Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-17
Indian Juyglers Who Feicn Death,

From the Home and Country MAGAZINE
Most mysterious ana perplexing among these
are the performances of eastern monks and
fakirs. who allow them selves to be buried for
months and years, and in whose bodies certain
vital forces must continue to exist which can
be famed alto action after a considerable
period of )parent lIfclessness. Since the early
times of tht Indian and Egyptian priests those
best versed in occult sciences have been enabled,
through the knowledge they possessed OF ma
lures secret, to perform most extraordinary
things. and very remote school OF yogi philoso-
pliers must have existed.
After years of preparation. when the nature
has arrived at the highest degree OF proficiency
i'll deadening his fiesh burylng alive follows.
and according to Honigsberger's and Jacolliot's
report, the matter is performed in very sim
pie manner.
I'm order to gain reliable information of
what seemed to be absolutely impossible
thing the prince had yogi summoned to the
court (of Lahore and, giving him to under
stand that precautionary measures against de-
csptlon would be used, ordered him to under
take the singular experiment. Being carefully
prepared by members OF his order, after about
one hour, when every apparent sign of life had
departed. the yogi, in the presence of the
prince and his magnates, sewed into a
linen sheet. 1t sealed and the package
containing the body placed in a case,
padlocked by the prince. and buried in a park
OF the palace. Barley was sOwn over the grave,
a wall erected around it and guards stationed
there. Three months later. at the time ap-
pointed for the disinterment, the prince s
counselors-among whom was Gen. Ventura,
several Englishmen, DIR. Honigsberger the
court physician. and myself-all arrived at the
place. When the grave was opened we found
both paddock and seal untouched. The
linen sheet in which the yogi's body
had been wrapped was covered with mold;
the flesh the mans arms was
loose and wrinkled and the head had settled
upon his shoulder and DIR. Honigsberger was un-
able to distinguish any signs of life. After this
examination water was thrown over him and
his body vigorously rubbed by several mem
bers Of his order. A hot wheat paste was placed
on his head, and, after considerable exertion
the firmly set jaws were separated. His eye
lids were rubbed with melted butter; they
opened and showed the staring and apparently
ifeless eyes. Soon his body began to move
convulsively, respiration and pulse were dis
cerned, the limbs grew soft and rounded his
eyeballs resumed their natural color and shape.
The first question the yogi addressed to us after
consciousness had returned was, DO the
Christians believe me now? At first his ut
terances were low and scarcely distinguishable
but strength gradually returned, and in the
course OF half an hour all present could dis
tinctly understand him."
An English officer gives in his report at
Bajwarra an authentic account of a yogi about
thirty years OF age who Travelled through the
country and for a stipulated reward allowed
himself to be Buried for any desired length Of
time. A vault was built under the floor of a
small stone house, the Indian was deposited
therein without any previous preparation and
the entrance to the tomb covered BY two heavy
stone slabs The door was then bricked up
and guard stationed before il. Four weeksl
later this same vault was opened and the yog
was found in exactly the same position in which
he had been buried. His body had dropped,
the knees were pressed against the chin and
the teeth were SO firmly set that his mouth
could be opened only by force. In this case, as
in the previous one, the yogi at first recovered
very slowly, but soon regained his strength,
and to such degree that he offered himself
for another immediate trial Of years duration.
In another instance, reported by the Calcutta
Journal Of Medicine, yogi was suspended
some twenty feet above the ground in a wooden
case, instead Of being buried, as he was afraid
Of white ants If placed in the earth. The sup
position that an understanding existed with the
guards that would enable him to leave his place
Of confinement proved unwarranted. as the box
was repeatedly opened for inspection. The
yogi Was each time found in the identical posi-
ton in which he had first been placed.