Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-05-15
THE SACRED CANOES.
Bathing at Sunrise Of the Hindoo
Worshipers.
A MOST CURIOUS SPECTACLE.
Tens Of Thousands Of Religious zealoss
Lave Themselves In the Frisid Wa
tsrs ct the Polluted Stream-Ths
chouIs at the crematory.

Lave Themselves In the Friaid ws-
tsrs OF the Polluted Stream-Ths
chouis at the cremstory.
One OF the greatest human spectacles
10 the world-a most amazing and CON-
piete exhibition of religious zeal-is the
sunrise gathering If Ganges worship
ers along the river bank at Benares. In
Ola. Eliza X. Skidmore. foreign secre-
tary OF the National Geographic socie-
", made study of these religious OBJ
servances OF believers OF Hinduism
az benares and wrote comprehensive
article for the National Geographic
Magazine.
The author in recounting her expert
ences says: Sightseeing begins ny
Benares before daybreak. and ono
drives through two miles OF uninterest-
Ing streets In the starlight and gray
cleaning across To the boats at the rlv
er bank. In midwlnter. the cold wealth
err months OF Indian travel. Il l. bitter
~ cold ut that bour-hoarfrost on tho
ground, blue and lilac frost haze I'm the
air. One needs all the fur wraps ana
rugs one can get to drive down 10 the
river, yet Is glad for the shelter OF n
sun umbrella before noon.
Every one ut that hour was hurry
Ing In the one direction. and when we
had raced down the --eat steps AMI
the houseboat was po,cl OF from tho
bank all the river front vas before
MS like tseater stage lighted by tho
rising sun striking full upon It.
AS the sun shore rel. orange anil
yellow through the thicis frost haze n
great mur:nur OF voices rose from the
length or the CHATS. the tens OF thou
sands OF fervent worshipers. standing
on platforms built over the water and
standing weist deep In the water. re.
peating I'm 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 II in their hands and
let II 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 rs
they cbanted and muttered 10 them
selves. each one rapt intent. absorbed
entirely In the long religious recitals.
AT the woman's CHAT every woman
carries brass lota. or water Jar. or q
still larger ana 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 Hindoo deity which the ten fingers
represent 10 let them come into the
world again in some human form less
ignoble than n woman's.
They go back 10 shore and deftly
envelop themselves I'm fresh saris and
drop the wet ones 10 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 Oil the jars TO take home at
the very mouths OF the city sewers.
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 n
waste space OF grlmy sand and gravel
between two stone terraces. n neglect
ed bank quilted 10y rains. with pyres.
building and half consumed. scattered
and gEouls pOklng among
the ashes for coins or Jewels. Moro
systematic ghouls 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.
In white sheets and garlauds
Of marigolds. The bodies are dipped In
the Gauges and laid in rows. with the
sacred stream LAYING their feet and
profane ghouls washing pay dirt from
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-
for their services. for the
wood, the oil and the fame which
lights the funeral torch for touching
,ff the pyre
THE earlier IN the morning the burn |
ng 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 rich and |
noble at sunrise and decrease toward |
noon and afternoon. when the very |
poor and the jail criminals are hur- /
-iedly bcrned or half burned for few |
innas and the rubbish and bones SHOW
eled down the bank"