Millions Worship in Pagan Te is Tribute

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 4 (Supplement)

Millions Worship in Pagan Te is Tribute

Specially written *for

Many of the most beautiful buildings in the world are associated with religious beliefs, and the famous Hindu temple of Madura is no exception. The same reason which has prompted man to return thanks to a Supreme Being for all the good thing 3 of life, has inspired the hands of those who have sought to honour their God in & more tangible form. Alanv of these old monuments still stand, others have succumbed to the ravages of time. Though many of the inner courts are silent and their sanctuaries unveiled, they still preserve a grace and dignity in keeping with their former state. So many worshipping feet have trod these ancient stones, so many pious lips have whispered half-forgotten prayers within the old grey "walls, that they are enshrined in the stones of the building itself. Perhaps the sweet-tongued bells that still ring at intervals the call to prayer are but echoes of the voices of those who once worshipped here. It would be extremely difficult to classify the religion of India under one separate head, as it is based mainly on old world-wide beliefs and universal thought. That dark romantic land covers a multitude of beliefs, each one more mystifying than the last. The different rites and observances connected with these beliefs are age old and mysterious, or so it would appear to - Western eyed.

Faced with religion in so many different forms, the European is glad to escape from this conglomeration of gods, and seek refuge in his own simple creed. The temple of Madura i. famed io r its ten wonderful towers which ri».t high above the city's noise and din. Tt is square in shape and surrounded hv an outer wall one mile in circumference. The magic gate* open upon a variety of features, which include many court* and lofty halls, but the chief attraction lies undoubtedly in the "Lake of the Golden Lotus." Those of us who have expected to be greeted by a wide expanse of shining waters, crowned with the sacred lotus flower, will be momentarily disappointed. Strange to cay, the "Lake of the Oolden Lotus" is not a real lake a.s its name implies, but * square tank in which the worshippers bathe. If you wish to give proof of your religious zeal and bathe therein, you must first of all traverse a lengthy flight of steps that lead down to the water's edge. The bathing process is not one which most of us would enjoy, as the worshippers enter the water fully clothed. When they have bathed they perform their various devotions; some care to merely sit and meditate for hours, others to seek enlightenment from the pages of a sacred book. Europeans are restricted from entering the inner sanctuary, that dark, mysterious chamber of the god Siva. From a close vantage point one can glimpse the officiating priests and the image of the god. surrounded by a ring of burning lamps, but more than that we are not privileged to see. Conscious that we are on the threshold of unknown things, and reluctant though we may be to move away, we must show our respect for another people's faith by withdrawing as quietly aa possible. The view from the top of any one of the ten towers is well worth while, provided one has no qualms about climbing the hat-infested stairs. The conscience of the priest has teen assuaged somewhat by the promise of a bribe, so that the way is now made clear for us to make the journey to the top of the highest ridge. The wonderful view of the lower court is well worth our .efforts. Prom here you can look upon the labyrinth of colonnales, the covered halls and big square lotus tank. A pair of golden domes indicate the shrines of Siva and Kali his wife. So much is there to see that we are uncertain which way to look. Our gaze lingers longest on the gigantic gate towers, which dwarf everything else by their very magnificence. In height they vary from 150 to 200 feet, and include five more towers 100 feet high. Every inch of these imposing monuments is carved with strange and beautiful designs which take the form of gods and goddesses, animals, snakes and birds. A pieturesqu-3 island, square in shape and crowned by * white pagoda, rise# from ths

waters of a distant lake. This lake is really another square tank, and is two miles distant from the temple of Madura. The pagoda is surrounded by trees and has a smaller replica in each corner of the island. There i.s an interesting celebration in connection with the lake, which takes place every January at th'J time of the full moon. Thousands of worshippers pull the long ropes which are attached to the sacred car containing the images of the god Siva and his wife. When the lakeside is reached the images are transferred to an elaborately decorated barge and rowed three times round the lake. There is great excitement attendant at this festival, especially when the night time comes. The faces of tha worshippers are illuminated by the glow of a thousand lamps, which throw into sharp relief their clear-eut features and sparkling eyes. Everywhere we can see the distinguishing caste mark and the colourful saris of the women and children. A fireworks display adds an extra touch of importance to the occasion and fills the entire population with unrestrained joy. Afterwards Kali and Siva are rowed once more round the lake, surrounded by an excited gesticulating crowd, and lighted by the flares >f many torches. The goddess Kali also has a temple in Calcutta where sits a keeper of the shrine. It is his daily occupation to toll the bell that

spreads the call to prayer, regardless of minor disturbances such as heat or flies. In general appearance, the Hindu temple at Srirangham is similar to that of Madura, but is more like a sacred city than a place of worship. More than two miles in circumference, it is the largest temple in the world, and encloses seven spacious and lovely courts, a hall of 940 columns aiid 15 elaborately decorated towers." The waving tips of palms rise above the carven roofs, and seem to symbolise the very spirit of the East. They do more than that —they convey more clealy than ever before the truth of that hackneyed phrase, "Oh! East is East and West is West" —but also that much that originates in the East is indescribably lovely. The temples of India could form a whole article in themselves, and range from the 13-etoreyed tower of a temple in Madras to the sanctuary of a goddess in Benares. The last is really interesting on account of the swarms of monkeys which have their habitations in the trees nearby, and play unmolested about the temple