The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-05-12
HOOK SWINGING IN INDIA.
A Barbarous Custom That Has Recently
Been Revived in Hindostan.

4 barbaroUs custom, which has been
obsolete for many years in India, is
about to be revived. SAYS the London
GrapAic. Ia fact. the initial step has
been taken by its recent enactment in
little village in south India. 1t is
the ceremony of hook swinging" 5"
which Is essentially a human sacrifice.
When various scOurgcs, such as small
pOX, cattle disease. or famine. atfiict
the people, the goddess Miramal is
supposed To be angry and will-be pro-
pitiated only by most cruel rite.
The brutalizing ceremony was en-
acted near Madura few years ago.
Al one time it was held frequently, but
was stopped through the efforts of an
American missionary some twenty
four years ago. It has not been re-
enacted till the present time, but the
managers of the festival declare it
their intention to henceforth celebrate
the custom annually. As a people the
Hindoos are of nervous temperament
and suffer physical torture as keenly
as any race. But there is a caste who
are numerous in southern India, known
a the kullen or thief caste, who de-
light in scenes Of blood and seem al
most callous to suffering. 1t is among
these people that this custom of hook
swinging is carried out.
Some weeks ago, when it was deter
mined that hooh-swinging was neccs-
Sary again, on account Of the failure
OF rain. eight men were selected, ac
cording to the olden plan, from four
villages. and lots east among them.
The lot fell on a young kullen of the
AGE OF %. He was of medium height
and remarkably we'll built He was
taken at once TO the temple and pre-
pared for his ordeal. What these
preparations were is 4 secret, but they
must have been of a nature to benumb
the seuSibiities. On the day appointed
for the swinging to take place thou
sands OF people had gathered to wit
ness the horrible exhibition. The vic
tim WAS taken from the temple. the
iron hooks were Imbadded in the mus
clcs OF his back. and he was led to the
scene Of his torture.
The pole on which he was to be
swung was about fifty feet long. At
its middle point it rested on a pivot
like projection rising from ear By
short. strong rope the hooks were
bound to one end of the pole which
had been lowered. The signal being
giyen. The farther end was pulled
dGWn and the victim raised to a height
of about thirty feet above the heads of
the people his only support being the
iron hooks in his back. lie was swung
once III a circle around the car, and
then the latter was st irted forward.
1t was dragged by means of large
ropes, and through distance of prob
ably thrcc-qUarters of a mile, the
young kullcn dangling above for the
period of one hour and quarter. As
sudden Jerks were given to the pole by
occasional sinkings of the wheel of the
car into hole in the road. the unfOr-
tunata man was tossed from side to
side. but the hooks did not tear
t.rDu0h their faSteningS. Throughout
the ordeal he kept his hands waving
to show he had not tainted. From
time 10 time he pulled up flowers and
fruit by means OF Il rope. and scattered
them about to the people below.
These, as they fell, were eagerly
@rasped. When the car had come
back to its starting place the goddess
tim was lowered and the ropes united.
but the hooks were not taken from his
back for several hours.
On account of his magnificent ply
sique. and also. no doubt, largely from
the fact that he had been drugged, he
was in less exhausted condition than
might have been supposed. With the
hooks in his muscles he went about re-
ceiving sums of money from the pep
pie. At uightfall he was taken to ths
temple and the hooks We're removed
Why will the government not inter-
fere To prevent these scenes? The
authorities were notified of the coming
occurrence. bat returned an answer to
the effect that inaSmuch Is this suffer
ing was voluntary they could not in
terferc But So is "Suttee" voluntary;
SO is the act of throwing ones self be-
fore the wheels Of the ear of Jugger-
naut. But these and other kindred
barbartics have been interdicted by
the Governments