DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0144
106 BENARES, PAST AND PRESENT.
more to revive Hinduism, in this city, of late years,
than, perhaps, any other person. Having diligently
read the Kasi-Tchanda, he has searched about for the
temples and idols referred to in that book; and, where-
ever he has found old temples in decay, or abandoned,
or has discovered sacred sites now neglected and gene-
rally unknown, he has endeavoured to restore them to
honour and popularity. One favourite method which
he adopts is to inscribe an extract from the Kdsi-
Jchanda, respecting a particular forsaken temple or site,
on stone, and to set it up there, for the enlightenment
of passers-by. In some cases, he merely writes the
extract on a wall or other suitable place. This man
feels, like many other rigid Hindus of the old school,
that the ancient religion is falling into decay; that
some of its old temples, formerly frequented by crowds,
are now rarely trodden; and that many a hallowed
spot, or niche, or grove, or fane, has been abandoned
and forgotten.
* Behind the peepul tree is a temple dedicated to
Ganes, the God of "Wisdom, an elephant-headed, large-
bellied, and very red deity, who has associated with
himself a variety of deities, one of whom is a stone on
which two snakes are carved in bass-relief; but the
stone is broken, and the two parts are placed, side by
side, against the wall.
more to revive Hinduism, in this city, of late years,
than, perhaps, any other person. Having diligently
read the Kasi-Tchanda, he has searched about for the
temples and idols referred to in that book; and, where-
ever he has found old temples in decay, or abandoned,
or has discovered sacred sites now neglected and gene-
rally unknown, he has endeavoured to restore them to
honour and popularity. One favourite method which
he adopts is to inscribe an extract from the Kdsi-
Jchanda, respecting a particular forsaken temple or site,
on stone, and to set it up there, for the enlightenment
of passers-by. In some cases, he merely writes the
extract on a wall or other suitable place. This man
feels, like many other rigid Hindus of the old school,
that the ancient religion is falling into decay; that
some of its old temples, formerly frequented by crowds,
are now rarely trodden; and that many a hallowed
spot, or niche, or grove, or fane, has been abandoned
and forgotten.
* Behind the peepul tree is a temple dedicated to
Ganes, the God of "Wisdom, an elephant-headed, large-
bellied, and very red deity, who has associated with
himself a variety of deities, one of whom is a stone on
which two snakes are carved in bass-relief; but the
stone is broken, and the two parts are placed, side by
side, against the wall.