NUMBER VI.

MY DEAR CHILDREN: Another way in which the Brahmins sometimes deceive the people, is as follows: They say that the god is afflicted with some dreadful disease, brought on by the distress which he has had because the people do not worship him as much as they should. In such cases, the idol is sometimes placed at the door of the temple, when they rub his forehead and temples with various kinds of medicine. They also set before him all sorts of medicines, pretending in this way, to do all they can to cure him. But as all their efforts to cure him prove to be vain, and the disease becomes worse, the Brahmins send out persons to tell the sad news. The people, believing the report, hasten to bring in their gifts and offerings. The god, on beholding such proofs of their attachment to him, feels himself cured of his disease, and immediately returns to his throne within the temple.

30

LETTERS TO CHILDREN.

The Brahmins use another kind of deception in order to procure offerings for the temples. They declare that their gods are angry with certain individuals who have offended them, and that they have sent some evil spirit or devil to take possession of their bodies, and torment them. Accordingly, persons appear wandering about in different parts of the country, showing by their dreadful convulsions, their writhings and twistings, every symptom of being possessed of the devil. The people who see them are filled with dismay, and fall down before them, and offer their gifts and sacrifices, that they may not injure them. Whatever they ask, they bring. They give them to eat and drink abundantly. When they leave them, they accompany them with instruments of music till they arrive at some other place, where they practise the same deception.

At every large temple, there is at least every year one grand procession. The idol is brought out from its inclosure, and placed on a great car or chariot, prepared for this express purpose. This stands upon four wheels of great strength, not made like ours, of spokes, with a rim, but of three or four pieces of thick, solid

timber, rounded and fitted to each other. It is sometimes forty or fifty feet high, having carved upon it images of a most abominable nature. I must not tell you any thing about them. The car, when finished, presents somewhat the shape of a pyramid. On the day of the procession it is adorned with painted cloth, garlands of flowers, green shrubbery, and precious stuffs. The idol is placed in the centre, loaded with jewels, etc., to attract the attention of the people.

Having fastened ropes to this immense car, six or seven or eight or nine hundred or a thousand people catch hold of them, and slowly drag it along, accompanied with the awful roaring of their voices. At certain periods they stop, at which the immense crowds collected from all parts of the country set up one universal shout, or rather yell. This, with the sound of their instruments and numerous drums, produces much uproar and confusion. Sometimes the weighty car comes to a stand, from the dampness of the ground, or in narrow streets, when the tumult and noise are redoubled.

One of the principal idols of the heathen of

32

LETTERS TO CHILDREN.

India is named Juggernaut, the meaning of which is, "the Lord of the world." At Orissa, this idol is very celebrated. It is supposed that more than a million of people go every year to worship it. Some of these measure the whole distance of their journey with their bodies lying on the ground, as a carpenter lays his rule on a board, over and over again, until he gets the length of it. The aged and the sick undertake it as a remedy for all evils. Thousands die on their way to and from the temple. For many miles around it the roads are strewed with the bones and skulls of the poor pilgrims. Dogs, jackals, and vultures live on their bodies; especially do the pilgrims die in large numbers on their way from the temple. Their route may be traced by the bones, which lie where the jackals and vultures leave them, after eating their flesh. The country near the temple seems as if it had been visited by pestilence and famine; dead bodies are seen in every direction! When Juggernaut is placed on his car, and drawn around the temple, poor deluded pilgrims throw themselves under the wheels, and are crushed to death. Not long since, five or six persons