Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-05-08
THE SACRED CANOES.
Bathing at Sunrise of the Hindoo
WorShiperS.
A MOST CURIOUS SPECTACLE.

Tens of Thousands of Religious zeaIots
Lave Themselves In the Frisid Wa
tiers Of the Polluted Stream-Ths
ShouIs at the Crematory.
One Of the greatest human spectac es
In the world-a most amazing and co N.
plete exhibition of religious zeal--is tn ,
sunrise gathering of Gauges worship
ers along the river bank at Beuares. In
dia. Eliza L. Skidmore, foreign secre-
tary of the National Geographic socle-
", made study of these religious OBJ
servances Of believers Of Hindooism
at Benares and wrote comprehensive
article for the National Geographic
Magazine.
The author in recounting her expert
ences says: sightseeing begins Mt
Benares before daybreak, and one
drives through two miles of uninterest-
ing streets in the starlight and gray
cleaning across to the boats at the riv-
er bank. In midwinter, the cold wealth
err months of Indian travel, it is bitter
~ cold at that hour-hoarfrost on the
ground, blue and lilac frost haze in the
air. One needs all the fur wraps and
rugs one can get to drive dowa to the
river. yet is glad for the shelter of a
sun umbrella before noon.
Every one at that hour was hurry
ing in the one direction, and when we
had raced down the great steps and
the houseboat was poled off from the
bank all the river front was before
us like a theater stage lighted by the
rising sun striking full upon it.
GAS the sun shone red. orange and
yellow through the thick frost haze a
great murmur of voices rose from the
length of the CHATS. the tens of thou
sands of fervent worshipers, standing
on platforms built over the water and
standing waist deep in the water. re-
peating in muttered chant the ancient
Vedic hymn.
''They dipped themselves beneath the
swirling mud flood: they lifted the wa
ter in jars and poured It over their
heads; they lifted It in their lauds and
LET it trickle through their fingers or
run down their arms. and they dipped
tufts Of sacred grass in the water and
sprinkled themselves; they pressed
their noetrils. they twisted their fin
gers and did all manner Of motions as
they chapted and muttered to them
selves, each one rapt. intent absorbed
entirely in the long religious recitals.
at the woman's CHAT every woman
tries a brass lota. or water jar, or a
still larger and heavier Jar Of red pot
terry. and the unending procession OF
gracefully draped figures going UP
ond down the broad CHAT is an unend-
ing delight Swathed head and all in
their winding saris. they wade into
the river and pray, one is sure, to ev-
cry IIindoo deity which the ten fingers
represent to let them come into the
world again in some human form less
ignoble than wcl!au's.
''They go back TO shore ami deftly
envelop themselves in fresh saris and
drop the wet ones TO the steps without
once mcovering the face or exposing
more than the feet and hands. They
mud, they wash their hair with sacred
muck and ill the Jars to take home at
the very mouths Of the city sewers.
''The Gevotees show no fastidious
choice In dipping The water they drink
All is Ganges water, ael all is sacred,
even when the surface is afioat with
city refuse dischargng from the drain.
pipes at their very elbows.
''The cremation ground is only a
waste space Of erimy sand and gravel
between two stone terraces, 4 neglect
ed bank quilted by rains, with pyres,
building and half consumed. scattered
irregularlg, and ghouls poking among
the ashes for coins or jewels. More
systematic ghnuls carry pans of ashes
to the waters edge and wash this
pay dirt like any placer miner.
Alongside this revolving sequel to
yesterdays burnings lie fresh bodies,
wrapped in white sheets and garlands
of marigolds. The bodies are dipped i'm
the Gauges and laid in rows, with the
sacred stream LAYING their feet and
profane ghouls washing pay dit from
Yesterdays pyres between and beside
them, shaking CRIME and cinders over
the hapless flower wreathed bundles.
This crude open air crematory is
the monopoly Of the domri. lowest
caste OF all peoples, who charge ex-
travagantIy for their services, for tho
wood, the oil ana the fame which
lights the funeral torch for touching
off the pyre.
1.-THE earlier in the morning the burn
ing occurs the greater merit and GER
tainty Of paradise for the dead one, and
the domri's charges run from extrava-
CANT sums for burning the itch and
noble at sunrise and decrease toward
noon and afternoon when the very
poor and tie jail criminals are hur-
riedIy burned or half burned for few
annas ana the rubbish and bones SHOW
eled down the bank"