The Southern herald., 1885-12-05
CREMATION IN INDIA.
The Solemn and Affecting Cers.
mony Performed BY the
Hindoos

To every traveller in Hindostan is ia
miliar the terrible call Of Ram, Ram
Such Hail" which, being translated into
English, means, literally, God, God is
truth The cry is a fearful one. cry
which once heard fingers with peculiar
rhythm in the hearers ear, for never is
it heard from the lips Of q single man,
but from many, sometimes from the lips
Of hundreds, and which borne with that
terrible distinctness of the well aceentu-
ated many upon still air its effect Is
peculiarly awe-striking. Still more so
when. at rapid trOt upon the shoul-
ders Of f0ur white-robed men Is seen
white.sheeted corpse laid upon light
bier. So tightly has been drawn the
shrouding over the dead figure that
every outline Of the body is distinctly
visible; ana thus at quick pace hurry
the body bearers, followed BY an inn
mense throng, to the burning CHAT,
there to burn the body Of the deceased.
Since the advent Of the British into
power ia India The fearful rite Of suttee,
which condemned to be burnt along with
her husband bis widows, has been pre-
vented and though, even at this day,
a Hindostani burning Is sight by no
means pleasant, 1t was much more fear
full when along with the burning dead
husband were burned one or more Of his
late wives. sMsM
The first time when that sacrifice was
clearly brought home TO Englishmen
was when Job Chornock. half-pirate,
half-adventurer, saved the life Of a
beautiful Bengalee widow as she was
being thrust upon the burning pyre of
her husband Job Charnock. laid the
foundation Of the present capital of In
dia, Calcutta, aud il was at its present
site where the gallant sailor performed
this hazardous saving feat. Charnock
had penetrated up the Hoogly in quest
Of adventures, and seeing from his YES
selpreparations for the burning Of a Hin.
doc he watched the process with curious
excitement; but when it came to cremat.
ing living people, and above all a young
woman, all the generous impulses Of tho
sailors heart were stirred, and calling
to his comrades be leaped ashore, and
with the aid Of their knives he soon dis
persed the heathens and afterward mar
ried the woman and founded Calcutta
There are few more affecting sight
than Hindoo cremation. There is 81
much Of solemnity and so much of bar
barrie pomp attending the ceremonial
such a general gathering of clansmen
and so much paid loud weeping anC
silent agony, that 1t may be well saiC
that not 10 be present at q burning is Il
lose one Of the most interesting enter
tainments that Hindostau can offer. N,
Hindoo is ever permitted TO die withil
four walls. Out in the open air mus
the last gasp be breathed, and the las
look ofsthe dying man must be upoi
that which is not made by hands. Tn
measure is not wholly one of religion
but more Of sanitary precaution. De
composition sets in SO rapidly that it
reckless to leave body in close an
confined rooms longer than an hour q
thevery most. No sooner does deaf
appear inevitable than the friends pre-
pare to meet it in the most philosoph
cal manner. The dying man is born
out into the eopen air, the hired mourn
ers are sent for, and sit on each side {
the Intel and wall In a heartrendin
manner. These rnourners are womeI
old and ugly, dressed in the CONVEX
tional green, red, and white dusty ga
ments, with. hair disheveled, barD-yaT
sweepings on their head, and all the a
complishments of woe imaginabl
From constantly engaging in such bus
ness their faces appear to have attaint
the expression most .beftting such occ
sions.
About the amounting Of the corpse Il
Hindoo is most particular. It is rubbC
all over with the essence of roses. III
hair is oiled, the cheeks and lips a
painted bright vermillion, and the boz
swathed in white linen, manufacture
for that purpose, and ~ shrouded
only to disclose the face and hand
The bier differs according to the cast
With the Brahmins simplicity is obser
able. But the lower the caste, and co
se1uently the lower the general intel
gence and status in society, the mo
oaudily decorated the bier, Tor
stance, grooms affect the liveliest colo
and convert their funerals into lud
rous farces, and are more than pleas
when their efforts meet with laughi
shouts Of approval. 1t is peculiar
ofthis class that they are a most jov
race, and have ever song or joke
their lips. With other castles pret
natural gloom seems ever upon tn
minds. A groom, on the other haI
soizes with ayidity the occasion of a
neral, and looks upon 1t as most I
tnnate circumstances occasion uI
which to be merry, 70 laugh dull G
away, and defy tYrant death with
cap that more than inebriates;
drunkenness is besetting vice "
him, though it is q drunkenness &
takes aniable form, rarely ever perm
ting him to do more harm than to |
off the nose Of one Of his refract
wives.