Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-05
A BRAHMIN.
GOPAL VENAYAK JOSHEE AND
HIS VIEWS.
Interview With a Hindoo Traveller
Something About an ORR
entail People.

Something About an Ori-
entail People.
Gopal Venayak Joshee, of the Presidency
of Bombay, India, one of the very few
Brahmins who have ventured away from
India, is now in Sacramento. He is slowly
making his way about the world actuated
by motives OF curiosity, and, as he expresses
it, desire to see if all that has been told
him is true. He is an outspoken man, of
very pleasing appearance and winning
manners, and makes no concealment of his
views, and critcises freely, yet without
offense. He speaks English quite well
and his choice of language is excellent and
his manner testifies to good reading. His
fund of information regarding India and
her people is large, and he appears to take
pleasure in talking of his country, and the
state of society there. One can maintain
many hours of conversation with him with
broad profit, and will find his interest con-
stantly increasing i'll the views the Hin
doc advances, and the information he con-
veys. A few notes selected at random
yesterday by a RECORD L MON representative
will be found of interest, and will fairly
present the manner of Mr.. Joshee in ex-
pressing himself The notes are confined
TO other than political topics, and in no
case present in full the elaborate answers
given. In public hall better opportu-
nifty will be afforded the Hindoo thinker to
express himself, and to respond to ques-
tons which he invites on those occasions.
81.
leaving your country?
Answer-Well, it was TO travel. | have
been fond of it ever since ! could think for
myself, and read history and books of
travel first travelled all over India. We
believe travel educates mentally and
physically.
! Q.-But you lose caste by leaving In
dia?
Ayes by crossing the ocean but motif
we had our own steamers. 1t is more because
of association with nOn-beieverS than be-
cause of travelling. / hope to be restored
when return.
Q.-What parts do you purpose to visit
4. - The United States, England
France Spain. Portugal, Austria, Germany
and Russia. Thence to Turkey and Egypt;
thence TO Ceylon, and then home to India
That will make a trip around the world,
for | started from Calcutta and went from
there to Independent Burmah; thence to
Penang, Malacca and Singapore, | then
went to Siam from there to Calnbodia;
thence TO Hongkong and Canton; thence
to Japan, and thence to San Francisco.
Q-What means had you for such Il
trip?
Al left with 81 30 in my pocket-just
enough to pay my passage to RangoOn
| Q.-You trust to luck for expense?
A.-Well, yes, depend upon chance; you
say luck. | put on a yellow dress worn
by asctics, with no shoes and no turban.
| firmly believe l will find support as go.
Q.-Is that a part of your faith?
Ayes; that we shall carry no scrip
nor purse | travelled so in India. Colonel
Olcott told me it would not do to travel as
a mendicant in America. | said, Well, let
us try it.
| Q.-Gou are married?
| Ayes, | am married.
Q.-Your wife is in America?
A.-Yes, in Philadelphia, studying med
icine 1t was her wish and mine.
! Q.-+What suggested that to you two?
! A.-Well, | have been thinking for a
long time that medicine was one of the
best studies to be taken up by those who
wish to do good. When a boy l read the
story of Howard, the philanthrOpist l
thought I'd Eke'to do as he did: | went to
| Il IlOSIlltdI Ill ODlld " Set W lIdl COultl w
| for the suffering and wash their wounds,
but | found | could not bear the sight.
believed early that woman can elevate
man if she be well educated. Ny first wife
was studying when she died | then tried
to get young girl | could educate l mar
ried my present wife when a mere girl. |
sat by her day and night and taught her
till she was able to come to America and
prosecute her studies.
Q.-Are many Indian women educated ?
| A.-Well, here and there but our people
are mostly against it. They want women
TO be only wives and mothers. held that
woman had higher possibilities than merely
to be mother and wife. | hold education
| is unnecessary to be a mother and 4 wife.
| Q-You believe in Woman's rights, then?
| A-Certainly.
Q.-Do many Brahmins believe in ii?
| A-Well a very few They say, Are
| they to be clerks and postmasters and mer-
chants? Our women are well posted-have
| common sense.
Q.-Suppose woman is left widow and
poor?
A.-She has no reason to fear 1t is the
bounden duty of her husbands relatives to
| support her That is the law If the hus-
band has no relatives, then her brothers or
parents must care for her. a brother
would put aside his wife before permitting
his sister to suffer.
Q.-What do your people believe regard
ing polygamy?
A.-Under circumstances we permit il.
If wife is sterile we are permitted to marry
another wife. But we cannot put aside the
other wife Our families are undivided.
Q.-What is wife's standing in the fam
lily?
A-The husband respects her rights, but
custom makes it disgraceful for a husband,
when Young, to be seen abroad with
his wife. If he takes her TO drive peo-
pie will say, See, why does he not take his
sister, or mother, or father? But when hus-
band and wife are Old the husband and wife |
may be seen together.
Q.-Is there any divorce in India?
A-Oh, no; divorce is unknown. 1t
means social death, If woman is guilty |
the family will perform the same rites as |
if she were dead Then she is an abandoned |
woman.
Q.-What is the social custom as to COM |
munication of sexes?
AIN small families they live together |
In large parties the women sit at one table. |
the men at another. In society they are |
separated. If l visit a friend my wife may |
go, but will not sit in the same apartment |
with the men.
Q.-You say there are no single women
in India?
A.-No; all women are either married or |
widows 4 widow shaves her head and |
wears peculiar bangles. a married woman
wears red mark painted on her forehead; |
it is a sign of honor.
Q.-But why are there no single women? |
A.-Because every girl must be married |
between the age of and II; that is, to be
betrothed, as you say; but she is married,
but does not go to her husband until she |
becomes a woman.
Q-What is the condition of Brahminism
in India?
A.-At present it is at Il standstill
Q.-Has Christianity made inroads upon
it?
Christianity cannot hurt it; it can
net reach the higher classes.
Q.-What is the condition OF the labor
ing classes in India?
A.--Bad, now. Living is higher and
wages lower. Formerly we got cultivators
for 81 month, and the landlord furnished
food and clothing. Now they cannot get
food and clothing and so they get 81 a
month"; and that is hardly sufficient for a
man and wife Formerly the 81 fed the