DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0187
146
CHAPTEE XII.
The Bengali population of Benares.—The popular Temple of Kedareswar.
—Legend of Kedar. —Mansarwar Tank and surrounding Temples.—
BaTkrishna and Chaturbhuj Idols.—Maneswar Temple.—The Great
Image of Tilubhandeswar.—Ancient mutilated Statue.—Temple of
Dulares'war.—Peepul tree at Ohauki Ghat—Swinging gods.
The Bengalis inhabiting Benares form a considerable
community. They reside, for the most part, by them-
selves, in a quarter of the city called the Bengali Tola,
and are noted chiefly for the superior education which
many of them have received, in comparison with the
Hindustani portion of the population. Not a few
among them are more or less acquainted with the
English language, and pride themselves on this cir-
cumstance, and on the various kinds of knowledge
which, through its instrumentality, they have acquired.
In their social habits, however, many of this class are
not much, I fear, in advance of their neighbours; al-
though, I rejoice to be able to say, there is reason to
believe that some have made considerable progress in
such matters, of late years. Being more enlightened
than Hindus generally, it is strange that, in many
respects, their inner domestic life is scarcely better
than theirs. Some of them are beginning to educate
their wives and daughters, and are anxious for their
intellectual improvement. Yet the uneducated portion
of the Bengali community adhere to the customs of
CHAPTEE XII.
The Bengali population of Benares.—The popular Temple of Kedareswar.
—Legend of Kedar. —Mansarwar Tank and surrounding Temples.—
BaTkrishna and Chaturbhuj Idols.—Maneswar Temple.—The Great
Image of Tilubhandeswar.—Ancient mutilated Statue.—Temple of
Dulares'war.—Peepul tree at Ohauki Ghat—Swinging gods.
The Bengalis inhabiting Benares form a considerable
community. They reside, for the most part, by them-
selves, in a quarter of the city called the Bengali Tola,
and are noted chiefly for the superior education which
many of them have received, in comparison with the
Hindustani portion of the population. Not a few
among them are more or less acquainted with the
English language, and pride themselves on this cir-
cumstance, and on the various kinds of knowledge
which, through its instrumentality, they have acquired.
In their social habits, however, many of this class are
not much, I fear, in advance of their neighbours; al-
though, I rejoice to be able to say, there is reason to
believe that some have made considerable progress in
such matters, of late years. Being more enlightened
than Hindus generally, it is strange that, in many
respects, their inner domestic life is scarcely better
than theirs. Some of them are beginning to educate
their wives and daughters, and are anxious for their
intellectual improvement. Yet the uneducated portion
of the Bengali community adhere to the customs of