The Island of Shashtee, commonly called Salsette.--Gharipoore, "the
Town of Purification," or the Island and Caves of Elephanta.
Early one morning, after almost a week's preparation for the trip, we
found ourselves in a large roomy bunder-boat flying before the wind
straight for the beautiful island of Salsette, which lies to the north
and is united to the smaller island of Bombay by a causeway erected
during the administration of Governor Duncan, chiefly to enable the
natives of the larger islands to bring their produce to the Bombay
markets.
Presently we entered upon a wonderful river, flowing through the land
out of the sea and dividing this island from the continent, at the very
mouth of which are the bleak, barren island and mountains of Trombay,
the latter rising up nine hundred feet high. We passed along reefs of
gold, now over wide swamps, our boat riding above and crushing down the
tall waving grass, and anon we would suddenly shoot almost within touch
of dark hollow caverns, and looking up see the high beetling cliffs
piled one above the other, surmounted by the ruins of some of old
Portuguese or Mahratta forts or castles, covered with wild flowers and
huge creeping plants. The scenes along the banks of this river are wild
and romantic enough to satisfy the most enthusiastic lover of nature. We
cast anchor at length at Tannah, having reached "a land all sun and
blossom, trees as high as heaven, amid every bird that sings."
Tannah, the chief town of the island of Salsette, was taken by the
troops of the East India Company in the year 1774, and by a treaty then
entered into the Mahratta king, Raghu Nauth, ceded in perpetuity to the
company Bassein with its dependencies, the island of Salsette, the
entire districts of Jainbhosir and other valuable provinces adjoining it
in Guzerat. It is chiefly inhabited by Roman Catholic Christians, the
majority of whom are converts from Hindooism. The interior of the island
is inhabited by a peculiar tribe of peasants who are to this day in a
condition as wild as the Bheels and Konds of Guzerat and Central India.
These peasants are burners of charcoal; they dwell together among the
hills, but apart from all other tribes, and have neither intercourse nor
any social bond with the Hindoos of the plain. At stated times they
bring down their loads of charcoal in rude carts drawn by buffaloes to
particular spots, whence it is carried away by the Hindoo or Portuguese
buyer, who, according to a settled custom among them, deposits in its
place rice, clothing, and iron tools. This excessive shyness is said to
be owing to the contempt in which the natives, as outcasts, are held by
their Hindoo neighbors.
We were met on our landing by a very polite and obliging native
Portuguese, the elder brother of my husband's tailor Tom, in whose
company we walked about the town and at whose house we stayed during our
visit.
Tannah, the chief town of the island of Salsette, takes its name from
the beautiful river which flows at its base, and which was anciently
called _Tainnah-Dèo_, "the Limb of God." It runs deep and narrow in
front of the town. It is a place of great antiquity, probably dating
back to the days of Vicrâmaditya, of whose universal and beneficent
rule, 57 B. C., tradition is yet eloquent throughout India. The ruins
here are few and not very interesting. There are some massive walls of a
great square building that was once a Mahratta citadel, and some
ponderous old arches that have fallen and are now covered with beautiful
wild creepers; also a Hindoo temple, a vast, shapeless mass of
architecture, but almost animate with the innumerable gods and goddesses
that grin and smirk at one from every cornice and entablature of the
building. There is here a small but perfect little fortress, from which,
during the last Mahratta war, the famous Trimbukjee escaped, occupied by
a small European garrison. The government prison is also well worth
visiting. We were surprised to see the manner in which the prisoners of
all ranks, creeds, and nationalities worked together within these walls.
Most of the prisoners, however, were of the Takhor race. They were
busily employed in the manufacture of very valuable striped cotton
stuffs much prized by the natives for scarfs, cumberbunds, and
waist-cloths.
[Illustration: CAVES OF ELEPHANTA.]
The cavern temples that are found in this island are the chief objects
of interest.
On the morning following our arrival, furnished with two guides and
accompanied by our pundit, we started off to visit some of these
remarkable excavations in the mountains that stretch across the middle
of this island. At first, the road, though very narrow and rugged, lies
through a most beautiful valley formed by hills of moderate height,
covered with forests to their summits, with here and there patches of
bare rock, while the ravines and the valley itself were planted with
groves of mangoes and several varieties of the palm. For some time we
saw but few traces of inhabitants; we passed during a ride of more than
eight miles but one small village, a collection of most
miserable-looking huts, a few half-starved looking children, and a troop
of pariah dogs, who rushed out to bark at us.
At another small village, named Viarè, we came upon what seemed a
jungle, open in some parts and in others densely thick, abounding in
hyenas, tigers, panthers, and the wild-boar; passing through this with
anything but pleasurable feelings, we reached Toolsey, named after a
famous Hindoo goddess who, like the Greek Clytie, loved some Hindoo god,
and was by him, out of pity for her unrequited passion, transformed into
the beautiful toolsey-plant, whence her name. This is a lovely spot,
encircled with hills, the highest of which is Khennari, its face
perforated with no less than one hundred cavern temples. Under a fine
banyan tree which stands in an open plain we passed the night. In
northern latitudes one can form no idea of the peculiar beauty of the
night with a bright moon shining overhead.
Almost at dawn next morning we set off for the temples. The ascent to
the Khennari Hills is somewhat steep and difficult, but after a hard
climb we gained a platform, and was confronted by a stone porch leading
into an arched cavern temple of great majesty and beauty. These cavern
temples are scattered over both sides of a high rocky hill at many
different elevations, consisting of no less than six stories or tiers of
caverns, of various sizes and forms, all excavated out of the rocky
surface of the mountain and connected with each other by narrow stone
steps cut in the rock. The façades and great court are most imposing.
Entering through a fine lofty portico, we saw a little to the left hand
a curious octagonal pillar, detached from the rock and surmounted by
three well-carved lions seated back to back. Passing this, we were
suddenly introduced into an elaborately carved vestibule, at the end of
which is a colossal statue of Buddha, with his hands raised in the
attitude of benediction. The stone screen which here separates the
vestibule from the body of the temple is covered with a row of male and
female figures half nude; the expression of the faces of these figures
is remarkably calm and thoughtful, and the whole is executed with
considerable spirit. Above them the rocks are carved into a profusion of
graceful sculptures.
The great temple or cave is divided into three aisles by regular
colonnades of octagonal pillars; of these, the twelve on each side
nearest the entrance are ornamented with exquisitely carved bases and
capitals in the style usual in Indian temples. The arch of the vault is
occupied by a dagoba or mausoleum, perhaps of some early disciple of
Buddha. It is cylindrical in the shaft and surmounted by a cupola. On
the right and left of the portico are two colossal figures of Buddha,
perhaps twenty feet in height.[7] The ceiling of this cave is arched
semicircularly and ornamented with slender ribs of fine teak-wood,
disposed as if for the support of the ponderous dome overhead, but in
reality for the floral decorations which on solemn occasions were hung
from them. A flight of steps cut into the same mountain leads by various
intricate paths to smaller caves or cells, consisting only of a portico
and two small chambers, with everywhere seats for the disciples or the
recluse cut into the rock. To each cave there is a cistern for the
preservation of rain-water, some larger and more elegantly carved and
finished than others. The whole appearance of this excavated hill of
Khennari is that of a Buddhist monastic city, the cells and temples, the
apartments and cisterns, hewn in the rocky sides of the mountain.
On Sunday we attended the Roman Catholic church, which is a stone's
throw from the home of our Portuguese friends. Early on Sunday morning
the streets were filled with men, women, and children, entirely of the
Portuguese population. The men were, with a few exceptions, quietly
dressed in the ordinary European attire, which the majority don only on
stated occasions, with the black silk hat of modern fashion, carrying
prayer-books, fans, and footstools of the ladies of their party. It was
a pleasant sight. The Portuguese here are entirely independent of the
Romish Church, and from simple contact have adopted the mode of life and
a great many superstitions of the Hindoos. One finds everywhere in India
not only Hindooized Mohammedans, but Hindooized Christians. Their
priests are natives of the country, under the jurisdiction of the
archbishop of Goa, who is a sort of Indian pope. Their worship is so
much more pagan than Christian that when in a Roman Catholic church in
any part of India one finds it difficult to believe that it is not the
worship of Khrishna or Brahm.
The native Portuguese are darker than the darkest of the better class of
Indians, showing a mixed and degenerate race.
I accompanied our host and his family to church. The children were
charming with their little pink trowsers, lace over-slips, pink shoes,
and were adorned with jewels; the only difference between the dresses of
the little boy and the girls was that the boy sported a hat like that
seen in the pictures of Bonaparte, which gave him a most whimsical air,
and the little girls had white handkerchiefs tied neatly under their
chins. I took little Marium's hand, and off we went; looking toward the
deep flowing river, I saw a string of Brahman priests marching solemnly
along the steep banks preparatory to beginning their morning services,
for our Sabbath is also their day of sacrifice and prayer to Suriya, the
sun-god. I was very much tempted to abandon my Christian friends and
follow the Brahman priests, but I restrained myself, and was soon within
the _temple_ of Jesus Christ. I say designedly the _temple_ of Jesus
Christ. It was crowded with images--perhaps one ought to say idols--of
God the Father, Christ the Son, the Virgin Mother, and the Holy Ghost,
besides quantities of relics, sacred vessels, tapers, candles,
incense-burners swinging from the roof, flowers both natural and
artificial, and all kinds of beads and shells on the altar. High above
the altar was a great porcelain figure of the Virgin jewelled and
crowned as queen of heaven, with her arms stretched out in benediction.
We pressed in. The service had not begun. All the men, women, and
children prostrated themselves--some at full length; others, being
crowded for room, squatted down and touched the brick pavement with
their outspread open palms and then their foreheads; after which the
rich, among whom were classed my friends, took their seats, and the
crowd remained kneeling on the bare floor. Presently the priests, of
whom there were no less than a dozen, appeared, gaudily dressed in
tinsel and lace, and took their places before the altar, keeping their
heads covered. Now the service began, which consisted of some chants in
a kind of Latin known only to the priests, and not fully understood even
by them, with dressings and undressings, perpetual genuflexions, turning
from the altar to the people, swinging of censers, marching and
countermarching with the baby figure of Christ and a pretty wax doll
which represented the mother; these the men, women, and children kissed
with apparently genuine pleasure. This done, boys dressed as angels in
long white robes and with wings attached to their shoulders, entered,
each bearing a lighted candle and a lily, as do the Buddhists at prayer,
chanting some beautiful hymn, of which no one understood a word, and
even the music was wild and Oriental. Then finally came the ringing of
multitudinous little bells (another Buddhist custom when about to
exhibit a tooth or any other relic of Buddha), and up rose the Host, as
large as an ordinary fan, composed of glutinous rice. In the centre was
a white spot, and around it rays of gold proceeding outward. All fell
upon their faces; little Marium and I alone were the lookers-on, but
suddenly my gentle hostess gave her little daughter a vigorous push,
which sent her head foremost to the floor, whispering, "The body of
God!" I bowed my head out of respect for the poor human hearts that
worshipped here, and not without a deep sense of humiliation at
witnessing the complicated and ingenious ceremonies by which these
ecclesiastics, an outgrowth of the Church of Rome, cultivate and foster
the credulity and ignorance of the people, whom they teach to rely more
on certain forms and the supernatural agencies of the Virgin and relics
of deceased saints than upon religious and moral truths. After the "body
of God" a bone of some martyred Indian saint who had been converted to
Christianity was held up for adoration; again the people bowed down;
and then came the end, the benediction, amid more ringing of bells and
swinging of censers.
Who can witness these imbecilities and not hold the native Portuguese
clergy accountable for withholding the true knowledge, the simple
teachings of Jesus, the true Bread of life, and for substituting
superstitions and pageantries not one whit superior to, but in some
respects even more degrading than, the most debasing paganism which they
have supplanted? Forms are the same, the names alone have been changed;
otherwise, the Roman Catholicism I have everywhere witnessed in India is
essentially the same as the lowest forms of paganism.
Before dawn next morning we took leave of our kind friends, and in our
comfortable bunder-boat started for the island of Elephanta, or
Gharipoore. After a couple of hours or more of pleasant sailing we
reached the island. I found it larger and more beautiful than I had
expected. A good part of it is under cultivation, especially all around
a village of tolerable size, above which a couple of clearly-defined
hills rise from the sea to a considerable height. The view as you ascend
to the right is simply magnificent: the twin mountains seem to be knit
together by a grand old forest, the one rising slightly higher than the
other. The name "Elephanta" was given to it, some say, by the Greeks,
others by the Portuguese conquerors; however that may be, the name of
the caves was anciently "Gharipoore," or, "the Town of the Rock," or,
according to some, "the Town of Purification."
We ascended a long flight of stone steps, in the wake of a party of
fakeers, Hindoo priests, and half-nude men beating tomtoms, which at
length brought us to a very handsome and spacious platform shaded with
some fine old trees.
Here the party of Hindoo priests, drummers, and fakeers sat down to
rest, while we went on a short distance and reached the entrance to the
famous caves of Elephanta. The principal cave is of great extent,
excavated out of the solid rock; the colossal columns of the portico
seem to hold up the mountain above them. On either side of the entrance
great creepers come down in heavy masses over the mountain. Rows and
rows of columns handsomely ornamented appear within, growing beautifully
less in the distance and vanishing amid gloomy shadows and a thousand
fantastic shapes. The gateway or porch is still in excellent
preservation; it leads directly through the heart of the mountain. The
different shrines, which contain objects of Hindoo worship, are placed
on each side. In the centre there is seen by the light of torches a
majestic altar of stone, now in a state of decay, supporting a gigantic
bust of three noble heads, two of which are in profile. The Hindoo
Trinity, Maha Dèo, the Great God, commonly called Brahm, the Hindoo
Creator, occupies the centre in full relief. The eyes are half closed,
the expression serene and tranquil. It seems to be carved from a living
model, and is a perfect Oriental ideal of masculine beauty, with the
delicate and refined outline of the features and the deep contemplation
expressed in those large downcast eyes. The forehead is crowned with a
lofty diadem exquisitely carved, not unlike the mitres worn by the
bishops of the Roman Church; the right arm, which is very much broken,
once grasped the head of a cobra da capello, which, our pundit explained
to us, here typifies in its sublimest sense the masculine or creative
energy of the world.
Siva, to whom this cavern temple is said to be dedicated, and who is
seen in another compartment with his consort Parvati, with a chaplet of
skulls round his neck, eight-handed, and bearing the cobra, and whose
name in Sanskrit signifies either happiness or pleasure, is seen in
profile on the right. In a hand outstretched from the altar he also
grasps a cobra, but with its hood extended wide. In his hand the
character of the symbol is transformed with the god into that of the
avenger or destroyer. The god's mouth is distorted with grimaces, and he
puts out the tip of his tongue, by which, according to our pundit and
guide, he mocks at the sensualist, and says as plainly as our Bible,
"The wages of sin is death."
On the left side of Maha Dèo is Vishnu, in the grand character of
preserver; the head is very noble and the face of no common beauty; it
wears a tender and smiling expression. He no longer holds the symbol at
once of masculine creative energy and of sensuality, but a peculiar
oblong lotos-shaped cup or flower, the higher and purer symbol of
maternity. Our pundit gave this wonderful bit of sculpture, which
reaches from the low altar to the ceiling of the temple, the name of
"Maha Trimourtri, the Great Three-in-One." By some it is called Bhava
Natria, "Love threefold." Whatever else it may be called, it certainly
makes a wonderful impression seen high above from the principal aisle,
guarded on all sides by gigantic and well-proportioned caryatides. The
shape of the largest cave is cruciform and resembles the plan of an
ancient basilica.
The massiveness and strength of the pillars, which find their deep
foundations in the earth below, supporting the elephant-shaped mountain
above, is rendered more and more striking by the thousand and one scenes
of Hindoo, and particularly Saivic,[8] mythology, in part solemn and
majestic, and in part grotesque and absurd, that fill every part of the
walls; gods and goddesses, heroes and monsters, almost stand out of the
rocks. Here are carved strong and clear the story of the babe Krishna
and the slaughter of the infants by his uncle Cansa. Everywhere are
curious and venerable specimens of sculpture, which, though shamefully
mutilated in parts, still show so high an advance in art, and possess so
indescribable an aspect of animated life, that one half expects the
stone figures to move or to speak. A great number of the pillars have
been undermined by the accumulation of water in the cavern temple; the
capitals of some and parts of the shafts of others remain suspended from
the ceiling like huge stalactites. Enormous creepers and trees have
forced themselves through certain cracks and crevices in the mountain,
and the whole scene is very wild and pagan; which enhances the beauty
and mysterious appearance of the caves.
On going through a passage guarded by stone lions the pundit took a
little tin box out of his pocket, opened it, and scattered some
odoriferous snuff on the head of the lions, and then took a little pinch
himself. His explanation was, that he had taken cold, and snuff was his
remedy for it. "But," said I, "the stone lions haven't taken cold
too?"--"Oh, that," said he, "was a propitiatory offering, lest I should
sneeze in their sacred presence."
As we went out of the great stone porch the declining sun sent a long
line of light through the aisle, the wind blew softly, and the island
stretched away green and beautiful, surrounded with the sea all
a-glitter with the rosy hues of the setting sun. In many places we
noticed traces of color, but everywhere are to be seen the ruthless
mutilations this cave has suffered both from the conquering Mohammedan
and Portuguese soldiers; most of the colossal statues are defaced and
broken, the arms and limbs of innumerable figures are prostrate. Long
lines of pictured story and inscriptions are effaced, but there are
still standing rows and rows of gods and goddesses, their heads crowned
with garlands. These figures, although much defaced, still show that the
artist carved some of the female forms with only one breast, like the
famed Amazons of Greek story. The temple or city of purification was
desecrated centuries ago, and it is now deserted, save for an annual
fair and occasional visits from Brahmans and fakeers; it can boast of
none of the splendors of its palmy days.
About fifteen miles from "Gorabunder," on the mainland, lies
Bassein--or, as it was anciently called, Vassai--once a proud city and
the chief seat of the early Portuguese settlers in this part of India.
But for nearly three-quarters of a century it has ceased to be
inhabited. The city is of considerable size, and surrounded by a regular
fortification of rampart and bastions. It is kept locked up under a
small body of soldiers and an English conductor of ordnance.
By permission obtained from the authorities at Bombay we spent a very
interesting day wandering over this deserted city, its ruined towers,
cloisters, convents, monasteries, and churches, that once belonged to
the Jesuits, which are here crumbling away unheard of and unnoticed.
The only building in good repair is a small pagoda raised over a
Mahratta saint amid a display of the most melancholy of ruined houses,
churches, and colleges. In the vast jungle-covered cemetery of the dead
Portuguese are the tombs of the great Don Lorenço and the famous
Albuquerque. In one of the largest of the churches there is a monument
to a certain lady, Donna Maria de Souza, of the date of 1606.
Bassein was wrested from the Mahrattas by the Portuguese in 1532 A. D.
But the Mahrattas laid siege to it again under the renowned Chinaje Apa,
brother of the Peishwa Baji Rao, and after a desperate struggle the
Portuguese were forced to capitulate. It is said that the English in
Bombay might have saved them this defeat and humiliation, but from a
feeling of jealousy of the power and influence of the Portuguese in
India refused them all aid, except that of advancing fifteen hundred
rupees, for which they took some very valuable church plate and some
brass guns, which were actually removed from the defence of Bassein as
security. They were finally induced, however, to make some amends for
this barbarous treatment of fellow-Christians, and sent boats with a
strong escort to convey the refugees to Bombay, whence they started for
Goa, but were once more attacked and almost annihilated by the
Mahrattas. In 1780 the English attacked, stormed, and captured the city
of Bassein once more from the fierce Mahrattas, and have held it ever
since, a melancholy monument of the departed greatness of the Portuguese
conquerors. Such is the fate of conquering nations. It can hardly be
doubted that if the English were now expelled from India the few relics
left of their religion, their power, and their civil and military
magnificence would be swept rapidly away, and would in the course of a
century or two leave not a trace behind them.
FOOTNOTES:
[7] The following extract from Dr. Bird's _Caves of Western India_ may
prove interesting to the curious reader:
"The tope (a monument erected over a Buddhist relic, sometimes
resembling a pagoda) at Khanari was opened by me in 1839. The largest,
being selected for examination, was penetrated from above to the base,
which was built of stone. In this tope the workmen found two small
copper urns, in one of which were a ruby, a pearl, and a small piece of
gold mixed with the ashes. In this urn there was also a small gold box
containing a piece of cloth; and in the other ashes (probably of some
cremated saint) and a silver box were also found. Outside, a circular
stone was found, and to it were fixed two copper plates in the Salh or
cave characters. The inscriptions read thus: 'Whatever meritorious acts
proceed from cause of these the source Tathagata (Buddha) has declared;
the opposing principle of these the great one of golden origin has also
demonstrated;' or, in other words, Whatever merit may proceed from these
acts, Buddha has explained its source to you, and also the opposite
principle of these acts; he has also demonstrated to you the one of
golden origin. This discovery establishes the fact that these caves are
of Buddhist origin, and probably date from the beginning of the
Christian era."
[8] The Saivi Hindoos are those who worship Siva or Shiva, one of the
Brahman Trinity, as chief god; the lingam or phallus is sacred to him.
Their chief act of worship is performed on the fourteenth night of the
dark half of every moon. They fast during the day, and at night repair
to their temples, repeat the names of their god--of which there are no
less than one thousand, all expressive of certain spiritual and physical
qualities, passions, acts, etc.--pour the leaves of the bheel tree,
sacred to Shiva, because they are heart-shaped, over the lingam, then
rub it with oil, and finally sprinkle it with consecrated water. At the
Shivaratri, or the night of Shiva, which falls once a year on a dark
night, a fair is held at the caves of Elephanta during the day, and a
night-vigil from eight o'clock till five in the morning, accompanied
with music, prayer, and other strange ceremonies.