The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-23
Further Particulars Of the Recent
Great Religious Riot in Be-.
mares, India.
Telegraph Wires Out, Railway Sta,
ton Looted and the Treas
ure Chest Robbed.
Assistance of British Troops Necessary Ia
Ouell tho Revolt-"Working" the
English Parliament

BENAREs, April 22.--The most remarkable
and inexplicable phase of the native revolt
in India against British domain is the ex-
citement il this city, originating from the
demolition of a temple in order to provide
site for new water works, increases every
hour. All the shops in Benares are closed.
and all the natives in the city and district
have sullenly stopped work, and are gath
ering in large crowds in and about the prin-
cipal thoroughfares of the holy city. The
result is that serious riots have already oc-
curred between the disturbed natives and
the local authorities of Benares. who are
supported by the British troops quartered
in that vicinity. In spite of the efforts of
the local officials, the police and the mill
tary, the natives, who we're in a state of
semi-revolt, cut the telegraph wires, looted
the railway station, and plundered the rail-
way treasury chest of about 5000 rupees.
The local authorities summoned large
number Of volunteers to their assistance.
and succeeded in arresting 100 of the most
violent of the rioters. These arrests have
resulted in quieting the disturbance for the
present, at least.
In response to several dispatches sent to
tho Marquis Of Lansdowne, the governor
general of India, who is now at Simla
directing the movements of the troops
marching on the Manipur district in order
to avenge the Manipur massacre and the
murder of Chief Commissioner Quinton
and his staff. strong re-enforcements COM
posed of European and native troops have
been drafted into Benares and further re-
endorsements are ON their way.
The British troops are guarding all the
banks, public buildings, and also occupy,
in force, many points of vantage through
out the city and district. The eventual
effect of the spirit of resentment and indig-
nation existing among the Hindoos, already
felt far and wide in India, cannot at present
be correctly estimated.
Hindoos and Buddhists have for centu.
ries made pilgrimages to this city of tenn
pies, sacred alike to all the native be
levers in hereafter. Twenty-Five cent
uries ago, and ever since, the city has been
one of the greatest in Northwestern India,
its present population being about 100000.
Benares is still the religious center Of Hin
dooism, and 5000 Hindoo temples or shrines
are scattered through its thoroughfares
The typical and most famons temple, close
lv resembled in some respects, on smaller
by the British for water-works headquart-
ers, is the brown stone Monkey temple,
swarmlng inside and out with hundreds of
monkeys, sacred as embodying and recall
ing the legendary origin of the human
species.
Elaborate carvings of flowers, animals
and palm branches, rivalling in richness
and minuteness the finest specimens of
Grecian and Gothic architecture, are at
fractions to the temple. But to the native
worshiper even these are not 80 sacred as
the living chattering monkeys,
The fact that the monkey is II sacred ami
NAL, and that he abounds in Benares, af-
fords the means of inflicting very serious
injury when one neighbor has grudge
against another. A quantity of grain scat
tered on the roof of mans house, in his
garden, on the doorstep, in the house, and
about it in the streets, attracts swarm of
monkeys, the garden is uprooted, the roof
is torn to pieces, the victim and his family
are beset by the pests, and woe betide him
him should he injure one of these sacred
but unwelcome visitors.
That people with such ideas of sacred
things should have their temple profaned
to the usaees of ordinary municipal offices
was too much for them at the first fush
Hence their riots.