Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-12
THE TEMPLE ROBBERY.
Mysterious DisappearaDos OF n Large d
posit OF State Treasure.


1t is by no means surprising that the
strange case of the now famous Tirupati
Temple treasure should have excited
such an extraordinary feeling of indig-
nation as it appears to have done among
the Hindoo population of India. Tirupati
is the Mecca Of Hindoostan-if, indeed,
the comparison is at all allowable, seeing
that the temple which has Just been so
grossly defiled was erected, in the first
instance, close upon 5000 years ago.
The trial in connection with the robbery
of the Tirupati treasure is probably the
most remarkable which has ever como
before a British court in India. The
sacred temple stands on the Tirumalai
range, some 1000 feet above sea level,
and commands a tract of about 100
square miles, the whole of which, up till
quite recent period, was regarded, in
the strictsst sense, as holy ground, no
body but Hindoo being allowed to as.
cend the ghauts.
Even at the present time the collector
and the superintendent of police are the
only Europeans whom the government
permit to invade the sacred territory,
excepting, of course, on special occa-
sions, such as that which arose the other
day, when the services of q civil engineer
were required within the precincts of the
temple to superintend the excavations.
The temple itself has, in reality, never
been entered by white man, and all its
available entrances are iealously guard
ed by armed men, who have instructions
to strike down, and, if necessary, to kill
any unauthorized person who attempts
to invade the sanctuary.
The sacred edifiee is inclosed by three
stone walls, of which the outer one is
twenty-three feet in height. From the
devotee's point of view the sacredness of
the place is centered in great flagstaff,
which penetrates from floor to roof, and
is 81 feet high, feet in diameter at the
base and Is inches at the summit. The
staff is incased in copper overlaid with
gold, and set in slab of granite nearly
three feet in thickness. In the immedi-
ate neighborhood of the flagstaff the
image of the god is preserved, while the
staff itself is actually supposed to be the
abode of the temple god-of its "mantric
essence"
SoEle seventeen years since, it seems,
certain coin treasure, valued roughly at
two lacs of rupees, was discovered in the
temple, and was duly handed over to
the mahunt as manager and trustee of
the edifce. In 1880 the Mahunt Dhur-
ma Doss died, and was succeeded by Sir
Hathiramjee Muttam Baghavan Doss
Jee. The new mahunt appears to have
discharged his sacred and responsible
functions to the satisfaction of every
body concerned, and in 1877 it was re-
solved to replace the old dwjastumbum,
or sacred Flagstaff, by new one. Be-
fore the work was completed the idea
appears to have suggested itself to the
mahunt to bury the treasure-the two
lacs of rupees towhich he had succeeded
under the foot of the flagstaff. This
was accordingly done, the proposition
having met with general approval from
the adherents of the temple. The treas
ure was placed in six copper vessels, the
covers of which were duly sealed up, and
they were then buried in the receptacle
prepared for them. Now it is found
that the gold has all been removed from
them, and copper coins substituted.
Four temple servants-by name Nara
simha-Kusal, Gopalaro and Haribhaian
were, in 1887, intrusted, after being
duly sanctifed by divers mysterious
rites and ceremonies, with the burial
of the treasure pots, and fact that ap-
pears to interest the police and others
good deal at present is that two of them,
Kusal and Hasibhajan, are now each
worth a lac of rupees, although the
whole four were discharged some time
ago, and none of them are known to
have what is sternly known as ''lawful
visible means of support" On the other
hand, an astonishingly clear looking case
made out against the mahunt himself,
who, it is asserted, allowed his cupidity
to overcome the scruples of his sacred
calling, and "collared the swag" himself.
The question as to who has really appro-
pL luGSN tllS t1Cuou1 oCCluS Ou6,
as far as the inquiry has proceeded, to
determine, and it is possible that the af-
fair may never be satisfactorily cleared
up.
Probably the most notable feature in
connection with the affair-from Hin
doc point of view, at all events-is the
peculiarly apathetic demeanor of the
Tirupati god, who should have been
deeply interested in the proceedings.
The ''mantric essence" which has exer-
cised such an omnipotent power over the
Hindoos for centuries past, appears to
have lain dormant while the temple was
defiled and the mean trick of substitute
ing a few hundred rupees worth of cop
per money for two lacs worth of gold
coinage was done right under the pillars
of the Tirupati sanctum sanctorum.-
Colonies and India.
Two Opinions About Ancient Bones.
TIo ,.I- prox,1, ol 81