Daily Life and Work in India ... With ... illustrations

Front matter

■ ■ ■ I ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ I I I ■ ■ ■ I BY THE SAME AUTHOR. HINDU MYTHOLOGY. Illustrated with numerous Drawings from Hindu artists. Price 10s. 6d. " Hindu Mythology is a work which every one who takes an intelligent interest in India ought to have.'' — Times of India. " An honest attempt, and, we may add, a successful one, baa been made to set out in clear language the things commonly believed by the Hindus.'' — The Englishman (Calcutta). " The information given in these pages is very ample, very trustworthy, and very extraordinary." — Nonconformist. " A valuable fund ol information for tbe Western world." — Daily Telegraph. " The author has attempted a work of no little ambition, and has succeeded in his attempt." — Home News. W. THAOKEE AND CO., 87, Newgate Stkeet. MODERN HINDUISM. Price 16s. "We recommend it strongly to the notice of those who wish to form an intelligent conception of the religious beliefs of the people of India." — Times of India.

"A very full, lucid, and dispassionate account of Hinduism as it actually exists." — " M. D." in British Weekly. " He writes in a liberal and comprehensive spirit." — Saturday Review. *"■ A solid and valuable contribution to kaowledge." — Scotsman. " The account of the rise and progress of the Deistic sects is very valuable and interesting." — Scottish Leader. "A valuable contribution to the studj of a very difficult subject."— St. James's Gazette. " A most trustworthy treatise, and one of absorbing interest.'' — New York Evangelist. " It would be difficult to mention any book which gives a more com prehensive description of every phase of Modern Hinduism than the volume before us." — Leeds Mercury. " A most interesting narrative pf Hindu life, the habits and customs of the Hindu community, and a National Hindu bistoriette written with the verve of tbe accomplished litterateur, added to the picturesque word-paint ing and life-like delineations of a veteran novelist." — The Express (Lucknow).

" The account of the Hindu revivalists is especially interesting and viv'd."— Home News. " A very careful study of the religion and life of the Hindus, . . . and is a solid addition to our knowledge." — Westminster Revieto. 11 A course of interesting as well as valuable reading." — Church Times. T. FISHER UNWIN, 26, Patehnoster Square. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, CALCUTTA. DAILY LIFE AND WORK IN INDIA EY W. J. WILKINS, OF THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY AUTHOE OF "HINDU MYTHOLOGY," " MODEEN HINDUISM," etc., etc. WITH FIFTY-NINE ILLUSTRATIONS gxmixM-t T. FISHER UNWIN 2G PATERNOSTER SQUARE MDCCCLSXXVIII £o MY CHILDKEN. PKEFACE. This book owes its origin to the suggestion of some good friends of Missions who thought that a work describing the ordinary life of people in India, and the different forms of Mission work as it is carried on amongst them, could not fail to interest both young and old.

Chapter I. Calcutta

PAGE The streets — A sacred stream — Dangers of navigation — King of Oudh's palace — Fort William — European houses — The Strand — Eden Gardens — The Zoo — The Maidan — Vehicles — Palki-bearers — Churches — Tanks — The river — Sailors — The native part — Shops and shopkeepers — Hindu family mansions — Huts — China Bazaar — Trams — Botanical Gardens and banyan trees — Cyclones . . . . ' . .15

Chapter II. Calcutta, The Oxford Of Lndla

Desire for education — The University — Degrees — " Failed B.A." — Cramming — "Dead" — Appeals to examiners — Study of Enghsh — Government Colleges — The Sanskrit College — Grants-in-aid — Mission colleges — Colleges for Europeans — Medical College — Native doctors — Sweet girl graduates

Chapter III. The

PEOPLE—EUROPEANS IN INDIA. Is life in India desirable? — Secret of a happy life — Hard workers — English ladies — Houses — Absence of children — Separations — Romance of Anglo-Indian life — Jilts — Hospitality — Freedom of intercourse — " Society " — Furniture — Dress — Intemperance in eating and drinking—" Chummeries" — Climate — The cold, hot, and rainy seasons — " What a beautiful morning ! " — Servants — " Dustoori " CONTENTS. CHAPTER" IV. THE PEOPLE GENERALLY. PAGE Natives? — Appearance of Bengalis — Colour — Dress — Bengali changed into a European— No shoes or stockings — Umbrellas — Jewellery — Caste — Sects — Mussulmans — Brahmos — Immigrants — Bengalis dirty? — Vegetarians — Meals — Bee gali knives and forks — Spices — Salutation — " Thank you " — Visiting Bengalis— Politeness — Humour ? — Knowledge of religion 73

Chapter V

A TALK ABOUT INSECTS, REPTILES, etc. Nature's wholesale department — All the plagues do not come together — Fleas — ' ' Norfolk Howards " — First sight of winged "Norfolk Howards" — Flies — White ants — Musquitos — Cockroaches — Centipedes — Frogs — Lizards — Alligators — Snakes 90

Chapter VI

A CHAPTER ABOUT THE GODS. Their number — All Hindus worship all the gods — Reason of gifts to the gods — Brahma the supreme — Quarrels among the gods — I. Brahma the creator ; His worship almost given up ; Sarasvati his wife — II. Vishnu the preserver ; His appearance ; The Salgrama ; Lakshmi his wife ; His incarnations : 1. The fish; 2. The tortoise; 3. The boar; 4. The man-lion ; 5. The dwarf ; 6. Kama with the axe ; 7. Rama Chandra; 8. Krishna; 9. Buddha; 10. Kalki— IH. Siva the destroyer ; His appearance ; His wife : 1. Uma ; 2. Durga ; 3. Kali ; Their son Ganesa 107

Chapter VII. Hindu Temples

Their size — Why built— Work of the priests* — Kali Ghat temple — When erected— Kali's image — Her way of blushing — Why goats are sacrificed to her — Why the people visit her temple — Desire for sons — Siva's worshippers — Treatment of idols in temples — Reading of sacred scripturrs .... CONTENTS. 11 PAGE 164

Chapter VIII. Holy Places And Pilgrims

Hinduism a religion of ceremonies — Benefit of pilgrimage — Ganga Sjigar — Benefit of bathing in sacred river— Sagar sonless — His desire granted — Wish to reign in heaven — Horse sacrifice — Loss of horse — Kapila'a anger — Destruction of the princes — Ganga's descent — Ascent of the princes to heaven — Puri — " See " Jagannatha — His appearance— Why in this Bhape — Remnant of Buddhism — Caste forgotten at Puri — Deaths at Puri and other places where Jagannatha is worshipped — Benares — Pain in travelling — Benares the place to die in — Holy ground — Why a visit to Benares is so beneficial — Gya : why visited — Hindus and Purgatory . . . 149

Chapter IX. Religious Festivals

Hindus have festivals, but no Sundays — Holy days and God's days — Hindu courtyards — Indulgences — Idol manufacture and worship — "The giving of life" — Farewell ceremonies — Amusements : Concerts, jatras, dancing — The Snan Jatra ; the bathing of Jagannatha — The Car Festival — The return of the car — The Durga Puja : the Christmas of Bengal — Durga's worship — The Dol Jatra — Division of labour

Chapter X. Gurus, Or Religious Teachers, And Their Disciples

Similar forms in Hinduism and Christianity — Gurus chosen by parents — Initiation ceremony — Mantras or texts — Rosaries — The sacred thread — "Twice-born" — Gurus as teachers — Ignorance of the people — Specimens of Guru's lessons — Repetition of names of gods ...... 175

Chapter XI. Hindu Saints

Hinduismelastic— Brahman's duties— Power of ascetics — Reforms produced by means of saints — Present-day saints — Useless character of their life— Sufferings voluntarily borne— Idiotic appearance — Temporary sainthood CONTENTS. 12 PAGE 188

Chapter XII. Burning Ghats And Treatment Of The Dying

Hinduism and Christianity a contrast — Hindus inhuman ? — Sick taken to " see Ganga " — Parting with family — Scenes on the river banks— State of mind in prospect of death — Despair not hope — Cremation — Burning Ghats — Scavengers at work — Death an eternal separation — Transmigration — Burning of Sir Jung Bahadur and his widows — A king reappearing in the form of a fish — Treatment of widows — Mourning for the dead — " Masses for the dead " as taught in England . , CHAPTEE XHI. BAZAAR PREACHING. An Indian and an English bazaar contrasted — Bazaar chapels — Mixed audiences — No women hearers — Missionaries' dress — Gathering a congregation — Bengali preachers — Hindu helpers — Questioning — After-meetings — Language difficulties — Discussions — Blustrations of Bengali preachers — Regular hearers — Delight at hearing Christian truth — Students — Persecution of Christian converts — Disturbance . . . 199

Chapter XIV. Life On The Rivers

Country districts — Rivers and canals — Budgrows — Paraffin oil as a flavouring essence — Hiring a boat — Advance payments — The Sunderbans — The fuel supply — Wood-cutters and tigers — Santali squatters and "No Rent" — Boats and their freights — Strong currents — Burning Ghats — A splendid regatta — Boatmen and unparliamentary language — Boating during the Ramzan — Fishing with otters — Work in the villages- People in house of the headman — Use of tobacco universal — The Bengali pipe— Work at the markets . . . .211

Chapter XV. Life In Tent

Bengali roads — Tenting grounds in North-West Provinces and in Bengal — Luxurious and economical tenting — Cleverness of cooks — Work in villages and markets — Led out of a village CONTENTS. 13 PAGE — Storms in tent — Monkeys — Holy bullocks — Barbers — Sugar-boilers — Farmyards — New shrines and Barawaris — The missionary carries " good news " — Desire of the people to hear 227

Chapter XVI. All About Tigers

Tigers not found everywhere — Tiger preserves — Sunderbans — A sight of a tiger — Tigers brave ? — Bengali Christians " up a tree " — Tiger-hunting on elephants — Danger — Machan shooting — Tiger despatched — Travelling through a tiger district — Tiger stories — Camp fires — Fear of a leopard . . . 239

Chapter XVII. School Work

"Institutions " — Why are Mission schools opened? — Fear of sons becoming Christians — Teaching of Hindu scriptures respecting earthquakes and eclipses — Effect of reading New Testament on Hindu boys — Benefits from mission schools — Converts — Sunday schools 250