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IS 203.2 Story of an Emigrant.
white elotli with a red dye-stuff scattered over the chest.
The body was first immersed in the river and then placed on
its pyre, which was kindled by the nearest relative of the
deceased. After the cremation the ashes were scattered on the
river by the Brahmin, who, of course, charged a round sum
for these highly important services.
We next went up the high steps and visited several temples
and other objects of interest of which I shall give a brief
description.
The Hindoo temples are not so large as our churches, but
only from fifteen to forty feet square, and their style of
architecture is frequently very pleasing to the eye. They contain
no seats or pulpits, and the ceremonies consist exclusively of
offerings, prayers, and signs. People come and go
incessantly, there is no silence or devotion, but all is noise and
turmoil. The Brahmins glide quietly around everywhere
and watch closely so that no one escapes until he or she has
parted with as much loose change as possible, and it
frequently happens that the Brahmin and the worshiper get
into a loud quarrel about the fee which the latter is to pay
for the benediction.
We ascended an eight-foot-wide street paved with large
flagstones, which were crowded with endless rows of
people coming out or going into the temples on either side. To
some of these a few steps led downward, to others
upward.
In some of the nooks and niches formed by the outer walls
of the temple sat peddlers selling ornaments, flowers, fruit,
boiled rice, popcorn, confectioneries, and small idols, of
stone, porcelain, or metal.
We stepped into the so-called golden temple, dedicated to
Bishashar, or Shiva, the most prominent deity of Benares.
Like most of the temples it is built of brick, and has a gray
coat of plastering on the outside. It has three domes which
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