Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-01-13
FlkIRs OF INDIA
ons Win Tortured Hinssk Upon Q
Bed Of Spikes


Bed Of Spikes
In India there are numerous PEN
itents Of different sects, called GA
keers," "Yogees," "Tsdins," 'Pan-
daroons," etc, who make VOW to
live at the expense of the public
and travel about begging, says the
New York Press. The Fakeers are
Mussulmans cunning, hypocritical
and impudent. They do all sorts
Of silly stunts and are altogether a
disgusting lot. Sometimes they as
.emble in troops of 5000 or 10000,
levyihg contributions wherever they
so. The total number Of Fakeers
in British India is about 100000.
Among the various brands or
breeds Of Fskeers you will find the
Dundee" the "Brumhucharee, "
the "Ramatu," the "Voishnuvu'
and the genuine Mussulman Fakeer.
Many of the more enlightened Hin.
docs, especially the Brahnans, hold
these mcndicants in the utmost con-
tempt and have assisted the Brit
ish government as far as they dared
in putting them to work. On the
other hand, some rich property
owners treat the frauds with the
greatest reverence.
A few years ago there was Fa-
keer who lay on bed Of spikes
and took the name of Purrum Soa-
tuntre, which means "Self posses
sion" or Independence" At the
age Of ten this man began life OF
self modification. He would lie
on thorns and pebbles. This tor
turc he kept up until he was TWEEN
ty, and then he wandered about as
Fakeer, going from one holy
place to another. At one town he
shut himself up in a cell, vowing to
do penance for twelve years. There
he remained until vermin gnawed
his flesh and left marks which last
cd through life. The rsjah, taking
pity on him, opened the door Of his
cell and babe him step forth. The
poor wretch was furious at this act
Of sympathy and heaped curses
upon the rajah's head for breaking
in on him.
Torture was nothing to Purrum
Soatuntre. "Give me bed OF
spikes" he cried, and the rajah,
frightened lest the curses Of the
ferocious Fakeer should blight his
reign, complied. And this bed of
spikes became sort Of triumphal
car for Purrum. He set out imme-
diately on long journeys and was
drawn on this awful bed all around
the country for thousands Of miles,
the poor Hindoos worshiping him
as q god. He travelled in this way
for thirty-flve years.
Purrum was, however, not con-
tent with the supposed merit of his
self torture on the bed of spikes.
He tried to put himself to greater
pain by causing water to fall on his
head day and night in the cold sea:
son, drop by drop, from q pot with
holes in it placed over him, so that
he might be constantly uneasy, and
when the hot weather came he NOR
tilted himself in an opposite man
ner by causing logs Of wood to be
kept burning around him to make
his spfferings from the heat greater.
This wretch never earned q rupee.
Praoun Poury was the most re.
markable Of all Fakeers. He held his
arms over his head until the circu-
lation of the blood stopped. His
nails grew to be talons, and his skin
seemed to grow to the bone, so that
the joints refused to work, and he
could never take his arms down
again. lie sat with his legs tucked
under him till they became useless.
Every day hp vas brought out to
public place ard seated upon Loop
ards skin. The people came and
supplied him with the most delicate
food.