- The nature of the institution of the Temple dancing-girls seems
to have been scarcely understood by the Traveller. The like existed at
ancient Corinth under the name of [Greek: Ierodouloi], which is nearly a
translation of the Hindi name of the girls, Deva-dasi. (Strabo, VIII.
6, sec. 20.) "Each (Dasi) is married to an idol when quite young. The
female children are generally brought up to the trade of the mothers. It is
customary with a few castes to present their superfluous daughters to the
Pagodas." (Nelson's Madura Country, Pt. II. 79.) A full account of this
matter appears to have been read by Dr. Shortt of Madras before the
Anthropological Society But I have only seen a newspaper notice of it.
NOTE 19. - The first part of this paragraph is rendered by Marsden: "The
natives make use of a kind of bedstead or cot of very light canework, so
ingeniously contrived that when they repose on them, and are inclined to
sleep, they can draw close the curtains about them by pulling a string."
This is not translation. An approximate illustration of the real statement
is found in Pyrard de Laval, who says (of the Maldive Islanders): "Their
beds are hung up by four cords to a bar supported by two pillars.... The
beds of the king, the grandees, and rich folk are made thus that they may
be swung and rocked with facility." (Charton, IV. 277.) In the Ras
Mala swinging cots are several times alluded to. (I. 173, 247, 423.) In
one case the bed is mentioned as suspended to the ceiling by chains.
[Illustration: Pagoda at Tanjore.]
[1] "Audax omnia perpeti," etc.
[2] The G.T. has nuns, "Li nosnain do mostier." But in Ramusio it is
monks; which is more probable, and I have adopted it.
[3] M. Pauthier has suggested the same explanation in his notes.
[4] Running a-muck in the genuine Malay fashion is not unknown among the
Rajputs; see two notable instances in Tod, II. 45 and 315. [See
Hobson-Jobson.]
[5] See Journ. Asiat. ser. VI. tom. xi. pp. 505 and 512. May not the
dinar of red gold have been the gold mohr of those days, popularly
known as the red tanga, which Ibn Batuta repeatedly tells us was
equal to 2-1/2 dinars of the west. 220 red tangas would be equivalent
to 550 western dinars, or saggi, of Polo. (Elliot, II. 332, III.
582.)
[6] I observe, however, that Sir Walter Elliot thinks it possible that the
Paraya which appears on the oldest of Indian inscriptions as the name
of a nation, coupled with Chola and Kerala (Coromandel and Malabar), is
that of the modern despised tribe. (J. Ethn. Soc. n.s. I. 103.)
CHAPTER XVIII.
DISCOURSING OF THE PLACE WHERE LIETH THE BODY OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE;
AND OF THE MIRACLES THEREOF.
[Illustration: Ancient Cross with Pehlevi Inscription on St. Thomas's
Mount, near Madras. (From Photograph.)]
The Body of Messer St. Thomas the Apostle lies in this province of Maabar
at a certain little town having no great population. 'Tis a place where
few traders go, because there is very little merchandize to be got there,
and it is a place not very accessible.[NOTE 1] Both Christians and
Saracens, however, greatly frequent it in pilgrimage. For the Saracens
also do hold the Saint in great reverence, and say that he was one of
their own Saracens and a great prophet, giving him the title of
Avarian, which is as much as to say "Holy Man."[NOTE 2] The
Christians who go thither in pilgrimage take of the earth from the place
where the Saint was killed, and give a portion thereof to any one who is
sick of a quartan or a tertian fever; and by the power of God and of St.
Thomas the sick man is incontinently cured.[NOTE 3] The earth, I should
tell you, is red. A very fine miracle occurred there in the year of
Christ, 1288, as I will now relate.
A certain Baron of that country, having great store of a certain kind of
corn that is called rice, had filled up with it all the houses that
belonged to the church, and stood round about it. The Christian people in
charge of the church were much distressed by his having thus stuffed their
houses with his rice; the pilgrims too had nowhere to lay their heads; and
they often begged the pagan Baron to remove his grain, but he would do
nothing of the kind. So one night the Saint himself appeared with a fork
in his hand, which he set at the Baron's throat, saying: "If thou void not
my houses, that my pilgrims may have room, thou shalt die an evil death,"
and therewithal the Saint pressed him so hard with the fork that he
thought himself a dead man. And when morning came he caused all the houses
to be voided of his rice, and told everybody what had befallen him at the
Saint's hands. So the Christians were greatly rejoiced at this grand
miracle, and rendered thanks to God and to the blessed St. Thomas. Other
great miracles do often come to pass there, such as the healing of those
who are sick or deformed, or the like, especially such as be Christians.
[The Christians who have charge of the church have a great number of the
Indian Nut trees, whereby they get their living; and they pay to one of
those brother Kings six groats for each tree every month.[1]]
Now, I will tell you the manner in which the Christian brethren who keep
the church relate the story of the Saint's death.
They tell that the Saint was in the wood outside his hermitage saying his
prayers; and round about him were many peacocks, for these are more
plentiful in that country than anywhere else.
