Shoshie, the Hindoo Zenana teacher.

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Shoshie, the Hindoo Zenana teacher. Brittan, Harriette G., 1823-1897. New York : T. Whittaker, 1887. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924029340530

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CORNELL

VNMOS

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY UNIVERSITI

FROM

Miss Augusta williams and

Mrs.J.H. Tanner

Cornell University Library

BV2087 .B86 Shoshie ,

olin

3

the Hindoo Zenana teacher .

1924 029 340 530

BV

L30

37

1

od Get

! ). 1844

SHOSHIE , THE

HINDOO

ZENANA TEACHER .

Frontispiece . A HINDOO WOMAN OF LOW CASTE IN HER HOLIDAY COSTUME.

HOSHIE ,

T

:

1

) ví

*

DOS

ZEN ANA

BRIN 1B

,

YPTO , "

FACiii

EI

N.

" I * MA 7"01.1 " AND " CENY '> ETURZ-DAY TEE IN AFRICA."

VITORS

IVHITTAKUR

TOM 10.

BITLE HOUSE .

,

.

Shoshie , THE HINDO0 ZENANA TEACHER .

BY

MISS HARRIETTE

G. BRITTAN .

,2 “ THOMASTOOMEY , " AND " SOENESOF AUTHOR OF “ KARDOO EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA."

NEW -YORK

THOMAS

:

WHITTAKER

No. 2 BIBLE

,

HOUSE .

cilin Givil

EGSIT

lliant

!

::::

2 72

(6

‫لرگ‬

77777

by

,

,

, in

the year 1873

BRITTAN Congress

Washington

.

the Librarian

Congress

, at

of

in

the Office

)

/ of

Act

HARRIETTE

G.

to

,

214 of

‫راک‬

)

A7 Entered according

‫ا‬

‫م‬

ONE who has given much

gone

have

to

.

To

her ,

the poor heathen and

sake has loved

the spread

of

of

this little book

of

,

worthy successor

the Redeemer

His

true they

His Missionary

inscribed most lovingly

THE AUTHOR

.

and for

is

,

servants

,

sought the Glory

because

but simply because

,

Apollos

When

by

descend

for others

who has ever pitied the degradation

His Kingdom

denom

.

Christians

not

of

Paul

cares

of

which

-

are followers

sect

higher work above may her mantle

on a

Love

name

has embraced

or all .

charity

-

to

-

called

they are

distinction

,

without

her large hearted

of

,

;

every

Christian

and

who

remem

love and

—

is

she

those

for her tender

Missionary ination

tidings there

in the dark

distant lands

sympathy which has ever been extended

of

to

carry the glad

warm

She in

love and gratitude

with

bered

far

places of the earth .

or

her

of her life, her means , and

the religion of Jesus

to spread

by

prayers

Doremus :

C.

is

To Mrs. T.

CONTENTS

.

TAGE

I.

II .

III . IV .

MY BIRTH ..

7 16

FAMINE SHOSHIE AT THE ORPHANAGE .

-32

CASTES ...

38

V. ZENANA WORK

VI .

VII .

VIII. IX .

....

45

....

55

ZENANA HOMES CRUEL

XI . XIII . XIV . XV .

XVI .

67

....

128

OF SOULS..

145

...

96

CUSTOMS AND HABITS

X. TRANSMIGRATION

XI .

...

SUPERSTITIONS

WIDOWHOOD

BRAHMINS ..

158

FUNERAL

172

RITES .

RITES, OR CEREMONIES AFTER DEATH .

186

WITCHCRAFT .

192

TIP

GODDESS,

CONOLUSION .

KALI..

206 220

SHOSHIE THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

I.

the

My Birty

a

,

I

Hindoo girl named Kardoo and that ,

of

M

Y

have heard that dear young friends you have read with great interest the

life

has made you think more about the people ;

,

my dear country India and that

it

of it

'

:

,

EXODUS xxxii

19 . the

waxed hot

.

.” —

,

he

the

“ And it came to pass , as soon as he came nigh unto camp dancing saw calf and and Moses anger

has made

my history

should

7

or

I

,

thought

,

to

little

of

tell you

I

like

heard this a

When

.

land

I

of

a

in

you take deeper interest the Mission work particularly for the girls and women that

per

SHOSHIE ,

8

by

for

haps not so much of my own history as of the

,

,

things I have met and seen ; my life God's blessing has been very different from that

of

poor

,

,

.

.

at

;

I

a

.

a

Kardoo you know was Hindoo Zenana girl am Hindoo Zenana begin teacher But let me the beginning Kardoo

,

the Hindoos

the Sudras

.

of

the lowest caste

is

to

and mother were among the poorest they belonged the people what called ;

of

My father

Sudra

a

caste

If

contempt another

by

so

one

,

touch

of

greatest

the

.

,

These poor people are looked down upon by all other castes and are treated by them with should

doing

he

,

of

.

is

to

It

would

that have cleansed

very great

walk on the side be

road where

Sudra it

crime for

a

.

become unclean can frequently this manner considered

a be

,

and things

The cow in

he

or to

,

a

is

must rub his hands

cleanse them

very sacred animal

imme

of

.

rid

go

lution the individual must either diately and bathe with cow's manure

he

he

at

,

if

would pollute him and touched any article the same time that another did would pollute him To himself this pol

the

possible for his shadow

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . to fall on one of forgetfulness his life .

This

years

three

9

higher caste , and it was by

a

of this that my own father lost occurred when

It

old .

was

I was

a

little child

in this way .

My

father was walking along the road carrying a very heavy burden

,

and he did not notice that

there was a holy Jogee , a religious

mendicant

by the practice of great austerities , has become very holy , sitting by the wayside who ,

begging , and his shadow as he passed fell upon the Jogee . A Brahmin , who was near , was so enraged

at the indignity shown to

man , that he immediately

the holy

fell upon my father ,

as to raise his hand Brahmin would be a fearful crime , never to be forgiven either in this world or the next . The Brahmin beat him so unmercifully with a club , that he died in a few weeks from the effects of the blows , trying to comfort my

who

dared not resist

against

;

a

poor mother by telling her that he would be sure to be better off in the next world , because a

Brahmin had condescended to strike him ; that she and her children would be

and

elevated slightly in position even in this world ,

10

SHOSHIE ,

for the same reason ; they would be able to tell that he had the honor of dying through blows received from the hand of a Brahmin . Such was my father's death

.

After my father's death my mother found very it hard to get food for us , my sister , four

I,

years older than

self.

My

my

my little brother and

mother would go out into the fields

to work , sometimes taking

along with her ,

us

and at other times leaving us behind in the hut

.

We never had any clothes of any kind , and often we suffered very much from the cold . You will probably think it very strange to hear this of such a warm country as India the truth is , we become so accustomed heat , that the slightest change

,

;

but

to the

which in your

country you would not think anything of, we feel very acutely .

Our principal food was rice and curry

last is a sort of thick gravy made with a ber of different mustard , and vegetables

spices . in

this ,

It

This

.

num

is of the color of

different

or fish are cooked

.

kinds

of

The English

have meat cooked in it , but we never had any

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

II

thing better than some little fish . These fish my sister and I would catch . Near to our house there were two or three small ponds of

muddy water , formed by the rains during the rainy season , and in these we would find fish the size of my little finger .

We would go and stand for two or three hours at a time about

up to our knees in this water

,

and we became

very expert in catching these little things in our hands . Doing this , and rolling in the sand or mud , and sleeping , was the employment of our lives . Occasionally we would follow with the crowd of other little naked children , when an idol was being carried

through the street

with the noise of drums and tom - toms , which we thought very fine , but we knew nothing more about these idols except

taught to make salaam to them , obeisance

.

that we were a low act of

We never saw or heard of

We never heard of such

a

book .

a being as God , and

poor mother ever did . I doubt whether We were too poor and degraded the Brah .

woman

Then my therefore

it

-

anything

-

widow

us

teach

a

a

min priests mother was

to

for

my

SHOSHIE ,

12

was not worth anybody's while to teach her

anything . Almost all that my poor mother knew of re ligion was that she must make salaam to any of the images of the gods when she saw them

,

and that after death she must become some very bad animal

;

but that

animals now while she lived such a bad animal

if

she was kind to

,

she would not be

when she died , and some

body would perhaps be kind to her then . I am relating now things that my sister told me afterwards ; for my remembrances are very faint

to what happened in these my earlier years . We lived in the country , some hundred miles from the city of Calcutta . In the next hut to as

lived a poor woman , also a widow , a friend of my mother . This woman had but ours

one child , a little daughter

,

about my sister's

age , with whom we used to play and of whom She was a pretty , little girl , very bright and full of fun . One day a Brahmin priest , who resided near our village , we were very fond .

came inside

to .

this

woman's

He called

hut .

She was

busy

to her and told her

to

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER come out there

, as

.

13

he wished to speak to her .

When she came to the door of her hut he told her to stop there

to come any pollute him . He then told her he had come to do her the great nearer

him

,

;

not

or she would

honor of taking her child from her for the service of his god . The poor woman wept and prayed and implored him to leave her her

child ,

as

heaped

it was her only one . upon

her

The Brahmin

imprecations

and

abuse

because she was not delighted to give up her

child to be from henceforth devoted to the service of the idol ; and , at length , suddenly —

the poor mother

offer any resistance

,

to

cries , he carried her daring

off

seizing the child , in spite of her screams and

not only following

she was

be

,

rare intervals and

which

to

she knew the life

to

not see the child except

at

.

in

,

the Brahmin with cries and supplications but vain From henceforth the mother could

.

devoted

off

was

taken the

the temple idol's

.

carried

she

to

when

by

The little girl was just seven years old priest

and

Here the

SHOSHIE , was performed

At

her and the idol . bride

as

could

,

wood

the groom

well take

any living man

.

the

of

part

groom are perfectly

the priest doing everything

of

a

so

,

quiet and silent piece that

and

as

the

,

monies

between

the marriage cere

,

ceremony

marriage

all

14

in

to

.

,

supposed will make this reason pretty

be

never

be

dance

whatever

married open sin

At

she

festivals this sing before the ,

or and

is

,

one

the poojahs

she must

idol and

do

,

of

,

the time god

of to

supposed

the idol but her life

is

she

is

as

.

a

,

married

can

to

She now

.

bright children are selected She dancing girl comes

.

for

of

it

and

Everything

sing

be

,

to

is

and

her that

attractive

to

a

,

taught

her

dance

is

to

,

is

,

write

of

;

to

or

to

is

sup After this ceremony takes place she belong posed the god she remains about the temple with number other girls taught little and she read and

commanded

by

festivals

and

dance and

poojahs

of

marriages

,

sing

at

,

,

longs hires her out with others

to

to

.

to

the priest that will bring money his temple At other times the priest whom she be

Sam

. 209

tom

Ons

JUGGERNAUT OF TEMPLE THE IN SCENE

A

09

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

15

by rich men . She is only allowed to keep a very small portion of the money she makes for herself . The rest different

sorts

given

goes to the priest and his idol .

He , however

keeps her dressed up in fine clothes

,

,

and in

jewelry , to make her attractive . It was for a life like this that our little friend was taken away from her heart - broken

The poor mother did not live long after the removal of her child to mourn her mother loss .

.

I will tell

chapter .

you about this in my next

SHOSHIE ,

16

II

.

.

Amritu

and

I

the

of

,

old

can

was now

remember

,

I

,

.

at

to

many things that happened the little Shoshie this time One day when was present the same old Brahmin priest care

for when

had upon her

.

-

by taking her child for the service friend My poor mother cried very much the idol

at of

same honor upon her that

me

would want me for would confer the

he

,

I

,

was seven years old the idol temple and then

,

great

take

he

she must

of

,

who had taken told my mother that

he

,

away my little friend

..

five years

,

about

beasts

My sister's was Jumne

and my little brother's

,

Shoshie

.

is

name

for

told you that my

I

I

DON'T think that

and their carcase the

famine

heaven and ,

fouls

I

.

of

. 4 the .

be

They shall be consumed by shall meat for earth .-- JER xvi

;

the

Famine .

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . this , and

me tight

hugged

17

to her breast ,

I was still a baby , though years five old , and had a little brother

I

telling him

was

three

years old . Whenever

I used

I

saw this old priest

,

afterwards ,

to run away as fast as I could , scream ing and shrieking , I was so afraid he was going to take me away from my dear mother . But my kind , heavenly upon me in love

Him not .

,

Father was looking

even then

,

though

Instead of being devoted

service of some hideous image

,

lead a life of shame and crime

I

knew

to the

and made to ,

I

was to be

taught to know and love the dear Saviour , who is the “ Chief among ten thousand One altogether lovely ." About this time

I

,

the

began to help my mother

and sister in another kind of work , the pre paring fuel to cook with . I have heard that the people of your country , my dear readers , never use the kind of fuel we do , no matter how poor they may be , and , in fact , very few of them have ever heard of it . am almost

I

afraid

to tell you about it , for fear you will 2

SHOSHIE ,

18

feel disgusted

with me .

Nevertheless

, as

I

wish you to know how the people of my country live , the poor as well as the rich , I must tell you .

In India ,

we have scarcely any coal mines ,

and very few forests

or woods , therefore fuel

for cooking (and we hardly need it for any thing else ) is very scarce . But what we use instead

,

even many of the people who have a

great deal more money than we had , is cows

'

You will think it very strange , but we take the manure and mix it with mud manure

.

and water , till it is like a soft paste , then we take a lump in our hands and flatten it out

stick it up against the side and front of our hut , till the whole of the outside of the hut is covered with it . Not a a cake and

,

you will think , for our

houses but we do not care for that ,

cakes stay there

till they

become

dried in the sun , and then they drop then take

These

.

perfectly off .

very pretty ornament

them and store them away

as

like

We you

This was the only fuel we had Often and often have to cook our food with .

.

do fire wood

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

I

helped

my mother

and

sister

to

.

19

prepare

You know we never thought this dirty or disagreeable work , for the Hindoo thinks the cow is a sacred animal , and everything this .

belonging to it is sacred . In fact , if a strict Hindoo pollute himself so much as to touch a Christian , or if one of his brass vessels which could not be broken , should be touched by a Christian , the only way he could cleanse his

,

.

;

of

,

,

igno low the glorious liberty that

in

we

even we

,

,

you

the means

,

to

,

God

to

and think what be

,

of

of

knowledge

He has granted

us ,

children

a

to us ,

He died for

your land the people raising who were sunk the

but

Jesus the and He will that all

saved and come

rance and degradation

of

,

,

loves

privilege

love

so

gracious

of to

a

.

the truth

not

people

and glorious

to

,

of

should

heaven

be

King

you could

the great

you will us

,

You will think remember

dear friends

dirty disgusting

us ,

.

am afraid

strange

,

us

think

a

.

ing them

I

'

all

hands or the vessel would be by first rubbing them over with cows dung and then wash

SHOSHIE ,

20

might be called the sons and daughters of the

Lord Almighty.

I

When

was a little more than five years

old , a terrible calamity befell that part of the land in which we lived

It was

.

Oh

a famine .

!

what fearful suffering there is included in that one word famine

those of you who have never

:

it cannot begin to imagine . In India , at least in our part of India , the princi all

witnessed

.

a

is

of

,

In

pal food of classes the people rice general they eat but two regular meals

rice

,

on

it ,

,

that crop fails then crop

year was

to

starv

which

sown

but

heavens withheld the rains which were ful

which

I

the

,

the

In

,

.

,

speaking

sugar and milk

the one thing

is

but rice

they depend and ation ensues

meals

will occasionally eat

made

if

curdled

sweetmeats

;

,

or

those who can afford

fruit

these

Between

of

rice

of

curry and

.

of

,

day and these are almost invariably composed

am the

need

us

so

be

to

a

little time rice began dear that the poor amongst could .

trial upon them

In

,

.

make the seed germinate God was angry with the people and He sent this sore

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . only

get

a day , and

money

enough

to

buy

one

21

meal

shortly after we could not even

get that . Then every root and leaf, and even the dry blades of grass , and the bark of the trees , were boiled and eaten . There was , of course , nothing left for the cattle , so that at first the milk was dried

up , and

then

the

cattle died , and our sufferings became tremely dreadful. Many a time would

ex we

take up the mud and cram it down our throats , to fill our empty stomachs , and to prevent the intolerable pain of hunger . This con Many of us , in our suffering , would break our caste by eating the bodies of dead animals . Particularly little children tinued for weeks

.

were allowed to do this , as it is not considered

nearly so sinful for them to break caste a grown person

as for

.

In the jungles

,

near our village , we knew

that there were many tigers

but hitherto we had not much feared them , as they generally keep away from human habitations . But it is ,

said if a tiger once eats human flesh it makes him much more fierce than he was before ,

SHOSHIE ,

22

and from that time he becomes ravenous after

that kind of food .

Now many of our people far and wide in search of food ,

wandered and being would

very weak

sometimes

from

their homes , but would woods

,

the

they

,

to get back to

drop

unable to go any further

would become would

starvation

be unable

down .

in

prey of the tigers

seize upon and devour

the

Then they

them

.

,

who

After

having once tasted human flesh , these tigers would become very bold , and would prowl about , close to our villages , and once or twice a child was seized and carried off. The government

of India tried to help the poor

people by giving them work in making roads , so that they might earn money to buy a little

But whenever they were working out side the village , even in the daytime , while some of the men were working others would be obliged to stand beside them , beating on food .

drums noise

and to

tom - toms , and

keep

become so bold

the

tigers

making off,

as

a

great

they had

.

One night we , that is , my mother

and the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

23

children , were lying on the floor of our hut asleep ( we never slept on anything but a piece of matting laid on the floor ), when we were aroused by loud screams proceeding

next hut .

We recognized

from

the voice

poor woman , our neighbor

,

the

of the

and my mother

to our door and saw a large tiger spring out of the door of the next hut ( a fact ) carrying her in his mouth . He ran off with

rushed

her into the jungles , and though many heard her screams , and saw the terrible beast rush

ing away , none dared pursue him . The next day his course could be traced by the blood to a deep dell in the woods the bones

;

there some of

of the poor woman

were found .

The tiger was soon afterwards killed by some English gentlemen who were out on a shoot ing excursion after him . He was an immense beast , and near his den were

the remains

of

five human skulls.

My

mother

had heard before this that the

that place

in

their homes and started

for

suffering was not nearly so great in Calcutta , and in fact many of our neighbors had left hope

24

SHOSHIE ,

of finding relief, and now she became so alarmed at the awful fate of her friend , that with a party of twenty of our village , she took us and started for the city . Our worldly possessions

were not much weight to carry .

My little brother

and myself had never had

any clothing , unless you can call

a

string

around the loins with a shell attached

to it ,

This , with the addition of a scrap of

such .

rag about four inches square , depending

from

the string , constituted my sister's wardrobe

,

and my mother's was the one dirty sarree she had on . The only washing this ever got was when she went into the water to bathe

.

Our

other possessions were a clay detchkie for boiling anything , and a small article of the same kind for drinking . The value of these two articles would be about one of your cents . So we were not heavily burdened with our worldly goods

. We were to travel by day , and then some of the party were to watch at

night to keep up tigers

a fire

to scare away the

We started , but oh wearisome travelling that was . .

!

what

All

slow ,

the party

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

25

by previous fasting that we went along very slowly . Almost the only food we could obtain was the bark and tender shoots were so weakened

of the trees , which we boiled till they were quite soft .

Once or twice we found some little

nests , and we children were allowed to suck the

eggs, but for an older person to have done this would have been considered a great crime .

As

we advanced

on

our

road

the whole

,

way began to be thickly strewed with human bones , that had been picked clean by the vultures and jackals , and were bleaching in the sun .

These were the remains

of those

who , within the last few days or weeks , had like ourselves started

for

not been able to reach it . on the road unable

Calcutta , but had They had dropped

to proceed

had died where they fell.

In

further , and

several instances

we came upon these birds and beasts of prey

all

of

constant

terrible sight sharing fear

a

.

.

the same sad fate

This was in

our near approach for those who were

,

at

they were engaged in their horrid meal and they would scarcely move at even

as

26

SHOSHIE ,

as he

string

the party who had with large beads and these ,

a

him

man

in

was one

of

old

We , the children of the party , fared best , for Hindoos are very kind to children . There

,

.

he

,

all

for she saw that

is

that

it

said

“

"

,

you know

to he ,

was

Don't

“

.

,

muttering some words over them passed them through his fingers

he

,

doing with them

and what he was he

,

him what these beads were

as

if

kept constantly passing through his fingers Once when we was counting them sitting down resting my mother asked were

very wicked of

it .

without knowing

even

it

.

do

,

,

,

to

any kill anything take away the life thing that God has made and yet we are such poor helpless creatures that we cannot continually keep from doing this We Every

time

we

,

great act

he

punished con

kind

of

be ",

a

was able

But one day do

.

I

, "

our lifetime we

things that have life

these we shall

the other world

tinued

In

.

thousands

and for every one in

of

kill

of

thus

doing this

to

danger

of

in

.

or

step we probably kill some ant other little insect Even when we scratch our head we are

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . ness to a Brahmin priest these beads and gave me that every time

27

Then he blessed

.

them to me , and told

I passed

one through my

fingers, repeating the words he told me , that one of those murders I had unknowingly committed should be forgiven me . ” And what were the words he told you to say ?" asked my mother .

“ Oh , I must not tell you , " he answered ; " for the Brahmin told me if I told it to any one it would break the charm . But as soon as you

can get any money I would advise you to go to a Brahmin , and get some blessed beads ,

for of course every day we live , the more lives we have to answer for .” “ My poor mother sighed , and looked at us children . I dare say she thought it would be long before she had means to buy food enough children , without buying beads . The next morning the poor old man lay still in the place where he had slept the night before ; for

us

he was too weak to move .

In vain

;

my mother

used all her little strength to help him ; he could not go a step further , and then we had

SHOSHIE ,

28

to leave him to die , for we should perished with him had we remained

I saw and

.

only have The last

of him he was holding tight to his beads lips

his

were

moving , muttering

,

the

Mantras the priest had told him to say . Ere we reached Calcutta , all but six of our party , my own dear little brother among them , had dropped , one after another , and had us to perish . One or two , entirely departed had before we

been left behind however

,

left them . My little brother had died in the night , while clinging to his mother's breast , trying to draw forth nourishment which had long ceased to exist .* When we reached the outskirts of the city , my poor mother fell to rise no more . The rest of our party went on , leaving us two poor children crying over our

dying mother . Many Hindoos now passed us , looking happy and well fed , so different from the miserable beings by whom we had been so long surrounded . In a little while a crowd was collected

about us , but no assist

* The children of India are sometimes other till they are five or six years old .

nursed

by the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER ance was offered

us , none

.

29

came near enough

to touch

us . As we were poor , low caste they could not pollute themselves by touching us , but they could satisfy their

Sudras

,

curiosity by gazing at our miserable condi tion . At length a man went past with a drove of cows , and my mother in a faint my sister to supplicate the bring man to one of the cows close to her , and let her take hold of its tail . The man , voice

,

begged

touched with a feeling

My dying

of compassion

,

did so .

raised herself up , clutched hold of the cow's tail , and the effort being too mother

great for her , she fell back , and instantly ex Shouts and exclamations immedi ately rent the air from the by - standers , as it

pired .

is considered

most fortunate

for a person to

die with a cow's tail in the hand ; it is the next best thing to dying by the river Ganges . As soon as it was perceived that my mother was really dead the crowd dispersed , leaving my sister and myself alone with the body : Hungry and weary as we were , we soon cried ourselves to sleep , with our heads rest

SHOSHIE ,

30

ing on our poor mother , whom we never saw again ; for though none of the natives would so defile

themselves

as

to touch

us ,

yet they

gave notice to the police of our whereabouts , and some low caste men were sent to look after us .

My sister and myself were lifted up

still asleep and carried

into the house of a kind English lady who lived near , and who gave us an asylum for a time , while the body of our mother was carried off to the burning ghat

,

the place where

dead bodies are burnt

which answers with the

,

Hindoos the same

as a burial ground does the Europeans , and there quickly reduced to ashes . When we arose from our slumber my sister ,

Jumne , was almost frantic mother

,

but

I

at the loss of her

was too weak

even to move or cry .

After

and powerless the first violent

outburst of grief, Jumne became as much

ex

it

was

hausted

as

I was ,

and for many days

thought that neither of us could live . Food was given to us , just a spoonful at a time , every half hour

;

if they had given

we were ravenous us

for it , but

what we wanted it would

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

31

have killed us at once .

better , however ,

They would not

Our kind friends knew what was for our good .

give us what we desired

they fed us little by little

bear it , and so our lives were since

time

but

spared

.

to

I have

the kind lady say that at the she did not think it possible that we heard

could recover , we were in such

of

,

as we were able

emaciation

.

a

terrible state

She said that my leg in the

largest part was not bigger round than her two fingers . When we had recovered suffi ciently to be removed , our kind friend took us and placed

us in one of the orphanages for native children in the city of Calcutta . These

orphanages

, of which there are several sus by belong , tained the different denominations to the missionaries , by whom the children are taken care of and educated , till they are of

an age to provide began a new life .

for themselves

.

Here

I

SHOSHIE ,

32

the

Orphanage

the

Shoshie at

.

the

III. ,

,

,

a

,

or

I,

to to

teach

,

or to

to

Go

into

all

ye

the

every creature

; "

, “

my thank

that He gave that to

,

so

to

,

;

.

!

I

much

message His disciples world and preach the gospel

learn

of

very hard

very difficult for me and how trying the patience kind teachers have learnt since oh

a

Ix . 2 .

.” —

,

was hard

me these things

the dear Saviour

very

little without the slightest religion respect ,

and

decency

it

obedience

,

order ,

of

,

idea

savage

untaught

long time was

me for here was ,

hard one

wild

a

,

new life for

to

M

Y

be

:

the

,

the

,

“

For behold darkness shall cover earth and gross people but darkness Lord shall arise upon thee and ISATAH seen upon thee his glory shall

,

have cheerfully given their time

their talents

,

,

,

of

that many His dear servants have gladly willingly obeyed this command and and

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

33

their life itself, not only to feed these poor sheep in the wilderness

but also to seek out

,

and to save the poor little straying lambs , from the jaws of the devouring lion , who is ever going about seeking whom he may devour . But at first I understood nothing of this , and oh , how many times would I gladly have escaped from the restraints of cleanliness and order and the lessons I was obliged to learn ,

into my

former

But my good

savage state .

friends knew what was best for me , and forced me to submit

to their kind and wholesome

I have come to see that men and women are only " children of a larger growth .” How continually we fret discipline .

In

after years

against our Heavenly Father's discipline ; how frequently would we escape from it were it in ; but just as my kind teachers knew position the future which their training was fitting me though knew our Heav not enly Father sends just that discipline and training which for the position

so

,

it

both

in

us

fit

to

us , 3

.

He has appointed for the next

us

I

is

to

,

for

our power

this world and

SHOSHIE ,

34

And

here let me say one

word

I

:

have

heard that there are a great many very good in Christian countries , who , if not exactly opposed to sending missionaries to the heathen , yet never do anything to help

people

They say , and I believe think it too that it is of no use to send missionaries to the heathen , for if they have never heard the that cause . ,

gospel

,

they will not have the sin of rejecting

an offered Saviour .

To

those who say and think this , let me give

While we would not attempt to limit the mercy of the All -merciful , yet with

savage

little

,

me

a

place

,

to

love and gen

as

miserable

,

,

as

was

order and decency a

,

tleness

,

,

” —

cleanliness

prepared

a

heaven is a prepared place people my school home and “

its

for

one thought .

in

;

to

,

be

no heaven

even were they The moment enter there .

permitted

be

a

to

I

so

fear heaven would

these poor people

to

to

;

being

be

to

to ,

,

uncouth much preferred

I

would have and roll and tumble naked cleanly the mud and dirt rather than dressed and made behave like human

rude

of

could not change feelings

,

tastes

and

habits

.

death

35

.

their thoughts They must

be ,

all

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

a

be

,

,

I

to

the Orphanage

,

studying those things which were make me wise not only for time but trust for eternity let me tell you at

ing

.

to

it ,

to

happy prepared for for heaven ever home them But while my life was pass

something

the

beasts

.

more

perish

that

all

no

,

”

be

“

,

than

that

She

.

account

from

to

women

heard

of

Kardoo thought India are

have in

You

I

of

,

of

that terrible condition from by mercy which the God had escaped

;

so

a

I

up in

I

cover

and

I

;

became

a

even when

woman

as

about the streets to

go

to

but should

with scarcely any clothing

I

,

me

,

I

have been allowed

perform some

household

.

services of the

should never have been shut pleased

to

,

and had servants

menial

,up

the

our

,

.

different

the Zenana

of

lives would have been very you She know was kept shut

,

still

,

them

,

as

by

,

a

high caste girl but poor Sudra was though the men equally looked down upon something far beneath contempt with

-

should have become bold and brazen faced

36 and impudent when

I was

.

still

I

SHOSHIE , should

have been married

a child , but should have had

to perform the lowest and most menial work , to help support my husband and children , sometimes carrying bricks and mortar on my head , up high ladders to the tops of buildings , the masons to use , or working in the fields , or , in fact , doing any kind of work by for

which

I could

earn a few pice , a copper

coin get about the value of a cent to a little rice . Now I have heard that in your country ,

every woman

,

no matter

how poor she

is ,

if

she behaves herself well , is respected and well

thought of . But it is very different with us . A woman , just because she is a Sudra , is con sidered low and bad , no matter how well she may behave herself .

It

is supposed no woman

can be seen by a man unless she is very treated with con nobody expects as her to be good , or tries to teach her anything that is good , wicked

;

so she is always

tempt , and

she generally is very bad .

of woman

I

should

should have led

;

This was the kind

have been , and the life

I

if God had not been so good

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . me and given me

to

37

kind and loving friends to

teach me better ; and those good friends would not have been able to do for me what they did , if God had not put it into the hearts of good children and good people far off in a Christian land to deny themselves some few little comforts , that they might send the money all

to be

, to save me from my fear degradation To God the

.

state

of

ful

to the missionaries

be

.

.

it

of

,

love the dear as

you

do

teach each

to to

May God

of

of

,

Jesus with the customs this dark land and the religion heathenism

.

glorious religion

able contrast the ways your own dear land and the

of

and customs

to

want you

of

I

about the caste system

in

will tell you something exists India to as

I

so

the Orphanage

,

in

,

.

It

last was His doing from first being Thus while much was done for me

glory

to

as

.

is in

it

as

of to

,

in

,

Saviour more and more and much you lies bring these poor people the knowledge the truth Jesus

SHOSHIE .

IV

.

Castes

teachers

The second

soldiers

all

or

and they made

Of this

.

.

laws for all the people

rank are the Kshatriyas

four

into

The Brahmins

the religious books ,

.

all

.

By them

priests

were written and are explained the

divided

.

castes

These are the religious

stand first

unto

. 6 .

are

India

or

,

of

people THE principal tribes or

.

." -

“ Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination Lord PROV Xvi

the

.

in

38

,

Sudras are divided

. ,

now considered

separate

class by themselves

into over

.

:

each

and distinct

a

any other

subdivided into many division holds any intimacy with is

and

a

,

no

castes

others

These four classes

are again

as

or

.

and the last are the Sudras

,

or

or

Kings rank are the warriors and Rajahs The third class are the Vaisyas merchants

hundred

The

dif

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

39

classes , according to the trade or pro

ferent

of each , every son being obliged to follow the trade or calling of his father . I belonged , with my whole family, to the very fession

lowest of all these tribes mon laborers

,

,

the Coolies , or

com

who are looked down upon by

This system of caste nurtures the

all others .

pride inherent in the human heart ; as almost

individual can find some one who is

each

him , and upon whom he can look There are now a great many of the Sudras who are artizans or merchants , and they have become very wealthy by their trade , beneath down

.

and have received a thorough , good education

Yet

though they are

gentlemen

.

wealthy , intelligent poorest beggar , if he

the meanest , be a Brahmin , as so many of them are , would look down upon him , and despise him . But ,

with the Coolie caste it is never possible for them to rise , for they must never perform any but the lowest kind of labor , and four annas a

- day ( equal to twelve cents ) is the highest

wages they can ever get . The reason they give for these differences

SHOSHIE ,

40

They say that Bramha , the created mankind , or rather that

in caste is this . great

god

mankind

,

proceeded

forth from

him

.

The

Brahmins or priests came from his mouth : therefore they are the head or teachers of all the others . The Kshatriyas or soldiers came from his arms , therefore , they are to defend the others . The Vaisyas came from his legs , so they are to do the work , and the Sudras

they are to be the servants of all . The Brahmins , who wrote the holy books of the Hindoos , have done every from his feet , consequently

thing they could to elevate their own caste at the expense and degradation of all the rest .

How

different

from

the words

of our Holy

Book , which says , “ Let no man think more highly of himself than he ought to think , ” but “ let each esteem other better than them selves ."

Each of these distinctive castes has

different rites and ceremonies , and they know nothing of those practised by others . None but a Brahmin priest may look into or explain

their sacred books

,

( how like the teachings

Rome !) and he is forbidden

of

to teach to one

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

41

the duties or rites belonging to others . Thus , though called one people , and said to be of the Hindoo religion , yet its forms are as varied as . With this little explanation you will understand better what I may say in the future , and you will understand too why one missionary ' may tell you a story

their

castes

perhaps

and another

will

say something

that would But when this is the case , you must remember that they have been laboring among different classes of the seem almost to contradict it .

people , though it may be in the same part of

the country .

In

former

possession

days , before

the

English

took

scarcely any one but the

of India Brahmins were even taught to read and write . It was of no use to any others , and they cared ,

nothing for education in itself . But when they found that education was the means of making money among the English , then they began to have their sons taught ; for the love of money is the ruling passion in the Hindoo mind the

It

was not the love of knowledge , but love of money , that made the Hindoo .

SHOSHIE

42 learn

;

,

and this can be seen in the matter of

female education

, "

for

would not

as education

to make money (she was so

enable a women

to the year 1818 , there was not such a thing as a single school for girls in

My

sister

myself remained

and

at

India

. ”

all

shut up ) up

the

till we were each years of age then we were married and went eighteen

to

,

us

of

Orphanage

But we had been carefully Bengali our native instructed not only English tongue but and what was better (

,

;

Holy Spirit

,

believe that God the ,

I

),

in

in

.

our own homes

had taught so

to

,

the poor

,

His love

to

the wonders

Him and we wished ,

trust our all

and we had learnt

to

our Redeemer

of to

,

viour

;

of

to

,

to

us ,

for He had brought home His own pre cious word with power our hearts that we had learnt believe that Jesus was not only the Saviour the world but our Sa

tell

perishing

.

ones around

Perhaps you first hear how we the Christian girls .

,

From Ward's India

.

to

sister was married

would like

•

My

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

43

are married . I think I told you before that no women except the lowest class of the Sudras , are ever allowed to go into the street , as it is not considered respecta

of the

ble

.

Orphanage

,

So we were never permitted to go beyond

the walls of our compound

except when we rode to church with our teacher , and this was very seldom

,

,

as we used to have a catechist

come

to the school to teach and to preach to us . Thus by going out we had no opportunity to make the acquaintance of any who might become

our future husbands

, as

I

hear is the

custom in your country ; but if there was any

Christian native young man , in good standing in his own church , who wanted a wife , he would go to his pastor , who would give him a letter of introduction to the lady superintend ent of the orphanage . This letter would tell

other respects the good wife for him

her

,

to

she would call her and read the letter

,

in

,

fit

age and one that of lady thought would make

a

who and what the young man was , and that his object in coming to the orphanage was to obtain a suitable wife . If there was any girl

SHOSHIE ,

44

and ask her man

If

.

if she would like to

see the

young

she agreed to see him , they would be

left to talk together for half an hour . end of that time

At

the

they generally agreed to He was then allowed

become man and wife .

to visit her two or three times , and in about It three weeks they would be married . would seeing

,

however

,

sometimes happen that after

each other once or twice

,

one of the

party would draw back from the agreement , and try for another partner . I dare say this may seem very strange

to you , but this was

the way in which we were married . On the day of the wedding we would go to church to be married

,

and then go to the house of our

husband , which was generally situated inside of some mission premises . the compound

When my sister was married she went away to live up the country , and I did not see her again for two or three years.

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

V Penanx

45

.. Work . death

.

of

the shadow

years old

was about sixteen

to

sixteen years about kind teacher called me her

,

:I I

WHEN my

and

old ,

HEN

in

darkness

was

in

from on high hath visited us , to give light

79 .

78 ,

i.

LUKE

sit

“ The Dayspring to them that

.

one

to

to

on

to

,

,

smiled

what are

she forgot

such seclusion

,

I

, “

teach and instruct

the precepts and practice

Christianity

,

as

",

said

of

me

in

and with the one desire

to

I

that

The Zenanas

My kind

teacher had been brought

? ”

they

yet understand the

up in

language

she did not “

,

teach

.

as

to

,

in

,

,

a

day and told me that new lady missionary purpose had just arrived visit and teach the Zenanas and that she wanted have interpret and help her me go with her

,

,

I

of

my own that knew very little more country people than that they were poor

SHOSHIE ,

46

ignorant idolaters , knowing nothing of the true God , but worshipping images which their

My

plained

all

own hands had made . to me that

teacher

then

ex

countrywomen

my

some near relation's house

,

go

in to

the Ganges ,

go

bathe

or to

to

to

go or

their own houses except

to

,

of

who were not considered the very lowest the low were never permitted outside

,

let her go into their houses and teach their

willing

to

desire

the

to

number were

to

gentlemen

ladies had

of

quite

a

so

,

that now native

(

Baboos

and the native

nicely and showed such

learnt improve

a

-

,

ladies fancy work

)

to

of

a

.

,

,

;

or

a

in

to

up

;

a

on

pilgrimage and then they went closely covered palky palanquin they that never went school nor were they ever taught anything useful But she said good English within the last few months lady had persuaded some the rich Baboos

,

The Christian ladies did not

they thought

if

,

care for this

a

in

a

do this

.

to

her

as

it

to

go into their houses allow ladies teach though they looked upon conferring permitting great favor upon Christian lady

they could only

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

47

get an entrance into these prison homes , they might be able to teach Jesus and the love of Christ to these poor prisoners . And so , " my dear teacher continued , Miss Gray , the lady that I spoke to you “

“

about

,

of this in her own land , and she

heard

out here now , hoping to gain an

has come

entrance to some of these homes , that she may teach them to read and write and work ,

may teach them

in

as

He has sent and know the language yet she help her teach go with her ,

.

to

to

wishes you

not

';

and Jesus Christ whom she does

the

that she the only true God

wisdom

know

to

lead them ;

and

of to all ,

enabled

light

to

fountain

be

,

strength

of to

to make them better and happier and wiser in trusting this world ; but , above divine

will call here every day and take you with her for several hours and then bring you back here again And now my dear Shoshie

,

,

.

,

,

She

God help you and give you .grace impart the love others what you know to

of

to

may

should

be

answered my dear teacher that

I

ļ

.

of Christ

and

do

I

could

trust

for now

,

,

I

earnest

in

life

,

I

wonder did

now behold the life that was ,

.

!

others

,

live not for myself alone but for And oh with what astonishment and

to

I

if

as

nearly

as

,

of

lived around me and which was ignorant had been thousands

being

of

I

I

began

began

I

,

.

hoped God would help me my duty The next day Miss Gray called for me and

to

I

delighted to help Miss Gray

,

all

SHOSHIE ,

48

'

introduced

her .

This

Christian woman the

orphanages

Ghanto would go every day

houses

and

instruct

the

.

one who had herself

to

as

,

one

work to so

of

native

her

her health

,

,

the

a

educated

This woman

native

widow in

been

a

her assistant

,

lady had had

had

Baboos

their future teacher

of

,

those women

few

as

them on account she took Miss Gray and

obliged

was

the up

give

houses among

,

.

a

lady who of

,

here

to

few

my country

A

come

arrival

her

access

a

after

obtained

to

weeks

poor

the

,

prisoners

teach

to

to

,

I

dear home and land

to

, .

said had recently left her

as

miles away Miss Gray

native

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER ladies

fancy -work , and

of by Fancy -work was the bait which

in

learning . these

49

.

ladies

were

lured

the

to

rudiments

learn

to

read .

given ,

them

,

had

these rich Baboos

to

,

and even then

be

and work material

to

all

They would beg and implore to be taught that alone , but the Christian ladies were firm ; they refused to teach fancy -work to any one who would not learn to read . The books who could

in

to

a

,

pay well considered that afforded they were conferring great favor upon the permitting them Christian ladies come

have

to

.

,

lowest who

buckshesh

or

few

the

of

refuse

pice

man among

,

:

of

the highest

to

from

,

most terrible manly independ a

,

lack

4

,

would

and

say belongs

have never yet seen

a

.

them

I

covetousness ence

,

,

,

I

teristic which am sorry namely my countrymen

charac

to

one peculiar

to

me speak

any

Christ

a

,

Here let

of

looked down upon and contemned means they might win some souls

be ;

willing

by to

were

,

ladies

if

kind

to

these

in

and

,

to

allowing them teach their wives and receive these gifts and instructions from them

SHOSHIE ,

50

that would think it a degradation to ask for it . I have never taught in one house , even where they were rolling in wealth , where they did not wish their books and work materials to be given out and out to them , or at less than the cost price

But this by the way .

.

Hitherto

,

had been very chary

the ladies

in speaking on the subject of religion , fearing lest the doors of these prison homes , which had for centuries, against

,

all

been close barred

the

the marvellous

of

if

of

love

is

,

of

to

,

her one help

a

in

,

"

,

,

Lamb God who the world and she from the very first

teaching

house where

of

tell the poor women giving His Son God

of

she was forbidden

missionary

of

the

to

to

continue

caution which

with God's

,

aim

taketh away the sins resolutely determined never

a

being “

and sinners

to

lead

as

."

she had come out

Name

But Miss Gray felt that

above every name object

“

there had been very great

mentioning that

,

used

in

.

Jesus

in

So

on

,

be

,

knowledge and which were of much fast closed again now ajar might were said the subject the religion entrance

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER , to

die for them

51

So the first day she com

.

menced she would take with her a picture

Adam and Eve read

for

,

Bible stories

,

It

the

women

she would

,

could

tell

them

soon as they could read

and as

she would make

till

and

themselves

of

them

read for themselves

is true that it was often said to

.

You

her , "

must not teach your religion here, " but she “

:

do

If

all .

would always answer you at you

Then

I

cannot teach

not let me teach you

-

they one

piece

off some so

be

finish

Gen

as ,

.”

at

would

another

of

and

,

up

,

of

,

I

I

what like will not instruct you all erally for the sake fancy the work would put with the religion and

As the

people

of it ,

(

seemed

as

as

that we always

we could attend

to .

so

,

much

and

),

.

at

shut

others would open as

had

as

closed

be as

to

teach Jesus

entirely

still times because we would they the Saviour But fast

few houses were

continue

up

.

to

to

go

,

it

,

proud work their friends would everywhere about that we soon showing had continual applications one and Some another fresh house and instruct them

more

and

more

SHOSHIE ,

52

anxious three

or

teachers

for instruction , Miss Gray engaged four other Christian women as

,

and her plan was this , a plan which

is followed by most of the Zenana lady ers , of whom

now

a good

I

am happy

A

many .

native

goes

teacher

to each house , where there are learners day .

teach

to say there are ,

every

She teaches them to read and to write ,

to cipher and to work , while the lady goes to each

house

once

that the native week

more

,

a

week

teacher

,

and

has

all for the

reviews

done

particularly enforcing

and

ex

plaining the Scripture lessons . Thus a know ledge of the Word of God and the Blessed is spread

Redeemer

The

,

,

many houses

.

is not to make

learned

but to teach the multitude

to read

main

scholars

object

in many

word of Life for themselves . Thus have given you some little idea of our work . the

I

I

had been teaching with Miss Gray about a year , I was married and went to live

After

in my own home

,

but from there

I

continued

to go daily with her to my work . been a little hindered a few times

I

have

by the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

53

of myself or my children , but in no other way , as , thank God , my husband is a good Christian man , a catechist , and he is illness

not only willing but glad that his wife should be engaged with himself in the glorious work

of bringing Now

I

souls to Christ . have

I

my own history .

finished

have been much longer over it than I in tended , as my object in writing this book is to tell you of the customs and manners of the different castes of people

at the

that

I have

Zenanas , and the circumstances

dents and conversations

,

met

inci

that have been made .

known to me . You , in your own land , who are gathering the money , and we who are workers in the field , have each our part of the great work to do , and

faithful we shall

We shall

if

we are equally

equally have

hear the Blessed

our

reward

Saviour say

: “

.

In

asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ye have done it unto Me. " You remember made

"

,

among

the Israelites , the law was

that he that staid by the stuff , and he

that went forth to the battle , should equally

SHOSHIE ,

54

divide the spoil .”

The great

Salvation has appointed

Captain of our

to each of

us

our

, may He give grace to each one of us to fight manfully for Him , or to be the patient sentinel , or , if we belong to the foraging party ,

post

to be diligent in that

;

for you know , dear

friends , that the entire life and well - being of the whole army may , sometimes on the foragers .

Ah

!

depend up

,

it would

how foolish

be in those whom the General

has appointed

to this part of the work to feel, because they were not engaged in the hand - to - hand fight with the enemy , therefore their work was of No , dear friends , God has given you your part of this great work to do no

importance

as much as

.

He has given us ours ,

time you shall reap

if you

faint

“

and in due

not.”

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

55

VI

.

Penana Homes

I

.

“ Which say , Stand by thyself , come not near to me ; holier than thou .” —Isaia . lxv . 5.

WAS filled with

wonder

,

for

I

am

astonishment

fear , the day of my first visit to

and Zenana .

a

Miss Gray had been before , and knew where to go . I clung close to her , dreading for a moment to be separated from her .

We rode some distance into a part of the city where I had never been before , the roads becoming narrower as we proceeded ,

till

we came to the head of a lane which was

very small , narrow , palky like a on wheels ) to We got out and walked some little

too close for our gharree

(a

one horse vehicle enter

.

distance down this lane , which was so narrow , that we could almost have touched the wall on either

side , and which had several turns

.

SHOSHIE ,

56

On each side were the houses of the Baboos , large and very lofty , and presenting a very appearance

dismal

.

They

had

once

been

white , but from the effects of the moisture of the climate

,

they were covered all over with

patches of a blackish green color . In many places portions of the wall had fallen . These had not been repaired

,

but small

trees and

shrubs were growing in places out of the ruins , giving them an air of complete desolation .

Towards the street no house had any windows , on the lower stories , and only one small door which led by

a

narrow passage - way through

into a large centre of the building . the

house

doorkeeper

or

enter

open court

At

this

in

the

entrance

a

is always on guard ; no one can go out without his permission .

Above this door is or

,

a small verandah ,

with one

two windows opening into it from Here several Baboos story .

second

the sat

smoking their Hookahs , and talking to each other across the street . The Hookah is a pipe used in the East .

bowl ,

It has

a very large

which is placed on the floor, and a tube

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER two or three yards long , which

.

57

is curled up in

circles , and the smoke is drawn through water , sometimes perfumed . At each side of the narrow lane, close to the side of the tuns an open drain , into which every impurity from the house passes. Pipes from the roof to carry off the water , connect also

houses

,

with the different rooms of the house .

Down

thing vile is thrown. These these pipes do not run right down to the gutter but stop short about twelve feet up from the ground , on the front of the house , so that the every

water from the roof, and whatever else is thrown through the pipes passes directly down the front of the building . The stench from these drains , particularly in the morning , is fearful . How it is Calcutta is as healthy as

it

is , is a matter of constant astonishment

1

When we arrived at the house to which

.

our steps were directed , the durwan , who always sits on the ground directly outside the door , rose up , made

us a salaam , and

us in , said we were expected a very large

one ,

pointing

. The house was belonging to a wealthy

SHOSHIE ,

58

family of the merchant caste . large ran

in a

We entered

a

round which the building A verandah quadrangular form .

open court

,

,

went all round each of the three stories facing on this court . Into these verandahs numerous doors and windows opened on the lower floor were servants

'

rooms

.

All

.

rooms stables or

the

used as

The upper rooms belonged

or gentlemen one of the doors was opened to the Baboos

As

. ,

and

I

we passed

,

looked in

,

and saw it had some elegant furniture in it ; couches , tables , pictures , chandeliers , but all in great disorder

and confusion

the court and stepped dah .

As

.

We crossed

upon the lower veran

we did so , a man , the head Baboo found , rose from

of the house , we afterwards

floor, where he had been sitting on a piece of matting , smoking , and bowing politely the

to Miss Gray , wished

her good - morning , and

told her the ladies were expecting her . He was a very rich man , possessing a large sum of money

,

but

there

clothes on him but a dothee muslin

,

he ,

sat

with no

a piece of white

one long strip fastened

around

the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

59

loins , and then brought down and up between the legs , so pantaloons .

to form something resembling He was perfectly nude from his waist upwards , except the Brahminical thread as

which passed over his shoulders . We quickly moved on and up - stairs , and going round the verandah on the second through

story , passed then through sages the

to former ,

end ,

at the

winding pas verandah , which , like

two or three another

on

door

a

ran

around

an

open

court ;

which , however , was much smaller than the first . This was the court of the women , and

we

were

now

in

apart

the women's

ments of which we were instantly aware by the swarms of women and children who eager

gaze

at

us ,

to

surrounded

all

,

the

for though Miss Gray had been there before only one two had then seen great curiosity her and white face was

as ,

,

curiosity

We passed through

.

several verandahs and passages into room about ten feet square

a

I

,

also was

a

a

-

say

Christian dress

.

had

on

I

,

though truth

to

,

a

,

or

;

strangers

small

60

SHOSHIE ,

This was the apartment of the principal woman learning . The floor was of brick , or In one corner of the tiles plastered over . room there was a box with a padlock .

lady .

In

This

jewelry of the

contained the clothes and the

another corner was a brass drinking

a narrow strip of mat ting , about six feet long , rolled up . When we went into the room , this was There unrolled for us to down upon

room

as

,

,

in

the

and verandah

floor

,

on

mat

outside

than were

of

all

,

women and children laugh talking making sorts ,

full

shouting

,

this

of

the whole

ing

occu

widow and therefore must sleep We were no sooner

upon

crammed

its

.

the

seated

room

ground

,

upon

the

,

pant was

a

was no bedstead

.

sit

vessel , and in another

should have

,

be

and

away and bathe and wash no

-e

,

?

,

go

polluted

Were we not vile beef ating and they holy Hindoos and

.

their clothes Christians

to

they should

lest

to

,

them

or

us ,

to

to

,

,

remarks upon our dress and appearance but taking care not come near enough touch let our clothes touch

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

61

matter though our clothes were clean and nice , and some of theirs were foully dirty , yet it would have polluted them for their dirty

I

must rags to touch our clean garments . say this was a thing that did not trouble us .

There was one little window , about four feet by two , in this room . This , like the door , opened on to the verandah

It

.

had no glass

,

but bars crossing it up and down , like those of a prison , and it had outside wooden shutters

that could be closed in case the rain beat that way .

This window ,

soon

choked

as

well

as the

up with human

pretty effectually air .

excluded

door , was

heads , which

every

breath

of

There were four women in this house who just beginning

were

work

;

to read and looking delicate

to learn

they were pretty , , gentle and graceful in their man the young women

of

ners , as

all

creatures

the higher

as

;

,

classes are but they lose this refinement and they grow become very rough and coarse

Miss Gray told her pupils

to

.

old

bring their

62

SHOSHIE ,

books

and

their work

As

.

she could

not

speak Bengali , of course all her instructions were given through me . and threw them down

They brought them

on the ground in front

of her , and when she wished to return them , she had to lay them on the ground for them to pick up , as they would not touch any article at the same moment we touched it . “ Oh ,” said one , “after you are gone we must bathe and wash these clothes we have on , and

say over

Mantras , before we

some

dare to cook and eat

;

and as we have

ready done that before

you

al

came , we do

not want to have the trouble of doing

it

again ."

I would

say here , that this was one of their through , for as

customs that was first broken

soon as they learnt to love their dear teacher

of keeping

,

away

from her and not touching her , when they expected her they would come to meet her as far as they dared , instead

even to the very limits of the Zenana

,

and

take hold of her by both hands to lead her into the room . The trouble of having to

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

63

bathe again they thought nothing of when they learnt to love her . As soon as we were fairly 'seated and had our instructions , we were almost deafened by the noise of the women talking , commenced

laughing and asking most frivolous questions . The first one , however , was what they consider a most important one . It was , if Miss Gray were married

;

for to them to be unmarried greatest

to be childless , is the that can happen to a woman women are ever unmarried

,

.

,

misfortune

None of their

except the danc

ing girls , and they are said to be married to the gods . On my answering this question in the negative, there was the greatest astonish ment . What

,

one

old as she

as

unmarried

?

Were there no men in the country she came from

It

?”

was marvellous

,

almost past belief

;

and

when she told them there were many ladies in her country who staid unmarried from choice , either because the man they loved

SHOSHIE ,

64

had died , or they had not seen one whom they wished to marry

,

or from some other reason

,

they really did think she was telling them something perfectly untrue ; they could not They thought she must be a widow , but for some reason wished to conceal it from them . believe

her .

The whole subject

kind

;

time

of the lesson

we were

to continual interruptions of this perhaps just while she was telling them

of the great love of God in sending His dear Son to die for us , some one would sud denly ask why we did not put henna on our or why we braided

our hair , or some equally foolish , and we would have to stop whatever we were saying , to an they would keep teasing till we swer , did answer Miss Gray would try quickly satisfy them and then go with her nails

,

on

So

,

to

.

on

for

other question

.

lesson

No

,

answered

,

teach God's truth

,

she

“

but

we are trying

to

Shoshie

pupils

,

our ,

but

to

to

I

of

patience and would get sorely out ask her go away let me tell them all

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

65

trying to sow the gospel seed , and we know not what little grain may be carried home into the hearts of some even of these most careless

listeners

Some little seed may find

.

lodgment there and may spring up and bear fruit . We must cast our bread upon the waters or that

we know not which shall prosper

:

,

this

So she never would have me send

."

any away , but would try by every gentle means to interest and keep them quiet . Our pupils here had just commenced to read and to sew , for it was the beginning of things altogether in our work . From this house we

of

all

;

of

each day

,

three houses

has been our work now Some

all

thin you could see their We generally visit

for

and this

years

our pupils have

.

and teach

in

whole form through

age were

wearing but one

it .

so

and that

,

garment

built six years

and the women

,

naked

of them as large the same style the

neither in

five

children

,

or

but

all

as this

,

of

went to two others

progressed

very

5

,

to

to

,

,

to

rapidly and after learning write and read cipher and learning history and geography

66

SHOSHIE ,

in Bengali , they are lish .

now

studying

Eng

During this time we have been able to learn many of the customs and habits of the different castes , among visited

.

And ,

whom oh

!

we

have

taught and

how continually have

I

been led to lift up my heart in devout gratitude to my Heavenly Father , who had called me out of these shades of thickest darkness the marvellous

into

light of the children of God .

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

VII

67

.

Cruel Superstition

I

.

.

in

day we were sitting

ye

20 .

V.

.” -

of

NE

.

,

the

of

no

in

the

say unto you , That except your righteousness shall " For righteousness cseceed scribes and Pharisees shall heaven MATT case enter into the kingdom

the first house

at

by

I

.

gratify

to

,

teaching the women we had entered often used that time

their work

my curiosity

asking

questions

,

saw she looked

other women

,

the

from

I

very different

it .

never took any part

in

to

all

,

,

and

,

themselves

I

noticed one poor generally come and lean woman who would standing against the door and listen very attentively the instruction though she about

and

."

a

servant

her

, “

for

I

,

I

”

to

only

? "

is

she

But said your fingers

“

to

Oh

,

"

.

asked who she was

what has happened saw the two middle

68

SHOSHIE ,

of her right hand were gone . “ I should you could do very little without them . ” think

fingers

“

use

Oh , yes , ” she answered , “ I have learnt

to

my left hand

right , but

I

as well as you use your will tell you how I lost them . ”

She then seated herself on the ground and commenced telling us this legend , which in

I

to Miss Gray .

You know that if a Brahmin becomes very holy , if he gives up the world and practises very great penances and austerities , he at length lays up such a terpreted

store of merits

,

“

that he can then make

mand of the gods

;

one demand

,

a de

whatever

he

are obliged to grant it , even though they know that he only intends to do evil with the gift. Well , down in the

likes ,

and the gods

province

of Mysore , south of Madras , there

was a giant named Vuia , who , by a long course

of very severe penances , and austere devo tions , had become so holy that he could insist upon the god Mohadave

(another

name

for Shiva ) granting him whatsoever boon he should demand . So the giant demanded that every person on whose

head he should place

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER his right hand

,

.

69

should instantly be reduced to

Mohadave granted this request , with out at all suspecting why the giant made it . “ As soon as the giant found that he really

ashes .

possessed the power

, he attempted to use it destroy very god gave to the who it to him . Mohadave fled , and the giant pursued him till he chased him in to a very thick grove of

trees . Here , Mohadave , changing his form , hid himself in the centre of a fruit called Tunda . This fruit never had a kernel before , but since then , it has a long round kernel

which is considered the emblem of Mohadave ..

.

" The giant having lost sight of the god , in quired of a man , who was working in a field near by , if he had seen any one running past ,

and which way he had gone man had seen the whole

. The husband thing and knew it

must have been a god that could hide himself

like that , so he did not know what to do .

If

he should tell where the god was hid , he was afraid that in the future he should suffer dread

fully from his vengeance ; and if he did not tell , he feared the giant would severely punish

SHOSHIE ,

70

At length

him now.

he thought he could

get nicely out of it , so he answered the giant aloud that he had not seen anybody, but at he pointed with the forefinger of the right hand to the fruit in which Moha the same time

dave was concealed . “

Just at this moment

,

when the giant was

about to seize the fruit , the god Vishnu ap peared close beside him , in the form of a most

girl.

in .

rescue

Vishnu had thus come to Instantly brother god Mohadave ,

his

beautiful

'

pure

upon

the duties Brahminee

,

,

a

as

should

before she

perform

,

.

to he

,

but

condition that necessary

length consented

at

she refused

,

giant became most deeply love and asked the girl become his wife At first the

This

did

,

close

all

water

a

bathe

in

was that he should he

first

.by

The

pool

of

“

.

could become his wife

keep

necessary

use many different

it

,

,

to in

a

is

to

is

.

he

.

ing his eye the time upon the fruit After perform this she told him must the ceremony Sudra This which while repeating many invocations the gods gestures

GANGESTHE OF CROCODILE

.

-

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER manipulations

and

;

hand is applied

among

.

which the right

quick

in succession to the the face , the foot, the crown of the

breast

,

head

and various other parts of the body .

,

71

The giant at the moment

thinking only of the beautiful maiden , and forgetting the power of his right hand when placed on the head , “

performed the Sudra to ashes . “

Mohadave

,

and was himself reduced

now came

forth from the fruit ,

thanking the maiden , or Vishnu , for his deliverance , turned angrily to the husbandman and told him he should be punished for his treachery , by the loss of the and after

finger with which he had pointed . The poor man's wife , who had just come to the field to bring her husband's food , threw herself at the feet of the god , supplicating his pardon . She pleaded that she and her children would die

of starvation , if for months her husband should be

unable

to work on his

farm

;

and

she

prayed the angry god to take two of her fin gers instead of one of her husband's . “ Mohadave was pleased with this proof of the

SHOSHIE ,

72

wife's love , and accepted the exchange

;

and he

ordered that all her female posterity , in the future generations his temple

,

should sacrifice two fingers

in memory

of this act and of their devotion to the god . This practice only belongs to the descendants of that , to our whole caste , and I think not woman

at

now there are about

two thousand

houses

where it is done ."

I asked

her

:

When

is this done , at what

“

age ?" She

answered

:

“

given in marriage .

When our oldest

girl is

Just previous to the

cere

we must go to the village blacksmith , giving and him a small fee , place our fingers upon a block ; the blacksmith places a chisel mony

on

,

the joint

a hammer story .

A

,

,

and

then

,

with one blow of

This was her native doctor had been travelling it

is

struck off . "

in the southern part of India , and had engaged

herself and her husband , as servants and with him they had come up to Calcutta . both

I

,

have been told that many of my young friends in America are apt to think of India

as

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

73

like

the

country ,

large

one

inhabited

United States by one kind of people , whose customs , manners , habits , and religion are of all ,

,

this though India

of

worshippers

false

gods

is

are far more

,

all

but

,

.

a

very nearly alike amongst great mistake The people

India

,

so

one caste

,

to

I

,

one part and not all over ,

them only

to

and

you must

tell you about any

may belong only

in

,

it

custom that

when

:

over thirty distinct languages please remember

,

,

.

of

,

in

,

in

unlike their customs manners habits and religion and even their language than are Europe the different nations There are

am

I

,

I

,

“

except that

considered very meritorious

the

gods

,

,

is ,

indeed

to

address

to

you what

of

a

"

she answered

it

”

,

is

it

sort

women

Mantra

?

it

“

is

it

some

intelligent

tell her what

prayer

Not exactly can hardly tell and

most

she could a

.

was

“

present

the

an

one

Is if

asked

of

,

.

I

is

,

.

of

poor woman whom speaking the only one ever saw that had suffered from this cruel rite After she had finished her story Miss Gray This

repeat

SHOSHIE ,

74

I

tell you much can ." Baboos some of the it .

cannot

about

it , but

The next time we visited that house , after teaching

the

women

,

as

we were

passing

down through that part of the building de voted to the gentlemen of the house , one of the young Baboos came up to Miss Gray and accosted her thus

,

that

you wish

to make

relative to our religion , or should say , to the Hindoo religion .

inquiries

some

rather ,

If

:

hear , madam

“ I

I

you do , my father and myself will be most

happy to answer any of your questions . Will you walk in here ? " and he openecka door into a nicely furnished apartment , handed us chairs and sat down near us . In a few minutes , his father

entered

,

and

took place , between boos

then

this

conversation

Miss Gray and the

Ba

:

yourself, just now when you said ' our religion ' and substituted • Hindoo religion . Are you not a Hindoo ?” “

Baboo , you corrected

I

I

,

madam , cannot say that am . We good caste , though not Brahmins, but are of

Well ,

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER we have become

educated

,

we can no longer believe superstitions

.

75

and consequently in

the ridiculous

of Hindooism , to which

,

I suppose ,

see our women are still fondly attached , as they are so ignorant . My father professes to belong to the Brahmo Soomaj, but as for

you

I

myself, not

am nothing .

I

have

yet found anything good enough to

as

believe

I

say ,

must

."

Never mind your belief, my son , I think this lady wished to make some particular inquiries in reference to the Hindoo religion . “

Is it not “

so , madam

It is , Baboo

?”

(this

,

carried on in English that language well .) something about the prayers

was all

conversation , as

I

the Baboos

speak

to

know

wanted

Mantras .

Are they

?”

madam ; you might rather call them invocatory hymns . They are cer “

Not

precisely

,

tain forms of words

which are supposed

to

have such power as to be able to enchain the

gods themselves different

kinds ,

.

a great

many

invocation ,

some

There are

some are for

SHOSHIE ,

76

for blessing , some they are to produce good or evil ;

for deprecation cursing

,

some

;

spirits

some to cast out evil

kill ,

some to

;

some to cure ; to produce love or hate . Some are strong enough to destroy thousands of persons

,

and there are some which will

mon the gods and they are bound

The Brahminees

,

sum

to obey

the Gooroos or priests

,

.

are

the persons who know them best . There is an old Sanscrit verse which may be thus

translated

:

All

the

power of the gods

,

universe

the gods

is under the are subject

to

the power of the Mantras , the Mantras are under the power of the Brahmins mins

are therefore

our

gods

;

the

Brah

So you see ,

.'

madam , the Brahmins really think themselves and are supposed

,

by the ignorant, to be our

gods." “

But do they really suppose that there is

any efficacy in these Mantras “

a

They

do , madam

,

and

little story that my gooroo

me , years ago .

Madura , married

?"

I

tell you

will

or priest

told

He said : ' Dasara King of a daughter of the King of ,

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

77

Benares , but after they were married she told him that she could never go home with him to be his wife , because she had learnt a Mantra which had made her so holy that she never could be the wife of any man who had not been purified in the same way , that as she was his wife , she could

not tell him

this Mantra , because , in so doing become

his

teacher

,

,

she would

consequently

and

his

superior .

But the next day they went to gether in search of a holy man , who , when he knew for what they had come , told them both to fast a whole day , then to bathe

-

,

and

Aamah Sirayá

he

felt

if

wonderful words

the king had learnt these two as

soon

as

,

to

“

his ear

the west

,

,

with his face

secretly whispered health Sira

As

and the holy man

'

,

sat beside him

the east

to

facing

in

down

,

sit

in the river Ganges , and then to come to him again . The king did this and then went back to the holy man . He was then told to

filled with

,

of

a

,

purifying fire and directly great many black his body crows sprang out from all parts

SHOSHIE ,

78

and , flying to the

sky , disappeared

.

These

were all the sins he had committed at his former births .' My old gooroo went on to say that this history was perfectly

true

.

The king and his wife thus purified , lived together for many years , and retired at last to reunite with Bramha in the abodes of bliss , without being obliged

to be reborn any

more upon earth . ”

But when he taught you the Mantra , did the same thing happen to you ; did your sins fly out of you like black crows ?” said Miss “

Gray .

Oh no . When I laughed about it , and asked the Gooroo why these Mantras did not have “

the same effect now

, he said

: '

Oh , now we live

in a bad age of the world , a time of misfortune and evil , and everything has become degener

But still very often even now they work most marvellous miracles !' In former days , madam , no one dared to read the holy books

ated

.

in which the

Mantras were written but the

Brahmins , but now that many of us are become sceptical we dare to read for ourselves and see

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . what

is

within .

79

We do not fear the power of

the Brahmins as we used to . “

There is one of the Mantras which is said

to be effectual for the blotting out of sins , and it is so powerful that it even makes the gods tremble when they hear it . The Brahmin , when he is about to utter it , makes a previous prepara tion by long prayers , fastings and meditations . Before he pronounces one word he closes all the apertures of his body and keeps in his breath as long as he possibly can , and then

,

in a low

voice , he repeats it , taking good care that no one living shall hear it . These are the words : “

Tat Savitur d'hiyô

varenyam yô

b'hargôdêrasya

D'hî

prachoday yât .'

The 6 translation is , ' We meditate on that excellent light of the divine sun ; may he illuminate our mahi

minds

nah

The meaning is so dark that none of the Brahmins can understand to whom this is addressed , and yet it would be horrible sacrilege , unpardonable crime , for them to .'

repeat it to any one but a Brahmin ." “ But do none but the Brahmins repeat Man tras ? I thought I had seen many others do so ."

80

SHOSHIE , “

Oh yes , there are Mantras for every class

by the Brahmins

But these are taught to them ; and they must be paid for

their trouble

no other

and condition .

them

,

;

not even a mother

person

must

teach

The

to her child .

have certain Mantras which they must always utter over their medicines , and they are supposed to be much more effectual physicians

than the medicines themselves

.

It

is supposed

also that mothers with their new - born babes are particularly liable to evil influences , such as being subject to the charms of an evil eye to the malign influences of the planets , unlucky days , etc. , and the old nurse that knows the

largest number of these Mantras is the most eagerly sought after ." “ But I think you said some of these Mantras were not to avert evil

by which those using others ." "

Just so , many

,

but were really curses them hoped

of them are .

persons who call themselves

to injure There are

magicians

,

sor

They pretend to have cerers or soothsayers . certain Mantras which can strike with sudden

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER death

;

or can call up fiends ,

or

,

81

can either

inflict or cure diseases . They pretend also to discover and to foretell future events . But of course in those parts of our country where the

these super who though they

people have the least education

,

stitions mostly

persons

abound . The to practise these acts , are resorted to , yet are very much dreaded pretend and

hated

,

and are often punished

for evils In this

they are supposed to have inflicted . way many innocent persons have suffered , as I doubt not has been the case in all lands where witchcraft is believed

in . ”

“ In what way has witchcraft been punished in your land ? " “ The way most frequently resorted to is by

drawing the two front teeth of the upper jaw .

This

prevents

the

person

from

speaking

plainly , and if there is the slightest defect in pronouncing the Mantra , it is supposed to make the gods or demons , for they call upon both sometimes , so angry , that the evil , instead of falling upon others , will befal themselves . ” " Oh yes ,” said Miss Gray , “ I remember 6

SHOSHIE ,

82

once seeing an old book written by the Abbé Dubois

on India , in which he writes thus

: '

I

knew an individual who came to me , on the very day this cruel operation was performed , and threw himself at my feet , mumbling his innocence assistance

,

imploring

and

to

procure

my

counsel

reparation

for

and the

injustice that had been done him by knocking out his front teeth , and imputing to him the

of a magician . The poor man seemed to have very little appearance of a conjuror, but having neither the power nor the inclination to aid him , I got rid of him as hateful

practices

well as I could . This story I remember read ing , but I thought these practices had long since ceased . ” "

Oh no ," said the Baboo

, " wherever

there

are found people ignorant enough to believe in such things , there will always be found

plenty of wicked men ready to dupe them , and , as a nation

,

I

believe

no people

in the

world are such believers in magic as the Hindoos . Every trouble or trial they have is attributed to the malice of some enemy or

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

If

evil spirit . sudden death

,

83

.

a man lose wife or child by

if any

disease occur among

his

in

magical are attributed Should any prolonged illness occur ,

certain

it

.”it

is

-

a

of

during the progress law suit that malice the cause of

is

.

fluences

to

take place

all

cattle , or , in fact , if any most natural events

I

.

he

,

a

“

,

"

only the punishment

,

,

"

“

.

Suppose

satisfy

saying

:

to

I

suffering his just punishment

by

,

and

do not

must have been

now

is

is

to in

it

before

at

he

any

I

have help him

he

very wicked

very easy he

should

different

great suffering and dis

?

Why

I

* 6

my conscience

if it;

give

them

Every

me for aid and

,

to

poor man He comes

,

choose

likes

suit his own convenience

to

.

I

see tress

a

,

times

reconcile

laughing

,

said the young Baboo one believes just which

.

to

They do not attempt

.'

“

? '

in a

committed former state existence How do they reconcile the two statements

.

due for sins

of

it

poses

is or

“

is

strange said Miss Gray But this reading was the other day that when any sup sorrow trouble befals Hindoo

only

Or supposing

SHOSHIE

84

I have

,

a sick wife or child , or lose property ,

or some other trial befal me , and I know I have some enemy who will secretly rejoice in

my trouble ; how easy it is for me to bring him to grief by accusing him of being the cause of my trouble through magical arts . No , no , the Hindoo knows better than give up either of these theories . “

But to go back to the Mantras .

one Mantra which is composed number of letters

,

which

There is

of a certain

being combined and

,

pronounced

in different ways , enable speaker to perform wonderful things . "

to

One story the Brahmins tell is this

:

the Siva

chose to give the knowledge of this Mantra

to

a

the

boy , who was the son of a widow of Brahmin

done something

caste ,

but

disgraceful

the

mother

had

and so she had

lost her caste , and on this account the boy was once excluded from a wedding feast . He

had

lost his

disgraced

caste ,

but

he

was

of his mo He took his revenge by merely pro

considered

ther.

not

nouncing

on account

two syllables

at the

door of the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

85

all

apartment where the guests were assembled , and by the power of those syllables the food provided for the guests was instantly changed into

.

course

great

the guests

they were

such

confusion

all

occurrence

created ;

Of

toads

an

among

sure that this boy

the same syllables

directly the toads into the food they were ,

order

again

Then

when

at

in

reversed

changed

in .

the door and let him

immediately pronounced

he

opened

so

;

of

,

the

if

they did trick and that they might not admit him have more his they mischievous tricks played upon them had played

give our money

There

one class

as

upon

,

imposed

uphold such impositions

.

will not

be

for we

of to

;

doos

so

no

longer continue be what would be called Orthodox Hin

is

to

be

,

madam that when we

become educated we can

or

literature

is

native is ,

Therefore

this

mixed up

? ”

our

it

.

absurd

absurd

all

so

yes

,

O

things

“

in

to

“

stories

,

So they tell such ridiculous that the gods condescend

as

.”

first

men who get their living

SHOSHIE ,

86

solely by pretending to counteract the evils caused by the wicked magicians ; they call themselves tend

magicians

benevolent

to have

Mantras

pre

and

,

counteract evil .

to

They affect to be able to cure diseases in man and cattle , etc. , etc. After repeating Mantras they will give

over

the

their

patients

characters about

,

They tell

.

their persons

complete

chains

to wear these they have power to

them

, as

the cures the Mantras have begun

Then they take their fees and depart others whom they may dupe .” “

Thank you , Baboo

you have given me .

I

to

on which are written strange

I

.

to find

the information trying to learn all am ,

for

can of the religion of the Hindoos , and

I

thing that a Hindoo does , whether eating , drinking , talking

find that there is not a single or sleeping

,

but has some

reference

to his

religion .

Oh ! that Christians would only act in the same way . The religion of Jesus would then soon be the religion of the world .” “

The principles that Jesus

certainly , madam

,

the

best

taught in

the

,

were

world .

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

87

But if you are not too tired , will you let me tell you another little story that bears upon what we have been talking about ? " Miss Gray expressed her willingness to hear and he thus began

:

this story from a friend of mine

,

was over , while round smoking

it all

who was present at

proposed

was

way

of

should amuse themselves very common

After the feast were sitting

a feast .

the Baboos

that

they

by telling stories

, a

I heard

“

the evening

passing

;

it ,

,

of

.

he ,

a

of

was

very

live for

but

a

.

I I

,

,

a

I

a

'

I

is

at

,

so

she continued little girl and long time her father's house

to

married

got this nickname how my wife when she was

I

you

I

folly

My

tale

to

tell

tell

great will tell you committed when was young will Betel Anantya and name said

',

of

.

man

Well

to

a

.

he

so

“ “

piece

was called upon

man who had the country

a

There was present come from far distant part mitted

a

of

of

it

was again proposed that the story folly com should tell some great act

and then

on her

,

completing her ninth year we considered her

88

SHOSHIE ,

old enough

say , carelessly

prattlers

I believed

,

all

to come home to live with me . She had been living with me about a month , when going to bed one evening , I happened to that

women were

.

She retorted that she knew men .

I

who were not less prattlers than women

,

to

us

Now

let Agreed

said

'

.'

and

,

wager

our

we both addressed

',

at

sharp

the

? '

,

,

I

us

betel

being thus laid

ourselves

got

but

roared stoutly

interval

some

answer

and

the door but with spread The alarm then began

to

,

to

at

then

suc the

fear that we had died

The carpenter was called with his of

.

suddenly

They began .

.

cess

house

they

in no

after

no

us ,

called

hour

,

usual

at

our

we did not appear

,

,

Next morning

as

.

sleep without saying another word

“

to

myself

will first what shall the loser forfeit

But

I,

.

A

*

leaf

said

speak

',

which

see

retort

her

said she

piqued

somewhat

of

ness

once that she alluded

of

of

and being

'

at

perceived

a

wide awake

,

us

find both

of

little surprised

to

,

in

,

tools and the door our room was forced they were not open and when they got

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

89

.

though both apparently deprived of the faculty of speech . My mother was greatly alarmed , and gave loud vent to her grief. All the Brahmins of

in

good health , and at our ease

,

both sexes in the village assembled ( in some of the up - country villages the women are allowed to go round the village closely veiled ) , to the number of one hundred , and after close examination , every one drew his own conclu sion

as to the misfortune

to have befallen

us .

which was supposed

The greater

number

that it could only have arisen from the malice of some enemy , who were of the opinion

had availed himself of some magical

tions to do us an injury . famous magician

For

this

incanta reason

was called to counteract

a

the

effect of the witchcraft and to remove it .

As soon as he came he began to try our pulses by putting his finger on our wrists , our “

temples , on the heart and on various parts of our body ( my wife being all the time closely

veiled ) , and after a great many grimaces , the remembrance of which excites my laughter , whenever

I

think of him , he decided that our

SHOSHIE ,

90 malady

arose

wholly

from

the

effects

of

malicious malice exerted upon us . He even gave the name of the particular devil or Shaitan that possessed my wife and me , and rendered us dumb . He added that this devil was very stubborn and

and difficult to drive out , that it would cost a very large sum of

for the offerings necessary to make My relatives , who were not fly him away very rich , were astonished at the grievous impositions which the magician had laid on : yet , rather than we should remain dumb , they money

consented

to give him whatever should be

for the expense of the sacrifice ; they and further promised to reward him well for his trouble as soon as the demon should necessary

be expelled . “

He

magical a

was on the point a

commencing

his

,

when a young Brahmin ,

distant

relation of mine , who

operations

doctor ,

of

had been well educated

,

and therefore

had

lost his faith in those things , who was present , maintained in opposition to the magician and his attendant , that our malady

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

91

was not at all the effect of witchcraft , but arose from some simple and natural cause , of which he had seen several instances , and as we were both young , my wife being about nine and I only sixteen , he was sure he could cure us , and if they only would trust him , he would do it without any expense .

As

the magician's charges were so high , and our friend offered to cure us for nothing , “ *

our relations thought they would let him try first , and they would still have the magi cian to fall back upon if he failed ; so the doctor commenced . He took a chafing dish filled with burning charcoal and heated a small

bar of iron red -hot .

This he took

up

with pincers and applied to the soles my of feet , then to my elbows , and to the

crown of my head . I endured these cruel without showing the least symp toms of pain , or making any complaints , operations

being determined to bear everything , and to die , if necessary , rather than to lose the wager I had laid . “

' Let

us

try the effect on the woman

,'

SHOSHIE ,

92 said

the

tion

I

doctor , astonished

had shown

bility to pain

;

,

at

the

and my apparent

resolu insensi

and immediately , taking the

iron well heated , he applied it to the sole of her foot . She was not able to endure the pain a moment ' bus , bus , '

,

but instantly screamed

I

enough ,

to me , she said ,

enough , ) and

you , ' said

I,

'

turning

lost my wager , ' Did I not tell

have

there is your leaf of betel

out ,

.'

that you would be the first to

speak , and that you would prove by your own conduct that I was right , when females are babblers ?' “

' Every

one was surprised

I said ,

that all

at the whole

, nor could any of them compre the meaning of what was passing my between wife and me , until I explained

proceeding hend

the kind of wager we

had

made

overnight

before going to sleep . What !' said they , ' was it for a leaf of betel nut that you spread the alarm through your house and the village

?

For

a leaf of

betel that you showed such constancy , and suffered burning from the feet upwards to the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

93

Never in the world was such folly Since then I have been know by the name of Betel Anantya . ' my long story , madam , ” con “ Pardon

head

?

seen . '

tinued the young Baboo ; “ but you will see by this what pretensions to supernatural powers these magicians make others believe they possess ." Miss Gray thanked him again , and told him

that both he and his father had given her the information she was in search of. She then bid them good - afternoon and left . On our way home she said to me : “ Oh , Shoshie , how much reason have we to thank God for the Bible , the rule and guide of our lives ; how much cause have we to be grate ful that from our childhood we have been taught the word of faith which is able to make us wise unto salvation . We have not been left to believe in the cunningly devised fables of men . Let us pray more frequently for these poor people , that their minds may be enlightened and that they may learn to know

SHOSHIE ,

94

Holy Spirit

the only true God and that the may teach them Jesus.

As

I related to Miss Gray that one of the house - servants

we went home

an account

Orphanage

at the

given

had once

had been very unwell for

a

He

us .

days , and

few

he had asked leave of absence for a day or

two .

When he came back he told our dear

teacher where he had been .

If she had

known

before , she would have tried to prevent

going .

his

got

cure

diseases

little way from Calcutta

.

lived

to a

you

He called out do

the verandah

to

the house the magician was .

When sitting

on

and that

who could

,

magician he he

great

all

He told her that he had heard of a

minute the

.

skeleton before him

,

strange language

The magician spoke

a

in of

heard something drop the ground the dim light saw the figure

,

.

great wind

a

a

on a

in

heard

he

and

he

and

in

Then

,

dark room

house was shaken and

he

walked into

a

. ”

.

is

;

I

sick man

to

you

,

: “

Come

in

not want My matter the tell me what Then he Shaitan will soon tell me that him

and the skeleton took hold

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

25

of the man's hand to feel his pulse . The skele ton's hand , he said , felt as cold as ice and as soft as cotton .

Then the skeleton

,

or Shaitan as he

called him , disappeared , and in a few minutes back with the same wind and noise , and put he two or three little pills into the sick came

man's hand , telling him to take them on certain

days, and so he was dismissed , after paying his In a week or so the servant got better ,

fee .

and he attributed it entirely to the medicine the Shaitan had given him . Even after Hindoos become Christians , it is very difficult to make them give up their fear of these evil spirits or Shaitans . God hasten the day , when Satan shall be bound in this land .

SHOSHIE ,

.

.

stranger

the fatherless and

widow

.” —

we

,

,

their manners

found our

;

us

with loving greeting and

little and

to

learn

, of

and cheerful words

they began

a

as

,

smiles

they gladly welcomed to

;

pupils

7 .

i.

always

that we had gained the love and affection

few

of

house

ISATAH

teaching

been ,

months

had

widoro

a

we

a

A

FTER

plead

the

;

oppressed

in

Relieve

for

. 6 . the

“

.

JER vii

,

• Oppress not

,

the

Widowhood

.

VIII

the

26

find that

and customs were different from

,

us .

great knowledge

,

them

and thus we gained

of

most intelligent

of

,

to

,

of

other nations they would willingly explain them Often after our lessons were over we would sit and talk with the those

,

in

in

,

a

their inner life and we telling them trust we did them good too differently things how were done those

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER countries where known .

In

.

97

religion of Jesus was

the

one very large house where we taught

,

there were over one hundred and fifty inhabi tants , and there were a dozen widows of different ages . One of those was the widow of the eldest son of the house — and conse

quently had a little more respect shown her than she otherwise would have had . She was very bright and intelligent , and , after a few months , discarded entirely her false gods , and and diligent in search

appeared most earnest

after the truth , and she was continually draw ing the contrast , not much in favor of her own country . Her name was Luckie , and one day busy

when we were

of the other women had

into the room

,

we

shrieks and screams

part of the house . We asked : “ What

that

is

Oh ," she answered

,

“

as

,

as

yet come

most

fearful

from another

?"

Bama's husband is

While he was well he used to beat use her very badly but now

ill -

just dead . her , and

the

her alone

he is

“

heard

proceeding

,

none

teaching

98

SHOSHIE ,

I

dead she makes all that noise . you Christians

if any

know with

one you love dies , you

weep a good deal , but you do it quietly , and you pray to God ; but that is not Hindoo fashion , our custom noise

is to make

."

Miss Gray asked her

very much

:

May we go and

“

see

?”

Yes ," she answered

will take you ." As we were passing along through several “

,

I

Luckie said ,

“

You will

be

all

winding passages

, "

,

after she becomes

,

widow she may never wear any jewelry again

."

ornaments

he

to

embracing

it

,

the body

,

herself

on

ently about

and the widow who was appar twenty years old was flinging ,

),

the Ganges

the dead body lay

had died rather they had not had him taken (

so on

,

a

on

,

On going into the room the ground mat

suddenly

or a

,

them for the last time

that she may wear

as

and puts them

on ,

all

is

.

a

surprised to find her dressed up in her jewels and her finest sarree When woman dying she runs directly thinks her husband

with the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER wildest shrieks

.

99

She would roll on the ground

.

,

and then again rise up and clasp him in her arms

with renewed shrieks and howls relations ,

in

the

meantime

by .

At length ,

The other

.

stood

,

quietly

they thought that her mourning had been deep enough , they at tempted to take her away from the body ; but this they had to do by force , and they con when

tinued to hold her , while she apparently made

frantic attempts

to pull herself

away

,

and

This , how ever , they would not let her do , so she had to content herself then with rolling on the again throw herself on the corpse

ground ,

as

.

she had lost her senses , tearing

if

by handfuls , and striking her After and otherwise hurting herself.

off her hair breast

,

acting like this for some time , as if in utter despair , she got up and quietly approached the dead body of her husband dressed it : "

Oh why

!

?

Had

and thus

why hast thou forsaken

What evil have me

,

I not

I

done that

thou

ad me ?

hast left

always for thee the fondness

.SHOSHIE ,

100

of

wife

a faithful

affairs

household whom

I

have

?

Was

I

not attentive to

My darling

?

brought to thee

!

children , what will

become of them , and who will protect them now thou art gone ? Did I not neatly serve up thy rice ! Did I not devote myself to provide for thy good eating ? What did I leave undone care of me ?"

,

and who henceforth

All

will take

these expressions she would tones — then she

utter in the most lamentable

began again to scream and groan

,

and to curse

and abuse the gods who had deprived

her of protector , the room the other women in her uttering similar imprecations against the

cruelty of the gods . She continued then to scream , and cry , and to abuse the gods , and to address her dead husband by turns , till she became utterly exhausted and her voice utterance

,

away to another room

refused

her

.

when

Miss Gray said to Luckie ,

she was

taken

Poor thing , she must have loved her husband very much . ” She smiled very scornfully , and said : “ She “

couldn't , he was so bad , very bad , but do you not

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER know that with

ΙΟΙ

.

is thought more

us , a woman

more intense exhibitions of grief she can

of, the

In

show .

fact it is our fashion

If we

.

would

have the least respect shown to us afterwards we must all act like this when our husbands die .

When my husband died ,

“

I

I

did love him

.

am sure he was almost a Christian , and he

was always good , and kind , and gentle to me .

I

could think of nothing else but that he was gone from me , that should never see him

I

and

not shriek

,

I

could not talk to him

and for days

if

I

to

seemed somehow as

;

I

could

could not weep

It

. .

my life was gone

,

;

all

again

,

.

"

dead

sitting

their dishevelled

They placed standing

to

saw six strange

,

the

or

,

,

corpse

either

.

chamber selves

we

enter the court and come

of

women

and then

the verandah for up

,

minutes

in

We still stood talking few

a

.

to

I

I

all

,

I

I

was turned stone Oh did love very dearly my thought him but friends could not make acted disgracefully because the noise they wanted me and

the

them

round the

hair hanging about

SHOSHIE ,

102

their shoulders

,

which were bare to the waist ,

and together they set up a low wail of woe . Then they would weep together , keeping time by thumping on their chests with both

they would praise the dead going away then scold and reproach him hands

then

alone

all

one speaking

,

sometimes

;

,

for

;

then

to

found that these were the hired mourn

,

“

ers

the

weeping

women

They

. "

I

.

gether

were

be

.

to

,

as

,

to

continue this lamentation till the body was carried forth when their grief would they receive their immediately disappear wages see the termina We did not wait or

to

.

be

it

,

as

perhaps three four hours would body before the would carried forth

tion

to

lived

in

a

by

the female relatives

,

All

,

a

be

ceremony

.

to

,

on

The next week we went again the same day that Bama house and we found that particular was constituted widow those who

the house and all who were permitted

,

a

of

,

,

in

visit there assembled her room and partaking feast which had been prepared for them they sat down round the after

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER widow , and all commenced

103

.

to cry with her ,

and then to beg her to be reconciled to her destiny . unfortunate Then her husband's mother , or the nearest female relative , cuts the thread which holds the tahli . The tahli is a little gold ornament

worn round the neck (or arm in some castes ) , by which a married woman is known , an unmarried girl or a widow

not being

permitted

caste

the barberess

head .

In

to

In

it .

wear

is called

to

some

shave her

others the hair is merely unbraided

and left to flow over the shoulders way it must always

,

in which

be worn for the future ;

it must never be dressed . By these two acts the poor woman immediately sinks into the despised class of widows.

The next time we went to teach in that family , a very heavy thunderstorm

just

as we

detained a great

coming

up

had finished our lessons we were there for nearly three hours ; and as ,

of the women of the house Miss Gray thought it would be

number

were present , a good opportunity to find out all she could about the state of widowhood

as

it exists in

SHOSHIE ,

104

India .

She looked round

,

and not perceiving

Bama present , she asked where she was . She was immediately answered by the old woman , Bama's mother - in -law , pouring out a torrent

of complaints against the English government . At length , having exhausted her vocabulary of abusive

language , she burst

tears , and

then

commenced

into a flood of bewailing her

son . “

Oh , my

child

! my child

My gem of ever have lived to see !

gems , that I should this day , to see thee , my glorious one , so

dis

honored , as to have thy wife remain alive after thee .” She continued for some little time

bewailing him in this manner . At length , when she became a little more quiet, Miss Gray asked her to explain to her how her son could him ?

be dishonored

by his wife surviving

The old woman then took some sheets of paper out of her sarree

, which were written Bengali language , handed them to over in the

one of the women who could “

Read

that ,

read and said ,

let the Maam Sahib know why

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

I

It

weep . is from

.

105

That was given me by our Gooroo . our Holy Books , our Shasters ."

But , " said Miss Gray , “ I thought they would not permit you to know any of the words of your Shasters . I thought women “

must never know

them

.”

“ Yes , our Gooroos may teach us all that they say about us , but nothing else , " and , said the old woman , " he has been telling me to

day how much my son will suffer because the wicked English people have made such terri ble laws against our religion . Oh ! why , why did Vishnu ever let them come to our land ?” and then she began to heap curses on her god for permitting the English to be here . After a time , however, she quieted herself , and permitted

the paper to be read

to interpret it to Miss Gray.

I

-

and me

was too unholy

to be permitted to touch the paper , and dur ing the reading she would continually inter rupt

with shrieks and bursts of lamentation or abuse . The sentences were these : us

There are 35,000,000 hairs on the human body . The woman who ascends the pile will “

SHOSHIE ,

106

so many years

remain heaven “

with her husband

in

.”

As

the snake - catcher

draws the serpent

, so she ( no matter how great his by burning , rescues her husband from hell , and rejoices with him , "

from its hole

sins ) ,

“

The woman who expires

on the funeral

pile with her husband purifies the family of her father , her mother , and her husband . If the husband be a Brahminicide , the greatest of all criminals

,

an ungrateful

person , or a murderer

of his friends ; the wife , by burning with him , purges away his sins ." There is no virtue greater than a virtuous woman burning herself with her husband ." “

“

As long

as a woman

transmigrations

self like

should

a faithful

in her successive burning her

decline

wife on the same fire with

lord , so long shall she not be from springing to life again in the

her deceased exempted

body of some female animal."

who had despised her lord , or done what was contrary to his mind , should “

If a woman

( even ) from

,

mercenary

motives

,

or fear, or

The HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

107

from a suspension of the reasoning powers , die with her husband , she shall be purged from all crimes ." * Though he , her husband , have sunk to the region of torment , be restrained in dread ful bonds

,

have reached

the place of anguish

sized by the imp of Luma ( the Pluto , the god of the infernal regions be

,

Hindoo ),

be ex

hausted of strength , and afflicted and tortured

for his crimes , still as a serpent - catcher un erringly drags a serpent from his hole , so does she draw

her husband from hell , and ascends

with him to heaven by the power of devotion . " “ If the wife be within one day's journey of the place where her husband died , and she signify

her wish to be burnt with him , the burning of the corpse shall be delayed

till

her arrival .

+

If the husband be out of the country when he dies , let the virtuous wife take his slippers or anything which belongs to his dress , and binding them , or it , on her breast , after puri “

fication , enter * See Mŭ

a separate fire . #

La

I

Ohanŭtů .

A

Brunhũnŭ

† Sco Vyasů .

See Brůmŭ Pooranŭ .

SHOSHIE ,

108

cannot burn herself on a separate pile . But this is an eminent virtue in another woman .” * After the paper was read , the old woman again burst out in wild lamentation . " Who knows , " she

said

,

what sins my darling may

"

."

And

all

who

and religion

,

,

customs

muttering fierce impreca with their interfered

again

upon

tions

she rushed

out

of

him

have committed , and now his wife cannot save

the

,

noble deed and

to

?

"

be

to

,

“

my dear ,

glorious sacrifice

child

witness

her

bravely she bore

see how

and though

for

to

as a

a

of

was taken

to

I

she answered

offered herself

mother and

yes

",

,

“

Oh

elderly woman

Can you tell me how the performed

the Suttee used as

,

and said

“

present

ceremony

:

Gray turned

Miss

an

.

room

to

,

I

I

to

his recovery

See Ooshuna

,

of

hope

.

no *

that there was

and

he us

with fever and when the doctor assured ,

ill

.

I

.

,

;

it

wept much felt my mother my help right father from save thus was trouble will tell you how the ceremony My father was very was performed with her

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER had better be carried to the riverside

.

109

to die ,

then my mother declared her resolution of be ing burnt with him . That made it unnecessary for him to be carried to the river to die , as the sacrifice of his wife would ensure his salvation all

without the help of Ganga , ( the river Ganges ) . Immediately her neighbors and friends c .

sat

down

the

,

be

to small

branch

with her body The

,

broke

and taking

she

burnt

;

female barber came and painted the sides her feet red she then bathed and put on

a of

and

She tree

dead

.

went

mango

was

resolution

it

from

a

.

with his body

her

a

declared

,

again

my father

by

As soon

as

"

,

delicious food

bringing her

&

,

treated her with great respect

.

new sarrec

it

,

a

,

“

Whilst she was doing this the village drum was beating certain sound by which was be

as at

,

of

.

a

to

widow was going burnt with her husband On hearing this all the people the village came together least known that

to

of

of

,

all the men and such the women were permitted by the lowness their caste

IIO

SHOSHIE ,

My eldest brother went . things necessary for the cere

there

no son

is

.

If

mony

,

.

A

does this

relative ground

hole was dug

which bamboos

round

into the earth

and thick

,

,

to

the nearest male were

in

to provide

,

all

leave their houses

the

driven

green stakes were ,

,

, .

,

a

of

a

form

of

kind bed and upon hemp clari faggots great quantity this My mother fied butter and pitch was placed laid across

,

or

,

,

now went and seated herself near the pile and officiating priest made her the Gooroo

and

;

by

the

and that

her

ancestors

husband

may

arise

to

,

merit

mother

all

act

,

this

father

her and her husband ,

may wait

during that time

dancer

of

the heavenly

of on

That

.

as

in

as

“

,

to

she the effect that some prayers may live heaven with her husband for many years there are hairs on her head repeat

them

to

,

her

others

friends both

tied some red cotton round

put two new combs

her hair painted ,

,

wrists

the

in

She then

and

.

,

priest

she took

of

off her ornaments the

prayers

these

giving some to

After repeating ,

“

.”

heaven

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

III

.

her forehead , and tied some parched rice , and couries * in the end of her sarree . While she was doing this , the Brahmins were

anointing my father's

body , repeating

some Mantras over it , and dressing

clothes .

My brother took

a handful

of boiled

Mantra , offered it in my Then some ropes were brought

rice and , repeating father's name .

it in new

a

and laid upon the pile , and a piece of cloth was spread over the top , and the dead man was laid upon

it .

My

then

mother

walked

round the pile seven times , scattering parched corn

and couries

tried

to

gather

as

she went .

them

up ,

Those near

thinking

they

would confer and that if they are tied round the neck of sick children , they will cure diseases . special

My

blessings

,

now climbed up , and threw herself on the pile , by the dead body of my father . The ropes were then drawn over the bodies , which were tied close together , and more faggots were placed upon them . My mother

brother then , turning his face away

,

put a

* Couries, small shells used as a very small coin .

SHOSHIE ,

112

he

,

all

lighted faggot to my father's face , which he scorched over and then immediately

All

.

off

drums

were

beat

,

cries

so

,

a

it

that

and

great blown and the noise was long could heard distance this time more faggots were being be

trumpets

;

low screams

.

in

lighted the pile several different places At this all the women and relations set up

as

few minutes

,

dead

I

a

been

thick smoke

are held down

bodies

in

the

by

Sometimes

.

have

there was such

a

must

think my mother

ashes but

in

was burnt

,

to

all

.

It

on ,

,

,

on

thrown the pile and more clarified butter till the whole was and pitch were poured consumed took almost two hours before

over

,

is

all

each side and after ,

parts

the

with

.

making

,

and

bamboos

will repeat

after

the

a

,

burnt

these

bow

and

certain

He will then mould out

person

Mantras clay the ,

over

it .

arrow

are

it ,

bodies

magical arts

of

will take one

of

sidered very useful

A

those bamboos which are unburnt are con in

of on

,

to

,

long bamboos which are placed them over them and the Brahmins hold on the pile

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

113

.

image of any one he hates

this

arrow

, and pierce it with , which will immediately cause in

tense suffering to the person whom that image represents

How like pretended witchcraft , even in so - called Christian lands ! .

Any

bones that were unconsumed were taken up , and with the ashes cast into the Ganges . And all who had attended the

ceremony had to bathe before they could return to their homes . Miss Gray : " Can you tell the meaning of many of these customs , such , for instance , as putting the red thread round the wrist ?” Old woman : “ No , it is our fashion , our forefathers did it . " Several of the women then told us a number

in for .

,

it ,

have given and one

or

I

if

con

father was

Coolin Brah-

.

My

8

said

a

.

the incidents are from him “

One

:

of

two

my informants represents

have referred

he

see

me the truth

which

as

,

stantly

to

,

Ward's India

to

,

of incidents , some of which I will relate . Every one of these incidents is vouched Several almost exactly similar are related

SHOSHIE ,

114

min .

He had

a great

many wives

,

and many

of them insisted on being burnt with him , that thus they themselves might go to live with the gods in heaven , and that they might be the means of helping some of their friends to get

A

very large pile was made , and thirteen women , wives of my father, stretched there

too

.

, side by side , on this pile , the , oldest wife or rather the first wife , taking her dead husband's head in her arms . The pile

themselves

was then set on fire , and just as it had begun

to blaze , my mother rushed up to it , and told the Gooroo that she too intended to burn herself .

She , with some of the other wives

had been standing

,

near , and her brother- in

law and other relations had been upbraiding her so much for not performing this merito rious act , that she at length mustered courage

to rush to the priest and tell him she would do it .

It took

some minutes for her to go through

the requisite forms of preparation , and during time they were throwing pitch on the

this

fire to make

it

burn more fiercely .

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER By

the time my mother

.

had gone through

the Mantras and other forms necessary courage had all gone escape .

,

115

and then

,

her

she tried

to

But my brother , who was standing

by , would not suffer her thus to disgrace her self and the whole family . He caught hold of her and pushed her into the fire , the flames of which were now spreading wide . To save herself she caught hold of another of my wives who was standing near , and they both fell together into the flames and perished , but only to rise to live with the father's

gods . " Miss

Gray asked

: “ Did the women in promise former times ever their husbands to be

burnt alive with them , should they die first ? " Luckie answered : “ Oh , yes , they often did , and

the

wife

who made this promise

was

generally treated with more love and atten tion in consequence . My father knew a man who had three wives , of whom the youngest had promised with an oath

*

to be burnt with

* An oath is taken by laying the hand on a cow , or on one of the shasters , or by touching fire .

SHOSHIE ,

116

So he loved

,

he

to a he

.

,

said

and

,

.

a

In

burnt

so

,

.

As burnt with him she took all her tight

she would

in

up

jewelry and locked herself and her own room

sent

this

heard

she

home

and direct her

it

as

was dead

,

he

to he

spot

the

,

,

to

away from try would her love

say

relation soon

being

,

“

One

thought

he

coolness

the jewelry and good food

day

be

giving her

and

,

his other wives with great

treated

go

very much

her

to

.

all

him

not be

few hours afterwards her husband

,

,

to

,

her great chagrin and after that and he loved his other she was degraded arrived

had

to

,

sister

husband was

My this

.

oath

broke

Brahmin

he

Her

who

;

.

oath

will happen

such

a

dreadful

a

woman who does break

a

what

grandmother

another old woman

punishment

an

exclaimed

“

but

a

“

,

Oh

”!

."

wives better than her

had

her for though

his mother's house for

week

her he had never ,

after he was first married

a

,

to

was married

to

she had been

at

the day

he

,

he

,

two other wives but one was most terribly crazy and the other had never seen since

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

117

.

cared to see her , and after that she was permitted to go back and remain at her father's house . But my grand - aunt he loved very much , and they had a son grown up . “ The husband went about 200 miles up the country on business , and had sworn a solemn oath

as my

grand - aunt to be burnt with

him when he died , she made him promise , that

if

ever he should

die away

from home

,

he

would give orders to have his body sent home

He did friend

die , about 200 miles from home

sent his

body

down

,

.

and a

to Calcutta in

a

box . “

When it arrived they sent to inform his

. The wife , who had taken the oath , now drew back . She had not the courage to

father

sacrifice

herself

.

She sat in the house

weep

ing .

Her son , who was now a grown man , and her father - in -law , again and again ordered her to go to the pile , and not to bring such disgrace on them , telling her , it was only for this object,

.

to far .

that she might fulfil her vow , that the body was brought so But she wept piteously go and still refused

SHOSHIE ,

118

While they were still trying

to urge her to

go , the crazy wife , hearing

that her husband body was dead , and that his had been brought to Calcutta , declared she would die with him :

Her relations

tried to frighten and stop her ,

but it was of no use .

( They believe

that a way , crazy person , dying in this will become an evil spirit . ) She rushed off to the husband's house and began to abuse most fearfully the wife who was unwilling to die with him . “

Meanwhile , the third wife arrived

and the crazy woman were led Everything had been prepared , crowd had assembled by the wives were brought to look at

which was much

disfigured .

woman , when she saw that

was

,

and she

to the pile . and a large

river . the

The

it , shrieked

,

The

corpse

,

deranged

and declared

not her husband , that

they were

going to burn her with a dead cow . “ It would have been too great a disgrace in those days for a Brahmin not to have one wife burnt with him , so the other poor young thing , who had never seen her husband except at the wedding

ceremony

,

was

seized

and

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

119

.

bound to the loathsome corpse , and perished in the flames ; but my grand - aunt , who ought to have died with her husband afterwards.

All her

was miserable

,

friends hated her , and she

was tormented by fiends and evil spirits , so that a few months after her husband's death , she took poison and killed herself."

Miss Gray asked

Do you

think , then , that any woman was ever voluntarily burnt with her husband ?" Luckie answered a one has been ,

them

, “ Oh

,

“

, yes

,

I believe

many

and many more would

be

now if it were permitted . When once a wo man has declared her intention to die with ,

vanity in

,

many

all

Brahmins , and

her

cases would

to her vow relatives

The

.

would visit of

husband

,

her

induce her to be faithful

frequently give her

;

.

waver

if

last

But ,

to

the

they

drug which confuses the ,

that she

beginning

;

as

to

on

keep up the enthusiasm is

see

talking thus

a

they

,

moment

to

and they keep

as

be

a

,

the her and praise her courage and tell her great glory she would obtain by such death high that she will exalted the gods

I 20

SHOSHIE ,

intellect , so that she will submit to anything , doing whatever she is told . “

The Brahmins

cause hands

encourage her to do it , be

it puts money ;

and

power

into their

her relations urge her on , as it brings

honor and glory to the family , and every one else who comes near her urges her to com plete the sacrifice from motives of fear , as the Hindoos have a superstition that if a woman

voluntarily promise to burn with her husband , and then draw back , the whole community in which she resides will suffer some terrible calamity . “

But it is not only vanity , but the dread of

the life - long suffering which awaits her as a

widow , that makes many a woman die thus willingly with her husband . Without any love

or affection

shown

drudge of the household starve

,

her , the

disgraced

compelled

to almost

herself, with no hope either

world or the

next ,

in

this

her sufferings are such that

many would willingly escape from them

by the cruellest death . Oh is our religion from yours .”

!

,

even

so so different

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER “

Yes , ” said Miss

Gray .

121

.

Your religion

“

teaches that thus the wife can expiate the sins

of the husband . Our Bible says , “ The soul that sinneth , it shall die ' . The father shall not bear the sins of the son , nor the son the sins of the father , but each one shall

bear his

own sins .' One guilty person can not expiate the sins of another guilty one . But God has one great Sin - bearer

innocent

,

There

.

ours

simply

and

peace

severest punishments

upon

,

the fatherless

and

.

that

and the

He threatens

the

those who afflict

,

',

of

the Father

it

trial and us ,

life

of

a

to

,

,

.

live

Our Holy Book teaches

the widow them

ah

."

or distress

and

no more need

all your Holy Books teach you that the is

,

God God

to

the Just for the

do

,

us ,

pardon

and

she lives

suffering

of is

of

if ,

Again

widow

•

,

any sacrifice for sin Christ has done

“

of

,

,

this

will

be

believe

who

is

',

''

is

on the tree , who died unjust and all we have heaven

,

borne our sins in His own body

'

for

Himself , has

to

provided

.

so

,

!

,

We left that house with hearts sad grant day may soon come when God that the

SHOSHIE ,

122

of these oppressed ones shall be broken . " It will come , for He has promised it , and it is indeed a glorious privilege to be the

“

bonds

allowed to help to loose the bonds of these poor prisoners , whom Satan has held captive at his will . After we reached home , Miss Gray read to me , from Ward's India , a well authenticated incident close

which

,

I

subject .

the

before

I

This was the case of

a

will repeat

here

woman who was buried alive with her husband

,

some few of the tribes of India they bury , instead of burning their dead , especially if they are too poor to afford the for amongst

money for a funeral pile . The circumstance I am about

took place about

20

to relate

miles from Calcutta

, a

number of years ago , and is given in the words of an eye - witness : “ On Thursday last one of our best workmen , who

had

brought

been

sick

but

a short

down to the river

was placed

,

as

to expire .

is the custom

and a consultation

time

,

,

was

He

on the bank

,

was held as to the time

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

123

The astrologer predicted that The his dissolution at hand . was near sick man was then immersed up to the middle in the river , and there kept for some he would die .

time , but death not being as near as predicted , he was again placed on the beach , extended at full length , and exposed

it

intensely hot .

was

to the sun , where

Here

he

continued

whole of the day , excepting at those intervals when he was supposed to be dying , the

when stream

he was again immersed

in the sacred

.

I visited him in the evening .

“

sible

,

but had not

He was

sen

power of utterance

the

.

however was able to make signs with his hand that he did not wish to drink the

He ,

,

river water , which they kept pouring almost constantly down his throat , by means of a small shell . He remained in this situation all night .

In

commenced

till

the morning the immersions again , and were continued at intervals

five in the evening

was literally murdered “

His wife ,

a young

,

when

he expired

,

or

.

woman

about sixteen

SHOSHIE ,

124

of age , hearing

years

of his death , came to

the desperate resolution of being buried alive with the corpse . She was accompanied by her friends corpse

to the beach

down

lay .

Here

a

small

,

where

branch

the

of the

to her , which , I understood , was setting a seal to her deter mination , from which , after having accepted mango -tree was presented

the branch “ I

,

she could not withdraw .

went to her , and questioned

respect

her with

to the horrid act she was about

to

, whether it was voluntary, or from ; nothing of the latter appeared , it was entirely her own desire . I spoke to her relations of the heinousness of the crime perform

persuasion

they were guilty of, in allowing this young creature thus to precipitate herself into the My presence of her Creator uncalled for. wife , who was with me , spoke mother

and

the daughter

all to no purpose

.

was determined

both to the good deal , but

The mother declared

was the daughter's choice

had gone .

a

,

it

and she added she

to go the road her husband

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

125

There was not the least appearance of grief or regret in the mother's face , or conduct . “

A

woman then can forget her sucking child ,

The and forsake the child of her womb ! prophet seemed to think it only possible that there might exist such a monster , but here it was realized

who could

here was a monster of a mother

;

resign

gift

child ,

her the gracious Providence , without the least ent

emotion

to the tomb

alive

unmoved spectator “

could consign

and

,

,

of

,

a

appar

this

child

and herself continue of the horrid deed .

an

At eight a.m. the corpse , accompanied by devoted victim , was conveyed to a

-

this self place

a

little below

our

grounds

,

I

where

repaired to behold the perpetration of a crime

I

could scarcely believe it was possible should be committed by any human being .

which

The corpse was laid on the earth by the river , till a circular grave of almost fifteen feet “

in circumference , and five or six feet in depth was prepared mulas

had

.

The

been

corpse

read , was

bottom of the grave , in

a

,

,

after some

for

placed

the

at

sitting posture , with

SHOSHIE ,

126

the face to the

applying

a

south

,

the

relation

nearest

lighted wisp of straw to the top of

the head . “

The young widow now came forward , and

walked out ,

'

round

the grave

seven times

calling

,

Hŭree Bŭl Hŭree Bŭl , ' in which she

was joined by the surrounding crowd . She then descended into it . I approached within a

foot of the grave to observe if any reluctance

appeared

in her countenance , or any sorrow on that of her relations . In hers no alteration

was perceptible

,

in theirs was the appearance

of exultation . “

She placed herself

in a

sitting posture , with

her face to the back of her husband the corpse with her left her head on his shoulders

embracing

,

arm , and .

reclining

The other

hand

she placed over her own head , with her fore finger erect . The earth was then deliberately put round them , two men being in the grave

for the purpose of stamping it round the living and the dead , which they did , till the earth rose to a level with the

surface , or

three feet above the heads of the

two or

entombed

.

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER Not

a

.

127

parting tear was observed to be shed

by any of her relations , till the crowd began to disperse , when the usual lamentations and howling commenced .” When Miss Gray had finished reading , we knelt together , and praised our Heavenly Father that these were now things of the past , it being very rarely that such scenes take place now . If they are done , it has to

We away in a corner . praised Him , that the Day - Star from on high was beginning to rise over this dark land , and

be in secret

,

hid

scattering the deep clouds of ignorance and cruelty , and we prayed Him to send forth more laborers into this harvest , that the time

might be hastened , when none should need to say to the other , “ Know the Lord , for all should know

Him , from

the

least

Then He shall the widow's heart to sing for joy . " greatest . "

even to

“ cause

the

128

SHOSHIE

IX

.

the

bonds

the

and Isaiah

op

lvü

. 6 .

to

loose

, let

to

?

house where we

by

entering

a

in

day

OPE taught

have chosen

heavy burdens break every yoke

.” , —

ye

,

go

,

wickedness undo pressed free and that

NE

Habits .

I

fast that

not this

the

Is

of

“

to the

Customs and

.

.

clean sarree

,

by

,

however

widow

.

not

,

looked very ridiculous

,

married woman

a

,

her head we perceived

,

a

on

she was

the top

only her eyes were jewelry but the red

that no

She wore

.

visible

so

,

her face

of

over

up

on a

.

She had

all

a

,

a

to

lady

very fine white cloth which she had

spot

most be at

,

us

beg she besought

pice give her On looking perceived that she must moment we

Zenana

of a

to

ing out her hand piteously her

a

at

-

,

,

,

the door really uttering bitterly and woman weeping Hold the most heart rending lamentations we were met

that What

was the tail

Traun

INDIA OF COW SACRED OR ZEBU

,

.

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER of

a

.

129

calf tied to one end of the sarree , and

hanging down to her feet . she increased

As

her lamentations

we approached , and her peti

,

tions for alms , but I could not learn from her why she was thus begging, as she looked most unlike a beggar.

: On

entering

the house , we asked who she

why she was thus begging . In commiseration , one of the women told us her story . She was a Zenana lady, the wife of a very rich Baboo , who lived was , and

of deep

tones

near by . A few days previously , she had gone down - stairs to cook , and she threw a piece of wood across the court, when a young calf , a few days old , ran out from under the shed . The wood , which was heavy , acci

dentally hit the calf, knocking it down in two or three hours it died .

To

,

and

have killed a calf, even accidentally , was

a dreadful sin , and , in consequence , she had to perform a great penance to expiate this crime .

to several holy walking and begging the way lady she had servant with

.

go

to

a

,

Being

,

a

places

all

She must go on a pilgrimage

SHOSHIE ,

I 30

her , to tend and take care of her ,

till

she had

begged money enough to give a great enter tainment to a hundred Brahmins , and to give to each a good sum besides . When she had done this , they would restore her to her caste .

Her husband was rich

commiseration

had

to

been

of

this

sarree

,

her

crime

tones

tell The

the deepest

.

old woman told

her

all

what

.

to

the time fast

everybody

saw that Miss Gray though she felt great ,

I

and she must wear that calf's

in

must beg it

tail all

and offered to give her

,

but no , that would not do , she

,

all ,

the money

people

,

,

.

depress and make

,

the manners

heathen

,

in

much

poor

,

my

so

was

of

customs

it ,

to

.

it

there

to

It

though and

to

very difficult restrain her mirth did really seem too ridiculous Afterwards speaking she said that me about

found in

a

so

to

pity for this poor woman who would have silly superstition yet suffer much for

country ,

so

.

,

a

to

to

a

Christian sad absurdly very customs were European that they could not ridiculous fail excite mirth yet those

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

131

next day , in visiting another house , we learnt some more of the heathen rites and The

customs

of

,

but these failed to excite

us , any merriment

women's

court there

respectable

properly

.

At

in either

of the

one end

is generally , in

houses , a small room

a shed , in

,

,

or

most more

which the cow is kept .

It is about twelve feet square . It is raised just one step above the ground of the sur rounding court . We had noticed , the previous week , that a piece of matting had been stretched across this shed , dividing it into two , and that the cow still retained possession of one - half , while the floor of the other half had been

beaten

flat , and

then

smoothed

over

with a plaster made of earth and cow - dung . This , strange as you may think it , makes a very smooth , clean flooring , perfectly in odorous ; and it has the advantage of keeping away white ants , and other insects , and when in any way soiled or broken , can easily be smoothed

We

over again with the same mixture .

had observed

this shed arranged

so , but

did not know for what purpose this was done

.

SHOSHIE ,

132

On the day of which

I

speak , we saw one

of our young pupils , Kaiminee , standing in side this hut , looking very sad . She was leaning against the doorpost , and looked utterly woe - begone , while , generally , she was bright and cheerful. Miss Gray directly went to her , and asked her what was the matter . At first she did not answer

only turning her head away ; renewing her inquiries

,

but upon Miss Gray's

the poor, young thing burst into a flood of tears . Miss Gray sat

in the tenderest tones

step of the door , and made down beside her She however

,

,

the

.

on

Kaiminee

sit

down

,

on for

her down child only fourteen soothing and caressing -

,

was but

a

—

.

of

go

,

or

of

,

took great care that she did not let her feet any the door over the sill her body she Miss Gray drew the poor child's head and spoke words to her

:

,

?

at

Miss Gray said Why being polluted shall pollute you ."

I

?

“

Are you not afraid do you touch me

of

,

,

her sobs and looking

the poor girl hushed up

few minutes

,

After

a

.

,

breast

A HINDOO WOMAN OF SOUTHERN INDIA , OF LOW CASTE, DRESSEDIN HER JEWELS.

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

133

.

Poor child ," said Miss Gray, “ you cannot pollute me . Nothing but my own sins against “

God can pollute me . matter with you ?"

But tell me what is the

Then , with many tears and sobs , Kaiminee said

:

“ Oh !

I

am sure

I

must

have

been

very wicked in a former birth , for Kali is very angry with me . Just two years ago , I had a dear , little baby born , and in one week it died .

I

knew then that Kali was angry with me , and I sent and offered a goat in sacrifice , and now the gods gave me another dear , little baby , and he only lived three hours , when

Kali

breathed upon him , and he was gone , only and , a week ago , I sent another goat in sacrifice to her , but you see she hates me.” While she had been speaking , her mother had come and seąted herself on the ground in the court But , ”

at a little distance

I

down here in this miserable

you not up in your

room

“

why are you

shed

?

Why

are

?"

by

the shed , there was nothing but a strip

of matting on the floor , for her to

on

In

.

said to Kaiminee ,

sit

“

,

SHOSIIIE , piece

of

a

,

at

lie

night and

wood

pillow

.

for

a

day , or to

on

134

my babe was must not go

!

I

,

:

“

Kaiminee answered Oh only born three days ago and

,

,

it

most was

“

is

better

.

Though

,

is

“

? "

I

But why are you here asked very your room comfortable not

it

.

a

,

of

,

-

This poor little child mother mourned bitterly the loss her babe though only few hours old

.

of

."

he

if

-

,

to

my room till the time he would have had lived been twenty eight days old grief And then followed another burst up

."

than this damp place

then ,

go

,

of

the poor little

this sick

lived

there

"

,

dead

was

she answered old

.

.

babe

is

the

an

While

out

her

asked Miss Gray

,

"? !

Oh

the mother

.

But who takes care

it

“

then

when the

”

till

mother

“

-

is

The mother must not

.

“

place

born

of to

And

up

.

the cow shed

twenty eight days old child and child may both together room

be

that every child must -

here

you not know

go

in

,

our custom

Do

: “

Her mother answered

Coolic

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER all

is

but now

paying

."

,

is

brought Kaiminee she wanted the child dead there no use >> her

,

of the child , and

care

in

took

who

woman

135

.

you

are her mo

"

,

said Miss Gray

!"

“

No

.

a

be

,

to it

is

be so

sit

be

is

to

nurse and take

from

I

can't do

it ,

up

. ”

the must

she sat down again

then

,

and

I

jumped Oh

!

,

! ”

,

do

great

throbbing very hard you just come and

mother

and cried

it

not

must

and bathe her head

poor

The ground

,go

when

side her

sad

able

Her head

her

I

now

;

care

.

of

to

,

Poor child she you comfort

: “

to

do

.

I

,

suppose you ther you love her very much everything like for her she wants

,

it

It

“

:

do

against our would pollute would me and break my

She answered custom

be

? "

it

:

“

.

rocking herself and moaning Why must you not Miss Gray asked for your own child

. "

caste

the birth

a

them

of

that prevail amongst

on

of

,

of

a

,

questions Miss Gray Then by series drew from her some account the customs

SHOSHIE ,

136

child . All the time they were talking , Miss Gray sat on the step of the shed , Kaiminee lying beside her , with her head on Miss Gray's

lap , whilst she was softly stroking the poor girl's throbbing temples . First Miss Gray asked :

Why child

can you not take care of your own

?"

The old woman answered

After a baby

:

the mother must not come out of that shed for twenty - eight days . If the child lives , a very low caste Coolie woman waits upon her , and takes care of the child , and brings the mother her food . This is always is born

,

brought to her on a plantain leaf, for on no account must she touch the brass plates that are generally used .

could make

No amount of cleaning pure again , but the plan them

tain leaf can be thrown away dies , the nurse is dismissed

,

.

If

the child

and then some of

the women of the house bring the mother's food to her . They place it on the ground outside of the shed , but near enough for her to stretch out her hand and reach it . The

THE HINDOO ZENANA

TEACHER

137

other women must not go into the shed , or be touched by her , or touch anything at the it , or they would be polluted . Both mother and child are kept very warm , and no matter how hot the weather is , a fire is kept going in the hut same time

she touches

almost the whole time , so that it is filled with smoke

,

and they are kept in a constant

of perspiration higher

the

.

bath among This is the custom

castes ;

amongst

the

lower

,

a

woman will often return to her work , the day after the birth of her child .

Amongst

“

the wealthier Hindoos , an

oger is informed

astrol

of the time of the child's

birth , and his horoscope is cast , to see whether he will be lucky or unlucky, and the astrologer then writes down what will be his future fate .

This

paper the father carefully keeps , to

com

pare the events with the prediction . This is seldom done when the child is a girl . If the child is a boy , the father sees it when it is ten

; if

days old

;

it

is a

it , or the mother , The father selects

girl , he does not see either till the twenty - eighth day . a name for the

child when

·

SHOSHIE ,

138

it

is a few days old , and frequently it is the

name of one of the gods

, as

it is considered

a

merit , even to mention the name of one of the gods

;

if

so

a child has that name , whenever

he is called or spoken

of, it helps

to add

merit to the speaker . " Poor Kaiminee , at this , began to weep bit terly again , and Miss Gray thought it was best to leave her , and not excite her any So , telling her she would

more .

come

and

talk to her about her thinking of the cruelty

see her soon again , and

child ,

we

left

of those

her

,

customs

which deprived

a

poor

,

mother of the most ordinary comforts , and even of the solace of having dear ones to minister to her . I thought sick , bereaved

of what I had seen of sickness amongst English ladies , and how for them everything that

the

tenderest

care

and

most

devoted

bestow was done and oh ! how that the day might soon come when these poor women should have their share of love

could

,

I prayed

love and tenderness

.

The Gospel of Jesus is

the thing that every woman

should aim to

all

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

139

.

Thus only can woman liberated from heç slavery continually How went from house house with my dear lady was led the

earth

,

tender Father

to

I

the great

God

,

to

thankfulness

lift

I

as

,

,

in

,

my heart my loving

up to

.

be

over

.

spread

who had saved me be

house

sorrow

it

this

,

leaving

After

of

!

to

,

,

.

,

.

a

May my heart ever lot filled with thanksgiving and my lips with praise Oh how great has been His love and tender poor unworthy me mercy from such

that the next we entered they happy mother was were holding festival rejoicing and great feast was being held ,

were being

certain ceremonies

performed

as

A

.

a

,

a

,

at

happened

for

.

be

,

to

was

entertainment

the Brahmins

.

given

to

consequently

an

to

,

of

on

two her children the same day The just younger one was six months old and that day they began feed him with rice and

.

been hung about

been erected

,

had

-

mango leaves

the court

,

wreaths

a

and

In

,

washed

of

The house had been cleaned and white small

had shed

near which the Brahmins

SHOSHIE ,

140

Presently the mother came in , closely veiled , carrying her babe , and sat down under the shed . The Gooroo , or family priest ,

were seated

.

got up and offered

then

of rice ,

sacrifice

a

to the nine planets the same time repeating over a number

fruits , and sweetmeats ,

any ceremony

widows

never can

festival came averting )

in

take part

or

of the house (

women

at of

When this was over , the married for

Mantras .

,

of

,

near and performed the ceremony

,

.

She

,

it .

were casting evil eye upon ceremony was over the women

Had very

speak

child think

or to

her

would directly

a

.

must never

the

,

You

an

fat

.

it

would have been

about the beauty

mother

call

the evil eye

of

.

,

the lamp gone out unpropitious sign

avert

it

This

to

.

child

is

seven times round the head and face

you

After this

ran off

a

,

it

moved

of

the

both hands and with the lamp burning

a

Each

plate with

to

oil , of

and placed

lighted

then

turn took hold

rice paste

,

,

and

,

,

in

a

woman

was filled with

plate

brass

made

of

,

from rice flour on

lamp

little

,

queer

,

A

.

the evil eye

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER corner of the court to worship the god

This was only

the future

,

and from which

This for the time

eat his food

.

was

being

to

he

,

maternal uncle

its

present

a

by

made

which had to the child , by ,

been

of the

a brass plate

in

.

141

,

plate

.

,

a

this plate

,

earth

each clasping her hands

made

,

,

then

the god

and

deep

a

on

of

quantity

small

of

a

.

,

god into some Mantras uttered by the Gooroo They threw had been turned

the plate

,

it

taken place

now took the babe out

There the father and ,

,

economically

,

case

,

this

disposed

father

the

being

,

the one for his eldest boy

age had ,

of

the

for

was making

feast serve two purposes

just three years

that had been dyed which finished the now ready

,

but

in

,

feast

head

They were

.

ceremony

the child's

,

,

on

,

.

the Gooroo put some rice

through

a

servant

into the men's court red

the women's

go

,

court but

had

in

this

to

All

a

retired

.

,

.

it

to

obeisance after which they brought beside the and placed child they Then rubbed the child's lips with boiled rice after which the women

SHOSHIE ,

142

ceremony about this time , therefore both were

fixed for the same day . the age of two or three

years

,

head must be shaved for the first time

A

chalk geometrical

.

In of

a

which a square had been marked and within this square number each other

and a

beneath

,

off

had been erected in the men's court

figures intersected

,

small shed in

feast given to the Brahmins .

a boy's

,

At

the middle ,

of

-

,

This image has five faces

.

,

Siva

face three eyes

each

Most persons clay image made for just the time

of

.

in

have

a

the forms

and

of

of

an

of

a

of

rice measure the square they placed god image one the Panchŭnŭnee and

it

is

,

in

the past the present ,

.

of

the god

is

,

,

omniscience

,

over thrown The three eyes denote the

the feast and after this

into the Ganges

.

and the future

this god they make offerings cocoa sugar then The barber and betelnuts nuts leaving boy's shaved the head tuft hair

.

grow long

stood looking

of

a

.

,

This the Hindoos always per on ,

mit

.

the crown

to

on

,

,

,

of

To

All till

who had been invited

the barber had finished

After

the time

this was over

In

.

.

repeating Mantras great feast followed

,

the Gooroo , during

143

,

,

.

a

the operation

all

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

Before

position

chosen when the moon

thought

certain

as to

I

if

,

a

separate day for each

to

go

and tell so

it

I

two astrologers may one rite only ,

he

them each

of

,

feast but

will choose

if

,

I

.

Now tell the trologer that have the two ceremonies perform

in

and the father knew that generally a

;

either

the astrologer must

performed

is in

day

is

a

consulted

worldly wisdom

any such rite

,

is

these

he

of

.

this matter

The father

be

great deal

of

a

had shown

the Brahmins

.

the blessings

as

of

,

this house the mother was looking very happy for her two boys were both receiving

chance

it

,

so

that they will both select the same day and turned for the two ceremonies

are

and

these

such constant

all of

,

poojahs

,

sweetmeats

of

the

deal

they make festivals recurrence

and for

the house

labor for days beforehand

feasts always great

,

these as a

of

The preparations give the women

for

.

out

SHOSHIE ,

144

one or another

they are

in

a

large

household

that

,

to our work .

a great hindrance

This day we had passed out of the house of mourning

,

into

In

,

as

this

land

the

of rejoicing . sorrow and joy

house

elsewhere

are side by side , the songs

,

of mirth , and the

voice of wailing .

Going home , Miss Gray remarked how much Christians might learn , even of idolaters , to let their religion mingle do .

It

should

in everything they

not be an occasional

part and parcel of their every - day life .

act

,

but

USUCH SNY

VW

THE PRIEST CASTING A BABE INTO THE GANGES.

.

145

is

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

eternal

X. of Souls . of

God

vi .

." -

;

is

of

wages gift “ For sin death but ROMANS life through Jesus Christ our Lord

23 .

the

the

Transmigration

in

and this has

us

!

every class But the Hindoos the transmigration souls very bad effect upon society

.

,

of

of

.

it

not fully believe

a

know

!

!

to

of

,

H

that the poor Hindoos knew any thing the eternal life promised through Jesus Christ they Alas alas

is

of

,

sympathy for the sufferer others

,

and

pity

and

,

feeling

are apt

to

existence

,

a

instead

of

a

former state

of

,

committed consequently

in

in

of

,

;

I

I

think have mentioned this before because every trouble that befals them now con punishment sidered the light sins

is

10

is

he

,

, "

of ?

as

,

if

,

look upon him with apathy and indifference they say not with contempt Oh only suffering the penalty former

SHOSHIE ,

146

crimes ,"

and

thinks there

he himself feels is no hope

and therefore the sooner

despair

.

He

for him in this life , he dies the better

;

and that possibly in the next birth he may be better off .

I

will try in this chapter

to give you some notion of the strange ideas of a future life possessed by the Hindoos , though they are so varied that it is very hard to know what they really believe . Some castes seem to believe one thing , and others will believe quite dif ferently ; so you must never be astonished if you

hear

very contradictory

regard to the inhabitants

stories

of India .

with

Accounts

you , both perfectly true , and yet quite inconsistent with each other . may be given

I shall

tell you are the ideas of the women , drawn out gradually at different times in conversation with them , when we were talking to them on the subject of death and immortality . What

There are many sins which a Hindoo may commit , for which he may offer an atonement , and then the sin will be forgiven him ; but if

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . he do not offer the right atonement

,

147

he must

suffer terribly in the next life . the sin of killing a Brahmin , even

For

acci

dentally , a man must give to the Brahmins three hundred and sixty cows , with their calves , annually , or he must offer up his own life . If he have killed a Brahmin's cow , he must have his head shaved ; for thirty days he must

dwell with cows , and eat nothing but barley boiled in cow's urine , and wear about him part cow's skin

Then , for two months

.

must only eat once a day . the herd of cows

,

At night ,

for

but

man

all

,

of

a

.

for

low caste

he

insects

must

killing

a

that

is

Sudra

,

the same atonement

to

be

of to

thousand

make

the Brahmins ,

kill

paid

.

a

man

a

If

these sums have

to

paid

different animals

There are different prices causing the death

gains

the Brahmins be

to

,

an

atonement

must beg he

and then

.

;

-

,

after herding them , cross legged and watch them

twelve years and whatever

must give

he

and eat the dust thrown up

the night

as

for

the most

up

he must

of sit

by their feet .

,

He must follow

he he

a

as

of

SHOSHIE ,

148

One atonement

,

which

is made for many

small offences , is truly vile . matter

The offender , no

of what caste he may be , from

highest

the

is compelled

to the lowest to eat for three days , as his only food , a mixture made of the excrements of the cow , milk , ,

clarified butter , and curds .

This vile com

pound is given for many of the lesser sins .

It

is supposed

goes immediately

that after death the soul before the judgment - seat

of Zămă , the judge of the dead , and , according to his sins or merits , he will then be sent to pass some time in hell , in torments heaven

of the gods in happiness

or in the

, ,

before

turning to this world in some other

re

form

.

After passing through innumerable births in the form of different animals , when he returns into man's form he will still bear some trace of his former good or evil deeds . Just to take one or two examples has killed an enemy

.

He who

even in war will be cast into hell , afterwards he will become first a deer , then a tiger , a dog , a fish , a man , and , in the last state , he will die of the palsy . ,

,

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

149

.

He who eats good food , without giving any to others , will be punished in hell thirty thou sand years

,

and then he will be born a musk

rat , then a man whose body emits an offensive

smell .

A

man who steals

hundred

then

For stealing

last , be a consumptive

For other birth with scrofula

who

,

be in hell one he will

one or two other birds

diseased man .

A

years

thousand

crow , then the

rice , will

,

be a

then a

alms , he will , at ,

or a blind man .

sins he will be punished in another asthma , or cancer , leprosy , or

.

woman despises

who is her

a

disobedient

husband

,

will

wife , or suffer

an

infinite variety of exquisite torments in hell , and then be born a female , to be married

only to lose her husband very soon , and be widow .

a

Thus you see most of the sufferings that flesh is heir to , are supposed to be inflicted in strict justice for crimes committed in a former state

of existence

,

and thus the poor sufferer

receives very little compassion from others

.

SHOSHIE

150

A

,

week or two after the death of her child ,

we visited Kaiminee .

She had then

left the

cow - shed , and was up - stairs in her own room

.

The poor girl had not got over her grief ; she still mourned deeply for the loss of her babe . Oh

!

if she

now

was

;

only know where her babe in what form it now existed !

could

When we told her of the multitude

of babes

around the throne of God in heaven , it seemed

to her as if we mocked . Oh ! how gladly would she believe it if she could ! She sat on the floor, rocking herself backwards and for wards

to

,

and moaning

become

At length

.

she seemed

indignant , and she

exclaimed

,

“ What have I ever done that I am thus terribly afflicted ? I cannot see that I have

done

any harm

does

Kali

thus

childhood . Why persecute me ? Why did my

from

Sheve give me a child

,

and then let

Kali

take

it away ? What did I do to you , oh ! bloody , cruel goddess ? never injured you , you knew I had none else , you knew looked to

I

I

this child to be my staff , and now you have

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . taken him away

will

.. Oh

!

151

you wicked goddess

,

I

you ."

burn

Whilst she was speaking , another woman , The her sister - in - law , entered the room . new - comer

seated

herself

Kaiminee ,

beside

and began beating her breast . “ Oh ! sister , ” she said , “that wicked Kali , she has taken she has not left me one

. "

mine

,

taken

all

your child also , she is full of injustice , she has

,

you must have committed

,

I

many crimes otherwise

cannot see why you

this dreadful

You

manner

.

suffer

in

should

is

?

,

It

, “

,

on

in

births

former

do

,

The old mother who was sitting by turned Why you throw round angrily and said your own fault blame the goddess

of

I

in I

are

for the sins suffer thus

be

!

former life

many births

not cast upon me now why do ,

till

? ”

oh

the sins

are

suffer

my sufferings

am now suffering

if

;

of

many births

have

.

.

and

I

,

widow

describable

.

am

a

you have expiated the sins

and now yours

to

life

You will

a

taken from you

of

your former

,

child

in

.

in

have done nothing but good things this birth You must have injured some one's

SHOSHIE ,

152

Then , turning to the bereaved mothers , she said , “ See ! you have two meals of food a day , while I never have but one ; you have

,

great are my sorrows

water

.

of

must

I Oh

how many sins

I

food

month and then

not even have one drop

all

nice

the

.

manner

at

how

!

be present

can never

I

eat

must fast twice

I

while of

can

,

,

and

,

feasts

you

;

a

any

have

of ornaments all

all manner

must

,

of

us

reward and punishment

in

of

places

if

!”

formerly have committed Miss Gray asked this poor woman she anything could tell her belief about the the other

.

world

who writes

a

was

man

looks

good

or

that

dies the scribe he

“

.

of

.

,

or

bad

You

the dead

,

or he

as

,

and has everything nice

,

hears fine music

eat and beautiful ,

where

he

,

happiness

to

,

has been good Zumŭ sends people lead him the

to

beautiful

of

abode

secretary

see whether

he

.

bad man

to

his books

soon

If

at

,

does and

most

scribe

the judge

everything good as

down

,

He keeps

a

must know that Zūmŭ

answered

a

she directly is

"

, "

yes

to

Oh

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

153

to wait on him . He has multitudes of jewels , and gold ornaments , and myriads women

of sweet perfumes scent the air .” what , ” said Miss Gray , “are the meritorious deeds by which a man can gain this heaven ? " “

But

He

has to perform a great many . I will you tell some . He must bathe often in the holy waters of the Ganges . He must often “

feast the Brahmins ; he must give great gifts to the Brahmins ; he must offer sacrifices ; he must build temples the gods

;

,

or set up images of

he must dig wells , or set up sheds ,

or caravansaries

by the side of the road

as

resting - places for pilgrims . He must go on pilgrimages to holy places , or die at one of

He

these .

obedience woman

,

must

pay perfect

to his family priest

implicit But for a

and .

the only way to enter heaven , is to

be burnt with the body of her dead husband She is then

promised

for thousands of years

a residence .

It

.

in heaven

is also very

meri

torious to die by the side of the Ganges with the body partly immersed in it .

,

or

SHOSHIE ,

154

But , " said Miss Gray , " except the going on a pilgrimage , and dying by the Ganges , all the other meritorious deeds can only be per formed by rich men .

What becomes of the all

poor ?" they , with a sigh : “ Oh , try and good they can hopes that the next birth they as

as

be

to

for

go

of to

them

it

hope

im

.”

,

no

and then may hope

heaven but they have inediately after this life

to

rich

,

may

in

,

be

be

now

in is to

do ,

She answered can

Miss Gray then spoke

some to

,

of

,

its

,

, "

as

."

as

all

of

on

time the religion Jesus glories that gave heaven with the poor money well the rich without and They sighed but could not without price the beauty

,

“

some

The

.

no

might perform

was not

matter

,

deeds

must go

I

meritorious

,

with my husband

I

burnt

I

,

about that for there

I

must know something so

I

“

she said

.

Yes

",

“

.

of

“

",

Now tell me said Miss Gray thing about the abode the wicked poor woman moaned and groaned

."

.

believe

what

must go

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER for

there

time

a

Before

155

.

those , who

are wicked , reach the palace of Zúmŭ , they have .

be

to

.

,

he

a

In

.

a

and says

or

appears

he

,

to

.

of

palace Zămă To the good very beautiful but the wicked like hideous monster voice

of

,

,

,

who pull them the nose At length they may reach the neck .

or

frightful look -

dragged along

,

they may ing beings

sometimes

;

noises

and hideous

he

terri

they may hear

ble screams

hair

and thirsty

by by

without food

;

;

drink

tear them

wild animals who

be hungry

may

or

will

They

around

of

water , or stones falling may meet with all sorts

all

to travel many thousands of miles , sometimes over pavements of fire , and showers of burn ing cinders , or sharp instruments , scalding

looks

thunder

?

.

in

,

them

: '

What have continually you done You have lived sin Did you never hear that there were speaks

of

hells for the punishment the day you To shall see what those

no

of

be

use

in

You

their minds

have pleased yourselves

sin now weeping will ,

in

.

ligion

.' ”

receive who do not give

to

-

wicked

?

different

re

living

SHOSHIE ,

156

He then orders

his scribe to examine

his

records against each individual, and , according

to their deeds , he sends them to the different places of punishment . Alas ! alas ! unhappy me , for what a fate am

I

destined

.

The Poorannas teach that there are several different

hells

heavens , and

and

that the

souls go to one or other of these places death has ,

after

The Brahmin saint , or holy man , who

.

by constant austerities

and meditation ,

become the possessor

of divine wisdom when immediately he ascends to the heaven of Brahma , and there becomes absorbed in the divine nature . A Sudra can never , by any dies ,

possibility , ascend higher than the lowest heaven , and his only hope is that , after re peated births , he may at last return sometime as a Brahmin .

It

is very seldom

think ,

that any of the Hindoos

themselves as much did about her future destiny . generally are very stoical . They say : woman

or trouble

as

this

They " It is

my fate , it is written on my forehead , what can I do ?" and they will not think of it .

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

157

Miss Gray tried to tell these poor women of the joys of heaven , which God had prepared for those who love Him . She told them of the

precious

Saviour

,

whose

cleanse from every sin , even

blood

the

could

vilest , and

who could and would save those who would but come to Him , from the penalty of their sins ,

“

blotting out all the handwriting that

was against them

.”

She told

of His

sufferings

and death for man , all men , every one who

would come unto

Him and be saved .

But,

her words were to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice , and “ lo !

can play well on believed it not .

an instrument , ” but they

SHOSHIE ,

158

XI

.

Brahmins . “ Woe unto you , scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter , but within they are full of extortion and excess. ” —MATT. xxiii . 25.

NE

, when we went to teach in the house of Luckie , where they were Brah mins , we found that a great feast was in pro gress . Upon inquiring , Luckie informed us day

O

.

that her son was being invested with the Poita , or Brahminical thread , that is , he was being made a Brahmin . Why , " said Miss Gray , were Brahmins by birth ." “

“

I

thought you

said Luckie , “we are and we are None but one who is born of Brahmin

Well ,"

not .

parents can be a Brahmin . is not a than

Brahmin ,

a Sudra ,

till

But such an one

he is of no higher caste he is

invested

with the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER thread left

.

It

159

.

is simply a cord worn over the

shoulder

and under

consists of three twists

of

right one . It cotton formed of

the

right to wear this , are as proud of it as any Emperor smaller threads

.

Those who have

a

of his bit of ribbon denoting that some order has been conferred

just as sensible

on him , and possibly it is

.

The cord has been made by the Brahmins ; they themselves gather the cotton and spin the threads , so

that no profane hands may boy is invested with it at the

touch it . A age of from eight to fourteen , at the time the astrologer appoints . The feasts , etc. , cost a , so that if the Brahmin , boy , is poor , it is considered the father of the a very meritorious deed to give him money to

great deal of money

help to pay this expense . “ My husband , ” continued rich

,

Luckie ,

“

was

and his brother takes care of his money

and he allows me very little to live

that he can afford to spend this feast for my son

a good

on

,

,

so

deal on

.”

The feast lasts from three to five days , and

SHOSHIE ,

160

quantity of fruit, sweetmeats

a great

curries,

,

etc. , must be provided , besides pieces of cloth and brass dishes which must be distributed

to the guests , of which the astrologer and the Gooroo come in for a large share . The as trologer must be consulted as to the most propitious year , month , week , day and hour ,

veritable

He then offers him

sacrifice

and after this

is be

a

cow pro

stone

by the Gooroo

.

god

mud and

an

is

,

that

in

, of

if

god

it ,

is

made

that cannot

of

changed into

insense

and

I

being

though

rub the boy with

,

a

,

about him give him new cloth blacken his eyelids and swing burning ,

hang ornaments

it oil , is a

son's feast

this

,

take part )

my own

was explaining

married women in

"

us ,

widow cannot

the

who

(

said Luckie

,

.

Then this

to , ”

-

rice tinged red

all

of

-namely

few Mantras over a

nouncing

cone

represent

a

,

to

dung

a

obtained

a

,

or

conical black stone

must

which he as

in

generally worshipped

the form

be

there

most

Sheve

.

,

these ceremonies

image

of

At

,

all

when the ceremony should commence

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER lamps

161

.

around him to keep off the evil eye .

Then follow an infinite three

four days

be

he

if

.

each guest

number of ridiculous

ceremonies

which

occupy

during all which time the At one time the feasted

carry

.

are being

guests

my boy's

,

or

unmeaning

and

, ,

gifts

to

,

his uncle

,

case

the house

presents

,

,

dead the male head

the boy

of

the father

of

,

assembled

in or

all

Then they have a grand feast , and this is all that is done the first day . The next day , after the guests have

large

copper

,

to it

,

a

.

,

it

,

about

a

vessel into which they put water and decorate god with flowers and then becomes they which bow and offer incense women

pots

,

of

the Gooroo and

is

some earth from

a

get

white ants and put

;

nest

The women

into five earthen astrologer say some it

lowing

:

.

of

,

of

The Gooroo and astrologer place the cord around the neck and another series cere the fol One them monies takes place

by

in

11

,

at

is ,

.

to

,

so

many Mantras over these and they become gods whom they bow down and offer length concluded sense The whole

SHOSHIE

162

,

the host again presenting gifts to each guests

of his

of cloth , ornaments and money . These feasts cost immensely : it is on these that the Hindoos spend their money , not on home comforts . After a boy has been in ,

thread , he may then marry , as soon as his father can afford it . Sometimes he is made a Brahmin , or comes to the sacred birth , as they call it , at the age of three or four , whatever time the astrologer

vested with the sacred

points out as most propitious

.

Miss Gray asked Luckie whether , if she

con

had been permitted , she could have scientiously joined in these foolish rites

for

;

we had begun to hope that she was almost a

Christian . “

Yes , she could

other

in

not believe

it ,

a

;

and what

to

things

little

make

,

is

I

though the women

wicked

those

and

am sure they do

I

,

am sure

ay worship

it , to it

but

fun

do )

poojah

(p

of

"

, "

,

.

The which the priests call gods things said she are only nonsense bit

in

except worshipping these ridiculous things

you

do

all ,

She laughed , and said ,

think my

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER boy told me last night

163

.

There is one part of

?

the ceremony in which the father , or guardian

,

is supposed to whisper

a Mantra in the boy's ear , which no one else may hear , and his uncle whispered this to him , “ My son remem ber this

,

Master ,

the

King ,

and Him ought adore

God only , the the Maker of all things ,

that there

is one

every Brahmin in secret

to

but you must remember also that this

;

is a secret that you must not tell . The boy , Gopal, however , who is almost a Christian ,

He submitted

to this rite , not from any idea of

being

a

.

its

told this to me , his mother

if

,

a

to to

,

.

used generally

learn from them more ,

Miss Gray there try such times

their attention

to

,

learn

the

their minds

was almost impossible at

command

customs

,

,

the house that

fore

were

for even

taken up with the noise and confusion

of

so

pretend

it

in

were

we found

our work

to

would

women

feasts

to

great hindrance

,

These different

.”

in

,

it

religious rite but simply because would give him his standing the community

and they were

their manners

then

always

and

much

SHOSHIE ,

164

more communicative were Brahmins

,

In

.

this house , as

she wanted

all

to find out from

more about the privileges

them something that caste .

of

Formerly ,” said Luckie , Brahmins were held in much higher estimation than they are at present . It was even considered a great "

merit for a Sudra ( low caste man ) to drink the water in which a Brahmin had washed his

you would frequently see a poor Sudra going about with a cup of water , and asking a Brahmin to dip his toe in it , and

feet , and

then he would drink it . " “

That ," interrupted an old woman

,

"

you

Respect for the Brahmins But every family still has its

seldom see now .

dying out . Gooroo , or family priest

is

. All Gooroos must be Brahmins, but all Brahmins are not Goo

roos." But

I

do not understand

Sit

said Miss Gray .

by

“

the difference , "

,

“

"

in

,

.

I

,

down here me said Luckie and will try and explain All Brahmins are holy men but some are engaged different “

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . kinds of business or professions

165

; but a Goo

roo's profession schoolmaster

,

is to teach . He may be a teaching the boys at school , and

he

,

of

a

a

is

there are always

every feast but the Gooroos

pre have thrice the number And as the Brahmins any others of

,

lower caste Brahmin cooks have always

ment appointed Perhaps

they get

A of

are easily supplied

.

these

Brah

.,

for them you will wonder where

plates enough for many hundreds but

are

the entertain

guests

,

,

mins

unless the household

prepare the portion

of

,

engaged

to

be

a

must not eat any food prepared by persons

to of

.

of

must always sents

deed great

,

to

Brahmin

very meritorious

it

as

,

a

to

feast

many invited

and those

great many others

,

.

assist him and

a

,

He may have

under

in

be

,

his charge must the same caste every ceremony he must be the leader houses

Goo

own

takes

at

Each family must have roo and all the families that duties .

to

its

also teaching different families their religious

plantain

,

a

, in

,

at

these enter leaf always serves for the plate tainments and fact Brahmin never uses

SHOSHIE ,

166

any other , as it would pollute him to eat off a plate that had ever possibly been used by any other individual , no matter how much it might have been cleansed . "

Are

of the Gooroo and the

the services

Brahmins often used Lackie laughed .

?" “

asked Miss Gray .

You

have

said

often

what we did with our money ,"

you wondered

it goes . There are thousands of Brahmins that are just main tained entirely by the gifts of the people ; and she

said , “

but that is where

All offerings to the belong gods to the Brahmins . Then one , or more Brahmins are called , fed , and feasted me tell you how .

six months old the child two

avert the evil eye three years old

.

has it's

,

When

it

.

a

.

,

a

,

the boy is a

age

is

a

to

four years

his letters then there

Again

,

.

again

At

old ,

it's ears bored Then given great many

he is

first taught

if

. -

Brahmins

a few days

The ceremony

of

,

head shaved and great feast must

name

be

is

,

When it is

or to its

birth of a child . at the giving of

The

.

at

on each one of these several occasions

feast

Brahmin boy when ,

let

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER he is invested

with the Poita

his marriage

and again

;

. Then in sickness be given for Mantras to be said . ,

After death Shrad

for him

, a fee

at

must

man's son must perform the

, a

twelve

,

167

.

times

the

first

year

,

after that annually , and feasts and fees must Be be given at each one to the Brahmins . very many sides these , there are accidental in which a Brahmin

circumstances employed

.

If

well ,

If

.

a priest

cow die ,

a man's

make atonement

must

be

must

he dedicate a temple

, a

to the gods . At the time of an If small - pox appears in his neigh At the time of harvest , before the

a tree

eclipse

.

borhood

.

farmer begins

to carry in the rice ,

a priest

must perform some ceremony . A merchant must not begin business without a feast , and a fee to the

begin boat

,

Gooroo .

A

to fish in a new

till

the

Brahmin

fisherman place is

,

paid

must not

or buy a new .

village there will often be over

In a

a

small

hundred

festivals in the year

,

will be entertained

so you can see where 4

,

at which the Brahmins

great deal of our money goes ."

168

SHOSHIE ,

“ I

often

see , "

Brahmin sitting

said on

Miss Gray ,

the

floor

in

“

an

old

the men's

court of your house , surrounded by a number of

dirty , little boys , half - naked . He seems to be teaching them , for I see they have books in their hands , and they are often writing their letters in the sand — who is he ? Is he your family Gooroo

?”

our family Gooroo is at present a rich man that is a poor , old Brahmin whom "

No

;

;

the Baboo employs to teach the poor boys of the neighborhood

.

It

of great merit to do this

a work The Baboos think

is considered .

as this will gain them heaven .” . seems to me , " said Miss Gray , " that

that such deeds “

It

your religion is entirely made for the rich . What must those poor people do who have no money to pay and feast the Brahmins ? " , “ They have no hope in this life " she imme diately answered . Again Miss Gray tried to bring home to them the beauty of the Christian religion , that God is no respecter of persons , the rich and the poor are both alike to Him , and the

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

169

.

poor of this world , if they are only rich in faith , are heirs of the kingdom of heaven . The Gospel of Jesus is especially for the poor . Luckie realizes the beauty of the Christian religion , and she often exclaims , “ How long ! how long will it be ere Christ will come and claim these kingdoms

of the world for His long before we all shall be

How Christians ?” own

?

Luckie and her son , Gopal , this boy that has just been made a Brahmin , often talk together about the religion of Jesus . In the conversation

of

,

at this time , this boy was spoken

twice - born

as the

.

They call this ceremony

of receiving the Poita the second birth . Be fore this he was of no caste , though born of Brahmin parents . . After he had been invested with this holy cord he is born again into the of

,

all

be

.

lest

contaminated

thereby

.

impure

,

is

he

he

holy family of the Brahmins . He 'may have mingled with the other castes before keep He must secluded himself now must everything separate himself entirely from that

SHOSHIE ,

170

Miss Gray pointed Christian calls born

,

out to Luckie what the

birth , the being

the second

not of flesh or of blood

,

but of the

He is set apart from the world .

Ghost .

Holy He

should ever bear about with him the marks of

Lord Jesus . As no one can look at a Brahmin without knowing he is such by seeing his Poita , so no one should be in the company the

of the Christian without knowing he is such , and he should be ever careful to keep himself from pollution . I think Luckie understood the simile

.

Often , very often ,

I feel

so discouraged

that

many of these poor woman turning to Jesus , but my dear lady always tells me to wait patiently and remember the pro we do not see

mise : bearing again

with

“

He that goeth forth and weepeth , precious seed , shall , doubtless , come

rejoicing, bringing his shearers she told me that this word

with him

And

."

did not imply any uncertainty , but that it was a strong affirmative that it would be so . “ doubtless

We

must

"

not

be

weary in well - doing ,

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

171

though the promise may be long delayed , it will come . It is not me , but the “ Lord of the harvest " who is to gather in the ripened

grain

.

In

the meantime

ours to sow beside all waters

.

it must be

SHOSHIE ,

172

XII

.

to

and return

their

,

my little book

write

a

going

to

was

I

I

told

of of notof

you

the commencement

hold

I T

.

. -

A

29 ,

“ Thou takest away their breath, they dust PSALM civ

die ,

funeral Bites .

of

,

were almost

customs

my own

new and strange

to

as

and

of

so

,

little Hindoo girl yet differently was taught

a

I

,

that the manners to

to

us

.

as

they were the dear lady with whom visited these homes One day our work called near the

me

I

I

of

.

I

was born

God's blessing

people

to

as

,

by

I

though

those things which tell you you heard For must remember that .

saw

or

memory

in

to

a

I

.

,

to

story but incidents illus series relate trating the domestic life the people you India am not giving them regu they occur lar detail but just my

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER Burning Ghaut take

in Calcutta , so we went

,

It

look at it .

a

173

.

to

with

was enclosed

a

consume

body were

a

to

things necessary

all

oil ,

high wall , and immediately on the outside of this there were piles of wood and kindling materials . Clarified butter , pitch , and .

there for sale

of

in

some

suppose

others

left

entirely

,

relatives

I

,

by

,

,

.

and fire

,

few moments ,

stream

and

you could

the

vultures

,

their feast and you could trace the river for some distance by ,

on down

the

a

.

it

to in

it

out

hastening

In

he

.

into the river see

it

and then applied the face singeing over Then took up the body and flung

it all

set

on

,

away

went

which

to

,

straw

old thrown sheep He

dead

he

like

a

seven years ground

the

of

a

,

wisp

,

or

,

a

brought

a

laid her

on

his shoulder

a

.

in

ently about six over

cremation

poor man While we stood there with dear child little girl appar

alone

came

,

stages

different

with several attendants watching standing

,

,

of

,

in

centre

its

,

On passing within the gate we saw many body wood each with the

piles

SHOSHIE ,

174

of unclean birds rising above The man , the father probably ,

the little knot the waves

This

.

the ceremony that was necessary for

child like that

.

a

was

and departed

in a few minutes

all

turned

.

a

of

meri

Ghaut

is

great help said

to to

is

,

who builds

a

the steps are

fre

very

the

a

and

Ganges

is

the water

as

is

A

flight

good deed

.

perform

or a

,

the bathers

considered

Ghaut

a

and

he as

,

torious

in

bathing

these

.

steps leading down quent

Ghaut

a

build

great merit

one

to

work

to

.

of of

,

sheds

To build

the Ganges

or

view

of

,

in

is a

large Close beside this burning place open shed where the dying are placed

,

,

bamboos

,

litter made

of

a

,

,

at

Two three days after visiting the Burn ing Ghaut we were again Luckie's house through passing and on the court we saw fastened

together

to to

high fever

,

a

a

.

soon discovered

He was

in

but which

living man

we

at

,

,

,

a

corpse

a

be be

of

,

,

with ropes and immediately after we heard loud groans and cries and group men came out bearing what first appeared

BENARES AT GHAUT BATHING

A

.

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER moaning very much , and

appeared

175

.

to be

suffering great pain . He was placed upon the litter by men who seemed to be servants , and immediately one

of the women

,

who

found was his wife , rushed into the court upon

threw herself wildest cries removed

,

and

sheet over

the

I

and

the litter , uttering the lamentations . She was back into the inner part

and forced

of the dwelling .

,

Then , throwing a clean

litter , the bearers lifted it up

and carried it off .

When we reached Luckie's room , we asked her who it was , and what they were going to do with him ? She told us it was one of her brothers - in - law .

supposed

to be dying , and they were carrying him to the Ganges , to die there . “ I can read a little to you to -day , " she said ,

“

He

was

but none of the others will , and

I

fear

it will be some weeks before you can collect together all your class again ." The women in that house are very bright and intelligent

,

but it is really a great trial of

patience to teach them

.

There are over one

SHOSHIE ,

176

hundred and fifty people

living in the house , always there is almost

and , consequently some festival or poojah going on , and as they

all

all

,

in

or

the festivals

to

take part

she can never join

in

,

,

she has

,

,

is

of

widow though

the preparations

any

.

of in

being

a

be

.

in

,

less more are one family they are terested each one The only pupil we can always sure our dear Luckie because

that him

from the burning rays

over

is

It

?

an

is

of

the sun

the river and

it

three miles

,

to

to

told man

,

, “

to

to

,

”

“

,

But said Miss Gray when Luckie carry this poor her they were going they the Ganges will take him like with nothing but that sheet shelter

intensely

,

he

it is

!

,

English

did the burning

,

year

the

great many are this way when they

believe in

I

?

of

killed

every

not

it

does

a

Why

Government stop this the widows

“

.

,

lie

to

hours

there

as

many

.

dies

so

, ".

Oh wicked night and day till but the doctor thinks he will not live ”

Yes she answered

will have ;

he

“

hot day

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

if they only

might recover

177

.

staid at home

and

,

of.”

were taken care

Miss Gray answered , that she supposed the English Government were afraid to interfere too much with their religious rites and customs . Oh

“

are so many thou

! ” she said “ there

sands who would rejoice

in it .

Now , in all

only five who would keep up this terrible custom , the two oldest men and the three oldest women ; but they house , there

are

all

this

are just those who have power over

poor dying be

he

he all

the Ganges

the man

,

."

in

That himself begged and implored not the house

to

rest

taken he

,

,

an

,

,

.

“

",

.

all to

and for resisted with the little strength had left till enlightened and edu swooned He was cated Hindoo That old woman she said at

,

. ”

She

the rites

of

.

to

the Ganges

all

so

had

carried

neglected

he

said

he

upon his being

is

, "

,

a

of

a

to

pointing across the court the door room which very very aged woman sat moan ing and crying She insisted his mother his

12

,

be

,

religion while was well and the Government would not let his wife burnt with him and

SHOSHIE ,

178

thus expiate

his sins , and that therefore

the only possible hope there can be for him in the that he may die in view of the sacred stream . If he is not dead by to - morrow , next world ,

is

his mothers and uncles will go to the river and stay there with him

.

“ But ," said Miss Gray , " will his mother be permitted to go there , I thought none of

you women could leave the Zenanas

Luckie answered is a

:

“

When

?”

a woman ,

who

widow , becomes very old , she is permitted

to go out a little . Often likes on a pilgrimage,

she

goes where

she

frequently she purchases all the food for the family , but this is only when she becomes quite old . Generally and

not till she has seen her grandson's son . Then it is thought that going out cannot

harm her . We left the house soon , but , on our next visit , we made inquries about the dying man , and Luckie , who was very angry about it , re lated the whole proceedings . She had begged her son , Gopal , to go and witness monies

,

and he had told her all .

man had lingered

the

cere

The poor

three days before he died .

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

179

The family were professed worshippers of Sheve . ( The Hindoos are divided into several sects , who profess to be followers of distinct gods , but the principal ones are Shevites

and

Vishnuites , or followers of Sheve and Vishnu .) On the day we saw him , he had been taken down to the river

,

and placed on a charpoy , a

coarse kind of bedstead

,

with simply cords

across and no bed on it . This was placed under a shed , with the feet of the charpoy in it ,

the water

Now , finding he did not die on the

.

day , they brought the

second

Lignam , the

wor It was

black stone under which form Sheve is ,

shipped

,

and held it up before him .

then

placed

man

was

upon the ground

lifted

up , and

several times around

it .

,

and the sick

assisted to walk Then many brass

vessels , rice , & c . , were offered to the god , and ,

of course , given to the Brahmins . Some of them sat beside him , and recited portions from the Shasters the

,

and at night a feast was given to

Brahmins , here at the house , while

servant was left to watch him

.

a

The next day ,

his older brother went to him , with some

Brah

SHOSHIE ,

180

mins , and begged him to give some money to to the Brahmins to save his soul from the Hindoo hell . They told him he must have been a very wicked man , or he would have died

,

that it was because he was so wicked

him . He said he did not believe in Ganga , or the Brahmins , and he would not give them any money . His brother then told him that , by

that Ganga refused to receive

his death

,

guardian

he , the brother , would become the

of his

property

and

family , and

therefore the money should be given to help him in the other world , even against his own

will . The Brahmins then , who were present , urged him to call on the names of the gods Sheve

,

Vishnu , Khistra

,

.

Ram ,

& c . , which he would

So , for an hour at a time , they kept calling , or rather shouting their names in his ear . At night - fall, they took him off the char poy and immersed him in the river up to his breast , and kept him there for a long time not do .

then again

he was laid upon

the

charpoy ,

under the shed , with a servant and his young

. TAKEN ARE DYING THE WHERE GANGES THE OF BANKS

,

IRI

LOA

the river dying the man

,

of

it

to

seated

his breast

,

up

.

,

the river with the water

in

of

Sheve

He was again

the mud on his breast

of

,

of

.

Then the

the mud

over the breast with his finger writing the name in

for

.

food

some

now for

nourishment

drink

or

either

Gooroo took and spread

was almost gone

of

kind

up

any

181

The next morn

had received

-

two days

night

no

he

,

course he

,

ing

of

son to watch him

all

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

every few minutes some

at

the river and ,

the wet mud

of

vals

of of

full

of

in

Then and again laid back the charpoy the Gooroo stuffed his ears and his nostrils

inter

the muddy ,

.

by

all

.

,

at

water was poured down his throat This length ended the poor wretche's sufferings

,

permitted

a

Christian govern ment and surely they do not remember what require this thy hands will God says This was

, “

I

At

palky

who

began

to

,

over the mother ,

there

,

was

a

taken

in

been

all

soon

it

As had

as

.”

blood

on

,

great agony

.

in

if

as

ground

,

,

,

shriek and scream most wildly beating her tearing her hair and rolling breast the The young son

SHOSHIE ,

182

took up some water

,

and while the Gooroo

repeated some Mantras , he poured it upon his father's head .

He then anointed his father all

over with clarified butter

on

him

I

,

and put new clothes

.

should say , that before the man died , the

wood for his funeral pile had been brought and placed in his sight . Clarified butter and pitch were now poured upon this , and also upon a new piece of cloth in which the body was wrapt , and placed upon the pile . The son then lighted a bundle of straw , and , with the flame , touched the mouth and eyes of the pile

then set fire to in After the whole was burnt to ashes , some of the attendants brought deceased

;

the

was

several places at once .

Ganges water and washed the place , and then swept the water into the river .

All

who had

been present had to bathe and perform several ceremonies clean

,

in

order

to render

themselves

.

being a man of high caste , more ceremonies were performed than is usual

The deceased

with those of lower caste .

But the burning

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

183

of the body , and the ceremonies accompanying it , are considered piness .

hap

necessary for the future

After Luckie had related these things to Miss Gray , the latter took occasion to show her the different treatment which a sick and dying Christian receives from the hand of his friend, and of the simple funeral rites ; but she tried to show her more particularly that it was of little consequence

,

after the breath had left

the body , what was done with the poor casket

,

the soul , the never dying soul , was safe for eternal life . And she showed her how peace and happy the Christian mind

be , to do in

ful

if

should

where God will wipe

all

in

be

.

he

.

to

that last trying hour He had nothing Christ had done all He knew was going glorious place forever with the Lord that

tears from every eye

of

for him ages

in

,

impossible

plunged

for

accountable

may

be is

rites for which ,

be

to

funeral

it

,

of

,

—while the poor Hindoo like the Roman Catholic by the omission some even these

cling fast

to

She urged poor Luckie

to

.

terrible misery

the

SHOSHIE ,

184

cross of Christ , and to have no confidence

for

anything else

;

given

heaven

under

"

in

there is no other name whereby

we

may

be

saved .”

Afterwards , in talking to me about it , she told me how we should take lessons from these poor heathens , what trouble and expense will they not take to secure their future happiness , and not only their own , but the everlasting of others of their people , and how little trouble we , as Christians , take either for ourselves or others “ to make our calling and

happiness

election sure . "

And

me , how a so - called church

,

again she pointed out to Christian , but apostate

taught some heathenish ideas .

That

performed

unless certain rites were for the dying and the dead , those poor souls would suffer for the neglect of their friends , when they were powerless to help themselves .

Thus , making heaven entirely dependent upon human merit and works , not the free gift of God through Christ . How hard it does seem to be for the human

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER heart , untaught

.

18

;

by the Spirit of God , to realize

that “ God is love," and " that as a father pitieth his children , so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him . "

SHOSHIE

186

XIII

.

after Death . all

Bites , or Ceremonies

of so

,

Luckie

that

could

or

our

except

this

his house

,

none

pupils

, us .

of

,

poor man we were again and found another festival going

at

after the death

;

month

on

a

BOUT

11 .

.

.

lvi

10 ,

,

.

." -

А.

,

ignorant they are all “ His watchmen are blind : they are they are greedy dogs which can never have

dumb dogs Yea enough ISATAH

the

,

so

ridiculous

could not remember you

she

toli

the its

nor give them

and

as

I

,

trivial that

;

many

to

whole

,

and

so

There were

so

.

-

formed after death for the well being soul

per

of

rites

,

these

as

,

,

account

of

from her

an

,

us

on ,

to

Upon asking her what would attend they were perform was going she told ing the Shrad and little by little we drew

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

187

The Hindoos believe * that , after death , the a ghost , and it takes a sort of body ethereal about the size of a man's finger ,

soul becomes

and in this form

remains

for a time

,

in

the

charge of Zúmŭ , the judge of the dead .

If

Shrad is performed

the

properly , this

ghost , at the end of a year , assumes a large body , and is capable of enjoying happiness ; it then goes to the heaven where it is to be rewarded for its meritorious actions for a time

to earth

and then returns and

has to be done by some

assume

becomes

if

Bhuta who has variety different

called

a

power

to

,

most malignant fiend

and

a

ghostly condition

not performed

;

the poor ghost has to remain

a

is

it

,

other relative long time in ,

the

or

of

,

all , it

Shrad

the Shrad

,

the departed has no son to perform

at

this

If

its

birth .

in a new form ,

.

,

,

bad man and the to

their faith may seem contmdictory changed and modified according

another but their creed to their caste

is

One statement

of

*

If

the departed has been

a

.

in

,

in

tormenting man forms and who delights having kind revenge for been thus neglected

SHOSHIE ,

188

Shrad is rightly performed for him , he remains one year a ghost , then goes to the place of punishment , and afterwards returns again to the world . *

There is no fate these people dread so much as becoming wandering ghosts , and therefore their intense desire for a son .

The death

,

relations and

mourn

performed , and

for

days

ten

after

eleventh , the

on the

repeated

Shrad is on the same day

each month for a whole year . Each month small offerings are made , and a few Brahmins are invited

last

and ſeasted , but , on the first and

months

,

the

expense

is often

incurred

very great . After

portion of the

cremation , a small

ashes of the departed moistened

is retained

with milk and water

into something

resembling

,

and being

, is

moulded

the human

form

.

of

mon

it

if

,

well

as

for women

as

is

performed The Shrad with very few ceremonies

all

rich man not only

.

the

the

,

on

the relations the eleventh day ,

of

the Shrad

a

be

,

On the tenth day , departed bathe and

all

and this is called by the name of the deceased

,

but

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER all

relation who performs the Shrad sets

up

,

the learned and respectable place the are invited Then the ,

or

Hindoos

189

.

of

Brahmins , but son

.

,

a

,

,

of

big stone the figure the deceased and which they call Zămŭ and offers before them sugar

.,

& c

, '

,

offerings

come and eat these

.

to

are allowed

,

of

,

,

a

Brahmins utter

or

,

sweetmeats

,

and all the low wailing lamentation and then the crows the demons who they think have assumed the shape the crows rice

of

to

.

way

,

horses

,

,

of

.

,

feast and the made

Five Brahmins come forward .

one male and four female calves

in

male calf which ,

a

of

cloth

money a

piles

is

of

to

.

on

or

,

cows

piles

The whole concludes with offering

a

,

or

often consists

elephants

Mantra

These each one flower go offerings all the Brahmins

,

and

and then repcats

a

and

places

of

.

from the Ganges

the

holy water

The Gooroo sprinkles

deceased

presents

the name

in

and presented

son

,

the

of

.

,

to

a

of

Then the Brahmins repeat number Man tras the gods burning insense some them Then the offerings are brought out by

this

leading

They are

SHOSHIIE ,

190

all tied to a post , while the Gooroo reads some portion of the Shasters , or Holy Books , to drive away evil spirits . Each female calf has a basket round her neck , into which is put some money , a comb , and several house hold utensils

.

The male calf has his horns covered with gold , and his hoofs with silver

;

and , with a red

hot iron , the trident , or mark of Sheve , is branded on his hip . The female calves are then

given

to the Brahmins , and the male

calf is allowed to go where he will . post to which he has been tied

of

, a

In the

rude figure

bull is carved , which is afterwards set up in some public road where it remains till it a

At

the close of the feast , if the are given to

the

This anniversary

be

.

person be rich , presents guests

all

decays away .

must

commemorated

,

1,200,000 rupees

his brother's

,

of

expended

Warren Hastings Shrad

.

have

at

600,000 dollars

to , in

A or is

the employ

Baboo said

.

,

for several years but each year with less cost

We could not help thinking how the Church

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER of Rome ,

as

degenerate

,

customs

she becomes has imitated

of the heathen

she came in contact

.

more

.

and

191

more

adopted

and nations

the

with which

These customs of the

poor Hindoo in offering incense

,

and sacrifices ,

and paying the priests to repeat Mantras for the benefit of the dead , to release them from their hell or purgatory , have been closely followed

by the Romish priesthood

ceremonies of the mass . a modified heathenism .

,

in

the

Romanism is simply

How can we enough thank God for having given

to us the light of the glorious gospel

and thus saving

us

from

such degradation

, ?

Life and immortality has been brought to light through Christ the Saviour . We have no need of any more offering for sin .

SHOSHIE

192

,

XIV .

exceedingly super

.

.

in in

TThey hey believe believe

evil

THE people Tobitious stitious people

:

,

are

20 .

THE Hindoos

which are these

19 ,

V.

the

flesh are manifest

GAL

an

,

“ Now works Idolatry witchcraft

.

.” — of

the

Witchcraft.

evil

,

,

ghosts

poor

old women

elsewhere

,

Here

as

.

c .,

&

.

c .

&

,

,

great variety

of

a

and

,

or

witchcraft judicial astrology imaginary beings They unlucky days have their their evil omens They have male and female witches spirits

are generally

these last

is

,

beside them

she can unseen blood out of their bodies

she sits down

draw all their

a

our houses we found ,

one

of

,

One day

at

.

,

,

,

,

so ,

.

If

look make another crazed ,

a

a

if

to

.

,

very their power much dreaded The people are taught that witch should chose do she could by and

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

193

number of the women collected together in a great state of excitement . One of the young boys of the house had been acting in a very strange

, wild and unaccountable manner , and they believed he was bewitched . He had been looking out on the field near the house

evening

previous

the

,

and , suddenly

there

,

is

.

,

number

it

a

In in

which they summon few minutes

others

,

a

by

This

about

she

who began

,

in

magic circle occasionally stop gesticulate towards the house The .

to

to

ping

.

their craft

was joined dance

shaking

the way

of

to

of

others

be

dishevelled

supposed

a

hair

all

appeared before him , an old woman with her

,

be

to

,

family declared the boy was bewitched and had sent for the Gooroo come and repeat some incantations that the boy might re

Bhutas

and

,

to

more ancestors ,

who have become demons

or or

.

lieved from her power Every family has had one

they say prayers and offer sacrifices prevailing upon Not only with the hope them the family evil but induce the evil that Bhutas 13

to

,

no

do

avert

of

them

to to

of

.

them

other

SHOSHIE

194

,

families , or that their other enemies might

in

flict upon them . In some places a hideous figure , or shapeless is set up , and worshipped as a Bhuta . These demons are said to like blood , and sacri

stone

,

fices of animals are offered to them times

In

,

;

at other

rice or fruit tinged with blood .

the court

of many of the houses may be

seen a small Tulsee tree , and under this an

ugly little image or stone , to which , daily , a few grains of rice , fruit or flowers are presented

.

This is the Bhuta . Some of the stories told with regard to them , are most ridiculously These absurd , but are fully believed in . are distinct from the religion of people , the and yet interwoven with it . Some

superstitions

of these we have heard at different times in the

Zenanas

,

and some from

the

Christian

Baboos who had learnt their folly . With a great many of the Christians , there is still a lurking belief in these superstitions . But we need not wonder at this , for , in reading of other lands , we find that many silly and child ish superstitions still cling to people who

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . have called turies

195

Christians for

themselves

cen

.

Among the evil beings

who

peace of this ignorant people

the

disturb

Jogi ,

is the

or anchorite a holy man , who , by long prayers , penances & c . , has obtained power , not only over evil spirits , but over the gods ;

who are bound to obey his man

;

.

in

very stupid of

.

of

is

A

is

he

their slave

do by

him

he

various animals

vanquished

to

keep

as

,

who takes the form

Sometimes

flesh

men who are keen and sharp Gin another kind evil

and sometimes spirit

is

,

catches men and eats them but

outwit him

Gigantic

human he

of

feed

Ogre

on

is

loves

a

,

form

sort

to

Rakshas

who their bid

men

,

,

no matter whether good or he

A

dates

,

ill .

themselves

or

ding

spirits are the source

the

the murderer

.

the other world

power

of

tales

of

Superstitious

of

afterwards sorely punished

is

,

though in

time

,

has power for

a

,

,

One who has been murdered who has committed suicide becomes an evil spirit and

these

really great suffering

SHOSHIE ,

to these poor , ignorant women immured in their prison - houses .

an

Upon inquiring into the that

evil spirit

had

.

It

the neighborhood

It black cat the vicinity for some had rushed into the few minutes

.

,

time and that morning court of their house for

.

in a

great

it

had been going about

the greatest

with terror visibly de

a

.

in

,

in

the form

us .

,

excitement

their faces trouble they told recently appeared came

the women

of in

picted

of

state

into one of the

we went

all

houses we found ,

in

day when

One

so closely

It

196

was

a

in

.

,

it

and

if

,

a

should fix its eyes on some jump upon her woman and then few days she would be sure to die demon

he

.

or

two

child

It

wooden box

a

a

was having his

three

changed

con could

days

.

a

few weeks ago

)

, “

and found

taining the dead body only have been dead While was looking

of

,up

(

gentleman

a

? ”

a

",

“

English

Sahib grounds dug

what makes you

, "

",

“

But said Miss Gray think that cat demon they Oh answered

,

a

it , it

at

into big black cat and ran away and since then

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

197

cat has been going about and jumping

this

upon people and killing them it is a demon . "

Miss Gray

tried to reason

.

We are sure

with them , but

without avail , when one of our pupils , named Mookee, said : “ We know such things are true . Before the English people came here , a min

be just as wicked

could

nobody was

a

punish

could Brahmin

,

but

as

My

he

Brah chose

;

grandfather

him . he was a very wicked

man . He , one day , offended a Jogi , who told him he should soon lose all his money .

My grandfather

determined to save his money

,

so he took a great deal of it and all the jewels he could gather in

a

in the house , and put them

box , intending to bury them in the He wanted a demon to guard .

ground

the

, and after he had dug up the earth and got everything ready , he went very softly , at night , into the hut of a poor woman who lived near by, and took up her little boy

them

in he

He then put his box boy while

the little

it

,

him

laid

on

carried hole

off .

of two years old who was fast asleep , and the

was

SHOSHIE ,

198

still asleep , covered the whole with earth , and went home , leaving the little boy there to die , buried however

,

manding

alive

Before

.

he left

the

spot

,

he repeated

some Mantras com boy , when he became an evil this

spirit, to watch over and guard his treasures His treasures however for the poor mother who ,

,

.

were not guarded

,

he thought , was

,

asleep , had seen him enter her hut and take She dare not speak or resist

her child .

,

be

cause he was a rich and she a poor Coolie . But she got up very quietly and followed him . She saw what he did with

Brahmin ,

her child , and as soon

as

he was gone

,

she

fell down on her hands and knees and wildly ,

tore away the earth from her child , in time to

,

the country where

he

part

,

,

of to

utter consternation the box jewels was given the poor and she and her child were sent into

and

of

a

woman

and

to

money

true

,

,

the Brahmin's

for the

into the

He examined

case found her statement

be

magistrate

instantly

,

nearest

.

likewise , and started

off ,

She took him up , and the bag

to

save his life .

would never

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER be likely to hear of them

,

.

199

and he was put in

jail for two years . This story of the cat was talked of everywhere . One day , when Miss Gray was combating these superstitious

notions , one of the servant women who had been standing listening at the door , burst out : “ It is true , it is true !" “ What is true ?" asked Miss Gray . ,

“Why

,

they do become evil spirits

.

My

man they hated very much , and yet they could think of no way to punish him , so , at last , my uncle persuaded my aunt to kill herself by taking uncle

and aunt

poison

,

had an enemy

, a

so that she might become

an

evil

spirit to torment him , which she did , and ever after she died , she tormented

antly that he never

It

is true

him so incess

had a happy

moment

,

!"

From another source I obtained this story . There was once a great rajah , or king , who was as handsome

as he was brave .

His

palace was on the side of the city nearest to the jungle , and one night he was awakened by the most dreadful howls and shrieks ,

SHOSHIE ,

200

been

made

by

.

with him Rakshas

.

The noise had

go

frightened

much

a

too

to

all

coming from that direction . He jumped up , took his sword , and though his attendants tried to prevent him , he went to the jungle They were to see what was the matter .

to to

,

a

,

,

on a

very wicked man hanged There had been very high gallows and the day before the Rakshas had been trying reach him devour his with his long claws wishing but the corpse was just too high for him was howling

he

reach

and

,

to

,

flesh

with disap

.

pointment

reached

the

place

no

,

rajah

the

to in a be

When

very old filthy sarree with hair woman dressed rolling dishevelled was the ground wringing her hand and uttering loud screams and lamentations under the gallows where a

but

.

(

of he

was

,

my son my only son ,

that

is

“

),

an

had transformed

old woman

what

Alas said the Rakshas himself into the likeness !"

.

the matter

"

The rajah asked the old woman

the wind for

the corpse was swinging about

in

,

,

on

,

,

seen

,

all

,

Rakshas was

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

,

201

He is gallows. dead ! He is dead ! I have been trying to reach the rope to cut his body down , but I that hangs

there

on

the

cannot do it . ” “

Poor old

rajah ,

woman , " said the kind -hearted

my shoulders

get upon

“

and

,

then

you will be tall enough to reach your son So

Rakshas got up on

the

shoulders

After standing there some time , thought the old woman was a

.

rajah

the

the

.”

rajah's

its

long time in cutting the rope round the dead man's neck , and looking up , suddenly , he saw

ground

a

,

it

and the giant fell

Seating himself astride

Horri to

;

the dead man

.

of

the flesh

started back

.

,

fied

he

portions

of

on

a

being that instead of feeble old woman who was standing his back was Rakshas that was tearing down and eating

the the giant's

,

to to

throat the rajah pulled out his sword cut off begged spare The Rakshas him his life and return would tell him how moment

,

a

in

strike giant told him this tale

The rajah held

his

he

.

his

own

:

sword ready

,

in

,

might save to

he

,

.

his head

while the

SHOSHIE ,

202

Know

,

oh king

that when two or more

!

persons are born at the same time and in the , their fates will be sure way intermingled . Now , at to be in some the time you were born , in the same division of the ecliptic , the son of an oilman , and of

same luna mansions

holy Jogi were also born

in

he

,

has determined to

done

.

be ,

is

act

of a

an

a

the whole

what

I

up

of

by

of

,

hearken

dead

thyself and king and

such to

rajah

heard

say

.

. ,

and

offer

will become king

,

Now

Kali

,

he

to

He desires

.

.

world

is

now plotting the ruin

son

devotion

determined gods have

dead thy brother

to

he is

.

king's

The

to

but thy father

;

on

thee

Thy father

is

and

he

him

,

offended

thy son

incur his dis

asked the rajah

Thou hast done nothing

him

her

,

all and

I

"

?

· “

sacrifice

sacrifice

revenged

and

can thus wafting

human

But what have

pleasure

has

to

the oilman

offer thee

last

the goddess of de

."

of

son

This

.

He has already killed the he

scent adores

.

sweet

whom

of

He kills

he

the

,

to

himself to Kali

devoted

struction .

,

a

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

203

Distrust those who dwell among the dead , and remember it is lawful and right to strike off his head who would slay thee .” With that the giant gave a sudden bound that loosed the Rajah off his throat , and He , thinking over what he had slowly heard went back to his palace .

disappeared

.

,

Some

months

had

come

and

gone

,

and

daily had the rajah been in the habit of giving alms to devotees , and granting their requests before

.

On a certain

him , and

after

day , one appeared the rajah had given and presented

him an alms , he returned

the

ruby , of untold value . delighted The rajah was so that he immediately offered the Jogi whatever he should desire . The devotee instantly answered rajah

with

a

magnificent

that he wished the rajah to spend one night with him . He was about to perform some magical rites at the Smashana , a place where bodies

are burned , and

to make his spells

that the King should be with him and do his bidding . He might come armed , but alone . The rajah successful , it was

necessary

SHOSHIE ,

204

the warning the

now called to remembrance given

Rakshas had

him

but he was a brave

,

man , and he determined to keep his promise . It was a dark and dreary night when the rajah

set forth

space

on

.

the

As

he came near the open river - bank , where the dead

bodies were usually burnt

,

for a

he hesitated

moment to tread in this vile place , trampling ,

,

up

,

Jogi

holy ,

streamed long tangled

From his head locks like horse hair

.

the

countenance

,

saw

his hideous .

he

whose flames

At

to one of the burning pyres

lit

length , close

of bones .

the remnants

as he must , on

.

,

a

of

of

His black body was striped with lines chalk and girdle human bones was round his waist His face was smeared with ashes

human skull with two

shank

“

playing upon >>

."

bones

a

.

,

a

from funeral pile and the red line across his forehead was made with blood He was

took him into the temple

all of

,

Kali

he .

rajah

the

,

kill

of

determined

to

,

Then

,

he ,

,

The Jogi gave the king many orders being very brave readily performed which

and told

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER him to make

.

to the goddess , rajah was kneeling

obeisance

tending , when

the

205

in in

front of the image , to strike off his head .. The king , however , was on the watch , and he said to him . “ Oh ! holy Jogi , I am an ignorant king ,

I

do not understand

the way

of worship . Thou art my spiritual guide , be pleased to teach me . Show me the way to worship and to perform obeisance aright , and

I will' obey

you .

So the Jogi knelt in front

of the image , and bowed down his head till his forehead touched the ground , and when he was in that posture the king struck off his his

head , and

thus

obtained

offering him as a sacrifice to

the

Kali .

merit

of

206

SHOSHIE ,

XV . The Goddess ,

Kali .

is

at

a

of the

This that This

the verandah .

the men's court

of

with

adorned

of

in

,

used them

separated from the rest

a

is of

and

the verandah

of

of

is

end

sort

.

shrine for the gods different festivals held honor

runs round the inside

is

14 .

X.

.

appointed

always the upper end

,

his

place

is con

falsehood

the wealthy Baboos as

is a

most

or

temple

of

N

the houses

there

." -

in

,

graven image for molten image breath these JER

of

is

nothe

“ Man is brutish in his knowledge : every founder founded by and there

number

arches and

merely

standing upon

wooden

manikins

may

call

,

we

the

ground

,

lying

we

on

house

skeleton

teach

as

went

it .

and another

god's

we

,

,

in

sort

of

,

this

a

it ,

saw

when

,

day

One

to

.

pillars

These were

the

foundations

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER . upon which the figures

A

were

207

be formed

to

.

few days afterwards , we saw a man cover

ing these figures with

a plaster

made of the

mud taken from the bed of the Ganges

mixed together .

lime

On

going

into

,

and the

women's apartments , we asked one of them , whose name was Pooshpie , what the figure was . " “

the

Oh ,” she said , “ in a few days

Kali

image of “

see , “

Poojah , and

they

are

it will be

making

the

Kali .” “from what I can if it would be very ugly . " very ugly ,” said Pooshpie , with a

But , ” said Miss Gray ,

it looks to

Kali

is

me as

is the goddess

of vengeance , ugly and she must be . I can never see her figure , or hear her name mentioned , without shudder

;

" she

of horror coming over me again , had when I first saw her . was a little

the feeling

that

I

I

thing four or five years of age , and my father and mother had taken me with them on a pilgrimage . On the edge of a jungle there was a little temple to Kali . It was a small

building with two compartments vestibule

,

and the inner room

,

,

the outer

in which stood

SHOSHIE

208

the

image

,

There are never any windows , the light was dim and gloomy .

.

consequently

looked

We passed over the threshold and into the dismal

inner depths

.

There stood

the hideous goddess , Kali ; she was a gigantic figure , of a dark blue color ; her tongue was hanging out of her mouth chest

had a wide

; she

,

,

and reached to her

yawning mouth

;

her

eyes were red and bloodshot like those

of a

her eyebrows also were red .

Her

drunkard

thick , like tunic

;

course , black hair hung down her back

a mantle , to her heels .

made

of elephant's

She had a short

skin ,

dried

and

it was fastened round the waist by a

wrinkled ; girdle of giant's hands , those whom she had slain in wars . She had two dead bodies pasted

over her enormous ears for earrings , and her necklace was of human skulls . She held in one hand

a

bleeding head , or what

looked

like one , and in the other three , she had . She stood with one foot

knives and swords

on the breast of her husband

,

Sheve

,

and the in

all

other foot was on his leg ; before her were a number of dishes , cups , jugs , & c . , used

blood

209

.

Oh clung

!

smelling

.

but

,

of

her service

all

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

,

I

or

,

”

as

.

? ”

“

is

to

And that image below going ugly said Miss Gray

be

.

could never forget

it

,

,

to

,

I

how shrieked and screamed and my mother when this spectacle met my waking eyes and for months sleeping

as

as

,

no

”

it .

to

“

,

no

it ,

be

It

, “

be

they will like only can make there will dead bodies look like and real blood only paint But will you let your little ones see that She answered

,

to

I

I

to !

."

over

,

Miss Gray and said ,

Kali why

she

14

Yes

I

,

answered

, “

? ”

of

of

to

“

is

represented

present

women

the elder women

thus

fear her

:

number

Can you tell me the story

The woman

suppose

offend her

and after the lessons were one

her sighed

we shall then always

,

as

best for

us

!

yes

of

There were turned

you

.

anything a

do

dread

to

,

when we are young

Yes

to

is

They say

it

,

.

and said

: “

She clasped her child tightly

heavily must

as

and asked Miss Gray ,

? "

frightened

as

be

horrid thing were

will tell

210

SHOSHIE ,

form order

is

.

kill two

performed great religious years

to

listen They asked for immortality

.

austerities

grant had

this

not

and

their

Sheve

said that

been sufficient

give them this

to to

their

wish

,

.

did not

by

that Sheve was obliged

come down from heaven

demands

and obtained

to

much merit

to

to

for

,

so

austerities

10,000

,

These two giants them

:

.

great giants

*

,

“

I

,

Yes know Kali Doorgha and she took this form

to of

She began

only another in

the time she was speaking

.

She put in her mouth a large quid of pawn , or betel root , and was twisting it about

all

you . "

.

,

to

force him He proposed them many other things but they would take

which they had demanded As this was denied they again through penances for 1,000 went series nothing but

a

of

.

,

the one boon

after which they renewed their request The giants now and were again denied suspended themselves with their heads down over

slow fire

till

the blood flowed ,

,

.

,

*

See for this account the Markundiyů Pooranuis one the Hindoo sacred books

of

,

wards

a

.

,

,

years

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER from

their

years

heads .

they did

This

.

211

for

800

.

The gods all now began to be fearful, lest ,

what was best

be

done

.

consulted

to

and

,

all

by performing such very holy penances , the giants should be able to supplant them on their thrones . The king of the gods now called a council , and told the others what he very much frightened feared . They were

Cupid

,

should

wound

the

with

or

,

Kundūrė

giants

his

.

arrows

giants

the

,

appeared

first

the moment when they

at

and that

to

them

,

to

be

,

at

,

of

length advised Indra the king the gods that two very beautiful women should sent

all

,

in

.

This was good advice The giants both fell desperately love and for 5,000 years they forgot about their desires for immor tality

by

,

,

.

,

Then one day having quarrelled the women told them how they had been sent

,

their austerities

and

and

began

devotions

,

away

,

sent the women

to

.

to

on

,

purpose prevent them from gain Indra ing heaven The giants were very angry and renew

cutting the

SHOSHIE ,

212

flesh off their bones in little pieces and making burnt offerings of it to Sheve . This they con tinued to do for another 1,000 years , till Sheve was forced to grant them his blessing , to the effect, “ That in riches and strength they should excel the gods

.

Being thus , in some respects , superior to the gods , they soon began to make war upon After various successes on both sides , the giants at length were everywhere victori ous , and Indra and all other inferior deities them

.

being reduced

to great deifies , besought the aid of Bramha and Vishnu , who would not trouble themselves about it , but told the suppliants to go to Sheve

.

He also told them , but on being

he could do nothing for them reminded

that it was he who had given the

blessing to the giants by which they , the gods , had been ruined , he told them to perform religious austerities to Doorgha

.

They did so ,

and she at length gave them her blessing promised to help them .

,

and

She disguised herself as a beautiful woman and wandered about Mount Himmalaya .

,

She

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER .

213

that the giants felt they might well give up the glorious things they plundering had obtained the gods obtain giants

the

whose

name

was

Shooltram sent the disguised goddess tell her that he had all the riches ;

that

presented

to all

be

that used

the the

these included all but the three

,

,

inferior gods

his palaces

to

offerings

in

the three worlds (

of

to

,

a

messenger

to

.

One

,

her

of

in

to

all

was so beautiful

that

first conquer

must

he

.

was very kind the person she

,

that

her

war

,

married

resolved

in

she had

,

The goddess replied but

)

,

to

,

,

Sheve Vishnu and their three wives him were now offered Bahama

and

,

favorable answer

,

still begged for

a

he

to

to

.

destroy her pride The messenger did not like return his master unsuccessful and

promis all

the inhabitants

She answered that all

of , ,

or

,

resisting him

?

,

evil spirits men How then could she he

think

stand

of

femalc

,

a

had been able

to

,

the three worlds

gods

of

Before him none

.

was

?

.

to

do

ing that his master would engage she wished Did she know who his master

said might be very

SHOSHIE ,

214

true , but she had taken her resolution , and so

if his

master wanted her , he had better come

and try his strength with her .

On hearing

this , Shooltram was filled with

rage , and ordered the general of his army to go to Himmalaya and seize a certain goddess , and bring her to him

, and to destroy any one oppose him . The general went

who should to the Himmalaya Mountains , found the dess , and delivered

his message

orders for her seizure

.

,

god

his master's

She smiled and invited

him to do it .

But when he approached her , she set up a dreadful yell , as Hindoo warriors always do when about to engage in conflict, the general was instantly reduced to

and

Then she destroyed the whole of the giant's army except two , whom she allowed to escape to tell the tidings . The two giants ashes .

now combined

,

and sent each a large army ,

under the command of two generals and Mundů .

,

Chundă

When they came up the mountains , they saw a beautiful woman sitting on an ass , laughing , but as soon

as she

saw them

,

she

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

.

215

became full of rage , and as the soldiers

ap

proached

put out her

she would

,

hand and

draw them to her , and devour them as though . In this way she ate She then seized Mŭndŭ by his hair

they were little berries up fifty .

it over

and cut off his head , and held

her

mouth and drank the blood .

Chundŭ , on seeing the destruction comrade

,

of his

rushed at her , but the ass , on which

she was sitting , suddenly and on this she sprang

turned

upon

into

a

lion ,

the unfortunate

destroying him and his army as she had Mundŭ's , eating some , and drinking the blood of others . At length the two giants general

,

came , with a whole army com posed of giants , and she destroyed these too themselves

requested

the gods

,

appearance

from

that

",

she had changed the

beautiful

the giants

,

One

of

worshipped

.

which Kali

,

Doorgha into the hideous form under is

,

goddess

.

had said nothing about

.

that “ They strength but they the goddesses To

frighten the giants however her

most of them ,

of

might excel

had

devouring

in

all

giants

The

,

,

with fearful carnage

.,

SHOSTIE

216

whom she conquered

,

heads ,

had a thousand

,

and as fast as she cut off one another would spring

up .

ground

,

a

If

a

of blood fell to the

drop

Kali

warrior arose from it .

then

called another goddess to help her , and while was chopping off the heads , the other opened her mouth and caught the blood .

,

to

,

he

for the

threw himself

Brunha

her feet

.”

pers

her

and was

?

the gaze

her

is

it

,

,

a

represented

feet

still and threw out great length and thus

she stood to

she

is

her tongue

to

ashamed that

so

and saw Sheve under

stopped

She ,

your husband

of

trampling

on

?

!

, “

called out her Oh goddess you doing you what are Do not see you are to

immediately

,

. ,

amongst the dead bodies

length

in

to

At

gods

despaired

passion

calm her

at

of

the other

with

filled

he

He said

Sheve

that she was mad with joy presence

at

all the gods

doing anything

of

she shook

.

,

alarm applied

that

her victory the earth

overjoyed

till

.

,

centre

to

its

so

was then she danced

destroyed

,

Kali that

so

Thus the giants were at last

.

all

she

worship

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER

217

When the old woman had finished her story , “ And are no sacrifices Miss Gray asked : offered to

Kali

?"

She answered : " Yes ; formerly human sac sifices were offered to her . The Thugs were her devoted followers , but the English people

will not allow that

Kids

and goats are continually offered to her , at her temple . She is pleased if any one will let his own blood flow in her honor

or cut off

a

piece of his own seal burn his

a lamp , or a hot

flesh , or with

own body

,

now .

.

I

suppose , that this city Calcutta is most sacred to the goddess , and is named "

You know

,

You English

after her .

corrupt

the pronoun ciation and call it Calcutta but the real name ,

is

Kali Ghată . " “

Oh !" continued

the old woman

,

sighing ,

we have none of the splendid times we used husband

has told me that

former times he has seen as many as a

together

and

he

by

all

,

people

has known

at

the offerings a

Brahmins sitting temple, maintained sand

thousand

in

thou Kali's the

goats

,

My

of

to have .

SHOSHIE ,

218

and a thousand

He knew

rich Baboo to give

a

in one day .

sheep sacrificed

100,000 rupees

at one festival.

The Europeans themselves used to believe Many of them had native in our goddess . they wives , and used to send rich presents '

,

gone

”

old days

Kali ,

but

I

fear those days

and grumbling about the good .

,

the old woman left the room explained

,

”

it

of

of

poor women

blood ,

of

and told them

sin

you

The Blood these was that the how impossible goats could take away bulls and “

,

may say from

,

,

Then Miss Gray taking her text

that precious

Lamb

,

are

to

to as

all

and offerings

,

-h

oly

against

lift his hand with That no penances

or

.

All

,

could

success

the one great

bodily austerity could draw down His heart and life but only holiness

.

of

of

and

,

blessing

sinner

of

whom

any hope acts

,

-

All no

,

God

She told them

powerful

up

.

whole world

of

whose blood has been shed for the sins of the

,

iniquity had tried utterly

but how Jesus

had

come

to to

;

inan

of

,

She told them how the devil that monstrous giant

destroy

destroy

THE

HINDOO

ZENANA TEACHER

.

219

the works of the devil , and to give to us those possessions in our Father's home in heaven , which Satan has tried to deprive us of forever . them to

And she told them how she wanted think of that dear Saviour the blood of His

not covered with

,

foes , but as having

shed for

us His own most precious blood to restore to She told them us that which we have lost .

to think of a God of love vengeance

.

,

not of a God of

SHOSHIE ,

220

XVI

.

Conclusion

WE E

teach our pupils

and to work .

.

to read , to write

,

In fact , we try to give

them what would be called a good

common

We try to civilize them . But our one main object , which we endeavor to keep always in view , and for which all other teaching is given , is to bring them “ to the school

education

.

knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus .” Many of them are beginning to see dimly , like the man in the gospel . As yet they only “ see men as trees walking ," but we do trust that ere long they may be able to say ,

thing

I know , that

whereas

I

“

One

was blind , now

I

see ."

We do feel that the leaven we are putting into the meal

is

gradually

spreading

and

THE HINDOO ZENANA TEACHER spreading

;

221

.

and we know , and are assured that

our labor is not in vain in the Lord

.”

But my object has not been to tell you of our labor

,

or its results

,

but to show you the

fearful needs of the people amongst whom we labor , the terrible degradation

" of our brethren according to the flesh ”—those for whom Christ died ; to show you how fearfully low human nature is sunk where the word of God is un

known , and to urge the Church of Christ to more

more earnest

,

salvation

Who

.

“

!

who

for

effort

faithful

their

will come up to the

help of the Lord against the mighty

?"

Sometimes we feel tempted to despair when we think of the little handful of workers ing against

the

millions who

are

fight

so sunk in

degradation , and we are led , with the Apostles

of old , to

What is that amongst so But He who by His blessing when ?" on earth made a small portion to increase so wonderfully, is the “ same God , yesterday , to say ,

“

many

"

of .

inquired

bidding you farewell

,

now

be

these things will in

For And

Nevertheless , He has said , I

and forever . "

,

“

,

all

day

let me

SHOSHIE .

222

earnestly entreat this little book prayed

,

that each one who has read even if he or she has never

before , would

petition from the heart “

Oh

!

something

put

now

Father in heaven ,

up this one

:

however small

to hasten on that glorious

help

me

to

do

my power may be time

,

When

the

of the Lord shall cover the earth Amen and do the sea .' ' as the waters Amcu . knowledge

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1.50 charming story the well known author Lucy Ellen Guernsey This story Monmouth'srebellion the reign Charles and his unfortu natebro her. The object show thateven that dark period England's history therewere found shining instances devoutpiety and virtue