The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-22
The Tree-Smenring Explained A
Rival OF the Sacred River.
New York Tribune.

New 1ork IrlDuhe.
The recent alarm of pending revolution
in British India had a ludicrous ending. Ii
was observed that the trunks OF many
trees, especially mangoes, were smeared
wl,h - mnd mixed with cows hair This
tomato sauce Men Of authority, well
versed in Hindoo lore. declared the marks
TO be popular summons TO insurrection.
They pictured the stealthy emissaries OF
revolt gliding from tree to tree at mid
night. placing upon the trunks the daubs
should serve a fiery cross TO arouse the
millions of Hindoo worshippers to another
and greater mutiny. Ii was a plausible
theory, and IL set nerves a-tingling in Cal
cutta and inspired many anxious and
solemn leader in the English press. But
presently some one discovered that the sa-
cred but surely mountainous COW was her
self the cause OF the trouble: which. first
lying or wallowing i'm the mud. rubbed her
sides, as is the wont of cattle. against the
tree trunks. and thus placed thereon the
dreadful tokens.
Another and more real cause If not OF
disquiet. at least of thoughtful interest, is.
however. found in India to-day which
may, portend nothing less than a religious
revolution. For ages the river Ganges has
been accounted a sacred stream Its waters
are regarded as possessing a peculiar pow
er of publication. and its banks conse-
quently, are almost everywhere lined with
temples. Indeed, the religion philosophy
and even sociology OF Hndoostan have
more than those of Rome upon the Tiber
CT of Egypt upon the Nile. Yet the
Ganges has had rival. If never yet a
successful, at least a potential one. That
rival is the Nerbudda, the mighty stream
which, rising in Gundwana, flows westward
along the northern border of the Deccan
to the Arabian sea- There is a legend that
Indra, the Lord of Light, with his own
hand made the passageway, between walls
of snowy marble. through which its waters
leap down into the broad estuary at
Breach, and for this reason 1t has never
been reckoned a holy stream. Moreover,
about a hundred years ago there arose
spread abroad through
prophecy that at a certain time the sane
tity of the Gauges itself should be trans
ferred TO the Nerbudda, and the latter be-
come supreme.
The date, explicitly stated in this proph-
ecy, for which wide credence was obtained,
was the year 1894 AS that date drew nearer
and nearer. belief, or at any rate, eXpectan-
cy, grew steadily stronger. At the present
time the tension is almost indescrible. Why
the change is 10 occur, no one can tell. nor
yet how it is TO be manifested whether by
some stupendous cataclysm OF nature.
by revolution of religious sentiment. Nor
are there lacking, especially among the in
Vulnerable Gangetic shrines. many who
dispute the correctness of the prophecy.
Yet there is to-day such a state of general
unrest, speculation and anxiety as has not
been known in India for generations.
Whether any movement of tangible form
will grow out Of il is an interesting ques-
ton. The ma jor influence Of the priest hoOd
is. naturally enough. against any such
change as that prophesied. The vast bust
ness. social and political interests OF Oudh
and Bengal, and OF RajpOotana and the
Punjaub, are also opposed TO IL. on the
other hand Scindia. Berar, Mysore, Hydra
bad and all the peoples OF the Deccan may
be supposed TO favor IL. They have not for
gotten the mastery of the Mahrattas over
the Moguls. and they may yet cherish the
notion that what was once done may be
done again. AT any rate. there is fair
chapce of the next few months seeing I'm
lnG7a some important movements. which,
while they may not menace British rule.
may powerfully affect the religious and So
natives.