VII.A TRAMP THROUGH INDIA.
Illustrated letter
BEING delayed at the close of the Exhibition in settling accounts with the Government, facilities were given us to visit the interior of the country. A train was placed at our disposal, with instructions sent to the various lines to take it wherever we wished to go. Our farewell from Calcutta was such as to leave an ever-lasting impression. The kindness and hospitality of the many friends we made during our stay in that great city will never be forgotten.
Our first stop was at the great sacred city of Benares, passing through Burdwan and Khana, in the province of Moorshedabad, Luckeeserai and Putna, reaching Dinapure at daylight next morning.
This first night spent in a sleeping car, being a novelty, was not quite as productive of rest as might have been expected, although every comfort had been provided for us: the narrow bunks, the jolting, and last, though not least, the want of thepunkah, which we had become used to in Calcutta, kept us awake part of the time, and in order to wile away the hours, we improvised sundry meals—supper, tea and coffee, and early breakfast—which, however, did not in any way prevent us doing complete justice to that which awaited us at Dinapure.
Here we availed ourselves of the privilegegranted to stop whenever we chose, and after breakfast went for a stroll through the Bazaar, and to see the junction of the various branches of the mighty Ganges. Here the Tone, and a short distance further the Gogra join the main stream, fertilising the plains, which, even under the most primitive mode of tillage, yield enormous quantities of wheat, which we saw in huge piles in the open market,retailedat one rupee a bushel.
What these plains could produce in the hands of skilled husbandmen would feed the world.
When the great railway extension scheme now under consideration by the Government of India is carried out, the wheat production of the central provinces of India will materially affect the price of bread stuffs throughout the world.
Indian natives have an excellent memory for faces. We had not been many minutes in the Dinapure Bazaar before we were recognised as the “Exhibition Wallahs,” and treated accordingly. Indeed, throughout the whole of our trip, we met with similar treatment, which doubtless had a great influence in the good feeling we all have, and shall ever cherish, of India and the Indians.
Another train being due at 11 a.m., we caused our “caravan” to be hooked on, and proceeded to Moghal-Serai, the nearest station to the sacred city.
Here dwell the celebrated artistic “potters” of Central India. From Moghal-Serai come all the black, black and silver jars, figures, and ornaments which one sees all through India. Ornaments highly valued in Europe can here be purchased for a few “pice” (farthings). I neednot say that we nearly filled a waggon with some of these specimens of Indian pottery, which, however, did not lumber us long. If they are pretty, and even artistic in design, they fail in the baking. The first jolting of the train materially decreased our collection. The few pieces we have brought out safe were those which were packed in our valises, carefully wrapped with soft materials. The fragility easily accounts for the increased value this ware acquires at a distance from the place whence it comes.
Having left our goods and chattels and servants in the train, we drove to the river side, and were ferried across the Ganges—Benares being situated on the west bank, the native town skirts the sacred river. The Burna flows into the Ganges, just north of the Raj Ghât, and flows between the civil station and the cantonments.
Benares is the first city of the north-western provinces, and is well known as the stronghold of Hindooism. It covers an area of 3141 acres, with a population of 500,000, and stands about 270 feet above the sea level.
The trade and manufactures are principally silks, shawls, cloth, embroideries in gold and silver thread, gold filigree work, and, above all, chased brass work. The wealth of Benares, however, mainly depends upon the constant influx of rich pilgrims, whose presence lends the same impetus to the local trade as that given to European watering places by the season visitors.
Many of these pilgrims are rajahs, or other persons of importance, who bring considerable retinues, and become large benefactors to thevarious shrines or temples. Hindu princes pride themselves upon keeping up a “town residence in Holi-Kasi.” But besides the wealth which thus flows passively into the bazaars of Benares, a considerable trade is carried on by the merchants and bankers. The sugar, indigo, and saltpetre of the district finds a market in the city. The trans-Gagra products of Gorakhpur and Basti, and the raw materials of Jaunpur, form large items in the through traffic of Benares. Manchester goods are imported in considerable quantities and distributed to the neighbouring local centres.
Wheat, barley, pulse of various kinds, maize, oil seeds, most of the esculent vegetables of Europe, rice, and hemp are amongst the staple products of the soil; but the most important article is the sugar cane. Benares surpasses every other part of India in the abundance and excellence of quality of sugar produced.
We made our way straight for Clark’s Hotel, where our old friend the Maharajah of Benares had secured quarters for us. The Residence of His Highness is some distance from the hotel, and the old gentleman, after making every apology for having located us here, said that after dinner he would come and fetch us to attend a “nautch” at the palace; but that he feared we could not be made as comfortable with him as we would at an hotel kept by Europeans.
We found, however, that the Maharajah had given orders on a lavish and royal scale. In fact, the whole of the hotel was “ours”—the other residents were to be “our guests.” The meals were of such a profuse kind, the wines ofso varied a description, that we felt almost over-powered. When we attempted remonstrance the landlord said, “It is the wish of the Maharajah that it be so, and I dare not disobey His Highness’s orders.”
At about eight o’clock carriages drove up to the door, and we were taken straight to the palace at Ramnaggar. This—the fort, garden house, and temple of the Maharajah—are well worthy of a visit. The temple is a huge building one hundred feet high, the greater part of which was built by Rajah Chait-Singh, but completed by the present Maharajah. The whole edifice is remarkable for its execution, specially as regards the sculpture.
The garden house is also about a mile from the fort. A magnificent tank is attached to it. It is a square, having a temple at each corner. A handsome “ghât” surrounds it, where hundreds of pilgrims can bathe and dress comfortably.
Ramnaggar is one of the five celebrated places of pilgrimage in Benares. Hindus dying there are sure to enter the abodes of the blessed without their souls undergoing transmigration, which, in their idea, is a far worse fate than the eternal cremation we have such a wholesome dread of.
The palace—or, at least, the portion of the palace thrown open for our reception—is furnished in the European style. The rooms are lofty and well-proportioned. On this occasion they were brilliantly lit up, and filled with theeliteof the native population. Our host was most attentive. He had provided every imaginable variety of refreshments, music, singers,jugglers, and the inevitable “nautch,” which went on without any intermission the whole evening—one set of dancers following another when exhausted by their incessant whirling round and abominably discordant song.
The hospitality of Indian princes is something beyond description. They, who are most abstemious and simple both in food and drink, must look upon Europeans as a voracious and thirsty race. Whilst with Indians, we were everlastingly pressed to either eat or drink; and wherever we went—sight-seeing, hunting, boating, or riding—coolies were sent ahead of us with tents, provisions, and all the most luxurious appliances for comforting the inner man.
The Maharajah’s entertainment lasted until a very late hour. I should perhaps be nearer the truth if I said an early hour on the following morning.
We, however, turned out to breakfast in good time, as he had arranged to have carriages and horses to take us round the ghâts, temples, and palaces for which Benares is famous.
According to appointment, we proceeded first to the palace of His Highness the Maharajah of Vizianagram, situated in Bhelepur. This is one of the finest palaces in this city of palaces, having been specially reconstructed and decorated to receive His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales during his stay in Benares. In order to convey an idea of the magnitude of that princely residence it will suffice to say that the entrance hall is 100ft. by 50ft. The furniture and appointments in all the reception rooms are thoroughlyEuropean, but, as in most Indian residences, there is a certain incongruous mixture of the most costly articles side by side with ornaments or pictures of the commonest kind—real bronzes and costly marble statuary being placed in close proximity with plaster casts of the most trivial value. Gaudily-coloured prints, in cheap frames, are mixed up amongst original paintings by well-known masters.
H.H. of Vizianagram only visits this residence once or twice a year, on pilgrimage, but still keeps up the retinue and style of the place; and the officer in charge dispenses the most royal hospitality to visitors authorised by his master to have anentréeto this magnificent and really interesting place.
Our next visit was to the Golden Temple (Bisheshan) dedicated to Siva, the presiding deity of Benares. This temple is looked upon as being the holiest of all holy places in the sacred city. The symbol of the god is a plain Lingam of uncarved stone.
Prior to describing this temple I shall digress to explain this extraordinary “divinity,” termed the Lingam god, the original having, under the most extraordinary, binding, and strict conditions, been entrusted to my care to be exhibited in the Gem Gallery of the Calcutta Exhibition. I cannot do better than transcribe the printed form which was handed to me for distribution by the special attendants who were placed in charge of this valuable exhibit, and never lost sight of it during the whole period of the Exhibition.
“This unique object of interest, the originalHindoo Lingam god, from one of the most ancient temples of ‘Dilly,’ now Delhi, consists of an extraordinary chrysoberyl cat’s-eye, of great size and brilliancy, set in a very large topaz. The whole supports, on an Indian native gold base, encrusted with diamonds, and set round with nine gems of great value, called the ‘nine charms,’ represented by the following precious stones: diamond, ruby, sapphire, chrysoberyl, cat’s-eye, coral, hyacinthine, garnet, yellow sapphire, and emerald.
“This extraordinary historical relic has a two-fold interest, principally on account of its great antiquity and repute, and, secondly, as containing one of the most curious and brilliant cat’s-eyes known.
“The Lingam god is well known to all who have visited the East, as representing the deity to whom the Hindoo ladies pay devotion, with the object of obtaining lineal descent, and this identical god is theoriginalone, to whom annually thousands of devotees of every rank journeyed from all parts of India to pay their devotions for a period of upwards of 1000 years, until about the year 1193, when the Mahomedan conqueror, Kulb-ud-din, having wrested Delhi from the Hindoo kings, destroyed twenty-seven temples to obtain the materials to build the great Mahomedan mosque of Kulb-Musjid, which to this day perpetuates his name.
“On the destruction of the Hindoo temples above referred to, this relic was placed for safety in the Mogul Treasury, and carefully preserved as an unique specimen of a gem which is credited, independently of its sacredcharacter, of conferring great good fortune to its possessor.
“The Lingam god remained in the Mogul Treasury for a period of 664 years, until the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny in 1857, when it was removed, with other valuables, by the Queen of Bad Shah Bahadoor Shah, the last King of Delhi, who was exiled by the British Government, and died at Rangoon. It was subsequently parted with by her during the unsettled period of the Mutiny.
“It is estimated that the number of Hindoos who have actually prayed to this same god number many hundreds of millions.”
To return to the Golden Temple in which this “precious deity” is located. It was erected by Ahalya Bai, the Maharatta Princess of India, and has a central spire, each corner of the building being crowned by a dome. Maharajah Ranjeet Singh of Lahore had the spire and dome covered with thin plates of gold, and hence its name of Golden Temple. In the temple there is a reservoir about 3ft. square and 1-1/2ft. deep. In this reservoir the pecuniary offerings of wealthy and distinguished worshippers are thrown.
Maharajah Ranjub Singh filled it on one occasion with gold mohurs, but it is often filled with rupees, and almost daily with copper coins.
Close to the Golden Temple is the Gyan-gapi, or well of knowledge, where the natives believe Siva resides. The legend says that during a drought, which extended over twelve years, a priest (Rishi) dug up the earth on this spot with the trident of Siva, and at once came a flow ofwater, which immediately put an end to the famine, and the consequent affliction of the people. Since then Siva has, in the Hindoo mind, lived in the well. Thousands of devout followers of Siva may be seen worshipping there, and offering flowers to their god in the well.
A colonnade of forty pillars was built over it in 1828 by Maharani Iri Mout Baija Bai, widow of Dowlat Scindia, Bahadur of Gwalior.
In the courtyard is the figure of a huge stone bull, six and a half feet high, which is dedicated to Mahadeo, and which was the gift of the Rajah of Nepaul. There is also a temple dedicated to Mahadeo, which was presented by the Rane of Hyderabad.
Next is the Temple of Ad-Bisheswar, which is in a dilapidated and almost dangerous condition; east of this is Kashi-Karwat, with a sacred well, having a passage leading to the river. Further on is the temple dedicated to Sanichar or Saturn. The idol has a solid silver head, with a cloth tied round the neck to hide the want of a body. This deity is the dread of the Hindoo.
We now visited the Temple of Anpurna. The goddess to whom this temple is dedicated is held in great veneration, for it is alleged that she protects the faithful from hunger. There, daily, an immense number of beggars are fed; and at any time mendicants may be seen waiting near the entrance for their dole.
Offerings of grain, rice, and other food, as well as money donations made by more wealthy worshippers, are gathered in a stone box, and are distributed daily to the beggars at the entrance. The figure of the goddess Anpurnarepresents a charming creature decked out with gold and silver ornaments to fascinate the worshippers. This temple was erected in 1725 by the Rajah of Poona. It has a tower and a dome, and stands in the centre of a quadrangle, in the four corners of which stand four smaller shrines.
The temples of Sakhi-Binayaka, Sukreswar, Bhaironath, are all pretty much in the same style as those already described, and do not call for special notice. We now come to the shrine dedicated to Sika, the goddess of small-pox, whom Hindoos pay most particular court to, in order, no doubt, to preserve themselves from that disease—their faith in Sika being quite as great as ours is in Dr. Jenner’s system of inoculation. It may here be worth mentioning that small-pox is quite a recognised complaint throughout India; and, indeed, in exceptional periods when, owing to atmospheric influences, its spread exceeds the usual course, is not thought much more of than any other disease. There are, certainly, in large cities like Calcutta, Bombay, &c., a small-pox hospital, but isolation is seldom if ever resorted to. Whilst we were in Calcutta, one of my children went to school in a house divided into flats. The teacher resided on the first floor. The family occupying the ground floor had two cases of small-pox, which did not hinder any of the pupils from attending the school, although they had to pass through the hall, and unavoidably come in daily contact with members of the family of the patients.
I may also mention that in many instances during the Calcutta Exhibition, where natives used to throng the turnstiles for admission, we called the attention of the police to several people whose appearance denoted visible signs ofthat dreadful malady. The most striking instance, and, to my mind, the most shocking, was that of a hawker of sweetmeats, who used to squat in front of the main entrance, carrying on a roaring trade with the lower class of native visitors to the Exhibition. I noticed that his face, neck, and gradually the whole of his body, was covered with pustules. When I called the attention of a medical man to this, he said, “Well, I think it is time that this fellow was sent to the Hospital,” and we had him removed at once.
At least one in fifty of the natives who paid for admission had purchased sweetmeats from that fellow, received change, which was handed to us at the turnstiles, still clammy with the perspiration of the hands of a man in the third or fourth stage of smallpox.
This in the very heart of a city with a million of inhabitants. Yet the disease does not spread, and is not thought half as much of as we do of measles or scarlatina. I cannot but think that it is owing to several causes—first, the innate cleanliness of the Hindoo race, who wash their bodies several times a day; secondly, to the almost constant working of the pores of the skin, caused by the peculiar heat of the climate; and last, though not least, I think that infection is carried amongst Europeans by the woollen texture of their garments, bed covers, hangings, &c., whereas the natives of India never use any covering other than cotton or linen, and very little of that even. My theory may be wrong, but the fact remains; not only relating to smallpox, but to cholera or typhoid fever, which are permanent in India, but never thought much of by natives.