Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-16

their families have enjoyed during the year
past and pray for a repetition of the same
merc:es for the year to come. This festi-
val is called the 'Idu l-Fitr," and we ar
rived in time to witness one of the most
impressive spectacles l have ever seen.
Women never appear, but the entire male
popula ton, with their children, came to the
great park which surrounds the mosque
clad in festival attire each bringing a
prayer rug TO spread upon the ground
About ten thousand persons of all ages and
all classes came on foot and In all Sorts
of vehicles, with joyous voices ana con-
gratulations to each other that seemed
hearty enough to include the whole world
Taking advantage of their good humor. and
the thankful spirits hundreds of be2gars
were squatting along the roadside and APP
pealing to every passerby in plt11ul tones.
And nearly every one responded some
people brought bags of rice, beans ana
wheat; others brought cakes and bread,
but the greater number invested in little
sea shells which are used in the interior OF
India as currency, and one hundred OF
them are worth penny Rlch people iilleo
their pockets with these shells ana scat
tered them by handsful among the crowd,
and the shrieking beggars scrambled Tor
them the ground.
A Democratic Gathering.
There were long lines of food peddlers'
too, with portable stoves, and tables upon
which were spread morsels which the ma
tives of India considered great dehcacies'
but were not very tempting to US. Tnese
food peddlers drove a profitable trade be-
| cause almost every person present had peen
fasting for q full month and mad sharp
appetite to satisfy. After the services the
rich and the poor ate together, masters ana
| servants because Mohammed knew no
caste and it was an interesting sight 10
see the democratic spirit of the Worshlpers,
for the rich and the poor, the master ana
| the servant knelt down side by side upon
| the same rug or strip of mating and DOW
ed their heads to the ground In homage OF
the God that made them all Famlles came
together in carriages bullock carts, on the
backs of camels horses, mules, donkeys, all
the male members of the household from
the baby to the grandfather, and were at
tended by all men servants of the family
| or the farm. They washed together at the
| basins where the fountains We're Spouting
more joyously than usual, and then moved
| forward, laughing and chattering, toward
| the great mosque, selected places which
| seemed most convenient, spread their rugs,
| mating, blankets and sheets upon the
| ground, sat in long rows facing Mecca, and
| gossiped cheerfully together until the great
| high priest, surrounded by mullahs or lower
| priests, appeared in front of the Midrab, the
| place in every mosque from which the ko-
ran is read, and shouted for attention.
Ramon, one of our bearers who is
Moha mmedan, disappeared early in the
| morning, and we didn't see him again that
| day. His piety was greater than his sense
| of obligation 10 his employers, and l saw
| him in the crowd earnestly going through
| the violent exercise which attends the wor-
| ship OF Islam.
When the hour for commencing the cere-
| mony drew near the entire courtyard sew
/ eral acres in extent, was covered with neo-
| pie arranged in rows about eight feet apart
/ from north to south, and all facing the
west with their eyes toward Mecca in eX-
| pectant attitudes. The sheikh has power
| full voice and by long experience has ac-
| CURED the faculty of throwing it a long dis
| lance, and, as he intoned the service, null
| labs were stationed at different points to
! repeat his words so that everybody could
! hear. The first sound was a long wailing
| cry like the call of the muezzeins from the
/ minarets at the hour of prayer, and it was
/ for the purpose of concentra ting the atten-
| ton of the vast audience, which arose to its
| feet ana stood motlonless with hands clasp
! cd across the breast.
! Remarkable Exhibition of Precision.
| Then, as the service proceeded, the great
/ crowd, in perfect unison, If it had prac-
| ticed daily for months, performed the same
| motions one after the other. 1t was a re-
markable exhibition of precision. No army
of well drilled troops could have done bet
| ter.
The following were the motions each in
| response to the intonation of a prayer by
| the high priest
| l. Both hands to forehead, palms and fin
| gers together in the attitude of prayer.
>. Bend body forward al right angles
| three times in succession keeping hands in
| the same position.
j. Return to upright position with hands
| lowered TO the breast.
4. Bow head three times to the ground.
D. Rise and stand motionless with hands
| at sides.
| q. Hands lifted TO ears and returned 20
side, motions three times repeated.
| G. Body at right angles again, with hands
| clasped at forehead.
| s. Body erect, kneel and bow forward,
| touching the forehead three times to the
| earth.
| o. Fall back upon knees and with folded
| hands.
10. Rise, stand at attention with clasped
| hands until the cry of the mullah announced
that the ceremony was over, whereupon
| everybody turned to embrace his family
| and friends In a most affeetionate manner
| again and again Some Were crying. soma