Bisbee daily review., 1907-07-05
TIE SACRED GANCEs.
Bathing at Sunrise of the Hindoo
 Worshipers.
A MOST CURIOUS SPECTACLE.

Tens of Thsusands of Religious ZssIots
 Lave Themselves In the Frisid Wa
 tsrs of the Polluted stresm-Ths
 chouis at the crematery.
 One of the greatest human spectac,es in the world-a most amazing and con- plete exhibition of religious zeal-is the sunrise gathering of Ganges worship CTS along the river bank at Benares, h. dia. Eliza R. Skidmore, foreign secre- tary of the National Geographic socie- ty, made q study of these religious ob- servanees of believers of Hindooism at Benares and wrote a comprehensive article for the National Geographic Magazine
 The author in reeounting her experi- ences says: sightseeing begins at Benares before daybreak, and one drives through two miles of uninterest- ing streets in the starlight and gray gloaming across to the boats at the riv- CT bank. In midwinter. the cold weath- CT months of Indian travel, it is bitter ly 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 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 tho rising sun striking full upon it.
 "As the sun shone rcd, orange and yellow through the thick frost haze a great murmur of voices rose from the length of the ghats. the tens of thou. sands of fervent worshipers, standing on platforms built over the water and standing waist deep in the water, re beating in muttered chant the ancient Vedic hymn.
 ''They dipped themselves beneath the swirllng mud flood; 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
 
 sprinkled themselves; they pressed their nostrils, they twisted their fin 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 woman's ghat every woman carries brass lota, or water jar, or a still larger and heavier jar of red pot tery, and the intending procession of gracefully draped figures going up and down the broad ghat 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 tie world again in some human form less ignoble than a woman's
 "They go back to shore ahd deftly envelop themselves in fresh saris and drop the wet ones to the steps without once uncoyering the face or exposing more L b the feet and hands. They SCOUT their brass lotas with Ganges mud, they wash their hair with sacred muck and flll the jars to take home at the very mouths of the city sewers.
 "rhe devotees show no fastidious choice in dipping the water they drink. All Is Ganges water. and all is sacred, even when the surface is afoat with city refuse discharging from the drain pipes at their very elbows.
 ''The cremation ground is only q waste space of grimy sand and gravel between two stone terraces, a neglect cd bank guIlied by rains, with pyres, building and half consumed, scattered irregularly, and ghouIs poking among the ashes for coins or jewels. More systematic ghouls carry pans of ashes to the waters edge and wash this pay dirt Ike any placer miner.
 "Alongside this revolting sequel to yesterdays burnings lie fresh bodies. wrapped in white sheets and garlands 1 of marigoids. The bodies are dipped in the Ganges and laid in rows, with the l sacred stream laying their feet and profane ghouls washing pay dirt from ! yesterdays pyres between and beside them, shaking grime and cinders over the hapless flower wreathed bundles.
 "This crude open afr crematory is the monopoly of the domri, lowest caste of all peoples, who charge ex- travagantly for their services, for the wood, the oil and the flame which lights the funeral torch for touching ! off the pyre.
 "The earlier In the morning the burn. ing occurs the greater merit and cer- tainty of paradise for the dead one. and the domri's charges run from extrava' gant sums for burning the rich and noble at sunrise and decrease toward noon and afternoon, when tine very poor and the jail criminals are hur. riedly burned or half burned for few annas and the rubbish and bones show eled down the bank