The Grenada sentinel., 1894-12-22

He has around his neck q string o1
skulls Before him bow men whose
hair never knew 3 comb. They eat
carrion and that which is worse. Bells
and drums here set up a racket. Pill.
grims come from hundreds of miles
away, spending their last piece OF
money and exhausting their last item
OF strength in order to reach this
Golden temple, glad to die in or nea,
it. and have the ashes Of their bodies
thrown into the Ganges
We took carriage and went still
further on to see the Monkey temple,
so-called because in and around the
building monkeys abound and are kept
as sacred. All evolutionists should Wis
it this temple devoted to the family
from which their ancestors came.
These monkeys chatter, and wink, and
climb, and look wise, and look silly
and have full possession of the place.
We were asked at the entrance Of the
Monkey temple to take off our shoes
because of the sacredness of the place,
but small contribution placed in the
hands Of IN attendant resulted in a
permission to enter with our shoes on.
AS the Golden temple is dedicated to
silva, the poison god, this Monkey tenn
pie is dedicated to Siva's wife, dietess,
that must be propitiated, or she will
disease, and blast, and destroy. For
centuries this spitfire has been wor-
shipped. She is the goddess Of scold,
and slap, and termagancy. She is sup
posed to be a supernatural Xantippe;
hence to her are brought flowers and
rice, and here and there the flowers are
spattered with the blood of goats slain
in sacrifice.
As we walk to-day through this
Monkey temple we must not hit, or
tease, or hurt one of them. Two En-
glishmen years ago lost their lives by
the maltreatment of monkey. Pass
ing along one Of these Indian streets a
monkey did not soon enough get out OF
the way, and one of these Englishmen
struck 1t with his cane. Immediately
the people and the priests gath
cred around these strangers, and
the public wrath increased until
the two Englishmen were pounded
to death for having struck u
monkey. No land in all the world SO
reveres the monkey as India, as no
other land has a temple called after it.
One Of the rajahs of India spent one
hundred thousand rupees in the mar
riage of two monkeys. A nuptial pro-
cession was formed in which moved
camels, elephants. tigers, cattle and
palanquins of richly dressed people.
Bands Of music sounded the wedding
march. Dancing parties kept the
night sleepless. It was twelve days
before the monkey and monkeyess
we re free from their round of gay
attentions. In no place but India
could such a carnival have occurred.
But, after all, while we can not ap-
prove Of the Monkey temple. the
monkey is sacred to hilarity. l defy
anyone to watch monkey one minute
without laughter. Why was this
creature made? For the worlds amuse-
ment. The mission Of some animals is
left doubtful and we can not see the
use of this Or that quadruped, or this
or that insect. but the mission of the
ape is certain; all around the world it
entert:ins. Whether seated at the
top of this temple in India, or cutting
up its antics on the top of hand
organ, it stirs the sense of the ludi-
crous; tickles the diaphragm into each
innation; topples gravity into play,
and acconplishes that for which it was
created. The eagle, and the lion, and
the gazelle, and the robin no more GER
tainly have their mission than has the
But it implies low form of
Hindooism when this embodied mimic
ry of the human race is lifted into wor-
ship. In one Of the cities for the first
time in my life had an opportunity
of talking with fakir, or a Hindoo
who has renowned the world and
lives on aims. He sat under
a rough covering on a plat
form of brick. He was covered with
the ashes of the dead, and was at the
time rubbing more of those ashes upon
his arms and legs. He understood
and spoke English. l said to him:
'How long have you been seated
here?" He replied: Fifteen years."
Have those idols which ! see power
to help Or destroy?" He said: mo;
they only represent God. There is but
one god.'
.Question-Whcn people die where do
they 60 to?
AZ ver-That depends upon what
they have been doing. If they have
been doing good, TO heaven; if they
have been doing evil, to hell.
Question-But do you not believe in
the transmigration of souls, and that
after death we go into birds or animals
Of some sort?
Answer-Yes; the last creature
man is thinking of while dying is the
one into which he will 20. If he is
Of bird he will 60 into a
bird; and If he is thinking of a COW he
will 60 into COW.
Question: thought you said that at
death the soul goes to Heaven or hell?
Answer-He goes there by a gradual
process. 1t may take him years and
years.
.Ouestion-Can anyone BECOME a Hin.