Harkness, Henry: A description of a singular aboriginal race inhabiting the summit of the Neilgherry Hills, or Blue Mountains of Coimbatoor, in the Southern Peninsula of India (London, 1832)

TEMPLE.

67

of the trees, we came to a hut, which we understood to
be the usual residence of the Capil-aul, near to which
were the remains of one or two other dilapidated build-
ings, and the common inclosure for the herd ; and a little
further on, after passing through a sort of labyrinth, we
came to the temple. This is the one before alluded to,
as being dedicated to Truth. There is not however any
representation or idol, but the temple, or the place, being
considered most sacred, the Tudas affirm that they would
not for a moment hesitate to believe whatever declaration
was seriously made there by any of their tribe.

This temple is of a conical form, the thatch very neatly
put on, and surmounted at the top with a stone about a
foot in diameter. The walls, door-way, interior, &c,
are much the same as those of one of their sacred dairies,
but the space within is considerably less. There are three
or four bells in this temple, to which libations of milk are
occasionally made ; but excepting these, there is nothing
else, either sacred or profane; and neither here, in their
sacred dairies, nor in any other place appropriated to
sacred purposes, is there the semblance even of an altar.

On leaving it, I remarked that the Tudas remained
behind, and on looking towards them from among the
trees, observed that the two old men were in prayer,
standing in front of the temple, with the right hand up to
the face, in the manner before described; but what par-
ticularly attracted my attention was, that they were not