DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0098
62 BENABES, PAST AND PRESENT.
himself with a truncheon. And this is no figment of the
imagination, hut a veritable cudgel, of enormous thick-
ness ; not, indeed, of wood, but, what is more terrible, of
stone. It is called Dandpan, from danda, a stick, and,
in common belief, is nothing less than divine. "Whether
from a desire to enjoy as much tranquillity as possible, or
from the universal Hindu custom to shift anxiety and
trouble from one shoulder to another, I cannot say, but
Bhairo has considerately issued his commands to it, to
beat any person who may be found working mischief,
and, having done so, has resigned himself to a life of
ease. So that, in fact, this intelligent stick is, de facto,
the divine magistrate of the city. It may seem strange,
however, that the temple in which Dandpan is deposited is
not that of Bhaironath, but is another, situated a short
distance off. The stone representing this singular deity
is about four feet in height, and is specially worshipped,
every Tuesday and Sunday, by a great many people. It
is set up on end, the upper extremity receiving, occa-
sionally, the adjunct of a silver mask or face; but, when
our wondering eyes beheld it, there was only the bare
stone visible, with a garland depending from the upper
extremity. In front of the stick, three bells were
hanging; and, on one side, a priest sat, with a rod in
his hand, made of peacock's feathers, with which, in
the name of Dandpan, he gently tapped the worshippers,
and thereby vicariously inflicted punishment upon them
for the. offences of which they were guilty. In this
temple are other remarkable objects, which will be pre-
sently referred to. The worship of Dandpan, and the
function attributed to this extraordinary divinity, con-
himself with a truncheon. And this is no figment of the
imagination, hut a veritable cudgel, of enormous thick-
ness ; not, indeed, of wood, but, what is more terrible, of
stone. It is called Dandpan, from danda, a stick, and,
in common belief, is nothing less than divine. "Whether
from a desire to enjoy as much tranquillity as possible, or
from the universal Hindu custom to shift anxiety and
trouble from one shoulder to another, I cannot say, but
Bhairo has considerately issued his commands to it, to
beat any person who may be found working mischief,
and, having done so, has resigned himself to a life of
ease. So that, in fact, this intelligent stick is, de facto,
the divine magistrate of the city. It may seem strange,
however, that the temple in which Dandpan is deposited is
not that of Bhaironath, but is another, situated a short
distance off. The stone representing this singular deity
is about four feet in height, and is specially worshipped,
every Tuesday and Sunday, by a great many people. It
is set up on end, the upper extremity receiving, occa-
sionally, the adjunct of a silver mask or face; but, when
our wondering eyes beheld it, there was only the bare
stone visible, with a garland depending from the upper
extremity. In front of the stick, three bells were
hanging; and, on one side, a priest sat, with a rod in
his hand, made of peacock's feathers, with which, in
the name of Dandpan, he gently tapped the worshippers,
and thereby vicariously inflicted punishment upon them
for the. offences of which they were guilty. In this
temple are other remarkable objects, which will be pre-
sently referred to. The worship of Dandpan, and the
function attributed to this extraordinary divinity, con-