Parasitical
Plants, Climbing Up The Trunks Of Many Of The Trees, And Flinging
Themselves In Rich Garlands From Bough To Bough, Relieved The Monotony
Of The Tall, Straight Palm-Trees, And Produced Delicious Green
Recesses, The Dearest Charm Of Woodland Scenery.
I have frequently felt a strong desire to dwell under the shade of
forest boughs, for there is something
In that sylvan kind of life so
redolent of the hunter's merry horn, the mating song of birds, and
the gurgling of secret rills, as to possess indescribable charms to a
lover of the picturesque. Now, however, experience in sober realities
having dispelled the illusions of romance, I should choose a cottage
in some cleared space by the wood-side, though at this dry season of
the year, and mid the perpetual sunshine of its skies, the heart of
Mahim Wood would form a very agreeable residence.
The first house we came to was very comfortable, and almost English
in its appearance; a small, neat mansion, with its little court-yard
before it, such as we should not be surprised to see in some
old-fashioned country village at home. Straggling huts on either side
brought us to the principal street of Mahim, and here we found the
houses lighted, and lamps suspended, in imitation of bunches of
grapes, before all that were ambitious of making a good appearance.
After passing the shops belonging to the village - the grain-sellers,
the pan-sellers, and other venders of articles in common demand - we
came to a series of booths, exactly resembling those used for the same
purpose in England, and well supplied with both native and foreign
products. The display was certainly much greater than any I had
expected to see. Some of the shops were filled with French, English,
and Dutch toys; others with China and glass ornaments; then came one
filled with coloured glass bangles, and every kind of native ornament
in talc and tinsel, all set off with a profusion of lights. Instead of
gingerbread, there were immense quantities of metai, or sweetmeats,
of different shapes and forms, and various hues; sugar rock-work,
pink, white, and yellow, with all sorts and descriptions of cakes.
The carriage moved slowly through the crowd, and at length, finding it
inconvenient to proceed farther in it, we alighted.
Our party had come to Mahim upon the invitation of a very respectable
moonshee, who had his country-house there, and who was anxious to do
the honours of the fair to the English strangers, my friends, like
myself, being rather new to Bombay. We met the old gentleman at an
opening in the village, leading to the tomb of the saint, and his
offer to conduct us to the sacred shrine formed a farther inducement
to leave the carriage, and venture through the crowd on foot.
The tomb, which was strongly illuminated, proved to be a white-washed
building, having a dome in the centre, and four minarets, one at each
angle, standing in a small enclosure, the walls of which were also
newly white-washed, and approached by a flight of steps, leading into
a portico. Upon either side of the avenue from the village were seated
multitudes of men and women, who, if not beggars by profession, made
no scruple to beg on this occasion.
I felt at first sorry that I had neglected to bring any money with
me, but when I saw the crowd of applicants, whom it would have been
impossible to satisfy, and recollected that my liberality would
doubtless have been attributed to faith in the virtues of the saint,
I no longer regretted the omission. The steps of the tomb were lined
with these beggars, all vociferating at once, while other religious
characters were singing with all the power of their lungs, and a
native band, stationed in the verandah of the tomb, were at the same
time making the most hideous discord by the help of all kinds of
diabolical instruments.
Having a magistrate of our party, we were well protected by the
police, who, without using any rudeness, kept the people off. So far
from being uncivil, the natives seemed pleased to see us at the fair,
and readily made way, until we came to the entrance of the chamber in
which, under a sarcophagus, the body of the saint was deposited. Here
we were told that we could proceed no farther, unless we consented to
take off our shoes, a ceremony with which we did not feel disposed
to comply, especially as we could see all that the chamber contained
through the open door, and had no intention to pay homage to the
saint. The sarcophagus, according to custom, was covered with a rich
pall, and the devout pressed forward to lay their offerings upon it.
These offerings consisted of money, cloths, grain, fruit, &c. nothing
coming amiss, the priests of the temple being quite ready to take the
gifts which the poorest could bestow. The beggars in the porch were
more clamorous than ever, the maam sahibs being especially entreated
to bestow their charity.
Having satisfied my curiosity, I was glad to get away into the fair,
where I found many things more interesting. Convenient spaces in the
wood were filled with merry-go-rounds, swings, and other locomotive
machinery, of precisely the same description as those exhibited in
England, and which I had seen in Hyde Park at the fair held there, in
honour of Queen Victoria. Mahim Wood boasted no theatres or wild-beast
shows, neither were we treated with the sight of giants or dwarfs; but
there was no want of booths for the purpose of affording refreshment.
One of these cafes, the front of which was entirely open, was most
brilliantly illuminated, and filled with numerous tables, covered with
a multitude of good things. That it was expected to be the resort
of English guests was apparent, from an inscription painted in white
letters, rather askew, upon a black board, to the following effect:
"Tea, Coffee, and Pastry-House."
We were invited to enter this splendid establishment by the moonshee,
who had evidently ordered a refection to be prepared for the occasion.
Being unwilling to disappoint the old gentleman, we took the seats
offered to us, and ate the cakes, and drank the coffee, presented by
some respectable-looking Parsees, the owners of the shop, which they
had taken pains to set off in the European style.
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