The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-04
AT THE Il N CHAT.
How the FFindOos Conduct Their
Cremation Ceremonies.

Such Hal" which, being translated into
English, means, literally, GOOD, God Is
truth" The cry is a fearful one, a cry
which cnce heard fingers with peculiar
rhythm in the hearers ear, for never Is
it heard from the lips of a single man.
but from many sometimes hundreds. ana
when borne with that terrible distinct
ness of the well-accentuated many upon
a still air, it's effect is peculiarly awe,
striking. Still more so when at rapid
trot upon the shoulders of four white
robed men is seen a white sheeted corpse
laid upon a light bier. So tightly has
been drawn The shrouding over the dead
figure that every outline of the body. IS
distinctly visible; and thus at a quick
pace hurry the body bearers, followed
by an immense throng, to the burning
CHAT, there to burn the body OF the de-
ceased.
There are few more affecting sights
than a Hindoo cremation. There IS so
much of solcmnity and so much OF bar
barrie pomp attending the ceremonial,
such a general gathering of c'ansmen,
and so much paid loud weeping and
silent agony, that it may be we'll sad
that not to be present at a burning is to
lose one of the most interesting enter
tainments that Hindostan can offer. No
Hindoo is ever permitted to die within
four walls. Out in the open air must
the last gasp be breathed, and the last
look of the dying man must be upon
that which is not made by hands. The
measure is not wholly one of religion,
but more Of a sanitary pr~ccaution. De-
composition sets in so rapidly that it is
reckless to leave a body in close and on
fined rooms longer than al hour at the
very most. No sooner does death ap-
pear inevitable than the friends prepare
to meet it in the most philosophical man
ner.
The dying man is borne out into the
open air, the hired mourners are sent for,
and sit on each side of the Intel and wall
in a heartrending manner. These mourn.
ers are women. old and ugly, rcd and
white, dusty garments, with hair dishev-
elled, barnyard ~sweepings on their head
and all the accomplishments of woo
imaginable. From constantly engaging
in such business, their faces appear to
have attained the expression most be-
fitting such occasions.
About the amounting of the corpse
the Hindoo is most particular. 1t is
rubbed all over with the essence of roses.
The hair is oiled, the cheeks and lips are
painted a bright vermiilion, and the
body swathcd in white linen, manufac-
tured for that purpose, and so shrouded
as only to disclose the face and hands.
The bier differs according to the caste.
With the Brahmins simplicity is observa-
BILE. But the lower the caste, and con-
seouently the lower the general intelli-
gence and status in society, the more
gaudily decorated the bier.
For instance, grooms affect the livell-
est colors. and convert their funerals into
ludicrous farces. and are more than
pleased when their efforts meet with
laughing shouts of approval. 1t is a Pc
culiarity of this class that they are a
most jovial race, and have ever a song
or a joke on their lips. With other
castles p%reternatural gloom seems ever
upon their minds. A groom, on the
other hand, seizes with avidity the &C.
casion of a funeral, and looks upon it as
a most fortunate circumstance-an &C.
casion upon which to be merry, to laugh
dull care away and defy tyrant death
with the cup that more than inebriates;
for drunkenness is q hesetting vice with
him, thought is adrunkenness that takes
amiable form, rarely even permitting him
to do more harm thant to bite off the nose
of one of his refractory wives.
A light mating forms the bed Of the
pyre, which is attached to bamboo poles,
covered with strips of red, white, blue,
green, yellow-in fact all colors-of
cotton cloth. A canopy is formed over
head, also covered with various colored
cloth. The body is placed inside and
smothered with flowers, the white
chammalee being preferred. 1t has a
strong odor and is a pure white. -Four
of the %stoutest relatives of the deceased
then lift the litter, and before them are
runners, who lay on the ground red and
white strips of cloth, so as not to permit
the carriers to tread the bare earth.
When the funeral procession comes to
the limit of one Of these strips, the
funeral cortege has to wait until other
strips have been spread. In advance of
these are the fighting men of the party,
who brandish spears, sticks, and occa-
s~ionally fire off guns, beside going
through antics symbolical of fighting in
midair lowering demons who are intent
upon carrying off the body. In most
picturesque places are these burning
CHATS located. Hard by is some holy
stream, whose blue waters contrast
beautifully with the dark and glowing
foliage of the overhanging trees, and the
rich green of the rank jungle which
fringcs its banks. The approaches to
these river banks arc generally through
~ravines, deep and t%ortuous, caused by
the OVERLOADED river during the rainy
season. Over hot and burning sands,
which glisten in the bright sunshine
like FURNISHED silver, and cast a glare
which to the unaccustomed eye is almost
binding, trudges the funeral party.
Arriving at the CHAT, a little huckster-
ing has to be gone through with some of
the wood dealers, who have already as
sorted sized pieces of wood from which
to build the pyre, this being accom-
plished after no little difficulty, for a
Hindoo always asks more than he expects
to receive, and always places his figure
high so that after the bargain is con-
cludcd he gets actually what he first
wanted. The eldest son is closest to the
body; it is lie who carries the pot con-
tanning the fire, and it is his duty o start
into flame the straw. He is dressed in
white, and upon his dress arc great