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Untitled Article
money , have no resource , and perish before the eyes of multitudes , who regard their sufferings with utter indifference . " The land near the temple seems suddenly to have been visited by pestilence and famine . Dead bodies are seen in every direction . Parriar dogs , jackals , and vultures , are observed watching the last Moments of the dying pilgrim , and not unfrequently hastening his fate . "
Let us see how mueh British prudence has to do with this . The first regulations relative to Juggernaut's temple were adopted by the British Government in 1806 , and were afterwards altered in 1810 . The Governor-General has the power of removing the Rajah , who superintends the worship , from his office , on proof of misconduct . The amount of fines levied on the servants of the temple is carried to the account of Government . A tax collector is appointed , who levies the sums of from ten to two rupees on each pilgrim ; printed certificates being given , which entitle the pilgrims to free entrance for certain periods . The collector is required to give every
attention to the worship of the idol ; and in the statement of expenses presented to the English Government , we find charges for the table of Juggernaut a for his dress , for the wages of his servants , for his carriages , elephants , and . horses ! These cars are decked at the festivals withjEngUsh broadcloth and baize . What wonder if the natives believe what their priests tell them of the conversion of the British to the worship of Juggernaut ? Tfrey see British collectors , and their British servants ; they know that the
expenses of the temple are defrayed by the British funds ; that British goods are employed in the service of the idol ; that the British Government derives revenue from their festivals . What methods can be employed to convince ; them that we detest their rites , and despise their deity ? The people ,
on being told that their homage was sinful , asked , cc Sir , is that sinful for which the Company give thousands ? " ( meaning rupees ) . "I felt confoiiiiciedj" continues the narrator , " and said , ' Yes , it is sinful ; but the Company are a long way off ; they do not know every thing about this
country , " * &c , " If Juggernaut be nothing , " say others , " then why do the Company take so much money of the pilgrims at the entrance of the town ? " Again , " If the Government do not forsake Juggernaut , how can you expect that we should ? " P . 52 . The clear gain of supporting idolatry at Juggernaut is about £ 1393 sterling . By this sum is purchased the death ot many hundreds of pilgrims , the celebrity of Juggernaut is increased , his temple is beautified , a body of
idol , missionaries is maintained , far exceeding , perhaps , in number , all the Christian Missionaries throughout the world , and the Brahmuna conceive tfyfltttsefves ^ uttiorize ^ to declare that " they are paid and sent fo rth to persuade all wtfio wish for the full remission of sins , to come and behola tlie god in -all hjs majesty 1 " Itjs imppssfble to suppose that mercenary considerations have any thiug to ( Jp , with these unfortunate regulations ; but as it is fully proved , by similar resets ol ^ sitnflar plans at Gya and Allahabad , that the methods chosen to discourage idol worshi p have bad a directly contrary effect , no time shoutd be lost xtk repairing the mischief , as far as reparation may yet be made . If
the Brahmuns were left to take care of themselves and their deity , there is every reason to believe that the worship would degenerate , that the cupidity of the priests would induce them to qb < eat the iaol of his clojthes and food , and thus to impair the splendour of the 3 ervice ; that t ) ie people would relax in their zeal when no tax was required from them ; that the idol mis-
Untitled Article
Indbf * Cries to British Humanity . 839
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1829, page 839, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2579/page/23/
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