Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 308: New Series, Saturday, November 24, 1849Various
General
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 308: New Series, Saturday, November 24, 1849
Various
Periodicals
At present, however, our business is more with the criminal than
the policeman; and the rough pictures of our Orderly show that the
peculiarity of Indian crime is its resemblance to the crime of old
and modern Europe at the same time. We see in it, under Indian
characteristics, the offences of mediæval Europe, extravagantly
combined with those of our own day. The priestly transgressors of the
dark ages are reproduced in the Pundahs and Poojarees of Benares; and
the English swindler who takes a handsome house, and victimises the
neighbouring tradesmen, has an Indian brother in the _soi-disant_
rajah, who confers his patronage as a prodigious favour.
The priests, it seems, perpetrate all sorts of crimes with perfect
impunity. 'Many a dark deed has been done, and is done, in the
extensive houses of these Pundahs and Poojarees. While the gong is
loudly sounding, and scores of athletic priests are blowing _sunkhs_[2]
in the numerous temples that are dotted about and around the houses,
the last expiring shriek of some victim is perhaps suppressed by the
noise. Disobedient _chelas_,[3] victims of jealousy and crime, die by
slow torture, or poison, or famine. No intimation is, or can be, given
to the police, for none but the initiated and privileged may enter
these houses, sanctified by the numerous temples. And who but the most
devoted and trustworthy are ever permitted to see the dark places
where crime is committed? It is believed generally--but I speak not
from experience (for being of the faith of Islam, I am not permitted
to approach such places)--that in the innermost recesses of several
temples is a shrine devoted to "Devee," or "Bhowanee;" those infernal
deities whose delight is in blood, where children of tender age are
enticed, and offered up on certain occasions. Frequent are the reports
made to the police that children are missing; the informants suspect
nobody, and no trace of the innocents is ever found.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account