Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-12
The Best Spring Tonic and Body
Builder Makes Flesh and STRENGTH

have the right to wear it, although members
OF the lower castles are even more careful
to do so. 1t is put on the child by the priest
or the parent on its eighth birthday with
ceremonies similar and corresponding to
those of our baptisms. After the child has
been bathed and its head has been carefully
shaved 1t is dressed in new garments and
the richest that the family can AFFORD. The
priest or godfather ties on the sacred thread
and teaches the child brief Sanscrit text
called mantra, some maxim or proverb, OF
perhaps 1t may be only the name of deity
which is to be kept profound secret and
repeated 1GS times daily throughout life.
The dety selected serves the child through
life as patron saint and protector. Ere
quently the village barber acts in the place
of priest and puts on the sacred thread.
A similar thread placed around the neck
of a child and often around its waist by
the midwife Immediately after birth, Is in
tended as an amulet o. charm to protect II
from disease and danger. 1t is usually a
strand OF silk which has been blessed by
some holy man or sanctified by being placed
around the neck of an idol of recognized
sanctity.
The streets of the native quarters of In
dian cities are filled with naked babies and
children 1t is questionable for the men,
bera of either sex to wear clothing until
they are eight or ten years Old. me only
garment they wear Is the sacred strils.
with usually little silver charm or amulet
suspended from it, Sometimes children wear
bracelets and ankiets OF silver. which tlnkie
as they run about the streets. ne Httie
rascaIs are always fat and CHUBBY, ana
their bright black eyes give them an APP
nearance of unnatural intelligence. The
children are never shielded from the sun.
although its rays are supposed TO De natal
to full grown and mature persons Incl,
heads being shaved, the orals - uepi aveu
OF it's natural protection, and they never
wear hats or anything else. ana play al gay
long under the fierce heat in the midoie VI
the road without appearing any the "o'se
for it. although foreign doctors insist INA :
This exposure is one of the chief causes Oh
the enormous infant mortality IN inula.
This NAV be true. because few Gays al,er
birth babies are strapped upon tfe paeh VI
some younger child or are earned aoou. the
streets astride the hips of their mothers
brothers or sisters without any protecuon
from the sun.
The Ways Of the Barber.
An outdoors is an Indian barber shop.
The BARRIERS have no regular places OF pus1-
ness. but wander from house to house seek
ine and serving customers, or squat down
on the roadside and intercept them as they
mass. In TIE large cities you can see
dozens of them squatting along the streets
performing their sacred offices, shaving the
heads and oiling the bodies of customers
Cocoanut oil is chiefly used and Is supposed
TO add strength and SuppleneSS TO the Dody.
1t is administered with massage, thorough
lv rubbed in and certainly cannot inJure
ANYBODY In the principal parks of Indian
cities at almost any time in the morning
you can see a dozen or twenty men being.
oiled and rubbed down by BARRIERS or by
friends and a great deal OF oil is used In
the hair After a man is grown he allows
his hair to grow long and wears it in
knot at the back of his head Some Hindus
have an abundance of hair. of which they
are very proud and upon which they spend
considerable care and labor.
The parks are not only used for dressing
rooms but for bed rooms also. Thousands
of people sleep in the open air day and
night. sire ched full length upon the
ground. They wrap their robes around
their heads and leave their legs and feet
uncovered. This is the custom of the In
dams of the Andes. No matter how cold or
how hot it may be they invariably wrap
their head and face UP carefully before
sleeping and leave the lower limbs exposed.
A Hindu does not care where he sleeps.
Night and day are the same to him. He
will lie down on the sidewalk in the blazing
sunshine anywhere, pull his robe up over
his head and sleep the sleep of the just.
You can seldom walk block without seeing
one of these human bundles all wrapped up
in white cotton lying on the bare stone or
earth in the most casual way, but they are
very seldom disturbed.