St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-08-10
EAST INDIA EXHIBIT.

EAST INDIA EXHIBIT.
One Of the IntcrcssinR Features at the
WerId's Fair.
The building, externally. follows the
design of the famous mosque of Itmad-ul-
Dowlah at Agra. India. 1t is square in
form with buttressing minarets rising
from the ground at each of the four cor
ners, the domes of which are of green or
weathered-copper color.
The ornamental designs in relief on the
building, both externally and Internally, 4
are reproductions of the geometTic figures
to which Mohamedan architects are
restricted by their law, which forbids the
representation Of any living creature.
The arches enter upon wide corridors
which in turn are divided from central
court by series of arches on each of the
tour sides. A balcony overhangs this
court all round, whence another series of
light arches rise, carrying clere story,
the sides of which are practically all
glass. This gives floods OF light and air
and makes the building among the
coolest in the exposition. The roof, like
that of. most Oriental structures, is fat
and commands interesting views of the
beautiful garden surrounding the French
building, the floral clock and the govern
ment lite saving station.
In the interior. rising gracefully from
the center of the court, is probably the
largest, handsomest and most costly
piece of wood carving ever seen at an
exposition. It was executed expressly
for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition,
taking sixty-fve artists two years to
complete. 1t is reproduction of Jain
temple-a sect in Hindoo religion. This
temple is thirty five feet in height and is
twenty feet at the base, being in point Of
size one-eighth of the original, which is
OF white marble and located at Palitana,
Central India. In every detail the work
has been entirely done by hand.
The temple consists of small room or
chamber surrounded by colonnade with
a projecting porch on the south side, this
chamber being surmounted by tall
tapering pagoda-like spire with chased
brass final, and above all waves scarlet
flag bearing the conventional flower or
medallion OF Mahadeo, the god to whom
the temple is dedicated. Over colonnade
and porch there is a fat roof to which
access is given on each side of the porch
by light, graceful spiral stairways. sup
ported on one side only by the highly
carved newell posts into which the steps
are morticed. These stairways are
covered with square fiat roofs, carried
on beautifully carved slender columns.
The plinth, columns, door posts, doors,
windows, beams, ceilings-in short every
inch OF the structure, is carved with
intricate designs and wherever the
panels admit, are figures of gods, scenes
from Hindoo mythology, god-men and
men-gods, palm trees, flowers, foliage,
serpents, lions, medallions 1.-THE sign of
Mahadeo), huted lines, scrolls and such
rich extravaganza of detail that no
description can do justice to the skill,
patience and devotion OF the artist who
designed, or the craftsmen who executed
the whole.
The arabesque designs inside the build
ing are only seen here and there, as the
walls, the balustrade of the balcony and
even the stairways are covered with
Oriental draperies, arms, shields and fans
in extravagant profusion.
The capitals of the columns carry brass,
copper and enameivases of quaint shapes
and bright colors, all of Indian work
manship.
It is largely to articles of the character
displayed here, representing the labori-
Gus workmanship of artists and crafts
men, which machinery cannot yet pro-
duce, that the average American mind
associates the products OF India. not
realizing that she is now an exporting
country of jute, cotton goods and other
textiles and manufactures.
The government OF India, treating this
exposition in a practical manner, has
confined the display to the articles
shown and to tea, which comes into this
country tree of duty and which therefore
may be shown and served with practical
results. similar effort was made at
the Columb ian exposition at Chicago in
1898 with such markedly good results
that India tea (prior to that time pract-
icallv unknown in America has become
an important factor in the tea trade in
the east and Canada. The Indian gov
ernment's policy is conseq uently not ex-
| perimental as it is simply following here
| the same system which proved so success
| full at Chicago with the additional adj
vantage that since that time the tea
| planters of India, DESTROYS OF securing
| wider market, have undertaken success
| fully the manufacture of green teas such
| as are mainly used in the Middle West.
| All over this beautiful building which is
redolent in every line and suggestion OF
| the gorgeous East, in the corridors, under
| the arches, in the shadow of the Pagoda,
on the balcony, within the oriei WIN
| dows, are scattered here and there with
| out seeming order, tables where cosy
| parties may seat themselves, and sur
| rounded by all Oriental luxury and served
by solemn, turbaned, East Indians, par
| take OF the delicious and refreshing tea,
| the original home of which is on the
slopes and spurs of the lofty Himalayas.
| Richard Blechynden, who has spent
many years in India and who has repre-
sented the tea planters of India in this
country for the past twelve years is the
commissioner.
Fred G. Williams, well known resi-
dent OF New York city, is assistant COM
| missioner.
The Church Among the Hills