The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-07-16
HINDO0
S. MD CEREMONIES ~ WHICH
THE IDOL IS HoNoRED.

1870
Caste Brahmans Exercise SUI
- Authority as Receivers. Frus-
I'D MInistrants-Thelr Methods.
sna Hindoo temple of any size or pre-
. .I is a complex institution. It is
! com of buildings inclosed within one
more walls. 1t possesses certain priv
's.ses granted by native rulers in days
- by and still respected by the pres
government. 1t enjoys what may
',.,ost be termed royal revenue from
.s.,sos lands and offerings. and it pos
- boards of treasure in jewels, gold
- e;lver vessels and coins. The prop
=. Il in the hands of trustees, who are
~ ltd or who claim an hereditary right
% the Office,
These have power over an enormous
18th Under INSCRIPTIONS trustees
Unable Jewels have disappeared or been
.snlaced with glass. Pots of silver and
IA coin have been reflled with copper.
S;ch lands have been let at a nominal
UT tn their relatives, and offerings in
.sa5ed for the temple have been appro-
ar;ated personally Occasionally a trus-
:. ia prosecuted for his dishonest prac-
800 hut it is not often that he is pam
hhed
The erection of the Hindoo temple is
Che work of slow system Of evolution.
Come holy man perhaps dies on the spot,
orhe has an ecstatic vision of the god in
mo of the incarnations. The space is in
rosta with sanctity and an image set
untothe deity The landowner straight
nov builds small shelter over it to
rron;tiate the god in his favor. The
sround around the edifice is next in
closed with fence.
By and by the shed is removed and
sunething more pretentious and lasting
erected. The dewan, or prime minister
Of the province, makes pilgrimage to
the shrine and leaves rich Offering in
the hands of the Brahmans, who have
instituted themselves as receivers, trus-
tees and ministrants. More pilgrims
come; offerings in kind as we'll as in
Jewels and money pour in. and new
buildings art erected. Courts, halls
galleries, tank, pillared platforms.
walls, gateways and towers slowly grow
around the shrine-tbe center point of
the edi6ce. Other shrines Of affiliated
deities may group themselves near the
original, but the mulasthanum is al
ways the same.
1t holds the image of the deity to
whom the temple is dedicated, and it is
the scene of daily ceremonies. At all
risks it must be jealousy guarded
against the intrusion of any but the
twice born. When Give took the temple
of Srieungham-the largest in southern
india, and a powerful stronghold in
those daye2,0OO fierce Rajputs stood
before the door of the Mulasthanum, de-
claring that the Europeans should only
pass in over their dead bodies. Their
superstitions were respected, and Give
left the fanatics IN possession.
In preserving the integrity of the sa-
cred shrine the Hindoo has something
more to consider than his religious scru
pies The restitution of the divine or
mantr1c essence is very expensive and
intricate process, requiring large sums
OF money for its different rites. At Vel.
lore there is handsome temple which
was desecrated years ago by the No
nammedans. They killed a COW in the
Auiasthanum The building now stands
empty and unoccupied and the Euro
pean may go into outer and inner court
as ne pleases. The Mulasthanum is a
small ball, richly decorated with cary
mgs 1t contains nothing but sto..s
dals. on the face Of which is a tortoise
IN outline.
The image rested formerly on the tor
sase. There is a small gutter around
me platform, which conducted the sa-
cFed water-used for the additions of .ae
iaoi-into reservoir outside. Pilgrims
ofsnk OF this water eagerly in belief Of
Us miraculous powers of healia. and
purlhcation. The temple would ?roba-
Oly Dc used again by Hindoo worship
sss u money were forthcoming suf6-
cent to restore the divine essence.
Inc idol Is not usually made of wcai
=. stone. 1t is nodded in an amalgarh
y nVe metals-gold. silver. brass. cop
PER and lead. In size it is smaller than
we human figure. It is not called a
swami until the mantric essence has
Oeen infused into it by the proper cere-
monies These are performed by the
nfanmans, who claim the power OF
placlng the essence in any object, ami
o : or lnanimate that they choose.
0menmes the object is a man, the
s !. trustee or ''Moktesoor. He is
"a .Oen said to be divine, and is called
swami. and moreover, Is worshiped
! god The daily ritual which con-
i strs only the idol. takes place inside
'ns shrine at intervals during the day.
/. NO worshipers are present except
.Ose who are taking part in the func-
~ The image is tended In every MI
.u'e particular as though it were q liv-
- human being. Nothing Is omitted.
1 . washed with water from the