systematic neglect of the attention due to her fair daughter Hygeia, and punishment had resulted. Such simple matters as these, however, are beneath the ken of the Hindu wise-man, and everything must be decided in accordance with rules formulated by a dense superstition. As I sat there, during the heat of the day, in the shade of the old door way, I could not but reflect upon the scene before me. How many generations of industrious Hindu farmers had been reared in that place! Here were still the peepul tree (Ficus religiosa) and the neem (Azadirachta Indica) under whose shadow so many had sat in days gone by for council or for gossip, now left standing amidst the miserable ruins of once loved homes. Whilst I was there, an old widow woman came up from the new village, to the house thus temporarily occupied by me, and she seemed by no means pleased at my presence. I courteously explained that I had received permission, and then it turned out that the house did not belong to my friend the munsiff at all; and hence perhaps his readiness to let me rest there! However I was not disturbed, and presently the old lady began to sweep up the deserted rooms; one could not see why; there seemed no need for it; as nobody came there, and the house was only waiting to be pulled down; but perhaps her old affection for the place brought her there, and made her treat it as a sacred shrine that she could not bear to see neglected. Of course I took the opportunity kindly to point out to my village friend, the munsiff, the folly of all this expense and trouble, this breaking up of comfortable homes, all for a superstitious idea. With true native politeness he appeared to agree with what I said, but he finished off with the old Hindu excuse, "What could we do? The Brahmins said it must be done, and we were obliged to go!" We sometimes hear people talk as though superstition were dead in India; but, alas! it is not so; it is not even moribund. Except within a narrow circle, happily widening by slow degrees, still yet comparatively a very narrow one, composed of those influenced by Western ideas, superstition has just as strong a hold upon the masses as ever. And it cannot be expected to be otherwise. If it took many many centuries to do away with old heathen superstitions in the West, some of which are not yet completely eradicated, it must not be supposed that one or two generations, or very many of them, indeed, will effect much change in the East, where the growth is so dense and so deeply rooted. Next after the site, the position of the neighbouring dwellings must be taken into consideration, as if, for instance, the water from a house flows towards a neighbour's there will arise evil and quarrels ; also in order to secure the general welfare, the water from one's own house should be made to flow in a certain direction (east, or north, or north-east). How all these conditions can be complied with, supposing a house is to be built in a crowded neighbourhood, one must leave an unsettled problem. The timber used must also be well considered, for certain kinds are sure to bring misfortune if one should be rash enough to use any one of them. A list of unsuitable timbers is given in the books on these matters. The well also must not be dug on the south side of the house, or evil will be sure to follow, and if bones are found in excavating for it, the fact will be taken as a sign of the death of the owner. The next question is as to the time of the year at which building operations should be commenced. On this point most careful directions are given, and it may be interesting to give them here in detail. In the list, given below, the first column gives the native name of the month, and the next the corresponding English time; while the third gives the consequences that are liable to ensue to the householder from commencing to build his dwelling at the particular time named : 8. Karteekam 9. Mārgasirām 10. Pushyam 11. -Māgham October, November 12. Phalgunam Complete happiness. Much happiness. The proper time for commencing the work having been decided upon, the difficulty as to the aspect has to be settled, and this can only be decided by the following consideration. A deity called Vastupurusha is said to preside over the science of building. This being is said to migrate between the three worlds, swarga (heaven), marthya (this world), and pātāla (hell), and to be always in a reclining posture, but changing his position at different times of the year; for instance, during certain months of the year his head will be turned towards the north, and at other times towards other points of the compass. A house should not, when the building of it is commenced, face towards the feet of Vastupurusha or where his eyes may fall upon it, from which it follows that if a certain aspect is desired, building operations must commence at a period of the year when either of the above contingencies may be avoided, owing to the position in which the deity may be then reclining. Another thing to be considered will depend upon which side of the road or street the house site may be. According to the Vastu Shastram, it is good to build towards the north, or east, but bad, towards the south, or west. If, therefore, the housebuilder should have a site large enough to enable him to comply with the Shastra he will not build his house right up to the road, if it will face towards the south or west; he will in that event build some distance back from the road or street and have only a blank wall with a door in it by the road side. In towns or crowded localities where the area of sites may be limited, this point may not always be complied with, through lack of space, but, where it is feasible, and especially in country-places, where space is not so valuable, I fancy this rule of the Shastram is generally attended to. The aspect of the new house, and the proper time for the commencement of operations having been duly fixed upon, the next thing is the excavations for the foundations, and the performing of a ceremony somewhat analogous to that of laying the foundation stone of a public building in Europe. A good time of the day having been fixed upon by astrology, the owner of the house, together with his wife, who must be present, and the purohita or family priest, and any others, assemble for the foundation-laying ceremony. After worshipping Ganesha, without propitiating whom nothing of importance can ever be undertaken, a piece of stick called shankhu, about a foot long, 'which has been cut into a certain prescribed shape by the carpenter, is planted in the north-east corner of the foundation of the main building. Into the place where this is planted, various kinds of grain, and metals, are thrown, together with flowers, and leaves, and coloured rice, and the whole is then worshipped. This coloured rice (akshata) enters largely into all religious ceremonies. In fact, no worship, other than that at funerals, or that in any way, connected with the dead can be performed without this coloured rice being used. It is coloured red with a mixture of turmeric and slaked lime in water. The idea appears to be that the stick, by this ceremony (pratishta), becomes animated with the spirit of the god Vastupurusha, who is thereafter the good genius of the house. At this ceremony the following slokams among others are repeated : 1. शंकुदेव नमस्तेस्तु angarafafafĤa || 2. त्वदाधारं गृहस्थानं श्रीकरं देवनिर्मितं । त्वद्विना गृहनिर्माणं न कर्तव्यं शुभेच्छुभिः । 1. O Thou Shanku god, we adore thee. Thou art formed of hard khadiri wood. Thou art decorated with sandal, flowers, and coloured rice. Thou art made according to the Vastu-Shastram. 2. Thou art the stay of the dwelling; Art by God appointed, and givest prosperity. Without thee the building of a dwelling Should not be done by those who desire happiness. The good of this house ever increase. At the putting up of the main doorway, and again when the ridge-piece is put up, religious ceremonies are performed; as also at the digging of the well, and when the family first take possession. These ceremonies will now be described in due order. The principal entrance to the house, the front door, is called simhadwāram (the lion entrance). The woodwork of this is always more or less carved, sometimes most elaborately so. There are two cross pieces laid across the top corners of the door frame. These pieces are not used in English buildings, therefore there is no English name for them. They are called the horse-stools, because upon them are laid the cross pieces which support the wall above. This is instead of an arch, and it must be borne in mind that, until recent years, most of the walls were built with mud, or with sun dried bricks. These two cross pieces are always carved into some shape or other, to represent lions, elephants, horses or parrots, according to the fancy of the owner. The putting up of this entrance door frame is always a serious business, and necessitates a religious ceremony. The woodwork is smeared with saffron, and adorned with red powder |