Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-06
THE CITYOF BENARES
Scenes on the Banks of the
Sacred Ganges.
RELIGION BY WATERWAY
Bathers in the River-The Devo-
ton of the Hindus-The Re-
generation of India.


Al Benares you realize that Hinduism
is a living thing. and it presents itself
with a beauty and pathos which are
astonishing 10 the visitor who has
thought of it only as antiguated idolatry.
Just now the Ganges is low. and the
long flights of steps, the CHATS are bare
almost to the bottom but in the ruined
colonnades and emba nkirents and tenn
pie actually slidden into the water the
power and ragages of the river in flood
are seen. We embark on a miniature
boathouse. and seat ourselves the
roof; and we are slowly rowed up the
stream. as far as the tree-covered terrace
where Warren Hastings took refuge from
the outraged people of the city: then
down the stream 10 the mosque With its
tall minarets which Aurungzeb erected TO
tlout the Hindus and rebuke their idola-
try. But neither Warren Hastings nor
AurungZeb, neither Moslem nor Christian
neither east nor west, has made any APP
preciable change in the customs. the rites.
the religious ideas which find their pic
tureSque expression in that mile or more
of river front.
The bank is steep and rises to the
height of POO feet. On il rise temples with
their carved sikras and giided submits.
jumbled together with palaces. fiat roof
ed, piled high on solid and imposing bat
Elements, ana a medley of steps and ter
races, and sateways. through which the
river is reached from the city. The build
ingS are yellow or terra Gotta colored
siIded, and otherwise. that the effect is
hardly less beautiful than that OF the
Grand canal. Sacred bulls are tethefed In
many places. to which the people salaam.
Every where are the gay colors i'll which
India delights Garments of bright
orange. blue, magenta, iris colOrs, and
daZZang white make the whole scene bril-
liant in the morning sun.
The bandits reclIne under their UNI
brellas, comfortable and serene, exact
ing toll from the batherS who come
down TO the water at the aiioIments.
Here long row of women with man
or TWO crouches on the Very Ink; and
Brahmin priest. naked but for a loin
cloth, passes from one TO another and
gives them the sacred mark. They put
the water of the river on his feet and
kiss them; then they drink the water
which has touched him from their
hands. One woman rises up, her arms
straight above her head, and makes
obeisance. The priest lives them some
directlons-mutters his man,ras-and
waves his hands in toe of dismissal.
Bit of Solemnity.
Though it is not easy TO distinguish
the ordinary washing and bat thing from
the sacred function. there is enough OF
the manifested &ct OF worship 10 give
IL the scene an air Of soienluity Men
and women are mixed. but no one re-
CARDS amy one else. Each is engage
IN his own ahlution. nysical or spirit
uaL Here d woman crouches, splas hing
the water on her face and making
mystical marks on forehead brea st
Here man stands in the water, re-
Nolving and folding his hands to
gether each time in his revolution as
ne faces the sun. Here is another man
In red cloak standing up to his waist
and muttering with a whirring sound
There he stands daily from 3 am to
noon, and has done for nine wears
His eyes are bleared with the sun. All
expression has left his face He Is like
mechanism Of devotion
In another place young men mutterlng
their prayers. plunge into the stream and
return to their lite matted platforms
There must he three dips to acro,nplfs1
the necessary nurcation AS the hathers
return through the narrow street the
shrink from contact with the passersiy
for if they touch they must return ana
repeat their washing.
At tie burning CHAT several pyres are
lighted. \ still form covered with thin,
white cloth lies on the steps waiting to
be committed to the cleansing fire In
a few minutes the ashes will be cas-
upon the sacred stream. \ little way of.
still stands one of the suttee pillars
where before the British goyernnen
interfered. the widow burnt herself to
death in the pyre Of her dead husband
The Jain Temple.
\ beautiful Jain temple. quite new
rises up just above and CLEANS white
against he intense blue. and in the
heights Of the sky white doves are
wheeling: on The roofs and trees are
kites and vultures. The Jain wears :;
veil over his mouth. lest he should in
advertently swallow and kill an insect.
Hinduism required the widow TO die with
her husband. And Hinduism without
sign of mourning commits its dead IL
the pyre and their ashes TO the river
Is ii from profound faith tina; death
is impossible. that the dead fare on
after death and return to fresh incar
nations? And are these takers tortur
ing themselves in inutterabe ways IN order
to secure a better incarnation. or even
the blessedness of escaping personal be-
ing altogether? III is hard indeed for a
Christian to enter into the mind of Hin
duism to reconcile its incongruittes. TO
conceive its aspirations But one thing