The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-05-20
J0 8! | | | G 5; FROM
W0RLD'S.TOUR
Reviews Worlds Tourists Write Fur.
Their About Their Trip to India
and Tell of the Customs. :
THE GREAT PANDlTA RAMAHAI
Receives Name of Pandita from the
Brahmans and Is Only Woman
in India With Such Title.

Ut IIOId VStSt ShNI ltSICs
my father was native of Mango
lore District, but he chose place il
dense forest on the top of peak o
the Western Chats, on the borders o
Mysore State, where he built house
for himself. This was done in Ordel
that he might be away from the hub
hub of the world and carry on his ed
vocational work, and engage in devo
ton to the gods in quiet place, where
he would not be constantly worried
with curious visitors.
He used to get his support from
the rice fields and cocoanut planta
lions which he owned. The place he
had selected for his home happened tt
be a sacred place of pilgrimage, where
pilgrims came all the year round. He
thought it was his duty to entertain
them at his own expense, as hospital
ity was part OF his religion. For thir
teen years he stayed there quietly and
did his work, but lost all his property
because OF the great expense incurred
in performing what he thought was
his duty.
$50 he was obliged to leave his
home and lead a pilgrims life. MY
mother told me that l was about six
mouths old when they left their home.
She placed me in big box made OF
cane, and man carried it on his head
from the mountain top to the valley.
Thus my pilgrim life began when |
was little baby. was the youngest
member of the family.
"My father, though very orthodox
Hindu and strictly adhering to caste
and other religious rules, was yet Il
reformer in his own way. He could
not see why women and people OF shu-
dra caste should not learn to read ana
write the Sanskrit language. and learn
sacred literature, other than the We
das. So he, ut the risk OF being eX-
communicated by the Brahmans, made
I'D his mind to teach his wife, my
mother, the Sanskrit.'
The extreme heat of the Indian day
was gone and the semi-cool OF the eve
ming approached as we were present
ed to that great woman OF India, Fan
dita Ramabai. She had received the
name of Pandita from the Brahmans
themselves and the only woman OF In
dia to receive such a title: 1t means
that she is educated and also able to
teach others. 1t might be supposed
that being presented such a charac-
ter that had gained renown in three
continents, much formality would be
carried out. Not so. The introduce
ton was very informal. Out under a
few trees in front of her rooms, in a
large arm chair, she was waiting for
the interview. A smile OF welcome
played upon her face as she extended
her hand in greeting. With life story
that goes like fairy tale; the man
ager of big concern that protects
and develops into broader and higher
life hundreds OF midas desplsed Wld-
ows, she seemed unconscious OF hav-
ing done anything out OF the ordinary.
We had seen the girls at work. The
click, click of the shuttle, the room
where quietness prevailed but where
the needle worked wonders on the fan
cy patterns, the print shop where the
tyne settlers did their work with q
dizziness and accuracy well worth not
icing, the gardening for the better
physical development, the making OF
brick that was like play and the car
rying OF the same for the building OF
dormitores, hospitals, ETC., not as the
day laborer in our cities would attend
the master on the wall, but according
to their physical ability. AS they
marched in single file to this pleasure
task those that were strong and Wig
orous carried three brick upon their
heads while those who were weak car
ried but one. What a combination it
was. The instruction in intellectual,
physical and industrial development
was wrought into play life that count
ed for values in many ways when
ended.
Man like, we were interested in the
financial outlay necessary to carry on
such an enterprise. what does 1t
cost you year to run this institu-
tion?" we asked. She smiled and there
was twinkle in her eye as she said,
III we have five cents we spend it, if
we have five hundred we spend 1t.
Then, more seriously she went on to
tell something definite concerning the
management and financing of the mis-
sion. No soliciting is done and prac-
tically no advertising. ST this is OF
the Lord and pleasing in His sight He
will send us the money; if it, is not,
it should go down." This was her an
swer and then she added, ut costs
nearly $4,000 a year to run this in
stitution and it is all done by faith. ;"
Inc widows are all paid for the work
that they do and then they are housed
and fed by this woman who has their
interests at heart. The money they
get for their work buys their clothes
and other little things that they need.
A regular routine is gone through
each day. The school of the text book
and the school OF the industries each
has its place in the daily life OF these
once unfortunate.
How did it all come to pass and why
this woman at the head? Before our
interview was over she had given us
copy of her life written by herself
under the title of Testimony" the
opening paragraphs of which we pre-
scented at the beginning of this article.
This ..INoctip,oryO or1 ornfhor rooct