ATTACK ON JUGGERNAUT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6296, 21 January 1882, Page 7

ATTACK ON JUGGERNAUT.

An attack on the idol of Juggernaut has been made at Pooree, the most sacred shrine in India, by a body of fanatics. The rioters, 1 who numbered twelve men and throe^women, and were almost in a state of nudity, succeeded in entering the temple and tried to force their way into tho inner recesses. AI-i though upwards of 1000 pilgrims were present, they were not expelled without a severe struggle, in the course of which one intruder was trampled to death. The rest were arrested, and have been sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The inquiry showed that they belonged to a sect of Hindoo dissenters, lately founded in the bumbuiporo district, and known as Kumohupatias, from the fact that its followers wear ropes of bark around their waists. They allege that their religion was revealed to sixty-four persons in 1564 by a god incarnate, whom they style Alekhswamy—that is, the Lord—whose attributes cannot be described 'in writing. They believe in the existence of the 300,000,000 of Hindoo deities, but do not respect their images, saying that is impossible to represent a Supreme Being whom no one has ever seen. They are subdivided into three classcs, two of which renounce the world and make no distinction of caste, while the third lead a family life. Their habits are said to be very filthy, and like some European sects, they take no medicine in illness, but rely solely on Divine help. Their attack on the Pooree temple was prompted by the belief that if the Juggernaut were burned it would convince the Hindoos of the futility of thoir religion, and the whole world would then embrace the truth.