put up over the court-yard of the house. _Palkees_ are sent to each of
the families invited; and the guests (nearest female relatives) begin to
come in from ten in the morning; a general spirit of hilarity prevails
on all sides, noise and bustle ensue, the women are busy in receiving
their guests, preparations are being made for the grand feast, the men
outside direct the _Palkee_ bearers where next to go, the little
children have their own share of juvenile frolic, the young damsels and
the aged matrons are seen speaking to their respective friends with
mutual love, affection and confidence; and signs of joviality and
conviviality are seen every where. It is on such occasions that women
unbosom themselves to each other, and freely and unreservedly
communicate their feelings, their thoughts, their wishes, nay their
secrets to friends of congenial spirit and temper; their conversation
knows no end, their amiable loveliness almost spontaneously developes
itself; they unburden their minds of the heavy load of accumulated
thoughts; their joys and sorrows, their happiness and misery, their
sympathy and emotion, pleasurable or painful, have their full scope. If
they are naturally garrulous they become more so at such a jovial
assemblage, so that one can dive deepest down into their hearts on such
an occasion. Many a matrimonial match is proposed and matured at such
meetings, and to crown the whole, sisters of kindred spirit embrace each
other with all the warmth of genuine love and affection. If their minds
are contracted by reason of scanty culture, their hearts are full of
affection, sympathy and susceptibility, which cannot fail to exercise a
beneficial influence on human nature.
On such occasions, females are allowed to have some amusement or
_tamasha_, according to their liking, (but of course not such as betrays
a vitiated taste, overstepping the bounds of decorum, which was the case
some years back). Dancing girls and _Panchalleys_ are entertained, who
contribute not a little to the amusement of the assembled guests.
Immured within the walls of a close zenana they are seldom suffered to
enjoy such unrestrained liberty. Otto of roses, rose water out of gold
or silver pots, nosegays, and _paun_ or betel are freely distributed
among them. They sit on benches or chairs, or squat down barefooted on
_forash bichana_ (a clean white sheet), and enjoy the _tamasha_ to their
hearts' content. These amusements continue till evening, entertaining
the guests with songs on gods and goddesses (Doorga, Krishna and his
mistress, Radha): those relating to Doorga have a reference to the ill
treatment she experienced at the hands of her parents, but those
pertaining to Krishna and Radha tell of his juvenile frolics with his
mother and the milk-maids, and amorous songs on disappointed love,
which, though they may appear harmless to their worshippers, have
nevertheless a partial tendency to debase the minds of females. By way
of encouragement, the singing and dancing girls receive, besides their
hire, presents of money, clothes and shawls, according to the
circumstances of the parties retaining them. To do our women justice,
however, it is pleasing to reflect that the progress of enlightenment
has of late years wrought a salutary change in their minds. Instead of
the former _Kabees_ (songs) which were shamefully characterised by the
worst species of obscenity and immorality, they have imbibed a taste for
more sober and refined entertainments. Moral and intellectual
improvement amongst perfectly secluded females is a sure harbinger of
national regeneration. The young and the sprightly, as is naturally to
be expected, enjoy these amusements most; but the more elderly and
thoughtful females make the best of the opportunity in conversation
about domestic affairs with those of their own age and kinship. They
have certainly no distaste for these frivolous entertainments, but the
thoughts and cares of home press more heavily on their minds. Age and
experience have taught them to regard the enjoyment of unalloyed
domestic felicity as the chief end of life. A good Hindoo housewife is a
model of moral excellence.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, when almost all the guests are
assembled together, long parallel rows of _pirays_, or wooden seats, the
one quite apart from the other--are arranged in straight lines in the
court-yard, in the midst of which is placed the seat of the pregnant
girl, which, by way of distinction, is painted white with rice paste
(_alpana_) with appropriate devices. Adorned with ornaments of
glittering gold, bedecked with precious stones, and dressed in an
embroidered Benares _Saree_, she walks gracefully towards her particular
seat, which is a signal for others (widows excepted) to follow; they all
squat down on the wooden seats, before which are placed small pieces of
green plantain leaves and a few little earthen plates and a cup, which
are intended to serve the purposes of plates and glasses. Before her
stands a light, a _conch_ is sounded, and a rupee with which her
forehead is touched is kept for the gods, for safe delivery. Fruits of
different kinds, about fifteen or sixteen sorts of sweetmeats,
_loochee_, _kachoory_, _papur_ (flour fried with ghee) in the shape of
_chappatees_, vegetable curries of several kinds, sweet and sour milk,
are provided for the guests, the female relatives of the girl serving as
stewards. No adult male member of the family is allowed to assist in the
feast, because Hindoo females blush to eat before men. Being most
pre-eminent in point of caste, Brahmin women are served _first_. Here
the rules of caste are strictly observed, and no departure therefrom is
tolerated. It is not uncommon that uninvited females, or more properly
speaking, intruders contrive by some means or other, to mix with the
company; but they are soon singled out by the more shrewd and
experienced, and to their chagrin and disappointment, instantly removed
from their seats. They do not, however, go away with curses on their
lips, but receive a few things and are ordered to leave the house
without a _Palkee_.[132]
After the feast is over, the women, washing their hands and mouths,
express their good wishes for the safe delivery of the girl, and make
preparations for returning home. Here confusion and bustle ensue
consequent on the simultaneous desire of all to return home _first_, and
as the sun begins to set, their anxiety becomes more intense to see the
faces of their absent children; laying aside their wonted modesty, some
of them almost unblushingly make a rush and enter the _first Palkee_
that comes in their way, regardless alike of their sex and the rules of
decorum. If 100 families are invited, about ten _Palkees_ are retained.
Hackney carriages are sometimes substituted in place of _Palkees_, but
whatever arrangements are made it is next to impossible to satisfy at
least 200 people at one and the same time. The guests are never expected
to find their own conveyances. Before coming, some of them keep the
Palanquin waiting for an hour or so, while they are engaged at their
toilet and adorning their persons with divers ornaments. It is not
unfrequently the case on such occasions that females in poor
circumstances borrow ornaments from their more prosperous friends, in
order to appear in society to the best advantage. In the absence of
mental accomplishments, Hindoo ladies necessarily set a high value on
the jewels about their persons. Some twenty years back, massive articles
of gold were considered the most _recherche_ ornaments, so much so that
some rich ladies were adorned with gold articles alone to the weight of
6 or 7 lbs.; to an English lady, this might appear incredible, but it is
a fact which does not admit of any contradiction. Hindoo females are
religiously forbidden to wear gold ornaments about their feet, it being
considered a mark of disrespect to _Lukxmee_ (goddess of prosperity,)
hence they put on pairs of solid massive silver _malls_ or anklets,
weighing sometimes about 3 lbs.; though such massive articles are a
great incumbrance to the free motion of the limbs, they are nevertheless
used with great pleasure. Indeed it has been sarcastically remarked that
were a Hindoo lady offered a gold _grindstone_ to wear round her neck,
weighing some 20 lbs. she would gladly accept the offer and go through
the ordeal. But as the spread of English education has improved the
minds of the people, it has likewise improved their taste; instead of
massive gold ornaments, ladies of the present day prefer those of
delicate diamond cut workmanship, set with pearls and precious stones
such as _chick_, _sittahaur_, _tarahaur_, _seetee_, _tabij_, _bajoo_,
_jasum_, _nabaruttun taga_, bracelets of six or seven patterns, and
ear-rings of three or four kinds, for which girls in very early youth
perforate their ears in 8 or 10 places, as also their noses in two
places. By their choice of the modern ornaments they shew their
preference for elegance to mere weight. Brilliant Pearl necklaces[133]
of from seven to nine rows, and costly bijouteries of modern style,
have superseded the old-fashioned solid gold _Bhawootees_ and _Taurs_. A
rich lady is sometimes seen with jewellery worth 15,000 to 20,000 Rupees
and upwards; as a matter of course, such a lady is the cynosure of all
eyes, and the rest of the company move as satellites round the primary
planet. Conscious of her superiority in this respect and puffed up with
vanity she disdains to hold converse with her less fortunate sisters.
She is tramping, as it were, "to the tinkling sound of the ornaments of
gold and gems on her person." As the grand centre of attraction, her
gait, her gestures, her movements form the subject of general criticism,
and as an object of envy she continues to be talked of even after the
return of the guests to their homes.
In the villages, however, silver ornaments are more in vogue than gold
ones, simply because the rural population have neither the taste nor the
means of the people of the city. As a rule, the Hindoos invest their
savings in gold and silver which is turned to good account in times of
need and distress. Throughout Hindoosthan, the people have so great a
_penchant_ for gold and silver ornaments that not only women but men
also adorn their persons with solid articles of sterling gold. I have
seen Setts (shroffs) and Malgoozars go about with ornaments of
considerable value; their dress, however, is generally exceedingly
tawdry, and bears no correspondence to the worth of the articles of gold
they carry about. I once weighed a solid pure gold chain worn by a Sett
round his waist, which the natives call _Gote_, weighing over 4 lbs.,
worth about 3,000 Rupees.
In Bengal little children are seen with gold ornaments on their
persons[134] till they are 6 years of age, but adults are entirely free
from this passion. When a male child is born to a respectable Hindoo,
the heart of the mother irresistibly yearns to adorn its person with
ornaments, especially at the time of _vath_ (christening), _i. e._, at 6
months of age for a male and 7 months for a female child.
When the females return home after the entertainment, it is truly a
scene of "sorry to part, happy to meet again." It is seldom that such
opportunities are afforded them to give free vent to their feelings,
thoughts and wishes;--a human being always feels unhappy at living in a
perfectly isolated state; he or she naturally longs for society, and
this longing is alike manifest in both sexes. The greater the restraint,
as in the case of Hindoo ladies, the stronger the desire for social
intercourse. Can a zenana Hindoo lady with her veiled modesty suppress
the impulse to look about through the shutters of a closed Palkee, with
guards on both sides, in the light of day? The impulse is by no means a
criminal one but is prompted by the irresistible influence of nature.
The parting exclamation on such occasions is, "Sister, when shall I have
the good fortune to see you again?" "Why, not before long," is the
common reply. The consummation of the desire, if long deferred,
naturally produces feelings of discontent. A few days after the feast
the families that were invited, give a tangible proof of their regard
for the pregnant girl by making her presents of clothes and sweetmeats
according to their respective circumstances, as a matter of course the
nearest relatives making the richest presents.
FOOTNOTES:
[128] A Saree is a piece of cloth, 5 yards long with colored borders.
[129] A Hindoo god generally kept by the lower orders of the people,
such as _Domes_, _Charals_ and _Bagthees_.
[130] _Kacha_ means raw; the term _Shad_ is synonymous with desire. The
ceremony is so called from the female being allowed that day to eat all
kinds of native pickles, preserves, sweetmeats, confectionery, several
kinds of fruits then in season, sweet and sour milk, &c., but not rice
or any sort of food grains. Her desire is gratified, lest the girl
should not survive the childbirth. It should be mentioned here that from
the second month of her pregnancy, she feels a great longing to eat
Pathkhola (a sort of half burnt very thin earthen cake) which pregnant
girls relish very much on account of its peculiar _sodha_ flavour.
[131] _Paunchamrita_ means five kinds of delicacies, the food of the
gods, consisting of milk ghee (clarified butter), dhahie (curded milk),
cowdung and honey.
[132] A rather contemptible practice still lurks in the Hindoo community
at the time of dining on such public occasions. The females for the most
part place a portion of the dinner aside for the sake of carrying it
home for their absent children; even a rich woman feels no hesitation or
humiliation in following the example of her less fortunate sisters. We
can only account for this unseemly practice on the supposition that the
Hindoo ladies do not like to partake of good things without sharing them
with their beloved children at home. The wish is not an unnatural one
but the practice most unquestionably _is_. In making provision for a
grand feast, the Hindoos are obliged to treble the quantity of food for
the number of guests invited, specially when it is a _pucca jalpan_,
consisting of _loochees_ and _sundeshes_ (sweetmeats). If they invite
100 families they must provide for about 300 persons, for the reasons
specified above. It is a pity that in a matter of public entertainment
both males and females cannot resist the temptation of appropriating a
portion of the food to other than the legitimate purpose. Here feminine
modesty is violated by infringing the ordinary rules of etiquette.
[133] That the Hindoos have, for a long time, manifested a strong
passion for ornaments, is a historical fact. Even so far back as the
Mahratta dynasty, it was said of Dowlut Rao Sindhia that "his necklaces
were gorgeous, consisting of many rows of Pearls, as large as small
marbles, strung alternately with emeralds". The Pearl (_moti_) was his
passion and the necklace was constantly undergoing change whenever a
finer bead was found; the title of "Lord of a hundred Provinces" was far
less esteemed by him than that of _motiwalla_ the "Man of Pearls," by
which he was commonly designated in his Camp. It was perhaps a sight of
this description that led Macaulay to say--"Our plain English coats
command more respect than all the gorgeous orient pearl of the East,"
indicating thereby the involuntary awe of savage for civilized life.
[134] Such as _Bore_, _Komurpatta_, _Nimfull_, _Neyboofull_, _Ghoomur_
round the waist, _Tabeej_, _Bajoo_, _Balla_, _Jasum_, _Taga_, &c. on the
hands, pearl and gold necklaces of various sorts and gold mohurs or
sovereigns strung together in the shape of a necklace.
NOTE B.
THE GODDESS SOOBACHINEE.
The following is the story of this goddess:--In a certain village there
lived a poor Brahmin boy, whose poverty was well-known throughout the
neighbourhood. One day a fisherman came to sell some fish, on seeing
which the boy began to cry for them. His mother, a poor aged widow,
though very desirous to satisfy the craving of her son, had
unfortunately no means to buy them, whereupon the fisherwoman affected
by the cries of the boy, offered to give her credit and said she would
come for the price on her way home. Meantime the mother cooked the fish;
but before her son had time to eat them, the fisherwoman, according to
her promise, returned for the price. The old woman being still unable to
pay, the fish vendor demanded the return of the fish, which, though
cooked, she was willing to take back. This being done, the boy, however,
had the advantage of tasting the soup made of the fishes and was so much
pleased with the taste of animal food that he could not resist the
temptation of stealing one day a _lame_ duck belonging to the king, and
eating it privately. Investigation being made, the theft was traced to
the poor Brahmin boy, who being summoned before the king, was tried,
convicted and sentenced to be imprisoned, at which the mother became
inconsolable. Seeing her distress and despondency, the goddess Doorga,
in the form of _Soobachinee_, appeared to her in a dream, and, giving
her hopes of consolation and better luck for the future, eventually
advised her to perform the worship of the goddess _Soobachinee_. In
obedience to the above injunction, she did as she was directed.
Seventeen ducks made of rice-paste (sixteen with two perfect legs and
one with a lame leg) formed a part of the ceremony. After the
performance of the worship and the expiatory rite of _homa_ (burnt
offering) which expiates all sin, the holy water being sprinkled on the
feathers of the stolen _lame_ duck, that were concealed under the ashes,
the devoured duck was at once restored to life and sent back to the
king's poultry-yard. The miraculous resuscitation of the duck was
brought to the notice of the king, who immediately sent for the poor old
woman and questioned her how the dead _lame_ duck was made alive again;
the old woman, trembling through fear, related all the particulars about
the appearance of the goddess in a dream. The king, being satisfied as
to the truth of the tale, ordered the captive boy to be released at once
and brought to his presence, concluding that the goddess must have been
very propitious to the old woman and her son. Consulting his ministers
on the subject, he said within himself he could not have a better match
for his daughter, who was of marriageable age, than the late delinquent.
So the nuptials were duly solemnized with becoming pomp, and the poor
Brahman family lived ever after in a state of great affluence and
happiness. Hindoo ladies of the orthodox school learn this tale almost
in their nursery, and feel a peculiar delight in reciting it on certain
occasions.
NOTE C.
The writings of the ancient Hindoo sages, as handed down to us by
history and tradition, incontestably prove that they were chiefly
theists; but as their religious ideas were supremely transcendental, ill
suited to the comprehension of the great mass of the people, and
consequently not adapted to bring joy, peace and rest to the mind, their
descendants learnt to modify those ideas and practically reduce them to
the level of the popular understanding. They gradually created a
Trinity, _i. e._, the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer. But as
this triad was not sufficiently attractive or intelligible to the
unlettered mass, who wanted something in the shape of real, tangible
personification of the deity, in place of indistinct, invisible
supernatural beings, a designing priesthood subsequently attempted to
satisfy their wishes by foisting upon them a whole rabble of gods and
goddesses, which are almost as innumerable as the pebbles on the sea
shore. In numerical strength the Pantheon of the Hindoos far surpasses
that of the Egyptians, Greeks, and the Romans. What ancient system of
mythology contained so many as 330 million gods and goddesses? As in
mythology, so in chronology, the Hindoos stand unrivalled. Their
pantheon is as capacious and extensive as their antiquity[135] is
unfathomable and prehistoric. The origin of the Puranic mythology is to
be attributed to this national predilection; and the worship of the
female deities with bloody sacrifices is intended to terrify the
ignorant populace into superstitious beliefs still grosser than were
habitual to them.
The antiquity of the Brahminical creed and of the religious systems
incorporated into, and engrafted on it, has long been a subject of
interesting inquiry. It is not my intention to go into the subject more
deeply than merely to affirm that it is still a debatable point among
the most distinguished orientalists, whether or not the Egyptians and
Greeks borrowed their system of mythology from that of the Hindoos, and
afterwards improved on it by divesting it of the grosser excrescences.
The character of the Hindoo deities is more or less puerile, impure and
ungodly, not possessing any of the cardinal virtues, such as become the
living and true God. Desiring to steer clear of such deformities and
impurities, the Greeks and Romans consecrated separate temples to
"Virtue, Truth, Piety, Chastity, Clemency, Mercy, Justice, Faith, Hope
and Liberty."
It is a remarkable fact, says Ward, that "the sceptical part of mankind
have always been partial to heathenism. Voltaire, Gibbon, Hume &c. have
been often charged with a strong partiality for the Grecian and Roman
idolatries; and many Europeans in India are suspected of having made
large strides towards heathenism. Even Sir William Jones, whose
recommendation of the Holy Scripture (found in his Bible after his
death,) has been so often and so deservedly quoted, it is said, to
please his Pundit, was accustomed to study the Shastras with the image
of a Hindoo god placed on his table; and his fine metrical translations
of idolatrous hymns are known to every lover of verse. In the same
spirit, we observe, that figures and allusions to the ancient idolatries
are retained in almost all modern poetical compositions and even in some
Christian writings."
It has been very wisely remarked by a philosophical traveller, Dr.
Clarke, that "by a proper attention to the vestiges of ancient
superstition, we are sometimes enabled to refer a whole people to their
original ancestors, with as much, if not more certainty, than by
observations made upon their language; because the superstition is
engrafted on the stock, but the language is liable to change." Writing
on the same subject, Sir William Jones remarks, "if the festivals of the
old Greeks, Persians, Romans, Egyptians and Goths, could be arranged
with exactness in the same form with the Indian, there would be found a
striking resemblance among them; and an attentive comparison of them
all, might throw great light on the religion, and perhaps on the
history, of the primitive world."
The Egyptians described the source of the Nile as flowing from Osiris;
so the Hindoos represent the holy stream of the Ganges as flowing from
the head of Iswara, which Sir William Jones so beautifully describes in
his hymn to Ganga:
"Above the reach of mortal ken,
On blest Coelasa's top, where every stem
Flowed with a vegetable gem,
Mahasa stood, the dread and joy of men;
While Parvati, to gain a boon,
Fixed on his locks a beamy moon,
And hid his frontal eye in jocund play,
With reluctant sweet delay;
All nature straight was locked in dim eclipse,
Till Brahmins pure, with hallowed lips
And warbled prayers restored the day,
When Ganga from his brow, with heavenly fingers free,
Sprang radiant, and descending, graced the caverns of the west."