Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-03
PECULIAR IaDlA4. oJyloMs.
Days on Whfoh Mohammednns will Not Rathe--Frcedom of
 Cattle.

Mohammenda1ls of India are very superstttfous. No Mohannnedan will fake bath on Sunday orsTussday. But if ono bathes on Wednesday all mis- fortunes ndmisery that arein store for him till nextsW ednesday will be avert ed. As rule all Mohammeaans bathe on Fridays before going to perform the jumma prayers. For donning new clothes Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday are regarded as bad days. If anyone dons a new dress or puts on new . cloth or allows his tailor to cut piece of new cloth on these days he will live miserable life till that dress or cloth gets torn or lis thrown away If a shirtis torn and if the wearer wants to stitch it, 1t must be taken off, for if 1t is stitched while 1t is on the body the person will soon die. A Mohsrn- n1edap will never allow barber to come near him on Tuesdays, for Tues. days and also Saturdays and Sundays are bad days for shaving purposes. If absolutely necessary heTwfll get him. self shaved on Saturday or Sunday, but never on Tuesday, .as his star is supposed to fall stn blood if he does so. If one receives money or some valu- able thing 1t is taken with the right hand, for if it is taken with the left the person receiving it is said to for get all about 1t very soon or to rnislay It. A devout Moi7ammedan win not start on aVjourney on Wednesday, for it Is believed he will never return home safely ifshe does SO And it-is said that even snake never ventures out of it's hole on this day.
 In Fex, the capital of Morocco, most of the houses consist of several stories, each being provided with a light yer anda running round it and connecting the rooms. All the windows and doors open outin the patio, or courtyard, the window openings in the upper stories being covered with close trellis work. All the houses have fiat roofs. with a wall some four to six feet high rln- ming around, and from four. ?. m. until sunset the roofs4 are given over Ito the ladies exclusively, < who cant than walk. about and take the fresh air without being seen by any of the opposite sex. This reservation : is a law which is never broken and no man would be guilty of being seen on his or on any other roof during the forbid den shours. Owing to the fact ftnat the women of the house are not allowed to be seen by any other man than their lord and master, all domestic offices are situ- Ated away from the house proper. In many of the larger houses, besides the water fountains, others playing scent or scented water are to be found Sec e1s< sunk and these portions are filled with scented oil, which is used to perfume the rooms. The Moors are exceptions ally particular in discarding their footgear before entering room or crossing rug or carpet; they even change slippers before entering the courtyard from the street Thus the houses are kept beautifully clean and sweet and are not, as many people would suppose, musty or close.
 Few people travelling in India can fail to notice the part played, whether ln the flesh or it's representation, by the COW and the OK. Sacred cattle wan der unmolested and unInolesting through the streets of the cities, more especially in the south, generally deco rated with garlands of flowers; stone 'nandis," the bulls of sfva. keep guard before his temples and round his tanks; they are portrayed in fresco or In carving on the walls of many q rock cavern. Oxen turn mills, blow the land, are the drawers and carriers of water and, above all. are invaluable tor drawing loads. Cattle, as is well known, are by Hindoos held in great and superstitious reverence, Ganges water poured over cows tail being equivalent to the kissing of the sacred book or taking an oath. Yet, unfortunately the draft bull often receives very rough treat ment at his drivers hands. So long as the animals life is not taken ill-treat- ment counts as nothing among these people who regard the brutes as sacred.