The San Francisco call., 1904-06-01
The Holy Inkpot.
sn.cisl corresponaenee.


than the sword and writs are no
longer enforced By bayonets, there is
a certain Appropriateness in the deif1-
cation of the inkpot,' as the symbol OF
English domination. in this strange
land OF occult wisdom, mysticism and
superstition.
The ceremony of boN-ing down to
this rather commonplace receptacle
took place on the fat roof of the hugs
pile Of buildings in Calcutta which are
occupied by the secretaries of the Gov
ernment. The worshipers. some thirty
in number. most Of them native or
sderlies from the hills round Sinlla who
every year accompany the Govern
ment officials from Simla TO Calcutta,
engaged as their priest a PunJaoi
Brahmin. Taking one Of the large
packing cases which are used to con-
vey Office records, they draped its
rough woodwork with plantain leaves
and brsfr-hes Of the. sscred' pipal trees.
on thfs foundation they placed dis
patch box, which served as a species
Of altar ON top Of IL, as the prin-
cipal fetish. was Installed common
English glass inkp6t with a screw top
and around this were arranged pen
holders and pennibs, red, blue and
black pencils, penknives, ink erassrs'
foolscap and letter paper; envelopes:
postage stamps. blotting paper, seal
ing wax-in short, al the clerkly para
phernalia with which the Government
Of India carries on its work. With an
unconscious touch Of humor the whole
was festooned with abundant coils OF
red tape.
When all the preparations had been
completed. each worshiper made a
reverential .obeisance to the inkpot and
laid before il his offerings, consisting
Of grains Of rice, spices and various
fruits and. some copper farthings, the
latter constituting the perquisites of
the officiating priest. The Brahmin
then recited various -cabalistic formu-
las. supposed TO be texts from the
Vedas. After the conclusion Of the
religious rites the votaries feasteo
themselves on sweetneats, for the pur-
chase Of which each man had con-
tributed a rupee, and then went their
several ways, licking their lips and re-
jcicing in their faith that the 1nkpot
deity would see to it that they pros
pered in the Government employ.
The ceremony is part Of a general
fetish festival, called Sri Panchaani
and observed at the. time Of the spring
equinox. when IL is incumbent on every
religious minded person TO worship the
Implements or insignia of the vocation
by which he lives. The soldier wor-
ships his sword. the farmer his plON,
the money-lender. his ledger, and the
operatives in the jute mills near Cal
cutta bow down before the engines
which drive their looms Even the
thugs, whs combine piety with muir
der. indulge in a gruesOme ritual In
which the pickaxes with which they
dig the graves Of their. victims play q
prominent part.
In the strange medley of creeds oi
which the numerous. religions. Of India
are compounded the doctrine of the
transmigration Of souls finds prom
inent paace. There is a popular be-
lief in some places. that when man
dies the nature Of his. next existenee
can be ascertained by placing ashes
from a potters kiln in a shallow YES
sci and carefully smoothing them
Next morning it is alleged, the ashes
VIII be found marked with human foot
prints IL the soul of the dead man is
10 be reborn as a human being; with
claws il a bird, wavy lines if a tree
and so on. man and his wife battle
in the Ganges with their clothes tied
together to insure their being married
TO one another in their next state Of
existence.
cnd hQ1fnfo ~
the Mohammedans in India differ
considerably and the uneducated are
deeply infected with Hinduism
Afghans and Balochs are equally
ignorant of everything connected with
their religion beyond its most ele-
mentary doctrines. While devout be-
levers in the efficacy of prayer, the
popular maxim Of the Afghans LOOT
and Pray" indicates how little theiI
piety affects their conduct. God viii
not favor a Baloch who does not steal
and rob-" say the Balochs, and theil
practice has at least the merit Of con-
forming TO their profession of faith
The BalOch who steals and murders
secures heaven for seven generations
Of his forefathers" Is another Of theiI
proverbs which they observe with de-
vout fervor.
Whatever name be given to the vari-
Gus creeds the Hindus profess, with
the more ignorant among them they
become mere medleys OF weird super
stitiOns. If a man dies of a snake
bite" says the Magahiya Doms of the
Gya district, I'VE worship his spirit
lest he should come back and give ui
bad dreams. We also worship the
snake lest the snake god should serve
US in like fashion" Any man there.
fore conspicuous enough by his deed.
in life, or the manner OF his death, tC
stand a chance OF being dreamed Of
among a tolerably large circle o,
acQuaintances is likely in the cours.
% time TO take rank as a god.
Systematic robbery is so far q recog.
nized means Of livelihood among these
Doms that II has impressed itself upor
their religion and a distinct ritual 1.
ordained for those who go forth tC
commit a burglary. A circle of on.
span and four fingers in diameter is
drawn on the ground and smearec