DELHI DURBAR FESTIVITIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12664, 18 January 1912, Page 2

DELHI DURBAR FESTIVITIES.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) Bombay, which derives its name from Mumbai the patron goddess of the city, is known as the "Gate of the East" and as their Imperial Majesties here first set foot on Indian soil I will give a short description of the city. On lauding one cannot help but be struck with* the imposing and handsome buildings which show great architectural merit, such buildings as the Taj Mahal Hotel and v"Hotel Majestic" comparing favorably -with any hotels m the world . The Esplanade and Queen's road are drives which you "cannot beat with a stick" and are fully availed of by the Parsee community i Chi Sundays eVeningß a| line quite two miles m length of elegant carriages may be seen, standing m a' row while the 'occupants are strolling about the Esplanade.-: • -.;-.■ SUN WORSHIP. A sight hever tc> bd 'forgotten is the long row 6f^ gail dressed Parsees numbering several thousands, gathered along the ioreshore, worshipping the setting sun. King Solar setting m gorgeous splendor, throwing a golden sheen on the waters of the harbor and lighting up the clouds m the most beautiful tints and shedding a brilliancy over his Parsee devotees, displays a picture which no artist or author can ever hope to fully portray. TOWERS OF SILENCE. One of the "splits of ljombay are the "Towers of Silence," where the Parsee lays his dead to be devoured by the .hungry vultures which are to be seen hovering around waiting ' their prey. In a few moments the only remnants of the "dear departed" are a clean set of bones, which are thrown into a pit there to mould and decay. The Parsee holds that by; commingling the bones of the dead the truth of ; equality m the sight of his God, despite the distinctions caused by the wealth m the world, is fully demonstrated for the bones of rich or poor, high or lowly, are put into the one pit to decay together. ( The Mohammedan 'burning grounds, where one often sees the flare of the funeral pile, and smells the ' 'roast" 1 are rather too close to the residential quarter to be congenial. THE HANGING GARDENS. I The famed hanging of Bom*bay are triumphs of horticultural ingenuity on the side of a very steep hill and display nearly every specimen of beautifully colored tropical flora. • The palatial dwellings of the Parsees, the ' Many well-equipped club houses for their exclusive use, and the air of jjlffluence with which they surround .themselves, demonstrate that they aref the masters of the one-time fishing vil-' "age which is how -the city of India. . , Landing- "of h.m. - king georgld t y.v : emperor of india. _ Their Imperial Majesties landed at .Bombay. What a shorjt • sentence, but what .a. deal of preparation and anxious is realised by the effect which the few words disclose. For weeks the city of Bombay was the scene of busy and, elaborate preparations, and how she was ready dressed m her "Sunday best" to receive the honored visit, and. a truly handsome spectacle she did present. At 3.60 p.m. on the 2nd of December, Their • Imperial Majesties, attended by' the Royal suite, quitted the Medina, the beautiful white ship which conveyed them from the Homeland, and amidst the booming of the Royal salute of 101 guns, landed at the- specially built pavilion, a miniature of the famous Taj Mahal, where they were received by the Viceroy, Governors, and other hign officials. An_ address of welcome was ■presented, to which his Majesty replied m a manner which has leit an impression on the Indian public tffat the keynote of his visit is sympathy and humanity. ROYAL PROCESSION. The procession through Bombay was.a ; gorgeous spectacle. The cheering of the enthusiastic crowds, the picturesque decorations an<J the "King's" weather made the event one which must have delighted the hearts of the Royal party. DECORATIONS. , The two besttfarch.es, out 'of' the many good ones, were the "cotton arch," which was made of about 1500 bales of pressed cotton, and a "■.Syrian" arch, which cost a Parsee donor a J fabulous .sum to erect. The other decorations along the sides of the streets were quaint and oriental. ILLUMINATIONS. The illuminations at night were something out of the common, and one saw displayed the best of the oriental decorative art combined with the latest Western devices of fancy electric lighting. The result was a spectacle that, dazzled even the most ! accustomed Easterner to gdrgeous sights. ' THE OHIDREN'S FETE. The most happy feature of the many functions of the three days' stay at Bombay was the children^ fete. Over 70,000 children of all nationalities, languages, and dress were collected together to be reviewed by their Majesties. The white children welcomed their Sovereign with the National Anthem, and' then their Parsee, Gujaratti, Marathi, and Urdu companions gave utterance to the same sentiments m their various languages. Later 'the handsome Parsee and Hindu damsels invoked a blessing on their Majesties m a special song, to which they kept accompaniment m a dancing step, an item which deserved the ,loud applause 'it received irom the crowd. ' ' •■''•' ' DEPARTURE. After three days' of functions, the Royal visitors proceeded m procession at a trot through a blaze of illuminations to the Victoria terminus, and there entrained at J. 0.45 p.m! for Delhi. t The route along which the King passes over a: thousand miles, 'has been patrolled by Lancers for over a week, X and every , precaution , has been taken to ensure safety. The writer wonders what would be thoughts of his I Majesty as he looks out of his carriage, window, "monarch of. all 'he surveys," and sees, the indescribable tumble-down hovels which do service as dwellings for so many millions of his ragged Subjects, The majority ; of the land through which, the train passes is not very attractive, cotton, which seems to be the . main crops, looking , stunted, and the whole vegetation displaying evidence of the lack of irrigation and . manure. As the train journeys north the land seems to be morev fertile, and displays more growth, some very nic&'crbps being visible, reminding one -that you are approaching the' fertile lands around historic Delhi. • " v. — D. Hebenton.