BOOK III. BRITISH CONNEXION WITH IDOLATRY. CHAP. I. Origin, nature, proceeds, and appropriation of the Pilgrim Tax-Traces of British connexion with Idolatry and Mahomedanism in various parts of India. The connexion of Britain with idolatry in India chiefly consists in the establishment of the Pilgrim Tax at the Temple of Juggernaut in Orissa, at Gya, and Allahabad; in the reception of the gains of Idolatry from certain temples, and in making annual grants of money for the support of this absurd and cruel system. The nature, extent, and injurious tendency of these proceedings are developed in this book, and the misery of the deluded pilgrims allured to the shrines of superstition (rendered more celebrated by these regulations and emoluments!) cry loudly to Britain, relative to the support of heathen temples, "Let them alone." "The origin of the Pilgrim Tax at the Temple Juggernaut is thus stated in an interesting "Account of Orissa" by A. Stirling, Esq.:—" The Moguls (who gained possession of Orissa about the close of the sixteenth century) seem to have been actuated by peculiar rancour towards Juggernaut, and lost no opportunity of disturbing the Hindoos in the performance of their devotion at his temple. During these contests in and about Pooree the images,* so much * Juggernaut, Bulbudra, and Subudra, his brother and sister. venerated by the one party and abhorred by the other, were twice or thrice carried away across the Chilka Lake, and concealed among the hills until the times appeared favourable for again setting them on their thrones in the temple. This religious warfare was at last set at rest by the institution of the tax on pilgrims; which, if we may credit the author of the work translated by Gladwin, under the title of History of Bengal,' yielded the Mogul Government a revenue of 900,000 rupees. Under such circumstances religious antipathies, however strong on the part of the ruling powers, yielded gradually to the consideration of self interest."* The Mahrattas, who succeeded the Mussulmans in the Government of Orissa, levied the tax, and the British have followed the example of their prede cessors. "Before this place (Juggernaut) fell into the hands of the English, the King, a Mahratta Chief, exacted tolls from the pilgrims passing through his territories to Juggernaut. At one place the toll was not less than £1.9s. for each foot passenger, if he had so much property with him. When a Bengalee Rajah used to go, he was accompanied by one or two thousand people, for every one of whom he was obliged to pay toll. The Hon. Company's Government levies a tax of from one to six rupees on each passenger."✝ Whether the origin of the Pilgrim Tax at Gya and Allahabad was the same as at Juggernaut is not certain; but it is probable that the rapacious followers of the prophet of Mecca established it in various parts of India. The nature of the system will appear from the Government Regulations relative to the Pilgrim Tax, extracted from "Harington's Analysis of the Laws and Regulations of the Bengal Presidency," vol. iii. & vi.; and the Parliamentary Papers relative to Juggernaut, printed May 1813. The following compendious view of the system appears deserving of attention. JUGGERNAUT. "This is a celebrated place of Hindoo worship on the sea coast of Orissa, district of Cuttack, Lat. 19. 49. N. * See Asi. Researches, vol. 15, 1825. p. 163-338. + Ward's View of the His. Lit. and Myth. of the Hindoos, vol. 2, p. 134. and Lon. 85. 54. E., 300 miles from Calcutta. The population is estimated at 30,000. Possession was taken of the town and temple by the British, Sep. 18, 1803; the sacred will of the Idol having been first ascertained through the medium of the officiating priest! At Juggernaut there are thirteen annual festivals:-Chandan (sweet-scented powder), Snan (bathing festival), Rnth (car ditto), Bahura (returning ditto), Shayan (lying down ditto), Janma (birth ditto), Kojugara (waking ditto), Rasa festival, Urana (warm clothing ditto), Abhishaca (anointing ditto), Macura (sign of the zodiac ditto), Dole (swinging ditto), Ram Narami (Ram's birth-day ditto). Much the greater number of pilgrims are present at the Swinging and Car Festivals. The concourse of pilgrims to this temple is so immense that at 50 miles distance its approach may be known by the quantity of human bones which are strewed by the way.' 米 "Juggernaut is one of the most celebrated places in India. All the land within 20 miles is considered holy; but the most sacred spot is enclosed within a stone wall, 21 feet high, and forms nearly a square: two sides measuring each 656 feet, and the other two 626 feet in length. Within this area are about fifty temples, dedicated to various idols; but the most conspicuous buildings consists of one lofty stone tower, 184 feet high, and 28 feet 8 inches square inside, and is called the Bur Dewal, and two adjoining stone buildings with pyramidical roofs. The idol Juggernaut, his brother Bulbudra, and his sister Subudra, occupy the tower. The first pyramidical building, which is 40 feet square inside, is connected with the tower, and is the place where the idol is worshipped during the bathing Festival. Adjoining this temple is a low building on pillars (with a fabulous animal in the centre) which is intended as an awning to shelter the entrance from the rays of the sun; and after this is a second building, with a pyramidical stone roof, where the food prepared for the pilgrims, or others, is daily brought, previous to distribution. This latter building is said to have been removed from Kanaruck, or the black Pagoda, and is called the Beg Mundeep. The temple of Juggernaut was erected by Rajah Anung Bheem Deo, and completed in A. D. 1198. The roofs are ornamented in a singular style, with representations of monsters, which can only be understood by a drawing: but the walls * Hamilton's Description of Hindostan. Vol. ii. p. 51-53. |