The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-22
De MOrtnis.
1.-THE Contemporary Review.

Inc tOntcHlpOlTlrY REVIEW
The subject OF how to dispose OF DIR
dead in such manner as best to combine
reverence for their sacred bodies with due
care for the health Of the living is one 50
| full OF interest that no one travelling in
| lands where methods differing from our
own are practiced can fail 10 experience
come curiosity on the subject. During
our travels in India ! had abundant OPP
pOrtunitcs Of witnessing the process
OF cremation rs practiccd 10y the
| lIinduS, more especially at BenarcS,
| that most holy city Of the BrhminS, the
| bourne which every piouS Hindu Graves Ia
reach, in time to die there, on the banks Of
| the sacred river GangeS. Many time
have seen the dying laid down to breathe
| their last breath alone on the halIOwcd
shore. while their friends went off to bar
gain with the neighboring timber merchant
Tor Is much wood A. their limited means
could procure. Often in the ease OF the
very poor this sum was 30 small that the
humble fire has barely suniced to char the
body. which was then thrown into the
river and suffered 10 float seward. in com
pany with many another, in every
stage OF puirefaction, spreading the
seed OF pestilence on the Sultry air and
lOisOning the stream in which mvrad>
hourly battle, and from which they drink.
But in the ease Of the Weather Hindu the
funeral pyrc is carefully hmlt, and when
the corpse has been washed in the river il
is >wathcd in fair linen. white or scarlet.
or, still more often, the >hroud is OF the
sacred saffron color. on which j. ShOWercd
a handful Of ycrmilion paint to symbolic
the blood OF Sprinkling is the atOncmcnt
for sin. Sometimes The body j. wrapped
IN cloth Of silver or of gold, and j. laid
upon the funeral pyrc. Dry sweet grass
is then laid over if, and precious amounting
oil. which shall make the flame burn more
brightly, and more wood is heaped on, till
the pyrc is very high. 4 Brahmin then
brings sacred fire, and gives Il lighted torch
to the chief mOllrner, who bears it thrice on
nine times, slin-wi>c, round the body.
He touches the lips OF the dead with
the holy fire, then ignites the pyrc.
Other torches are applied simultaneously,
and in II very few moments the body
il burned, though the fire shoulders
long. Then tbs ashes are collected and
Sprinklcd on the sacred river, which ear
rics them away 10 the ocean. Night and
day this work goes on without ccaSing, and
many weird funeral scene | have wit
messed, sometimes beneath the burning
rays OF the MONDAY sun, while my house
boat lay mO0rcd in midstream. to enable
me better to witness all the strange phase,
Of religious and social life enacted on il,
shores, and sometimes in the course of our
night iOurneyinGs, when the pale noon
beams mingled with the dim blue flames,
casting lurid light on the withercd, witch
like forms of the mOurncrS, often Il group
OF gray-haired women, whose shril walls
and piercing cries rang through the air rs
they circled round the Eyre in solemn pro-
ccs>ion, suggesting some spirit dance OF
death. When body has been consumed
all The mOurners repair 10 the river. beat
ing their breasts and hOwlmg. and pro-
cced 10 wash themselves and their clothes.
and perform divers ceremonies Of purili-
cation necessary after touching Il dead
body.