The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-06
PROFESSIONAL G0D-PARENTs.
The Hindu Guru Makes 1t a Business
to serve as Godfather.

In the United States almost all pro-
fessions have been specialized. There
are colleges of agriculture. mining,
psychology, and what not; but it has
been reserved for the Hindu people so
far to recognize the godfather as a dis
tinct calling to inaugurate colleges of
godfathers, with professorships. stu
dents, and handsome prizes for those
most successful in this unique field of
strenuous endeavor. Long ago there
were established at various places in
India colleges of grand gurus or god
fathers. They were perhaps more in
the nature of seminaries or retreats
ran colleges proper, but nevertheless
the line of work taken up was that of
fitting ones self for what we can best
understand by the term godfather.
Not that any one or every one could
enter these colleges, because in the
first place the profession of a god
father, like that of most others in In
dia, was, and is. strictly hereditary.
and in the second they were reserved
for the godfathers of the great, kings,
princes, and so forth. Still, for the in
struction OF godfatlfers they we're in
tended and so remain.
These godfathers, whether grand or
ordinary, occupy a most curious ana
interesting place in the Indian family.
It's hereditary nature is explained in
the manner that if Dat is godfather to
Das, OATS eldest son becomes god
father TO Das' eldest son, and so on for
generations. But as the Oats could
scarcely expect to live ON one family
of Das', the former have numerous
aff.er aodchildren bearing the same re-
lative position, and Over whom they
exercise a lifelong influence.
In fact, the Hindu godfather spends
his life going on a circuit of his god
children, and as the latter often live
far apart the period of a circuit may
take up year or longer. But whether
he be the godfather to a prince or a
farmer, his reception is always attend
ed with the highest honors. In the old
days the grand gcdfathers travelled in
great style, with escorts of soldiers,
bands of music, "A parade of gorgeously
caparisoned elephants and horses, etc.
They often exercised great political, as
well as confidential powers, and some-
times rose to become ministers of state.
The ordinary godfather still goes mis-
rounds according to the wealth and
position of his clients or godchildren in
ox-carts or on foot, as the case may
be. In general, his reception among
the middle and-lower classes is as fol-
lows w men It dpplpdIiiCS Ills BON-
sons house, notice of the event having
been sent on in advance, the wife
comes forth with a bowl of water and
Pr cts her husbands father with the
salutation, 20, holy guru, live forever
Then she reverently kneels and pro-
ceeds to wash the godfather's feet. af-
terward drying them with the linen
cloth which covers her head. After
this she performs what we would re-
gard as not a very nice act. She
drinks some of the dirty water and re-
serves the rest as a talisman against
evil spirits. On entering the house,
the godfather is met by his godson
with presents and the probably not
very sincerely expressed hope that he
win never go away again. During his
visit he settles up any family troubles.
arranges with other godfathers the
marriage of his godson's children, ac-
cepting fees on each transaction. Then.
when he pleases, he goes his way to his
next grandson's abode with money and
provisions to provide for his journey.
Thus does the Hindu godfather make
a lucrative profession of what is to US
a sentimental calling. His gifts. in
stead of silverware, valuable trinkets,
etc. partake of the nature of flowers
from some altar, sacred ashes, or
crumbs from his food, all Of which are
supposed to remove all sins, and his
curse is regarded as calamity, it viii
be understood how very much more inn
portant a parsonage he is than his
counterpart in an Occidental family.