The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-25
IN A HINDU TEMPLE.
A Word About the Mysteries OF the
Mulssthenum.
From Chdmbers' journal.


From Chambers Journal
The Hindu temple of any size or preten-
sion is a complex institution. It is a group
of buildings inclosed within one or more
walls. 1t possesses certain privileges,
granted by native rulers in days gone by,
and still respected by the present govern
ment. 1t enjoys what may almost be
termed a royal revenue from houses, lands
and offerings; and 1t possesses boards of
treasure in jewels, gold and silver vessels,
and coins. The property is in the
| hand of trustees, who are elected or who
claim an hereditary right TO the office.
These have power over an enormous
wealth. Under unscrupulous trustees,
valuable jewels have disappeared or been
| replaced with glass. Pots OF silver and
gold coins have been refilled with copper.
Rich lands have been let at nominal rent
| to their relatives; and offerings intended
| for the temple have been appropriated per
| sonally. Occasionally a trustee is prose-
| cuted for his dishonest practices; but it is
not often that he is punished
The erection of the Hindu temple is the
| work of a slow system OF evolution. Some
| holy man perhaps dies on the spot, or he
has an ecstatio vision of the god in one OF
the incarnattons. The place is invested
with sanctity, and an image set up to the
| deity. The land owner strsightwaY builds
/ q bll4ah nuSltSE OfeT W pIOplblhto hu6 you
| IN his favor. The ground round the ediice
| 1s next enclosed within a fence BY and by
the shed is removed, and something more
| pretentious and lasting erected. The dewau,
| or prime minister OF the province, makes a
| pilgrimage to the shrine, and leaves rich
offering in the hands OF the Brahmans who
| have instituted themselves as receivers
trustees and ministrants. More pilgrims
| come; offerings In kind as we'll as in jewels
and money pour in, and new buildings are
erected. Courts, halls, galleries, a tank,
| plllared platforms, walls. gatoways and
| towers slowly grow around the shrine-the
center point OF the ediice. Other shrines Of
affiliated delties may group themselves near
| the original, but the Mulasthsnum is always
the same. 1t holds the image of the deity
| ID whom the temple is dedicated, and it is
| the scene of daily ceremonies. At all risks,
1t must be jealousy guarded against the in
| truslon OF any but the twice-bo-n. When
| Give took the temple of Srieungham-the
| largest in southern India and powerful
stronghold in those days-2,O0O fierce
Rajputs stood before the door of the
Mulasthanum, declaring that the Europeans
| should only pass in over their dead bodies.
| Their superstltions were respected and Give
| left the fanatics in undlsturbed possession.
In preserving the integrity of the sacred
| shrine, the Hindu has something more to
consider than his religious scruples. The
restitution of the divine or mantric essence
| is a very expensive and intricate process re.
| curing large sums of money for its differ
emf rites. At Vellore there is q, handsome
| temple which was deseorated years ago by
the Mohammedans. They killed COW in
| the Mulasthanum. The building now stands
empty and unoooupied, and the Europeans
| may go into outer and inner court as he
| pleases. The Mulasthanum is a small hall,
richly decorated with carving. 1t
contains nothing but stone dais, on the
| face OF which is tortoise in outline. The
image rested formerly on the tortoise
| There is a small gutter round the platform,
which conducted the sacred water-used
| for the ablutions of the idol-into a
| reservoir outside. Pilgrims drink OF this
water eagerly, in behalf of its miraculous
powers Of healing and publication. The
templs would probably be used again by
| Hindu worshppers il money were forth
coming sufficient to restore the divine
essence.
| The idol is not usually made OF wood or
| stone. IL it moulded in an amalgam of five
metals gold, silver, brass, copper and
lead. In size it is smaller than the human
| figure. 1t is not called swami until the
maneric essence has been infused into it by
| the proper ceremonles These are per-
formed by the Brahmans, who claim the
power Of placing the essence in any
| object animate or inRnimate,
that they choose. Sometimes the object
is a man, the chief trustee, or ''Moktesoor."
| He Is then said to be divine and is
called Swami" and moreover, is
worshiped as God. The daily ritual
which concerns only the idol takes
place inside the shrine at intervals dur.
ing the day. No worshipers are present
except those who are taking part in the
function. The image is tended in every
minute particular as though it were living
human being. Nothing is omitted. 1t is
vs. aha1 with from bA ION
1t is dressed and fed. 1t is supposed to take
pleasure in the company Of the dancing
girls it sleeps AID wakes and
finally is put to bed. During its toilet,
hymns Of praise are sung. lamps are lighted,
camphor and incense burned, aud the tom
tom is frequently introduced. Part Of the
revenue Of the temple pays for all this, and
q great many Brahmans find their occu-
patton and their living in it.
The ritual of the festivals is much more
imposing The image is covered with plates
OF gold and loaded with jewels II is car
ried in procession upon a huge car, sur
mounted with throne OF silver. It NAV
now appear before the eyes of all, and it
makes a slow and magnificent Journey
round the outer courts of the temple-which
are open TO all castes-and through the
the town. Offerings in kind and in money
and jewels are received. The dancing
girls are to be seen. their charms enhanced
ny llSh oAlh dhO gnu LLlSJ AIb tuo OduRus
ters and wives of the god, and the children
of the devil. The value of their charms
goes to swell the offertory considerably.
But chief of all in the big festival is the
Moktesoor-now the Swami-in whose
body is hidden the divine essence His
every action, however lustful. is holy. He
cannot sin, for he is god he, too, moves
slowly along, and the masses PROSTATE
themselves before him. For several days
at a time he personates the deity. and his
harvest is great. During this period he as
sumes what be considers a god-like do
meanor. His movements are slow and
lethargic; he affects to take no notice
whatever of individuals he receives the
alteration and worship offered to him with
lofty Indifference; he is tended like the idol,
and does nothing for himself. 1t would be
beneath his dignity as a god to stir finger
TO help himself. He is usually carried on
palanquin raised on bearers shoulders; and
IL he walks, a richly embroidered canopy is
held over his head by young Brahmans,
who have qualified themselves for the
honor by the rigid performance OF rites.
1T REALLY RAINED.
MI