The appearance of Benares, from the Ganges, is very beautiful. It is
covered with buildings to the water’s edge: the architecture of some is
Hindū, of others Muhammadan; many of them are of imposing appearance and
great picturesque beauty. The magnificent flights of steps called
_Ghāts_, which descend deep into the river, are thronged at all times
with people; some fetching water, others washing, and most performing
their ablutions in the sacred stream. The view is surprisingly
picturesque, and so singular, that no city in Europe can convey an idea
of Benares.
For a detailed account of Benares or _Bunarus_, deriving its name from
two streams, the Burna and the Ussee, you may refer to a beautiful work
by the late James Prinsep, Esq., who states that the ancient
denomination of this city was _Kashi_, “The splendid,” whereof the
fabulous wonders are fully detailed in the _Kashi-Khund_, one of the
chapters of the _Skundu-Poorana_. According to this mythological
history, Kashi is a place of most profound antiquity, sanctity, and
splendour: it has survived in age a hundred lives of Brahma, each of
whose days is equal to 4,320,000,000 of years; it stands raised from the
ground, supported upon the _trisūl_ or trident of Mahadēo, and is never
shaken by earthquakes: the whole city was once of pure gold, but has
since degenerated into stone and brick.
Bunarus (Sanscrit, _Bàrànusee_) quasi _Burna-Ussee_, or from Raja Bunar,
who founded the town A.D. 1000. It contains about 600,000
souls—one-fourth Musalmans. The city stands on a high ridge of _kankar_
(nodules of lime stone), free from the floods which sometimes cover all
its suburbs. The houses are of stone, from two to six stories high, with
terraces on the summit, and open interior courts. The streets are very
narrow, from four and a half to nine feet wide, with low doors on each
side. The trade is in sugar, cotton, indigo, opium, _kimkhwab_, jewels,
&c.
No building in the town now standing can be traced to a higher antiquity
than the time of Man Singh, who was Rāja of Jypoor in the reign of
Akbar. Both the temple and the _man mundil_, or observatory, described
by Tavernier, were erected by him. The astronomical instruments were not
added until the time of Jy Singh, 1680, more than a century later.
The scene now before you on the left bank of the Ganges represents the
holy city commencing from Raj Ghāt, the place at which the steamers from
Calcutta are moored, as well as pinnaces and budjerows. The distance
from the latter place via the Bhagirathī is 696 miles, and by land or
_dāk_, 428. The civil and military station is about four miles inland.
Native merchants bring goods of all descriptions for sale to the
steamers and vessels anchored off this ghāt; jewellery, shawls,
portraits of the natives, &c. Provisions of all sorts, with wine and
beer, are procurable in the city.
The house situated above Raj Ghāt is the hotel that was so recently
destroyed, when the fleet of magazine boats containing gunpowder was
blown up, the vessels having been moored off this ghāt.
Bruhma Ghāt is ancient, and of irregular form; it derives its name from
a temple of Siva, under the title of Brumeswur, “the Lord of Brumha.”
The temple and ghāt were repaired (perhaps built) 200 years ago, by the
Marhattas, and again recently by the ex-Peshwa Baji Rāo. From the number
of Marhatta families residing in the neighbourhood, and the comparative
privacy of the spot, it is by courtesy set apart as a bathing-place for
their women. They resort hither in groups, with their children and
female servants. Their wet garments are shifted with dexterity under a
large wrapper, which is also worn over their silk dresses, in passing
through the streets. The Brahman of the ghāt is of course a privileged
person; he receives a small gratuity for taking care of the clothes, and
brass or silver water vessels; he also affixes the _tiluk_ (frontal
mark) and pronounces the _muntra_ or morning benediction upon his
spiritual daughters.
On this ghāt wood is collected in large piles for sale: “Our wood is
sold to us.” (Lamentations v. 4.) The poor Hindū, living in the country
never purchases wood for fuel. When such a person removes to a large
town, he speaks of it as a great hardship, that he is obliged to buy his
very fire-wood.
Benares is considered as the most holy city of India, and it is
certainly one of the most picturesque. “A little to eat and to live at
Bunarus” is the wish of a pious Hindū; but a residence at this place is
rather dangerous to any one inclined to violate the laws.
“Kala-Bhoirāva the Tremendous, is a naked Siva, smeared with ashes;
having three eyes, riding on a dog, holding in one hand a horn, and in
another a drum. In several places in Bengal this image is daily
worshipped. Siva, under this name, is regent of Kāshī (Bunarus). All
persons dying at Bunarus are entitled to a place in Siva’s heaven; but
if any one violate the laws of the shastrŭ during his residence there,
Kalŭ-Bhoirŭvŭ after death grinds him between two millstones.”
The dog carries Kalŭ-Bhoirŭvŭ, a form of Siva, and therefore receives
the worship of many Hindūs, whenever his master is worshipped; still he
is considered as an unclean animal: every offering which he approaches
is considered unacceptable to the gods, and every one who touches him
must purify himself by bathing.
[Illustration]