The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-03
ROYAL BURIAL IN INDIA.
SOLEMN FUNERAL OBSEQUIES OF A
MOHAMMEDAN RAJAH.

| Ceremonies Attending the Death of an
Indian Chief-An Imposing Procession
to the Grave of Ruler in Hindostan.
An Event That Interests Crowds.
From an early hour crowds of Malays,
Arabs, Javanese and other Moham-
medan races had gathered in the grounds
Of the house lately built for the descend
ant of the Singapore royal line at KAN
pong Clam Before o'clock the large
rooms of the house were filed with
white turbaned sheiks and Malays seated
in long lines on the mats and murmur-
ing in low toned unison prayers for the
dead. Within the house could be heard
the splashing of water, where the corpse
was undergoing ceremonial publications
previous to burial. Outside stood the
bier, an enormous structure some twenty
feet by twelve, made of lashed rollers
and rooted in with yellow cloth, cut into
a fantastic fringe at the edges.
Really it was bier within funeral
carriage, for the center was screened off
to contain the coffin, space being left
all around for relatives of the deceased
Tungku to stand and scatter golden rice
over the crowd. In one corner of the
ground the coffin was having its finish
ing touches. This was a massive box of
2-inch thick planks, dovetailed at the
corners and stayed across the top. 1t
was in itself great weight and took a
dozen men to carry it. The tone of the
crowd in the ground was quiet and sub
dued, but by no means sad or despond-
ent.
Behind the coffin itself, for instance,
was group of retainers quietly taking
a meal. Swarms of Malay boys were
running about the ground, and the men,
some nicely dressed, many in their ordi-
nary clothing, chatted about their dead
chief. A little distance from the bier
stood the gravestones of granite, also
swathed in royal yellow and lashed to
stage for convenience of carriage.
THE COFFIN.
The coffin, clean wood though it was,
was carried away and also washed, be-
ing then placed in the porch of the
house and half filled with clean white
sea sand to await the body. A posse of
Malay policemen arrived to keep order,
and other police officials appeared. In
front of the house row of sixteen um-
brellas, eight white and eight yellow,
was formed, and from many windows
peeped the women Of the household. A
lelah or cannon in the inclosure of the
mosque had been firing at frequent in
tervals, being tended by a gigantic
negro. Meanwhile the occupants of the
house remained nearly silent, interest
being centered in a group OF katips |
(priests) and Kalthis, who were seated !
in front of curtain of striped satin, be- |
hind which the body was being prepared |
for the grave.
1t was considerably after 5 o'clock !
when movement among those seated |
In the house indicated that the time had |
come when the body would be put in the
coffin. Amid considerable amount Of
confusion and a perfect babel of excited
cries, all that remained Of Tungku
Alum was carried down stairs, wrapped
In yellow cloth and infolded in a red
edged mat. Borne on the shoulders of
six priests the coffin was reached and
the body deposited in it, II. H, the
Sultan of Johore, reverently kissing it
when the wraps were removed. The
bystanders seemed perfectly frantic to
get look at the corpse ere it was placed
On its bed of sand in the coffin.
AT THE GRAVE.
Then, in response to cries, deathlike
silence ensued, and an Imam, in clear,
musical voice, chanted some verses in
Arabic, the bystanders responding in a
ieep toned murmur. Then the heavy
i'd was put up, and with difficulty Cthe
'and making it exceedingly heavy the
'offin was put upon the bier or kranda.
Round about it placed themselves young
halays with salvers, whence they threw
lmong the crowd yellow rice, spices,
money and scents.
First marched number of boys beat
ng censers or cups, some with spices,
many with incense. Next were about
hlrty women in two lines, each with an
yellow candle and a slip of
-ellow cloth tied round their necks.
Then came the kranda, borne by great
lumber of men escorted by the umbrel-
as and followed by the gravestones and
he immense concourse of people.
The distance to the mosque, about 800
ards, was laid with yellow cloth. The
rave was in a small structure adjoining
he mosque and abutting on the road.
IN reaching there the coffin was lifted
rom the bier. This was apparently the
lgnal for the destruction Of the latter. :
n ten seconds it was surrounded by an
xcited crowd who snatched at any part
it to secure a relic of what they be-
eve had been sanctifed by contact with
ne remains of their chief. Not a shred
t the precious yellow cloth was left on
) and even the wood of the structure
Yas taken. {
With much difficulty the coffin was
hen lowered into the grave and close {
pom dusk the ceremony which marked !
he close Of the reign" of another rajah
as concluded.-Singapore Free Press.
Old and Young, I
There is no surer antidote for the ef-
ect which time has over us all, in max