-29
wor.n,pv,nx Account Boo..

correspondent writes: "Dewa!ce. tn,
feast OF lanterns, has Otter been describes
IN your Columns. l proceed to describ
the Interesting ceremony Of Tahee Pooja
which | WAS invited 10 witness vt the offic
OF distinguished native firm. Among tht
natives of India, whether they be Parsees
Mohammedaus, or Hindoos, for practica
purposes the new year commences with
1 that of the Hindoos. the ceremony O
Vahee Pooia, as IFS name denotes, is tn,
worshippIng of the account-book for tn,
new year. 1t takes place day before the
Dewslee, and is performed not only BY
every merchant and trader, but evea by
private persons. In short, the new veal
among natives of India, whether for busI-
ness or household affairs, commences with
the new year OF the Hndoos. This ne.
cessitates the closing of old accounts and
opening of new ones, and for the latter
| purpose new books are used, but before
they can be so utilized they must be wor-
shipped, and each according 10 his means
does this. The weather. native firms
avail themselves of the opportunity to in
vite their friends and constituents to be
present TO wish them happy and pros
porous year. The firm who had invited
re is one of the Oldest firms In Bombay, |
Of course expected the pooja, or ceremony
OF worshipping. would be performed By
the no6eds or dustoors, a sort of .jdsu,,
ceremony-but was surprised on entering
the Office to see the place of honor assigned
10 q half-starved anu very dirty-looking
Brahmin. On the hoor If one of the rooms
spraaH q afeou daur ofntb ,,,t,, kur,
cushions nesr the walls, In the center OF
which were placed silver trays containing
yGn-suparee. cocoanuts, bdttIsas. dried
dates, sugar-care, coriander seeds, and
silver and copper coins, In an adjoining
room was placed silver vase containing
fire, and rsund Ii stood one OF tue high
priests, or dustosTs, of the Parsees, At
tended by several mobeds.
When all the preparations were CON-
pleted we took our seats by the well-ad-
justed cushions, and all who knew Guzeratl
were given a new account book and new
pen, and each wrote on the second leaf of
the book what seemed to be sup9lication
to the deity invoking his blessings Tin as
many names as he Is known by in the To-
roastrlan calendar) for the new year, which
is writlez IN full with its corresponding
English aud Parsee dates. When some
thirty books had been written up, the Bah
mIn-who sat In the center AMID trays
containing the articles above enumerated
had them submerged in gutut and the red
stuff used by natives on all ausplclous oc-
casiOns; aud thus the dustoor and his mo
beds on the one hand, and the Brahmin on
the other, invoked the deity's blessings.
The duties OF the Brahmin were not, how
ever, confined to simply supplicstiDg his
gods 10 bless the undertakings for the
coming year of the Parsee firm; they
seeemed TO be of a multffarous nature, for
e appeared to have bad to bless (5y.mut-
te.ing something in Sanscri) each article
as he took it from the tray, and after
besmearing 1t with the red stuff, to place
IL ON one Of the many ne &C cunt books
near him. This went on until the trays
we're empted OF their contents. Then IN a
small silver dish were mixed some corlan-
der seeds TyIih sugar and gwen to all the
guests TO eat; and then, as it were by way
OF final dramatic effect, the BrahmIn
took small silver vessel, and IN 1t placed
some of the red stuff with two or three
pieces OF Ignited camphcr, and had 1t taken
about the room while he stood up shouting
at the top of his voice, "Brahma! Brah-
NAL" Then were distributing money,
nosegays, an: pan suparee to all those
present, and the proceedings terminated.
was informed that the books and articles
would be LETT undIsturbed on the floor as
placed by the BrahmIn until the new
wears day