New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-06-16
|kUMBH MELA, seen
BY AMERICAN EYES
Description Of Famous Town on
Bank Of the Ganges
midas GREAT FESTIVAL
FL. S. Walter Hears From Son and
Daughter-in-Law. Who Are Do
Il ing Missionary Work in the
e Orient -. -.

Breathing all the mysterious charm
OF the Orient, a description of the
great religious festival Of Kumbh
Mela in India has been received here
by II. S. Walter Of "a Lexington
street purchasing agent of the STAN
ley Rule and Level company, from his
son, H. "A. Walter, and the later's
wife, Marguerite B. Walter. The
son and his wife are stationed in In
dia, the former as a secretary to that
country from the International COM
nittee Of the Y, M. C.. A. For the
past year he has been acting as gem
eral secretary Of that vast land, the
war having called others away.
Kumbh Me,a, one Of the greatest
religious festivals in India, is observed
but once in twelve years. Mr.. and
Mrs. Walter we're fortunate enough
to arrive In Hardwar, on the bank Of
the Ganges, in time to witness the
preparations for the occasion. The
description of the event, in which Mr..
and Mrs. Walter collaborated, is rich
with sentiment and has wealth of
local color that seems to have been
lost from life In this busy, western
half of the globe, but which is still
extant in that changeless, dreamy,
faraway land. The letter follows:
A Day in Hardwar.
Hardwar, little town on the ondh
and Rohil Kand railway in North In
dia, has great interest historically and
religiously for the pious Hindu. The
town itself, made famous by the hun
dreds of pilgrims who journey thither
annually from, all parts of India, is
situated on the right bank Of the
Ganges, at the spot where that mighty
river, issuing from a gorge in the
mountains, brings its life-giving wa
ters to the thirsty, dusty plains of the
Panjab. Here at Hardwar tradi-
ton says that Sati. the wife of silva,
was burned to death. 1t appears
that Salts father. Daksha, sent out in
vitations for a. great sacrifice, and
carelessly onamitted to invite his SON
in-law with the other guests. Sati
came alone, but shocked by her
fathers disrespect, went to the bank
of the river and consumed herself in
the splendour Of her own righteous i'm
Afterwards. Daksha was
punished for his disrespect by being
killed and restored again to life pos 4
sessed Of a ram head. a." $3.50
A temple now stands rs a memoir
ial near the scene of Salts sacrifice
and near this temple, called Gangad-
wara, is the famous bathing CHAT,
Har-ki-Puri. We, being Christians
were not allowed to tread upon the
slippery steps Of the CHAT itself, and
SO did not see the footprints Of Wish
nu. which is said to be imprinted on
q stone built into the wall.
As we drew into the Hardwar
station our first impression was one
Of amazement that so many people
could have found places on one train,
and our second was one Of confusion
IS we tried to take in the entire
crowd with one glance. The plat
form was thronged with every kind
End condition Of men, women and
children-food vendors with brass
trays Of steaming stuff on their heads,
burdened individuals with all their
household goods, in unsnapely bundles
on their backs, and here and there a
father with small son riding astride
upon his shoulder. In one place a
group Of women and children sat
guarding their own brass water pots
ind the hookahs OF their absent
lords. The crowd was not noisy
one, but patient and polite, and like