DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0321
Sraddha Ceremonies. 309
water from a lota into his hand, he sprinkled it over all the
offerings, arranged in the manner described. Other similar
operations followed:—thus, for instance, an earthenware
platter, containing a lighted wick, was placed near the
offerings; ten other platters were filled with water, which
was all poured over the Pinda; another small platter with
a lighted wick was added to the first, then some milk was
placed in another platter and poured over the Pinda, and then
once more the Pinda was sprinkled with water. Finally, the
Brahman joined his hands together and did homage to the
Pinda. The whole rite did not last more than fifteen
minutes, and while it was proceeding, the man for whose
mother it was performed continued to repeat Mantras and
prayers under the direction of the officiating Brahman, quite
regardless of my presence and much loud talking and vocife-
ration going on around him. The ceremony was concluded
by the ' feeding of a Brahman,' who was sent for and made
to sit down near the oblations, and fed with flat cakes, ghee,
sweetmeats, vegetables, and curds placed in a plate of palasa-
leaves.
With regard to Gaya, which I visited in 1876, I may
mention that the city is most picturesquely situated on
the river Phalgu, about sixty miles south-west of Patna,
near some short ranges of hills rising abruptly out of the
plain. The Vishnu-pada temple, where the principal Sraddhas
are performed, is built of black stone, with a lofty dome and
golden pinnacle. It contains the alleged footprint of Vishnu
in a large silver basin, under a silver canopy, inside an
octagonal shrine. Pindas and various kinds of offerings are
placed by the pilgrims inside the basin round the footprint,
and near it are open colonnades for the performance of the
Sraddhas.
Let no one suppose that the process of performing
Sraddhas at Gaya is either simple or rapid. To secure the
complete efficacy of such rites, a whole round of them must
water from a lota into his hand, he sprinkled it over all the
offerings, arranged in the manner described. Other similar
operations followed:—thus, for instance, an earthenware
platter, containing a lighted wick, was placed near the
offerings; ten other platters were filled with water, which
was all poured over the Pinda; another small platter with
a lighted wick was added to the first, then some milk was
placed in another platter and poured over the Pinda, and then
once more the Pinda was sprinkled with water. Finally, the
Brahman joined his hands together and did homage to the
Pinda. The whole rite did not last more than fifteen
minutes, and while it was proceeding, the man for whose
mother it was performed continued to repeat Mantras and
prayers under the direction of the officiating Brahman, quite
regardless of my presence and much loud talking and vocife-
ration going on around him. The ceremony was concluded
by the ' feeding of a Brahman,' who was sent for and made
to sit down near the oblations, and fed with flat cakes, ghee,
sweetmeats, vegetables, and curds placed in a plate of palasa-
leaves.
With regard to Gaya, which I visited in 1876, I may
mention that the city is most picturesquely situated on
the river Phalgu, about sixty miles south-west of Patna,
near some short ranges of hills rising abruptly out of the
plain. The Vishnu-pada temple, where the principal Sraddhas
are performed, is built of black stone, with a lofty dome and
golden pinnacle. It contains the alleged footprint of Vishnu
in a large silver basin, under a silver canopy, inside an
octagonal shrine. Pindas and various kinds of offerings are
placed by the pilgrims inside the basin round the footprint,
and near it are open colonnades for the performance of the
Sraddhas.
Let no one suppose that the process of performing
Sraddhas at Gaya is either simple or rapid. To secure the
complete efficacy of such rites, a whole round of them must