Journal of a residence in India / By Maria Graham. Illustrated by engravings.

  • Maria Graham
Date:
1812
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Journal of a residence in India / By Maria Graham. Illustrated by engravings. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    97/264 page 71
    Chimchore.'] appearance on earth. The first was Maraba, a Gosseyn, whose piety was so exemplary, that Ganesa rewarded it by becoming incarnate in his person, at the same time committing to his care a sacred stone, and the guardianship of his own temple, promis- ing the same favours to his descendants for seven generations. These are now passed away ; but as the piety and superstition of the Deo’s neighbours has enriched the family by grants of lands, and towns, and villages, the holy Bramins have decreed, that the god is still incarnate in the family of Maraba; and to the objec- tion that the promise was only to seven generations, they answer, that as the deity was able to grant that favour to the seven im- mediate descendants of the holy Gosseyn, it would be impious to doubt his power of continuing it to their posterity. The Deo’s palace or bara is an enormous pile of building, without any kind of elegance, near the river Mootha, on which the town stands. As we entered the court, we saw a number of persons engaged in the honourable and holy office of mixing the sacred cow-dung to be spread on the floors of the bara. The whole palace looked dirty, and every window was crowded with sleek well-fed Bra- mins, who doubtless take great care of the Deo's revenues. We found his little godship seated in a mean viranda, on a low wooden seat, not any way distinguished from other children, but by an anxious wildness of the eyes, said to be occasioned by the quantity of opium which he is daily made to swallow. He is not allowed to play with other boys, nor is he permitted to speak any language but Sanscrit, that he may not converse with any but the Bramins. He received us very politely, said he was al- ways pleased to see English people; and after some conversation, which a Bramin interpreted, we took leave, and were presented
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