Life and Travel in India: Being Recollections of a Journey Before the Days of RailroadsLeonowens, Anna Harriette
History
Life and Travel in India: Being Recollections of a Journey Before the Days of Railroads
Leonowens, Anna Harriette
India -- Description and travel; India -- Social life and customs
[41] The Shiahs and Sunnis are the two most important Mohammedan sects.
The Sunnis hold the "Sunnat," or traditions of Mohammed, as of nearly
equal authority to the Kuran, and they revere equally the four
successors of the Prophet, Abu-Bahkr, Omar, Usman, and Ali. The Shiahs,
on the other hand, reject the traditions, and do not acknowledge the
successors of the Prophet as Khalifahs.
[42] One of the greatest of Aryan kings mentioned in the Mahabharata.
[43] The sectarian marks of the Hindoos vary with their caste and the
deity to whom they attach themselves. The high-caste Brahman makes only
a circular mark with a little sacred mud of the Ganges, and mixed with
water, on his forehead. This is symbolic of the mystic word "Aum." The
followers of Vishnoo, a second grade of Brahmans, use a species of clay
brought from a pool, Dhwaiaka, in which the seven shepherdesses, who are
always represented with Krishna, are supposed to have drowned themselves
on hearing of the death of their favorite hero. This mark is a circle
with a straight line passing through, symbolizing the regenerative
powers of nature. The Mahadèo sect wear two straight lines on the brow;
the one on the right stands for God, the one on the left for man, a
transverse streak of red lime: a preparation of turmeric and lime is
used; it means God and man united. A great many wear the mark of
Vishnoo's weapon with which he is supposed to have killed the
sea-monster to rescue from destruction the three Vèdas. The followers of
Siva, one of the four great sects of Hindoos, wear a complex mark of
circle and cross combined, made with the ashes of burnt cow-ordure,
symbolizing the destruction of all sin and the beatitude in store for
the pure and holy.
[44] A mill or grinder, used for grinding rice and wheat.
CHAPTER VIII.
A Visit to the House of Baboo Ram Chunder.--His Wife.--Rajpoot
Wrestlers.--Nautchnees, or Hindoo Ballet-Girls.--A Hindoo
Drama.--Visit to a Nautchnees' School.--Bayahdiers, or
Dancing-Girls, attached to the Hindoo Temples.--Profession,
Education, Dress, Character, Fate in Old Age and after
Death.--Cusbans, or Common Women.--Marked Differences between these
three Classes of Public Women.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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