Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-02-23

man with long beard and halr
soon welcomed us and began
talking in most friendly man
ner. He told us we could come
in If we would leave our shoes
outside. 1t was holy place and
leather is thought 10 be most un-
clean. In the next court was the
shrine. \ small waIte bit OF ma
Sonry about four feet square. per-
hapS a little higher and on top ct
which rested turnip-Shaped
dome OF classic Indian mould.
Above this lowered large pee
pul tree which sheltered the tenn
pie with its dense overSpreading
foliage. The entire court was
fitted with smooth concrete
floor and in appearance it was
neat. One entire side OF the
shrine had been LETT for an open
ing. ~ the old sadhu drew back
the curtain that covered this and
his assistant placed a lighted
candle within. we beheld on thu
opposite wall the crude form ol
Mahadive-one OF their great
gods. 1t was a front view OF the
nude idol about three feet high.
with a coating al crimson. Is
uallv about 8 in the evenings we
had heard the bells at this shrine .
ringing and had wondered the /
reason. The priest told me that ,
whenever tho real Mahadive was 7
hungry the thought would enter
the idols head and then the bells !
were rung Around this place
also were a few of the symbols /
which belong to the class OF nm
mcntionablcS ! referred To a few
minutes agog. Back OF this was
still another court where The
priest lived and where there was
a room also for the spirit OF the
dead man who many generations
ago gave the funds to build the
shrine. Whenever the priest is
crowded with other pricStly COM
pany this spirit is moved out Tor
a few days To- make room, None
but members of the BrahminI
caste are permitted TO enter this
place The old man was very
friendly and talked in 4 quiet,
manner earnestly on
his religion in which no doubt he
believes most firmly, Vet as we
left we felt more than ever be-
fore that "the heather in his
blindness bows down to wood
and stone,
The llinduS arc firm believers
in their caste system, The mem
bcrS of the different castles will
not intermarry nor have any
thing To do with each other in a
social way They will not ac-
ccpt food OF water from a lower
caste nor partake OF il il they
know that even the vessels have
been touched. The other dav
the Tashildarni wife OF the chief
official OF She town sent us up
some butter Mrs. Ranks took il
and wanted TO wash the dishes /
after it was empticd. but the lit
tie boy who brought il would not
let her at all. II we start to 60 |
in some place (there arc only a
few where men can go) the own
er goes ahead and moves the wa
ter Jars so that we will not touch
them as we pass by. Much oil
the medicine VIC give is in pow
icred form for they feel that il
they accepted any water from
our hands it would dehle them.
Neither will we drink their wa.
ter before we have been assured
i has been boiled To Kill germs.
We boil every bit we use. A child
IS born in n certain caste but not
egally a member OF il until he
reaches certain age and is vot-
ID in, Then his family makes a
great feast to all the membersII
If the caste living in that place
Then il he deflcs himself in sonic
way TO break caste he must do
.cme electioneering and provide
mother big feed to get himself
'oted back in. IL a man wishes
le can be voted into lower
astc but never a higher ono than
hat tn which his parents belong. II
PARENTS make all the arrange
nents for the marriage OF the
children. Many are married when !