At Each Annual Festival Of This Idol, The King And Queen Of The Country,
With All The Pilgrims, And The
Whole multitude of the people assemble at
the temple; and placing the idol on a rich and splendid chariot, they
Carry
it from the temple with songs and all kinds of musical instruments, having
a great company of young women, who walk in procession, two and two,
singing before the idol. Many of the pilgrims throw themselves under the
chariot wheels, that they may be crushed to death in honour of their god,
and the bodies of these devotees are afterwards burned, and their ashes
collected as of holy martyrs. In this manner, above 500 persons annually
devote themselves to death. Sometimes a man devotes himself to die in
honour of this abominable idol. On which occasion, accompanied by his
relations and friends, and by a great company of musicians, he makes a
solemn feast; after which, he hangs five sharp knives around his neck, and
goes in solemn procession before the idol; where he takes four of the
knives successively, with each of which he cuts off a piece of his own
flesh, which he throws to the idol, saying, that for the worship of his god
he thus cuts himself. Then taking the last of the knives, he declares aloud
that he is going to put himself to death in honour of the god; on uttering
which, he executes his vile purpose. His body is then burned with great
solemnity, and he is ever after esteemed as a holy person.
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