abandonment of the Hindoo religion, journey to foreign countries which
involves the eating of forbidden food, the eating of food cooked by one
of inferior caste or of food forbidden to the Hindoos, female unchastity
in a family, the cohabiting with women of a lower caste, or with those
of foreign nations and the non-performance of religious rites
prescribed in the Shastras.[86] There are other circumstances which
detract from the dignity of a family, but they are of secondary
importance. These causes were in full operation some seventy or eighty
years ago. The unanimous voice of the neighbours denounced a Hindu as an
outcast if he were found guilty of any of the above transgressions.
Purity of caste was then watched with greater solicitude than purity of
conscience and character. The magnates of the land spared neither
expense nor pains to preserve inviolate the outward purity of their
caste. The popular shastras of the Hindoos are certainly very convenient
and accommodating in every respect; the sins of a life-time, nay of ten
lives, may be washed away by an ablution in the sacred stream of the
Ganges on the occasion of certain _holy days_ called _yogas_; so
requisite provision is made in them for the atonement of the loss of
caste by performing certain religious rites and feasting, and making
suitable presents to Brahmins in money and kind. But it has always been
a matter of wonder to many that the _Peeralees_ or the Tagores of
Calcutta, alike noted for their wealth and liberality, have not as yet
been able to regain their caste or their original position in Hindu
society. The obvious reason appears to be that they are not desirous of
a restoration by submitting to any kind of humiliating atonement. They
have shown their wisdom in pursuing such an independent and manly
course. The history of _Peeralee_ is thus given by Mr. Ward: "A Nabob of
the name of _Peeralee_ is charged with having destroyed the rank of many
Hindus, Brahmins and others; and from these persons have descended a
very considerable number of families scattered over the country, who
have been branded with the name of their oppressor. These persons
practise all the ceremonies of the Hindu religion, but are carefully
avoided by other Hindus as outcasts. It is supposed that not less than
fifty families live in Calcutta, who employ Brahmin priests to perform
the ceremonies of the Hindu religion for them. It is said that Rajah
Krishna Chunder Roy was promised five lacks of Rupees by a _Peeralee_,
if he would only honor him with a visit of a few moments, but he
refused." Such was the virulence with which the caste mania raged when
Hindu bigotry had reached its culminating point. Rajah Krishna Chunder
Roy of Kishnaghur, about 100 miles north of Calcutta, was otherwise
reputed to have been a very generous-hearted man, a great patron of
learning and learned men, but he was so blindly led away by the impulse
of bigotry that he unhesitatingly declined to assist a brother
countryman of his who had been subjected to social ostracism through
mere accident. But the Rajah's grandson, if I am rightly informed, when
he had occasion to come down to Calcutta a few years back,
unscrupulously took up his quarters at Spence's Hotel, and freely
enjoyed the company of his European friends, indicating a healthy change
in the social economy of the people, the result solely of intellectual
expansion, and of the inauguration of a better era through the rapid
diffusion of western knowledge.[87]
The _Peeralee_ or the Tagore family of Calcutta, be it recorded to their
honor, have long been eminently distinguished by their liberality, manly
independence, enlightened principles and enterprising spirit. Some of
the members of this family occupy the foremost rank amongst the friends
of native improvement. The late Baboo Dwarkey Nath Tagore set a noble
example to his countrymen by his disinterested exertions in the cause of
native education and public charities. Several of his European friends
were under deep obligations to him for his unbounded liberality under
peculiarly embarrassed circumstances;[88] the length of his purse was
equalled by the breadth of his views. His object in proceeding to
England was mainly to extend his knowledge by a closer and more familiar
intercourse with Europeans. He was the right hand of the illustrious
Hindoo reformer, the late Raja Rammohun Roy. His magnanimous mind, his
enlightened views, his engaging manners, his amiable qualities both in
public and private life, and his indomitable zeal in endeavouring to
elevate his country in the scale of civilization, gave him an influence
in English society never before or after enjoyed by any Hindoo
gentleman. His worthy relative and coadjutor, the late Baboo Prosono
Coomar Tagore, C. S. I., who has left a princely fortune, was no less
distinguished for his enlarged views and liberal sentiments. His rich
endowment of the Tagore Law Lecturship in connection with the Calcutta
University has substantially established his claim on the gratitude of
his countrymen. It was he that first started the native English Paper
called the "Reformer," which not only opened the eyes of the Hindoos to
the errors of the antiquated system under which they lived, but diffused
a healthy taste for the cultivation of English literature among the
rising generation of his countrymen, and thereby paved the way for the
development of advanced thought and intelligent opinion on the practical
enunciation and appreciation of which mainly depends the future
advancement of the nation. The late Moha Rajah Ramanauth Tagore, C. S.
I., another member of the Tagore family, was deservedly esteemed for his
liberal sentiments, his high sense of honor, his scrupulous fidelity and
his unblemished character. Baboo Debendernath Tagore, the son of the
late Baboo Dwarkeynauth Tagore, bears a highly exemplary character. His
uncompromising straightforwardness, his sincerity and piety, his high
integrity, his devotedness to the cause of religion, his unassuming
habits, the suavity of his disposition, and his utter contempt for
worldly enjoyments, have shed an unfading lustre around his name. Well
may India be proud of such a worthy son. Moha Raja Jotendermohun Tagore,
C. S. I., Raja Sourendermohun Tagore, his brother, and Baboo
Gynendermohun Tagore, the son of the late Baboo Prosonocoomar Tagore,
also belong to this family: all of them bear a very high character for
intelligence, integrity, and sound moral principles.
All these distinguished individuals are descended from _Peeralee_
ancestors. Few have more deservedly merited the respect and esteem of
their countrymen, or better vindicated their rightful claim to the
honors bestowed on some of them. If they are denounced as outcasts, such
outcasts are the ornaments of the country. If they are far in the rear
of caste they are assuredly far in the van of intelligence, ability,
mental activity, refinement and honesty. If to be a _Peeralee_ were an
indelible stigma, it is certainly a glory to the whole nation that such
a noble and stainless character as Baboo Debendernauth Tagore is a
member of the same family. We would search in vain among the countless
myriads of India for such a meek, spotless, but bright and glorious
model.
It is, moreever, to the _Peeralee_ or Tagore family that the enlightened
Hindoo community of Calcutta is principally indebted for its refined
taste and elevated ideas. May they continue to shed their benign
influence not only on the rising but unborn generations of their
countrymen, and carry on the work of reformation, not with the
impetuosity of rash innovators, but with the cool deliberation of
reflecting minds.
The rules of caste are not now strictly observed, and their observance
is scarcely compatible with the spirit of the age, and in one sense we
have scarcely a Hindoo in Bengal, especially amongst those who live in
the Presidency town and the district towns.
The distinction of caste is more honored in the breach than in the
observance of it.[89] As English schools and colleges are multiplying in
every nook and corner of the empire, more liberal ideas and principles
are being imbibed by the Hindoo youths, which bid fair in process of
time to exercise a regenerating influence on the habits of the people.
Idolatry, and its necessary concomitant, priestcraft, is fast losing its
hold on their minds; a new phase of life indicates the near approach of
an improved order of things; ideas which had for ages been pent up in
the dark, dreary cell of ignorance now find a free outlet, and the
recipients of knowledge breathe a purer atmosphere, clear of the hazy
mists that had hitherto clouded their intellect. To a philanthropist
such a forecast is in the highest degree encouraging. The distinction of
caste has also received a fatal blow by the frequent visits of young and
aspiring native gentlemen to England for the purpose of completing their
education there. This growing desire among the rising generation should
be encouraged as it has an excellent tendency to promote the moral and
intellectual improvement of the nation.
The late Baboo Ramdoolal Dey,[90] of Calcutta, who was a self-made man
and a millionaire, was a Dullaputty or head of a party. When the
subject of caste was discussed, he emphatically said, that "the caste
was in his iron chest," the meaning of which was that money has the
power of restoring caste.
The late Baboo Ram Gopal Ghose, a distinguished merchant and reformer of
this City, had a country residence at Bagati, near Tribani, in the
Hooghly district, about 100 miles east of Calcutta. He had a mother who
was, as might be expected, a superstitious old lady. Baboo Ram Gopal on
principle never wounded her feelings by interfering with her religious
belief. On the occasion of the Doorga Poojah at his country house, his
mother as usual directed the servants to distribute the _noybidhi_, or
offerings, consisting of rice, fruits and sweetmeats, among the Brahmins
of the neighbourhood; but they all, to a man, refused to accept the
same, on the ground that Ram Gopal was not a _Hindoo_, which was
tantamount to declaring that he had no faith in Hindooism, and was an
outcast from Hindooism. On seeing the offerings brought back, his
mother's lamentations knew no bounds, because the refusal of the
Brahmins to accept the offerings was a dishonor, and involved the
question of the loss of caste. Apprehending the dreadful consequences of
such a refusal, especially in a village where bigotry reigned supreme,
the old lady became quite disconsolate. Ram Gopal, who with strong
common sense combined the benefit of a liberal English education,
thought of the following expedient: He at once suggested that every
_noybidhi_ (offering) should be accompanied by a sum of five Rupees. The
temptation was too great to be resisted, the very Brahmins who, two
hours back, openly refused to take the offerings, now came running in
numbers to Ram Gopal's house for their share, and regularly scrambled
for the thing. In fact, he had more demands than he could meet. Thus a
few Rupees had the marvellous effect of turning a _Sahib_ into a pure
Hindoo, fully illustrating the truth of Ramdoolal Dey's saying, that
"Caste was in his iron chest." Examples of this nature may be multiplied
to any extent, but they are not necessary. Thus we see the decadence of
this artificial system is inevitable, as indeed of every other unhealthy
institution opposed to the best interests of humanity.
I cannot close this chapter without drawing the attention of my readers
to the gross inconsistency of the conduct of the caste apologists.
Thousands and tens of thousands of the most orthodox Hindoos daily
violate the rules of caste by using the _shidho chall_, (rice produced
from boiled paddy) which is often prepared by Mussulmans and other low
caste husbandmen, whose very touch is pollution to the food of the
Hindoo. It is a notorious fact that nine-tenths of the Hindoos of
Bengal, including the Brahmin class, are in the habit of eating _shidho
chall_, which is the prime staff of their lives, simply because the
other kind of rice, _atab chall_(rice produced from sun-dried paddy),
contains too much starch or nutritive property and is difficult of
digestion by _bhayto_ or rice-fed Bengallees who are, with a few
exceptions, constitutionally weak from a variety of causes enumerated
before. In the North-West Provinces, people never use _shidho_ rice
owing to its being boiled in an unhusked state.
The Hindoos of our day often consume sugar refined with the dust of
charcoal bones. The universal use of _shidho_ rice and sweetmeats which
contain refined sugar leads the Hindoos to break the rules of caste
almost every hour of their lives. Besides these two chief articles of
food, there are several other things made by Mussulmans, such as
rose-water, _kaywra arauk_, and the like, the general use of which is a
direct violation of the rules of caste. A Hindoo female, when she
becomes a widow at an advanced period of life, sometimes takes to
_atab_ rice because it is not produced from boiled paddy which makes it
impure, but from sun-dried paddy, and here the members of the Tagore
family are more strict in their _regime_ than any other class of Hindoos
in Bengal. There are, however, yet a few orthodox Hindoos, who, though
they eat _shidho_ rice, nevertheless abstain from using bazar-made
sweetmeats and Municipal pipe water because the engines of the latter
are said to be greased and worked by Mussulman and Christian hands. Such
men make their own sweetmeats at home with Benares sugar and drink
Ganges water, but the younger members of their family, if not without
their approval at least with their partial cognisance, daily make the
greatest inroads on this institution without having the moral courage to
avow their acts. They eat and drink in the European fashion, and
preserve their castes intact by a positive and emphatic disclaimer. So
much for the consistency of their character. When the orthodox heads of
Hindoo families are gathered unto their fathers, the key-note of the
present or rising generation will be--"perish caste with all its
monstrous evils."
FOOTNOTES:
[85] Rajah Kissen Chunder Roy, in the latter end of the 18th century,
used to restore persons and families who had forfeited their caste by
their laches by recovering from them a heavy fine for which there used
to be much higgling. This fine was in addition to the expenses
incidental to the ceremony of _Prayischittra_. Many heads of _Dalls_ or
parties of our day follow the same practice.
[86] The non-performance of religious rites does not now, however,
entail forfeiture of caste. Hindu society is getting lax in our days.
[87] I am inclined to believe that what the late Nuddea Raja did was his
individual act; as the head of the Hindus of Bengal, the Rajah of Nuddea
would strictly follow the practices of his great ancestor even to this
day.
[88] To one friend alone he gave two lacs of Rupees without any
security, showing a degree of magnanimity seldom to be met with among
the millionaires of the present day.
[89] The young members of a family have no hesitation in partaking of
food cooked by Mussulmans and forbidden in the Hindoo Shasters. On
holidays or on special occasions, they send orders to the "Great Eastern
Hotel," and get supplies of English delicacies such as they have a
liking for. It is a well-known fact that almost every rich family in
Calcutta and its suburbs (the orthodox members excepted) recognised as
the head of the Hindoo community, patronise the English Hotel-keepers.
Mr. D. Wilson, the famous purveyor in Government Place, seeing the great
rush of native gentlemen into his shop on a Christmas eve, was said to
have remarked that the Baboos were amongst his best customers. The great
purveyor was right, because the Baboos give large orders and pay
regularly for fear of exposure. Such of them as are placed in mediocre
circumstances arrange with their Mussulman syces and get fowl curry or
roast as often as they choose. There are indeed a few honorable
exceptions, who on principle do not encourage the English style of
eating and drinking. A very little reflection will convince any one that
the English mode of living is ill suited to the Natives. It not only
leads a man into extravagance, but what is more reprehensible, begets a
habit of drinking, which, I need hardly say, has been the ruin of many a
promising young Baboo.
[90] This gentleman was a Banian to several American and English firms,
which used to deal largely in cow and other hides. From religious
scruples he refused to accept the usual commission on such articles by
which he might have obtained at least forty thousand Rupees per annum.
In these days no Baboo declines to take the usual commission, but on the
contrary, many are engaged in the trade, which is a sacrilegious act in
the eye of the Hindoo Shaster.
XIV.
A BRAHMIN.
A Brahmin of the present iron age is quite a different ecclesiastic from
what he was in the past golden age. He is a metamorphosed being.
Believing in the doctrine of metempsychosis, he claims to have descended
from the mouth of the Supreme Brahma, the Creator according to the
Hindoo triad. In the lapse of time, his physical organisation, his
traditional reputation as a saint and sage, his thorough devotion to his
religious duties, his mental abstraction, his logical acumen, the purity
of his character, his habitude and mode of living, have all undergone a
radical change, unequivocally indicating the gradual declension of
corporeal strength, of intellectual vigor, as well as of moral worth. In
former times he was popularly regarded as the visible embodiment of the
Creator, and the delegated exponent of all knowledge, revealed or
acquired. The old and venerable Munis and Rishis, and their
philosophical dissertations, their theological controversies and their
religious and ethical disquisitions, evoked the admiration of the world
in the dark ages before the Christian era. Almost all of them lived in a
state of asceticism, and devoted their lives to religious contemplation,
renouncing all the pleasures, passions and desires of the mundane world.
The longevity of their lives in their sequestered retreat, the perfect
purity of their manners, the simplicity of their habits, and their
elevated conception of the immutable attributes of God, inspired the
people with a profound reverence for their precepts and principles. The
prince and the peasant alike paid their homage to the sacerdotal class,
whose doctrines had, in the primitive state of society, the authority of
religion and law.
The power of the Brahmins penetrated every class of the people, and by
way of eminence they called themselves _Dvija_, _i. e._, the regenerated
or the twice born--a term which should only be applied to the really
inspired sons of God. Since the promulgation of the Institutes of Manu
they obtained that prominent rank among the Hindoos which they have
retained unimpaired amidst all dynastic changes. Keeping the key of all
knowledge in their exclusive custody, their functions were originally
confined to the performance of religious ceremonies and the promulgation
of laws. In all the affairs of the state or religion, the fiat of their
ordinances had all the weight of a sacred command. Even the order of a
mighty potentate was held in subordination to their injunctions. They
were enjoined to worship their guardian deity three times a day, and
were strictly prohibited from engaging in any secular occupation. They
practised all manner of austerities tending to beget a contempt for all
worldly enjoyments, and paved the way by religious meditation for
ultimate absorption into the divine essence,--an ideal of the sublimity
of which we can have no conception in the present degenerate age.
The complete monopoly of religious and legal knowledge which the
Brahmins enjoyed for a very considerable period after the first dawn of
learning in the East anterior to the Christian era, enabled them to put
forth their very great influence upon the spiritual and temporal
concerns of the three other orders of the Hindoo population, who
implicitly accorded to them all the valuable rights of a privileged
class, superior to all earthly power whatsoever. It has been expressly
declared in the Institutes of Manu that Hindoo Law was a direct
emanation from God. "That Immutable Power," says Manu, "having enacted
this Code of Laws, himself taught it fully to me in the beginning;
afterwards I taught Marichi and the nine other holy sages." It is
believed that in the tenth century, B. C. "the complete fusion of
Hindoo law and religion," was effected, and that both were administered
by the Brahmins, until some mighty kings arose in Rajpootana, who
curtailing their supreme influence reduced them to a secondary position.
Thenceforward their ascendency gradually began to decline, till at
length through succeeding generations it dwindled into comparative
insignificance.[91] In process of time, the four grand original classes
slowly multiplied, which is not to be wondered at in a great community
split into divisions and subdivisions, separated from each other by
different creeds, manners, customs and modes of life. These
ramifications necessarily involved diversities of religious, moral and
legal opinions and doctrines more or less fatal to the unquestioned
authority of the Brahmins, who seeing in the progress and revolution of
society the inevitable decay of their hitherto undisputed influence,
abandoned the traditional and prescribed path of religious life and
betook themselves to secular pursuit of gain for their subsistence. The
necessary consequence now is that in almost every sphere of life, in
every profession or calling, the Brahmins of the present day are
extensively engaged. And their cupidity is so great, that every
principle of law and morality is shamefully compromised in their
dealings with mankind. A Brahmin is no longer typical of either
religious purity or moral excellence. His profound erudition, his
logical subtlety in spinning into niceties the most commonplace
distinctions, his spirit of deep research and his illimitable power of
polemical discussion, have all forsaken him, and from an inspired priest
he has degenerated into a mercenary _purohit_. He no longer wears on his
forehead the frontlet of righteousness, his whole heart, his whole soul
is impregnated with corruption. In a fervent spirit, he no longer says
to his followers--"let us meditate on the adorable light of the Divine
Ruler; may it guide our intellects." His sacred _poita_ (Brahminical
thread) his divine _gayutree_ (prayer) his holy _basil_ (bead roll), his
three daily services with the sacred water of the Ganges, no longer
inspire the minds of his votaries with awe, obedience and homage. From
the worship of the only Living and True God he has descended to the
worship of 330 millions of gods and of goddesses. Human numeration reels
at the list. The individuality of the godhead is lost in the never
ending cycles of deified objects, animate and inanimate. We no longer
recognise in the Brahminical character and life an unsullied image of
godlike purity, holiness and sublimity. His ministrations no longer fill
us with joyful and exhilarating hopes which extend beyond the grave and
promise to lead us to the safe anchorage of everlasting bliss. They no
longer stir up in our breasts during each hour of life's waning lustre
"a sublimer faith, a brighter prospect, a kinder sympathy, a gentler
resignation." I ask every Hindoo to look into his heart honestly and
answer frankly whether a Brahmin of the present day is a true
embodiment, a glorious display, a veritable representative of Brahma,
the Creator. Has he not long since sacrificed his traditional pure faith
on the altar of selfishness and concupiscence and committed a deliberate
suicide of his moral and spiritual faculty? We blush to answer the
question in the affirmative.