and a stranger, visiting these curious places of piety,
does not escape without a similar garland being thrown
over his shoulders, for which he is expected to dive
into his pocket and produce a rupee, and those who are
anxious for further distinction can have their forehead
marked with the emblem of the deity, which means
another rupee. There are also more substantial offerings
made by the believer in the Hindu Polytheism,
but if the gods get them, the Brahmans take care they
shall not keep them.
On looking at the architectural works of India of
bygone days, they are almost without exception
sacred monuments ; religious ideas, contorted as they
are, govern the whole life of the Hindus in the greatest
as well as in the smallest matters—no room for a charge
of Erastiamsm here \ according to their extravagant
superstition, nothing is done without some supernatural
agency. The Hindu religion presents a very confused
idea of doctrine, at first (about the thirteenth or
fourteenth century, B.C.). According to the Veda,
Brahm was God, all in all, the personification of the
elements, the world’s Creator, Preserver and Destroyer,
and the Hindus believed in the final absorption of
their spirit into Brahm ; so far, therefore, their religion
was clearly Pantheism ; soon, however, he became the
invisible God, and his attributes were represented by
the Triad or sub-deities, Brahma, Vishnu, and Seva;—
a similar system existed in ancient Egypt, where, however,
every large town had its local Triad of Gods,
at Memphis, for instance, it consisted of Phthah,
Sakhet, and Turn; at Thebes of Ammon-Ra, Maut,
and Chonsu, &c. Once upon the high road of polytheism,
other deities and so-called incarnations were
soon added by the Hindu priests, and certain signs
invented to brand the followers of each of the gods
of their Trinity. Those of Brahma have a black line
drawn vertically on the forehead with a spot in the
middle +; Vishnuites three lines, the outer ones white,
and the central red or yellow \ | / ; and Sevaites three
white horizontal lines and a black spot in the centre =*=.
Fear and Hope being the devotional element of the
Hindu religion, Vishnu, the Preserver, and Seva, the
Destroyer, are now favourite deities, the principal
temple of pilgrimage of the former being at Jugger-
nauth, on the Orissa coast, and that of the latter at
Byjoonath, in Behar. To Juggernauth the pilgrims
bring offerings of food and money, to Byjoonath water
from the Ganges. Brahma has few followers now.
Mahadeva, as Seva is usually called, has of late years
increased his influence, and is plentifully bathed, especially
by the weaker sex, who bring water for the
purpose from holy springs in pretty little brass chatties.