The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26
IN THE GANGES--By Frank

icated to SILVA, the husband of Durga,
another terrible god. SILVA is supposed
to sit enthroned on one of the Himalaya
mountains and to be waited on by minor
gods and innumerable spirits.
He is the god of time and of death and
destruction. He is also the creator and
one of his symbols is the bull. He Is the
ruler of evil spirits and ghouls, and at
nightfall he prowls where the dead lie.
He is the god of the fanatics who go
about naked covered with ashes and who
days and years in one place with their
hands stretched up to heaven.
The Golden Temple Is about the holiest
place in Benares. I was stopped at the
door by the priest and told that none but
Hindoos could enter. l could see through
the doorway, however The court was
filled with people from all over India.
They were of all classes some clad in
rich dresses and some in rags They were
from city and country, from all parts.
from the Himalayas In Nepal and from
south Hindustan.
Connected with this temple Is a court
yard containing well. the water OF
which is so holy that he who drinks It
out by priests to the pilgrims, who throw
flowers and other things down into the
well as their offerings. These rot and
make the contents filthy and putrid 1t
smells like bad eggs, but 1t Is bought by
the cupful and guped down with the lips
smacking. When the Moha mmedans
once tried to take Benares 1t is said that
one of the stone gods of the Brahmns
jumped into this well.
With the Sacred Bulls
Not far from the Golden Temple is the
Cow Temple, filled with animals holy to
SILVA. This is more like a stable than
church. Imagine a court the size of
barnyard with bandstand in the center
Let the court be walled around with
great stalls, in which a hundred sacred
bulls stand. They are white and dove
colored and as clean-limbed as a Jersey
They have great humps on their backs
and their ears hang down like those of
rabbit. They are as fat as butter, and
fatter by far than the lean pilgrims who
honey about them, giving them food.
Here there through the courtyard a
bull or COW moves. munching flowers and
grass handed to 1t by the pilgrims | saw
one go up the steps to the altar in front
of the god and bite at a wreath of flowers
upon worshipers neck. The Hindoo
thought this favor of the gods and he
brought Gauges water and gave it to the
bull.
1 saw one pretty girl hugging a BULL
She was a slender brown maiden whose
form, worthy to be a model for Venus
was clad in a single strip of dark navy
blue cotton. She had a real cashmere
shawl around her head, which hid all
but the great black eyes. Her hands and
arms were bare and in the former she
held a garland of bright yellow flowers
one yard in length She brought this to
the biggest and most beautiful bull in
the stables, and chanted prayer as she
handed 1t to him. The dove-colored beast
ate the flowers and as he did so she
threw her arms around his neck and
gave him a hug. 1t made me think OF
Apis the bull Of Memphis, who was
worshiped by the Egyptians. and also
the fair 10, whom Juno turned into
COW because Of the 1rtations of Jupiter
These sacred cows and bulls are to be
seen everywhere. They are bovine gem
tlemen and ladies of leisure, who go
about staring into the shops and crowd
ing human beings out of the way Now
and then they visit fruit stand or veg
etable sellers and take a bite of such
food they fancy. The people do not
strike them or ill-treat them In any way
They will not eat beef and to slaughter
cattle would not only lose them their
caste IN MS Worlu, Dut dOom tnem TO
punishment for all time to come.
Outside the Golden Temple stood men
peddling flowers for the bulls, and also
necklaces, anklets and other jewels for
women and men, There were a score Of
beggars and the lame. halt and blind
were jostled by the bulls and cows One
poor fellow. all skin and bones and naked
except for a breech cloth. had lost his
arms at the biceps and he wagged the
red stumps at me as he nodded his head
to the brass plate on his knee He was
delighted with the one-fourth Of a cent
which gave him.
On the Holy Ganges
Benares Is holy largely because 1t lies