Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-02-09
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 Superstitions Re-
garding the KOhi-


Idols -Superstitions Re-
garding the KOhi-
moor.
Curious wares now and then come
under the auctioneers hammer, says
the London Standard. But it is ques-
tionable whether London auctioneer
ever had the opportunity of Offering for
sale 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 very large
yellow topaz, and the whole is
supported on an Indian native gold
base, encrusted with diamonds and set
neound with nine different gems. Thus,
oven as a piece OF Indian jewelry, it is
-aot-withouJ interest But chly s0Oer5
and diamonds and topazes, garnets,
snphhires 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-
t'ced by the Sivas, or adorers of silva.
Originally it meant no more than the
worship bestowed on the symbol of life,
though, like every other branch of the
mysticism of Brahminism, it has of late
Gegenerated into practices so gross that
even the higher class of Hindus repudi-
mic their claim to divine origin. But
tho"e 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, at
lilo bathing places in mud roughly put
together, and in the village school
houses among the rude images of Gam
GA ana Saraswati. 1t is, therefore. not
cute patent what right the jewelry
disposed of yesterday has to the exclu-
tlve distinction which was put forward
81 lis behalf. A Lingam. it may, per-
] APPS, have been, and as all precious
stones are in the East supposed to have
mystical power its former use as a
caarm need not be doubted. The chry-
so5eryl is, for example, believed to ex-
Pc! phantoms, ''rid people OF their fol-
lies. " and il bound round with gold and
cwried in the left hand. an old SUPER
t;i;lon attributes to 1t the power of dis
Tersing night hays even before the
croging Of the cock. But, in spite of
all these merits tangible, suppositi-
tons and lcgendary-all that a discern
in public bid for the 'Lingam god''
was e., 100, and at his figure it was duly
disposed of to a Bond street dealer.
Altogether, it appears to us that the
supposed deity has, in the sordid
phrasoology of our auction-room, been
Title better than given away. Two
thousand four hundred and fifty pounds
seems a shabby price for such mass of
Oriental gems; while. if sentiment is to
rlay any part in the appraisement, to
.sat with the Lingam god for is value
il precious stones proves either that
tic travelled Hindu is becoming skepti-
cal. or that he prefers to spend his
goll mohurs on treasures regarding
which less incredulity may be enter
tained The latter explanation will,
w suspect, be found to be the correct
enc. Young Bengal and young BON.
bay are, perhaps, not quite so jealous
in the Bramminic faith as their fathers
were. But among the millions of India
there still exists zeal enough for the
great god silva to render it impossible
for any thing so sacred as this encrust-
cd cats eye to pass into profane hands.
The truth seems TO be that the "Lingam
god lacks that connected history
which is essential for a lasting belief in
its reality. 1t can be readily UNDER
stood that the owner OF SO compromis-
ing q piece Of jewelry can not. with
perfect safety to himself or to his cor
take the world into his
c nldenco regarding the Circumstances |
saasr which # was acquired. The