The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-02-01
COSTLY AND CURIOUS.
The "Lingam God" and Jewels with
Uncanny Histories.
Precious Stones Which Derive Added VAL
ne from the Fact That they Once
Formed Parts of Hideous
Idols Interpretations Re-
garding the Kohl


Idols -Superstitions Re-
garding the Kohl
Curious wares now and then come
under the auctioneer's hammer, says
the London Standard. But it is ques-
tionable whether a London auctioneer
ever had the opportunity of offering for
sale a more remarkable relic than the
..Lingam god' which was recently dis
posed of by Messrs. Phillips & Son to
the highest bidder. This deity, it APP
pears, is not particularly salable. for, if
we are not mistaken, this was not the
first time that it had been put up to
auction. However, even the genuine
ness OF the emblem is open to discus
sion, there can be no doubt as to the in
trinsic value of the materials of which
it is composed. The center portion
consists of huge chrysoberyl cats eye
the glittering cymophane of the
French jewelers. which, when cut en-
cabochon, exhibits something like a
drop of water or the pupil of an eye
moving about inside of it, with band
of light floating on its surface.
This stone in itself is precious.
But it is set in a very large
yellow topaz, and the whole is
supported on an Indian native gold
base, encrusted with diamonds and set
around with nine different gems. Thus,
even as piece of Indian jewelry, it is
not without interest. But chrysoberyls
and diamonds and topazes, garnets,
saphhires and emeralds are plentiful
enough. What renders the present
combination of special value is the
claim put forth for it as having been
the original "Lingam god" of India.
What is exactly meant by this is not
very clear. The Linga worship, every
student of the East is well aware, is one
of the most popular of the rites prac-
ticed by the Sivas, or adorers of silva.
Originally it meant no more than tie
worship bestowed ON the symbol of life,
though, like every other branch of the
mysticism of Brahminism, it has of late
degenerated into practices so gross that
even the higher class of Hirdus repudi-
ate their claim to divine origin. But
there never was any Lingam ''god.
The Siva-Purana names twelve Lingas
which were the chief objects of this
worship in India; but in reality the SYM
Dol, in some form or other, exists every
where, by the river banks in clay, al
the bathing places in mud roughly put
together, and in the village school
houses among the rude images of Gam
esa and Saraswati. 1t is. therefore, not
quite patent what right the jewelry
disposed of yesterday has to the exclu.
sive distinction which was put forward
on its behalf. A Lingam. it may, per-
haps. have been, and as all precious
stones are in the East supposed TO have
mystical power, its former use as &
charm need not be doubted. The chry'
soberyl is, for example, believed to ex
pei phantoms, ..rid people of their fol
lies" and if bound round with gold an6
carried in the left hand, an old super
stition attributes to it the power of dis
persing night hays even before tbs
growing of the cock. But, in spite o
all these merits-tangible, suppositi
tions and legendary-all that a discern
ing public bid for the '.Lingam god
was e.. $50. and at his figure it was duly
disposed of to Bond street dealer.
Altogether. it appears to US that thu
supposed deity has, in the sordit
phraseology of our auction-room. BEEF
little better than given away. Fw'
thousand four hundred and fifty pound
seems a shabby price for such mass o
Oriental gems; while, if sentiment is t.
play any part in the appraisement. t.
part with the Lingam god for its valu
in precious stones proves either tina
the travelled Hindu is becoming skepti
cal. or that he prefers to spend hi
gold mohurs on treasures regardin,
which less incredulity may be enter
tanned The latter explanation will
we suspect, be found TO be the correc
one. Young Bengal and young Bonn
bay are. perhaps, not quite so zealou
in the Bramminic faith as their father
were. But among the millions of Indi
there still exists zeal enough for tn
great god silva to render it impossible
for any thing so sacred as this encrust
ed cats eye to pass into profane hands
The truth seems to be that the ''Lingar
god lacks that connected hlstor
which is essential for a lasting belief
its reality. 1t can be readily "ndel
stood that the owner OF SO compromi'
ing a piece of jewelry can not, wit
perfect safety to himself or to his col
respondent, take the world into b
confidence regarding the circumstance
under which it was acquired tn