The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-28

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
!: their meals in order to prevent the pos
sibility of their hearing any profane
remarks from passers-by While they
are eating. AS safeguard against
killing minute insects, the destruction
i of any form of life being considered
sinful, the women brush the floor
gently with light buster before using
a broom The rule pertaining to the
preservation of life is observed so
strictly that even eggs are abjured as
food on account of the vital germs
which they contain. Such considera-
ton would seem commendable for its
compassion were it not for the fact
, that a law had to be enacted to pre-
vent the horrible cruelty of burning
widow alive on the funeral pile of her
|, husband.
The servants of India invariably be-
! long to the low castles, and their fear
of doing something to offend their su-
periors is noticeable in the hesitation
they always evince in approaching
person or in entering an apartment
occupied by someone whose position
is higher than theirs. Even the serv-
ants in the hotels who ought to be IA
miliar with what is expected of them.
will halt and falter before entering a
room when they have been sent for and
told to enter. They bear the evidence
of conscious inferiority in their cring-
ing servility.
The Brahmin is just the reverse. He
deyoutly believes that he was made
from the head of God, and that no
creature on earth is his equal. He
. =; wiz tina
would be splendid if it We're not so ridi-
culous One of the greatest offences
! low caste Hiudu can commit is to de-
/ ceive or lie to a Brahmin. This favor
tie class has been so badly spoiled by
its privileges that those in even the
poorest circumstances carry themselves
! like autocrats.
NOTHING LEFT TO CHANCE.
The entire procedure of Hindu life
/ Is regulated by the rules of caste usage,
and every action of the native is gov
| erned by it, The mode of greeting, the
/ cut of clothing and manner OF wearing
it. the shape of ornaments and style of
wearing them, the furnishings of the
house, the corner where the hearth and
cooking pots are located, the manner
of going to bed and of sleeping, the
/
served, no matter how trivial, filthy or
disgusting they may be, all are laid
down by rule. Nothing is left to
! chance Every action of every indl-
vidua1 relating to himself and to 9TH
| ers is inculcated in the law of his caste
and there can be no departure from It,
This irrational phase of the ancient
law is one of the shackles that binds
India to the dark ages. Until these
I senseless customs are discarded there
is little hope of improving the lot Of
the miserable millions that are I'M
chained by them.
While the mild and cowardly Hindu
is ohliviCus to almost any mistreat-
ment CT indignity which does not in
volve the question of his caste rites,
he becomes a fearless fanatic If his
tribal privileges are interfered with.
The gravest disturbances frequently
arise over a dispute of some trifiing
character between members of differ
ent castles Sometimes the sole cause
of a quarrel may be the disputed right
to wear slippers through the streets on
the occasion of a marriage procession, !
or of having a trumpet sound at the
head of a parade, or again the right to
have certain musical instruments used |
in observing some ceremonial.
The distinctions between some of the |
castles are unusual indeed. For in |
stance, musicians are considered in |
ferior because in the act of playing |
wind instruments the mouth pieces are |
touched with saliva. Shoemakers
and all leather workers are degraded |
because Of handling skins of dead ami |
mails. BARRIERS are looked down upon |
because they have to clean the ears of |
their patrons. The different castles OF |
cultivators consider themselves supe- |
rior to goldsmiths, blacksmiths. found |
ers and metal workers, as well as fish |
ermen, potters and laundrymen, and
would under no circumstances sit with |
any of the above named tradesnen or
touch food which had been handled by |
them.
THE SERVANT PROBLEM.
The strict division of employment
necessitates. a large staff Of servants
for the European residing permanent
" or sojournfng temporarily in India
If he owns horses he must have
groom for each animal. and these sta
bic boys accompany him when he goes
cut. because the drivers work is con-
fined solely to holding the reins. If
here should be "a breakdown. or II
should be necessary TO hold the ami
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