Page images
PDF
EPUB

us for some days past. They cover the road before and behind as far as the eye can reach. At nine o'clock this morning the temple of Juggernaut appeared in view at a great distance. When the multitude first saw it, they gave a shout, and fell to the ground and worshipped. I have heard nothing to day but shouts and acclamations by the successive bodies of pilgrims. From the place where I now stand I have a view of a host of people like an army, encamped at the outer gate of the town of Juggernaut; where a guard of soldiers is posted to prevent their entering the town, until they have paid the pilgrim's tax.-I passed a devotee to day who laid himself down at every step, measuring the road to Juggernaut, by the length of his body, as a penance of merit to please the God.'

"Outer Gate of Juggernaut, 12th June, 1806.

A disaster has just occurred.-As I approached the gate, the pilgrims crowded from all quarters around me, and shouted, as they usually did when I passed them on the road, an expression of welcome and respect. I was a little alarmed at their number, and looked round for my guard. A guard of soldiers had accompanied me from Cuttack, the last military station; but they were now about a quarter, of a mile behind with my servants and the baggage. The pilgrims cried out that they were entitled to some indulgence, that they were poor, that they could not pay the tax; but I was not aware of their

narrow way

design. At this moment, when I was within a few yards of the gate, an old Sanyassee (or holy man) who had travelled some days by the side of my horse, came up and said, Sir, you are in danger; the people are going to rush through the gate when it is opened for you.' I immediately dismounted, and endeavoured to escape to one side; but it was too late. The mob was now in motion, and with a tumultuous shout pressed violently towards the gate. The guard within, seeing my danger, opened it, and the multitude rushing through, carried me forward in the torrent a considerable space : so that I was literally borne into Juggernaut by the Hindoos themselves. A distressing scene followed. As the number and strength of the mob increased, the was choaked up by the mass of people; and I apprehended that many of them would have been suffocated, or bruised to death. My horse was yet among them. But suddenly one of the side posts of the gate, which was of wood, gave way and fell to the ground. And perhaps this circumstance alone prevented the loss of lives. Notice of the event was immediately communicated to Mr. Hunter, the superintendent of the temple, who repaired to the spot, and sent an additional guard to the inner gate, lest the people should force that also; for there is an outer, and an inner gate to the town of Juggernaut ; but both of them are slightly constructed. Mr. Hunter told me that similar accidents sometimes occur, and that many have been crushed to death by the pressure of the mob. He added, that sometimes a body of pilgrims, (consisting chiefly of women and children, and old men) trusting to the physical weight of their mass, will make, what he called a charge on the armed

guards, and overwhelm them; the guards not being willing, in such circumstances, to oppose their bayonets.'

[ocr errors]

Juggernaut, 14th June, 1806.

I have seen Juggernaut. The scene at Buddruck is but the vestibule of Juggernaut. No record of ancient or modern history can give, I think, an adequate idea of this valley of death; it may be truly compared with the ⚫ valley of Hinnom.' The idol called Juggernaut, has been considered as the Moloch of the present age; and he is justly so named, for the sacrifices offered up to him by self-devotement, are not less criminal, perhaps, not less numerous, than those recorded of the Moloch of Canaan. Two other idols accompany Juggernaut, namely, Boloram and Shubudra, his brother and sister; for there are three Deities worshipped here. They receive equal adoration, and sit on thrones of nearly equal height,'

6

.

This morning I viewed the Temple; a stupendous fabric, and truly commensurate with the extensive sway of the horrid king.' As other temples are usually adorned with figures emblematical of their religion, so Juggernaut has representations (numerous and varied) of that vice which constitutes the essence of his worship. The walls and gates are covered with indecent emblems, in massive and durable sculpture.---I have also visited the sand plains by the sea, in some places whitened with the bones of the pilgrims; and another place a little way out of the town, called by the English, the

Golgotha, where the dead bodies are usually cast forth; and where dogs and vultures are ever seen.'*

The grand Hindoo festival of the Rutt Jattra, takes place on the 18th inst. when the idol is to be brought forth to the people. I reside, during my stay here, at the house of James Hunter, Esq. the Company's collector of the tax on pilgrims, and superintendent of the temple, formerly a student in the College of Fort William, by whom I am hospitably entertained, and also by Captain Patton, and Lieut. Woodcock, commanding the military force. Mr. Hunter distinguished himself at the College by his proficiency in the Oriental Languages. He is a gentleman of polished manners and of classical taste. The agreeable society of these gentlemen is very refreshing to my spirits in the midst of the present scenes. I was surprised to see how little they seemed to be moved by the scenes at Juggernaut. They said they were now so accustomed to them, they thought little of them. They had almost forgotten their first impressions. Their houses are on the sea-shore, about a mile or more from

prey first, and begin body is too firm for But the dogs soon

* The vultures generally find out the with the intestines; for the flesh of the their beaks immediately after death. receive notice of the circumstance, generally from seeing the Hurries, or corpse-carriers, returning from the place. On the approach of the dogs, the vultures retire a few yards, and wait till the body be sufficiently torn for easy deglutition. The vultures and dogs often feed together; and sometimes begin their attack before the pilgrim be quite dead, There are four animals which may be seen about a carcase at the same time, viz, the dog, the jackal, the vulture, and the Hurgcela, or Adjutant, called by Pennant, the Gigantic Crane,

the temple. They cannot live nearer, on account of the offensive effluvia of the town. For, independently of the enormity of the superstition, there are other circumstances which render Juggernaut noisome in an extreme degree. The senses are assailed by the squalid and ghastly appearance of the famished pilgrims; many of whom die in the streets of want or disease; while the devotees, with clotted hair and painted flesh, are seen practising their various austerities, and modes of selftorture. Persons of both sexes, with little regard to concealment, sit down on the sands close to the town in public view; and the SACRED BULLS walk about among them and eat the ordure.*

[ocr errors]

The vicinity of Juggernaut to the sea probably prevents the contagion, which otherwise would be produced by the putrefactions of the place.---There is scarcely any verdure to refresh the sight near Juggernaut; the temple and town being nearly encompassed by hills of sand, which has been cast up in the lapse of ages by the surge of the ocean, All is barren and desolate to the eye; and in the ear there is the never-intermitting sound of the 'roaring sea.'

< Juggernaut, 18th of June, 1806.

I have returned home from witnessing a scene

here.

* This singular fact was pointed out to me by the gentlemen There is no vegetation for the sacred Bulls on the sandplains. They are fed generally with vegetables from the hands of the pilgrims.

« PreviousContinue »