Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-03
like SCENES FROM
ARABIAN NIGHTS
A SHOWER OF REAL PEARLS
CAME DOWN
Magnificent Ceremonies Attending the
Reception Of the. Princess of
Wales by Ladies' Of India
at Bombay
Special Cable to The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald.
LONDON, Dec. 2.-Dlspatches from
India tell Of the magnificent reception
everywhere extended to the prince and
princess of Wales. one of the most
gorgeous and splendid of all was the
purdah given at Bombay in honor of
the princess. The ceremony purdah
means 1t was exclusively confined to
women. The leading ladies of the three
great Indian religious communities
Parsee, Hindu and Mahometan--asse
bled in the town hall to welcome and
honor the princess according to their
ancient rites.
The hall was bewilderng in its splen-
dor. Rich carpets of cloth of gold
stretched from the entrance to the
throne. Hundreds of candles flickered
In sockets of beaten gold. The walls
and the pillars were hung with price
less fabrics lent by rajahs and nawabs.
Native ladies and young girls wore their
richest costumes, and their jewels
might have come from Aladdin's cave
1t is very rarely that so dazzling an
array is seen at one time, even in the
opulent east.
Young girls sang songs of welcome
and scattered the carpet with flowers
as the princess entered. She wore
lowered muslin gown. Her toque was
trimmed with wreaths of roses and
diamonds and amethysts spalkled at
her neck.
There were three distinct ceremonies
the parsee "vadhavievani," the Hin
du "arti," and the Mahometan "ameen."
The Parsees came first. An egg and
cocoanut were passed seven times
round the head of the princess, and
were then broken on the floor signify
ing that If evil should befall the prln-
cess in any of the seven circles of the
world it may be destroyed and turned
to good The egg and the cocoanut
symbolic the three elementary neces-
sites of life---food drink and shelter.
Water was passed seven times round
the princess head, and poured on the
floor, to signify abundance of rain, and
rice was scattered over her shoulders
to typify abundance of food.
The Hindu ceremony was more po-
etic. Red powder carried on tray was
conveyed to the princess, and a pre-
tense was made of marking her with 1t
on the brow. Innumerable candles were
burnt, signifying the wish that light
and brightness may abound In the
princess life.
Then the Mahometan ladies, headed
by the Begun Mahal, scattered leaves
and flowers round the princess, laid
gold plate and silver coins at her feet.
garlanded her with gold and silver
nuts about her shoulders as emblem
of the oil of peace and happiness. One
Mahometan lady scattered shower of
real pearls about the princess feet
The princess was then conducted to
dais, which was a replica of the gor-
geous peacock throne of Mumtaz-i-
Mahal, the consort of the splendid and
passionate Shah Jehan-the famous
throne which blazed with rubies, sap
phires and emeralds, was valued at six
and a half millions sterling and was
carried out of India after the Persian
invasion.
Lady Jehanghir presented an address
from the three communities, expressing
the warmest hopes for the future hap
piness of the princess. Her royal high
ness carefully followed the address,
which was in the three vernaculars
from an English translation. She made
a brief and pleasant reply, saying that
she was highly gratified by the recep-
ton, and that her chief object in MAX
ing the tour was to make the acquaint-
ance of my Indian sisters"
Presentations were made. The ladies'
made deep salaams, and one insisted on
kissing the hand of the princess over
and over again. Hindu girls sang a
plaintive song with actions representing
the drawing of water from well. The
Parsees sang national song around
their sacred lamps, and followed it
with a rhythmic dance, winding round
and round in circles, with the children
in the middle.
The princess was wreathed in smiles
of delight. She took tea with the
ladies, and then departed amid a rain
of sweet-scented flowers.
The natives of India, usually silent
and impassive burst into delighted
cheers whenever the prince and princess
appeared, and clapped their hands with
great vigor. Part of this enthusiasm
is due to the widespread superstition
that the princess of Wales is benef-
cent angel, whose visit will bannish
nlague and famine from Bombay.
A