The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-12
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-The
GhouIs at the Crematory.

=
tiers of the Polluted Stream-Ths
Ghous at the Crematory.
One of the greatest human spectacles
in the world-a most amazing and com
plete exhibition of religious zeal-is the
sunrise gathering of Gauges worship.
ers along the river bank at Benares, In.
dia. Eliza r. Skidmore, foreign secrc-
tary of the National Geographic socie.
ty, made a study of these religious OBJ
servances of believers OF Hindooism
at Benares and wrote a comprehensive
article for the National Geographic
Magazine.
The author in recounting her expert
ences says: Sightseeing begins at
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
er 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 down 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 of from the
bank all the river front was before
us like a theater stage lighted by the
rising sun striking full upon it.
"As the sun shone red, orange and
hn ;aI hos q,
great murmur of voices rose from the
length of the CHATS, the tens of thou
sands of feryent worshipers, standing
on platforms built over the water and
standing waist deep In the water. re-
peatlng in muttered chant the ancient
Vedic hymn.
They dipped themselves beneath the
swirling mud food: they lifted the wa
ter in jars and poured it over their
heads; they lifted it in their hands 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 nostrils, they twisted their I'm
gers and did all manner of motions as
they chanted and muttered to them
selves. each one rapt. intent, absorbed
entirely in the long religious recitals.
'At the womans CHAT every woman
carries a brass lota. or water jar. or a
still larger and heavier jar of red pot
terry, and the amending procession Of
gracefully draped figures going up
and 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 Hindoo deity which the ten fingers
represent to let them come into the
world again in some human form less
ignoble than woman's.
'"They go back to shore and deftly
envelop themselves in fresh saris and
drop the wet ones to the steps without
once uncovering the face or exposing
more than the feet and hands. They
scour their brass lotas with Gauges
mud. they wash their hair with sacred
muck and fill the jars to take home at
the very mouths of the city sewers.
1.-THE devotees show no fastidious
choice in dipping the water they drink. |
All is Gauges water, and all is sacred. |
even when the surface is afloat with |
city refuse discharging from the drain |
pipes at their very elbows.
THE cremation ground IS only a |
waste space of grimy sand and gravel |
two stone terraces. a neglect |
I'd bank quilted by rains. with pyres, |
building and half consumed. scattered |
regularly. and ghouls poking among |
he ashes for coins or jewels. More |
systematic ghouls carry pans OF ashes |
% the waters edge and wash this |
,ay dirt like any placer miner.
Alongside this revolving sequel to |
burnings lie fresh bodies,
wrapped in white sheets and garlands
# marigolds. The bodies are dipped in
he Gauges and laid in rows, with the |
acred stream LAYING their feet and
,rofane ghouls washing pay dirt from
pyres between and beside
hem, shaking CRIME and cinders over
he hapless flower wreathed bundles.