The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-31
Mr. Nngarkar's Lecture.

The lecture on the social life of
India at the Congregational church
last evening by Mr.. Nagarkar drew
out only a small audience, but those
who attended were very much enter
tanned by the intelligent and interest
ing stranger, who was speaking to a
strange people about his native land.
Mr. Nagarkar has a smooth flow of
language and presented mis- ideas in
the best of English.
He said that the first interesting
thing that appears to the foreigner
who visits India is the seeming ex-
| clusiveness of the people. There are
no large public receptions or meetings
and the different classes are evidently
very widely separated. For this rea-
son the foreigners who do not know
the state of things are apt to believe
that the natives are truly very exclu-
slVe. But this appearance is due to
the system of caste, which governs in
everything.
The second thing that is very inter
estlng is the seclusion of women. which
Is practlced more in the northern parts
OF india than in the south Travellers
may go into some of the towns in the
north or the northwest and may walk
the streets and scarcely ever see q
woman. The cause of this secIusion
seems to arise from the fact that in
times gone by the women were taken
from the neighboring people by the
Hindoos and compelled to adopt their
religion, and being inclined to rebel
somewhat, were kept from seeing All
except the members of their own
household.
The third, and in the opinion Of the
lecturer, most important hing to he
notlced' is the united or composite
FAMILY In the western countries a
they are married, leave their parents
and set up an establishment of thei,
own. But in India dutifuI cbiJJrar
never think of doing this. They mar,
ana bring their wives to the househol5
OF their parents, and the whole famiiy
I'VE together under the one roof. some
times there are as many as fiftv mo-.
sonst in a family living this wav
child who would not live this wav
and there are many unruly bows win,
VIII not, is considered to be verv nm
, dutiful and draws down on himself III
censure eff his family and relatives. an,
, is pointed out to the children as helm,
+ very wicked
Some people have asked if this sve
tenn OF composite families does not re
) suit IN many quarrels. 1t does. Ru
} there are quarrels between man AM
J wife in the American families wher
> there is not this system. These dis
t putes generally start among the we
men folks, and when the men com
home from their labor a tale is poure
+. into their ears. Generally the eide
} members of the family act as. peace
!, makers on such occasions and pour o
I upon the troubled waters.
f There are disadvantages in this sys
i tenn, but there is one advantage tina
+ must draw thoughtful attention to /
I 1t gives the younger members of til
/ community respect for age that
rWoefully lacking in the western cour
: tries. In the seven months the lecture
;. has been in this country he has notice
b that the youth of both sexes are apt
: take part in the conversation of til
older people that is impolite and repre-
e hensible. There is nothing of that Kin
among the Hindoos.
S The fourth institution of interest