room, amounts to about two hundred roopees; and the wages and daily offerings to one image are about three roopees per month. Some give the bramhun who officiates twelve anas, and others a roopee monthly, with his food and clothes. Sometimes the offerings are given to him, but in other cases they are presented to the bramhŭns of the village alternately, and the priest has money given him in their stead. These offerings frequently consist of a pound of rice, a pint of milk, half an ounce of sugar, and two plantains. The quantity, however, is not prescribed; and other things are added by the wealthy.

SECT. II.-Dedication of Temples.

WHEN a Hindoo has erected a temple, he appoints a day to dedicate it to some god. The following account of the dedication of one hundred and eight temples to Shivů, some years ago, at Talitŭ, in the district of Burdwan, by the mother of Téjŭsh-chůndrů, the raja of Burdwan, will give an idea of the manner in which this ceremony is per

formed.

The foundation of these temples being about to be laid, a place was dug in the earth about a cubit square, into which water was poured, and a brick placed in the hole; after which the worship of the household god, (Vishnoo,) of Vŭroonŭ, and the lingu, was performed. At the close of the worship, a flower was thrown into the water, the floating of which to the right was considered as a good omen, and decided the point that the temple should be raised on that spot. The following prayer was then addressed to this brick: As long as the earth and mountains remain, so long

do thou remain immovable.' After the temples were nearly finished, many bramhŭns and the relations of the queen were invited, and on an auspicious day the ceremony of consecration was performed. An altar was raised before each temple, and four priests chosen for each altar; who, purifying them, performed the worship of the five gods*, the nine planets, the ten guardian deities of the earth, and of Shivů, Vishnoo, and Doorga. To this succeeded the burnt-sacrifice. One hundred and eight officiating priests then celebrated the worship of Shivu, while sitting at the doors of the temples. A person, in the name of the queen, next made a present to the builder, and hinted to him that she now wished to consecrate these temples to Shivů. The trident of Shivă was next worshipped, and fixed on the steeple. The princess then, sitting in an inclosure below the steps of one of the temples, in the presence of one of the priests and her attendants, devoted these temples to Shivă, saying, 'O Shivă! I present to thee these one hundred and eight temples, made of brick: may I be rewarded with an everlasting residence in heaven.' In making this offering, a number of minute ceremonies took place. The princess next sent one of her relatives to perform the worship of Indrů near a bamboo, bearing à trident, with a flag fastened thereto. The same person, after professing to animate one hundred and eight wooden images of the bull, worshipped them, and placed them in the temples thus dedicated. A representative of the princess next walked round the temples three times :-(the princess herself began to perform the ceremonies of circumambulation, but being very corpulent, she resigned it to one of the priests.)→ One hundred and eight priests, bringing garlands' and the

* Brůmha, Vishnoo, Shivů, Gănéshu, and Sōōryů.

1 At the time of worship the priest always puts upon the image a garland of flowers. This seems to have been practised among other idolaters :

other articles used in worship, now performed the worship of the lingu in the temples. At the close of these ceremonies, the princess presented a roopee to each of the four hundred and thirty-two officiating bramhuns, and one hundred and eight roopees to her own private priest, who also .obtained the offerings. She also presented twelve kinds of offerings to Shivů, among which were vessels of gold, silver, and other metals,, cloths, &c. An entertainment to the bramhuns succeeded, and at length the guests were dismissed with presents from among the offerings, or in money, from ten to fifty roopees each bramhun. One hundred thousand roopees, it is said, were expended upon

these buildings m.

The ceremonies are nearly similar to the above when idols are dedicated and set up in temples; when pools or trees are consecrated to the public use; when cars are presented to some god; and when a person is finishing the 'ceremonies of a vrutů or vow.

SECT. III.-Endowment of Temples.

THE worship in some temples is conducted, and the offerings supplied, by the family which has erected the temple; but in others by a hired bramhun, who receives

for when the priest of Jupiter came to worship Paul and Barnabas, (Acts xiv. 13.) he brought oxen and garlands. No doubt the latter were intended to be put upon the heads or necks of the apostle and his companion, the persons about to be worshipped.

Téjush-chundrŭ has since built one hundred and eight temples` at Umbika, and dedicated them to Shivů.

monthly wages: the offerings are in general distributed among the bramhŭns of the village.

To a temple particularly celebrated, rich men make grants of houses, sometimes of whole villages; and of lands, orchards, pools, &c. to a large amount; and the produce of these grants is applied to the uses of the temple.

The temple of Radha-bŭllubhŭ at Bullŭbhu-poorů, about twelve miles north of Calcutta, has been endowed with lands, houses, &c. to the annual amount of 3,000 roopees, by Raja Nŭvů-Krishnů; which is divided among sixteen families of bramhŭns.

The temple of Jugŭnnat'hŭ at Mŭhéshŭ, about the same distance from Calcutta, has been endowed with lands, &c. to the annual amount of 1,400 roopees, by Raja AnŭnduChundru-Rayů.

The temple of Gopēē-nat'hŭ at Ügrů-dwēēpů has been endowed with lands, &c. to the annual amount of 6 or 7,000 roopees, by Raja Krishnů-Chůndrů-Rayů.

The temple of Jugŭnnat'hŭ in Orissa has been endowed by several rich Hindoos: Raja Ram-Krishnů-dévŭ gave two villages, the rents of which bring in about 4,000 roopees annually: Nimoo-müllikŭ of Calcutta gave daily one roopee, or 365 annually; and his children continue the donation. Other rich men make similar annual presents. It is supposed that not less than 100,000 roopees a year are drawn from the Hindoos by the bramhuns of this temple.

VOL. II.

THE images of the Hindoo gods are made either of gold, silver, quicksilver mixed with the powder of tin, brass, copper, iron, mixed metal", crystal, stone, wood, or clayo. The common workmen in gold, silver, brass, &c. make these images.

The images made of gold are generally those of Doorga, Lukshmee, Radha, Krishnŭ, and Sŭrůswůtēē; which are kept in private houses, and worshipped daily. These images must not be less in weight than one tolŭ°; they are generally three or four.

The image of Sheetula is often made of silver, kept in the house, and worshipped daily. It is as heavy as ten or twelve roopees.

The images of Shivů only are made of quicksilver and

n

Containing, as the Hindoos say, eight ingredients, viz. gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, zinc, lead, and brass.

• The shastrus allow images to be made of no other substances than these. The image of Shunee alone is made of iron.

P Three tolus are rather more than one ounce. At Kidderpoorů, adjoining to Calcutta, is a golden image of Pătită-pavŭnēē, two ́cubits high. Near Serampore is a golden image of Jugudhatree, about a cubit and a half high.