LAUCHING COMPETITION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 11, 29 August 1911, Page 7

LAUCHING COMPETITION.

HYENA v. JACKASS

Mr. Frank Rostock, of the Jungle, Coronation Exhibition, made a wage (as reported last week) of £IOO with sir. Vclanclie, of the London Hippodrome, in connection witha Jaugfiiing oompotition between the former’s hyena and the latter’s Jackass.

The contest was held at the Jungle ra I rid ay, duly oth, before an audience oi journalists, three of whom wmc selected as judges. Iho coinpc-L-on was of an amusing cfcaiacter, and t.'io points to i»9 decided on wore the length of tile laugh and the quality of tiio voice. Ilia contest was held in three sections. On the loudness of the laugh the jackass won, but on too score of length the hyena was the winner.

■the contest was ultimately won by the jackass on points, this competitor laughing at the greatest distance with great clearness and good quality of voice.

IN THE TEMPLE OF KALI.

STRANGE CORONATION DAY SCENE IN CALCUTTA.

SACRIFICE OF LAMES

( Weird proceedings marked the celeiralion of King George’s crowning in Kali s Temple, Calcutta. One found oneself in the midst of an old-world rceno in the heart of modern Calcutta, writes a correspondent. Passing the dimly-lit booths on noth sides of a narrow pasages choked with semi-nude humanity, the quadrangle seething with men and women, in costumes which might have oeen taken from a Grecian "fashionotjk, the worshippers’ noisy demon- . before the terrible goddess of destruction in the dark and, dismal temple, the tolling of the hell at intervals, and the bleating of the lambs of sacrifice created an uncanny atmosphere around the observer.

It was cljflicult to realise that one was taking part in celebrating the Coronation of King George Y. Kali, as every one knows, is the principal goddess of Bengal. Calcutta derives its name from her. Her attributes are not exactly lovable; she delights in bloodshed, but she has literally millions of worshippers. Facing the image is a dais, at the top of which sits the priests, surrounded with the offerings of fruit and flowers. On one side is the place of sacrifice, a stone-covered, oblong,passage having two blocks, at which stands a nnn, during busy hours, aimed with a sharp and neavy knife. The passage runs with the blood of the lambs. At a rough estimate a thousand lambs are .killed in a day at the Temple of Kali during the lousy season. On Coronation. Day special prayers wove offered for the King-Emperor and the (>m en. One of the head priests officiated at the ceremony. He sat, facing the image of Kali, on the dais in meditation. The prayers, the writer was told, were to last for twenty-four hours. In the middle of the day the priest lighted a fire and performed the ceremony known as i/urnahoti Hera. It may lie , mentioned that Europeans are not allowed to outer the Temple of Kali, the place where the image is kept ; but on Coronation Day a few were taken, round the temple buildings. It was also possible to see the imago of Kali from a distance of about fifteen feet. liio image is about.eight feet high, •ad is of stone, but it is placed in a hollow, so that from a distance one can only see the head. The goddess has an eye on the forehead, besides the usual two. Kali is a black goddess. and has four hands. The tongue of brass and open mouth are the most sti iking features. 'ike psiests were ready with allegorical explanations about the image, it seems they have been annoyed at the interpretation of the cult of Kali given by Mrs. F. A. Steele. The writer was asked to believe that the legend about the offering of human sacI .dire to Kali was a myth. The priests said they wanted to demonstrate their loyalty to the' Kingian poror by celebrating the Coronation in. ortnodox stvle.