SECTION II. Dedication of Temples. WHEN a Hindoo has erected a temple, he appoints a day to dedicate it to some god. The following account of the dedication of one hundred and eight temples to Shivă, some years ago, at Talită, in the district of Burdwan, by the mother of Téjush-chundrů, the raja of Burdwan, will give an idea of the manner in which this ceremony is performed. The foundation of these temples being about to be said, a place was dug in the earth about a cubit square, into which water was poured, and a brick placed in the hole, after which the worship of the houshold god (Vishnoo), of Vŭroonŭ, and the lingu, was performed. At the close of the worship, a flower was thrown into the water, the floating of which to the right was considered as a good omen, and decided the point that the temple should be raised on that spot. The following prayer was then addressed to this brick, As long as the earth and the mountains remain, so long do thou remain immoveable." After the temples were nearly finished, many bramhūns and the relations of the queen were invited, and on an auspicious day the ceremony of consecration was performed. An altar was raised before each temple, and four priests chosen for each altar, who purifying them, performed the worship of the five gods, the nine planets, the ten guardian deities of the earth, and of Shi vů, Vishnoo, and Doorga. To this succeeded the burnt-sacrifice. One hundred and eight officiating priests then celebrated the worship of Shivů while sitting at the doors of the temples. A person, in the name of the queen, next made a present to the builder, and hinted to him that she now wished to consecrate these temples to Shivů.. The trident of Shivă was next worshipped, and fixed on the steeple. The princess then, sitting in an inclosure below the steps of one of the temples, in the presence of one of the priests and her attendants, devoted these temples to Shivů, saying, O Shivů ! I present to thee these one hundred and eight temples, made of brick * Brumha, Vishnoo, Shivů, Günéshň, and Sōōryů. May I be rewarded with an everlasting residence in heaven.' In making this offer ing, a number of minute ceremonies took place. The princess next sent one of her relatives to perform the worship of Indrŭ near a bamboo bearing a trident with a flag fastened thereto. The same person, after professing to animate one hundred and eight wooden images of the bull, worshipped them, and placed them in the temples thus dedicated. A representative of the princess next walked round the temples three times. The princess herself began to perform the ceremony of circumambulation, but being very corpulent she resigned it to one of the priests.-One hundred and eight priests, bringing garlands* and the other articles used in worship, now perform ed the worship of the lingă in the temples. At the close of these ceremonies, the princess presented a roopee to each of the four hundred and thirty-two officiating bramhuns, and one hundred and eight roopees to her own private priest, who also obtained the offerings. She also presented twelve,kinds of offerings to Shivă, among which were vessels of gold, silver, and other metals, cloths, &c. An entertainment to the bramhuns succeeded, and at length the guests were dismissed with presents from among the offerings, or in money, from ten to fifty roopees each bramhăn. One hundred thousand roopees, it is said, were expended upon these buildings.t The ceremonies are nearly similar to the above when idols are dedicated and set up in temples; when pools or trees are consecrated to the public use; when cars are presented to some god; and when a person is finishing the ceremonies of a vrŭtŭ or vow. * At the time of worship the priest always puts upon the image a garland of flowers. This seems to have been practised among other idolators, for when the priest of Jupiter came to worship Paul and Barnabas, (Acts xiv. 13.) he brought oxen and garlands. No doubt the latter were intended to be put upon the heads or necks of the apostle and his companion, the persons about to be worshipped. † Téjúsh-ckúndrů has since built one hundred and eight temples, at Umbika, and dedicated them to Shivů. SECTION HI. Endowment of Temples. THE worship in some temples is conducted, and the offerings supplied, by the family which has erected the temple; but in others by a hired bramhăn, who receives monthly wages: the offerings are in general distributed among the bramhuns of the village. To a temple particularly celebrated, rich men make grants of houses, sometimes of whole villages; and of lands, orchards, pools, &c. to a large amount; and the produce of these grants is applied to the uses of the temple. The temple of Radha-büllübhŭ at Büllübhu-poorů, about twelve miles North of Calcutta, has been endowed with lands, houses, &c. and to the annual amount of 3000 roopees, by Raja Návŭ-Krishnŭ, which is divided among sixteen families of bramhŭns. The temple of Jugünnathu at Muhéshu, about the same distance from Calcutta, has been endowed with lands, &c. to the annual amount of 1400 roopees, by Raja Anunda-chundră-rayů. The temple of Gopēc-nat’hŭ at Ŭgrů-dweepŭ been endowed with lands, &c. to the annual amount of 6 or 7000 roopees by Raja Krishnů-Chundru-Rayũ. The temple of Jugünnat'hu in Orissa has been endowed by several rich Hindoos: Raja Ram-Krishnů-dévă gave two villages, the rents of which bring in about 4000 roopees annually; Nimoo-müllikŭ of Calcutta gave daily one roopee, or 365 annually; and his children continue the donation. Other rich men make similar annual presents. It is supposed that not less than 100,000 roopees a year are drawn from the Hindoos by the bramhuns of this temple. SECTION IV. Of the Images. THE images of the Hindoo gods are made either of gold, silver, quicksilver mixed with the powder of tin, brass, copper, iron, mixed metal,* crystal, stone, wood, or clay. The common workmen in gold, silver, brass, &c. make these images. The images made of gold are generally those of Doorga, Lukshmee, Radha, Krishnů, and Sŭrŭswŭtee, which are kept in private houses, and worshipped daily. These images must not be less in weight than one tolu; they are generally three or four. The image of Sheetula is often made of silver, kept in the house, and worshipped daily. It is as heavy as ten or twelve roopees. They are very The images of Shivă only are made of quicksilver and crystal. small, and are kept in the houses of the rich, and used for daily worship. Small brazen images of many of the gods are kept in private houses and worship ped daily. These are very small, weighing only an ounce or two. Very small copper images of Sʊoryň, and of Shivă riding on a bull, are preserved in private houses, and worshipped daily. The images of mixed metal are those of Radha, Doorga, Lukshmee, Shivă, &c. * Containing, as the Hindoos say, eight ingredients, viz. gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, zink, lead, and brass. + The shastrus allow images to be made of no other substances than these. The image of Shunee alone is made of iron. Three tolus are rather more than one ounce. At Kidderpore, adjoining to Calcutta, is a golden image of Pătită-pavănēē, two cubits high. Near Serampore is a golden image of Jugudhatrčē, about a cubit and a half high. The images of any of the gods may be made with this mixed metal; and may be wor shipped either in private houses or in temples. The images of all the gods and goddesses may be made of stone; the greater number are placed in temples; a few small ones are found in private houses. All images of stone are worshipped daily: the greater number are of the lingŭ, or the various forms of Vishnoo. A few exist of the lingŭ nine or twelve cubits high.* The mendicant followers of Vishnoo carry small images of Krishnŭ with them in their perigrinations, which are from one to two cubits high: All the stone images in Bengal are of black marble; but there are some at Benares which are white. The sculpture on these stones is in much the same state of perfection as that to be seen in the oldest churches in England. These stones are brought into Bengal from the upper provinces, and cut by men who are to be found in all the great towns, and to whom it is an employment. Some stone images are miraculously found under ground.+ See page 160. The nimbu‡ tree supplies the images of Vishnoo in his different forms; also of Doorga, Radha, Lukshmee, Shivů, Gŭroorů, Choitŭnyй, &c. None of the wooden images are kept in private houses, but in separate temples. from one to three cubits in height. They are generally All the images which, after worship, are thrown into the water, are of clay baked in the sun, about four cubits high: The images of the lingň made daily and worshipped, are immediately thrown away. In some places clay images of Kartikŭ, twenty one cubits high, are set up, and after the festival committed to the river. The images of Doorga, Siddheshwŭree, Unnů-pōōrna, Krishnů, Pănchanŭnŭ, Shòst’hee, Münŭsa, Dükshinǎ-rayй, &c. are however constantly preserved in temples. The Hindoo potters are the principal god-makers, though many other casts, and even Müsülmans fol * An image of the lingŭ is set up at Benares which six men can hardly grasp. + An image of Cybele is said to have fallen from heaven into a certain field in Phrygia. Melia azadarachta. Dd |