blood lineage.28 The heir-apparent to the Raj of CHAP. IX. Kanara was riding on horseback attended by a great number of soldiers, horse and foot. He was preceded by a band of barbarous music, whilst elephants walked both before and behind. widow prepara One night Della Valle met a woman in the streets Procession of a of Ikkeri, who had lost her husband, and was bent tory to burning. on burning herself. She rode on horseback with open face, holding a looking-glass in one hand and a lemon in the other. She went along singing and chanting her farewell to the world, with such passionate language as aroused all who heard her. She was followed by many men and women, and some carried an umbrella over her to do her honour. Drums were sounded before her, and she never ceased to accompany the noise with her sad songs. She shed no tears, but her calm and constant countenance evidenced more grief for the death of her husband, and more anxiety to join him in another world, than regret for her departure out of this life. Della Valle was told that she would ride in procession in this manner through the streets for a certain number of days, and then go out of the city and be burned alive with more company and more solemnity. Aghoresvara at Della Valle saw the great temple of Ikkeri, which Great temple of was dedicated to an idol named Aghoresvara. 29 The Ikkeri. idol was in the form of a man with one head and 28 The relationship of a sister's son was certain, as there could be no doubt as to the mother; but the son of a wife was uncertain, as there was always doubt as to the father. This law of inheritance arose from the unbounded license of the higher orders of Malabar women, which had hardened into an institution. 29 The ruins of this temple are still to be seen. The god was a form of Isvara or Siva. sixteen arms. Venk-tapa Naik had a particular devotion to this idol. 30 One evening tapers were lit in all the temples in Ikkeri; a great noise was made with drums and pipes, whilst priests began to dance before the gates of the temples. Della Valle went off to the great temple of Aghoresvara. The people were called together by the sound of trumpets. The priests formed a procession, carrying two idols in one palanquin, but the figures were so small, and so decked with flowers and ornaments, that Della Valle could not make them out." The procession was accompanied by music, torches, lances, streamers, and umbrellas. There was a long train of dancing girls, two by two, decked in gold and jewels. There were other women, marching on either side of the palanquin, carrying little staves with long white horse-tails, with which they fanned away the flies from the idols, in the same way that the Pope was fanned when he went abroad in pontificalibus. Many priests accompanied the idols. In this manner the procession entered the piazza of the temple, and made a large ring or circle. The women then saluted the idols, and began to dance, with much leaping, fencing, and other mad gestures. The procession next moved outside the temple round the outer enclosure, halting at intervals to repeat the salutations and dancing. At last the procession re-entered the temple, and the ceremonies were brought to a close. The next night was the new moon. All the temples in Ikkeri were illuminated with candles and torches ; so were all the streets, houses, and shops. Every temple had its idol, and in some temples the idol was 30 Doubtless they were Siva or Isvara, and the goddess Parvati or Dúrgá. a serpent. The outer porches were illuminated in like manner, and adorned with transparencies of painted horsemen, elephants, people fighting, and other odd figures. A great concourse of men and women went about the city visiting all the temples in Ikkeri. Late at night Venk-tapa came to the temple of Aghoresvara with his two nephews, attended by a large train of soldiers and servants. He was entertained with music and dancing, and other performances or ceremonies which Della Valle could not see. He stayed within the temple about an hour, and then returned to his palace. CHAP. IX. remarks on Della Valle remarked that the Hindu worship of Della Valle's the gods chiefly consisted in music, songs, and dances, Hindu worship. and in serving the idols as though they were living beings. Thus the priests presented the idols with things to eat, washed them, perfumed them, gave them betel leaves, dyed them with sandal, and carried them abroad in processions. The priests seemed to devote but little time either to prayers or study. Della Valle asked an old priest of reputed learning what books he had read. The priest replied that books were only made to enable man to know God, and that when God was known the books were useless. dancing at the ordination of a Jangama. One day Della Valle saw salutations and dancing Procession and performed in honour of an Indian friar, known as a Jangama. Water had been poured on the holy man, and other ceremonies had been performed, like those at the ordination of a Catholic priest or creation of a Doctor. The newly-created Jangama was clad all in white, and carried sitting in a handsome palanquin, with two white umbrellas held over him, and a led horse behind. He was followed by a great crowd of СПАР, ІХ. Kissing the feet other Jangamas, clad in their ordinary habits.31 A She Meanwhile many persons came with much devoof the Jangamas. tion to kiss the feet of the Jangamas who followed the palanquin. These Indian friars were so numerous, and the ceremony of kissing their feet occupied so much time, that whenever a man came up, the whole procession halted until the kissing was over. Meanwhile the Jangamas assumed airs of strict severity, and were to all appearance as much abstracted from earthly things as Catholic friars whose garments were being kissed by pious devotees. Dancing girls Visit the Portuguese ambassador. The dancing girls did not confine their attention to 31 Red cowls, bracelets,'&c. See ante, page 450. gods and Jangamas. One day twelve or fifteen of these CHAP. IX. damsels paid a visit to the quarters of the Portuguese ambassador, under the conduct of some of their men. They were all young, and all were courtesans, after the manner of Indian dancing girls. They did nothing during the day but talk amongst themselves, though some of them indulged in a little drinking. At night they began to sing and dance, and snap their wooden staves. One dance represented a battle and motions of slaughter. Towards the conclusion the master of the ball danced in the midst of them with a naked poignard, and represented the action of slaughter with his poignard, just as the girls did with their sticks.3 The end of the entertainment was most ridiculous. When the girls were dismissed, they were not satisfied with the largess of the ambassador, although Della Valle had added a like amount. Accordingly they went away testifying their discontent with choleric yellings. 32 embassy. The conferences between the Portuguese ambassa- Dismissal of the dor and Venk-tapa were brought to a close without any incidents of interest. Venk-tapa Naik remained in possession of the fort and territory of the Raja of Banghel, but allowed a yearly pension of seven thousand pagodas to the conquered Raja, so long as he lived peaceably and attempted no further commotions. Galal, the con man. By this time Della Valle had seen enough of Ikkeri, Conviction of and determined to pay a visit to other Hindu capitals. verted MussulSuddenly, to his great surprise, his money disappeared from his baggage. He was horror-stricken at 32 Della Valle is here describing the same kind of dance as that in which the disguised assassins stabbed the son of Deva Rai, in the reign of Firúz Shah. See ante, chap. iii. |