THE NEUPAUL WIDOWS' PILGRIMAGE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 92, 5 July 1879, Page 2

THE NEUPAUL WIDOWS' PILGRIMAGE.

The Homeward Mail rather amuses us with its story about Sir Jung Bahndoor's widows. A minute and harrowi g account was given of the suttee of the cousolable widows of Sir Jung Bahadoor immediately after the lamented death. of that remarkable man. It was afterwards mentioned that only a few of the great Minister's relicts expired in the Hames, and ultimately it came to be surmised that possibly only one, the youngest and prettiest, died by tire. Still it has hitherto been believed very generally that Sir Jung's death proved the knell of a considerable percentage of his widows if not of the whole batch. This pleasing romance has, however, been completely discredited by the arrival in Bombay, on January In, of the whole four of the widows in question, escorted by a detachment of the -Nepnulese army, under the personal command of General Jegot Singh—" the Liou of the World " —the commander-in-chief of the forces of Nepaul. The ladies are en route to Dwarka, one of the five places of pilgrimage mentioned in the Shasters as possessing extraordinary sanctity. Juggernaut is another of the five places in question, and Benares is a third. The holiness of Dwarka may he inferred from that of itseouipeers. The willows are shrouded from head to foot with such care- that even if the masculine eye were permitted to approach them it could leal n nothing of their forms or features. But every caiv is taken that not oven their outor garments may be seen by the other sox. A covered way was formed at the Byculla station, passing from the 1 ail way can - age through the ladies writing-room to to the carriages in attendance, and along the passage the ladies were carried or moved beneath a sort of canopy of silver, right royal in style and valuo. Once safely got into the carriages, they wero whisked ott'to Sunkorsott House," which was engaged for tlte occasion. Thero they were to remain for a short time to recover from the fatigue of the railway journey before proceeding to Dwarka.

Tht! following week our contemporary returned to the subject, giving some additional particulars from a Calcutta paper :—" A curious pilgrim party is now proceeding through the country visiting its most sacred shrines. It consists of the relicts of the late Jung Balmdor, with other ladios of tho Nopatll Court, attended by a numerous retinue, and escorted, we believe, by a brother of the late Prime Minister of our Goorkha neighbour. This sirange party crossed tho holy river, on their returu from Mozotferpore, at Ganges Bank, opposite Bj r hj, from tl er.vcrsido terminus , of the Tirlioot State railway, by which they had como dowu in a special train ; and tho sito of their crossing presented a strange scene with its motley crowd, and their strango observances. Aspeoial steamer was waiting to receive the party, who loft their carriages and walked over the sand under a gorgeous canopy completely hiding thorn from view, and upheld by six mighty bearers. The ghat was entirely cleared for their passage but when the ladies reached the jetty they emerged from their moving tent and walked exposed to tho steamer waiting to receive thorn. Thoy were all dressed in the tnott beautiful and varicoloured) Jhinose und Japanese silks, and MM* tuw seemed fairly prepossessing. As they lett tho shore the escort .fired a salute; ami as a proportion to the,gods liandluls of rupees were throwu into tho river from both sides of the jetty as the i>urty was walking amxm it. This magnUlera dun esse seamed to have the desired effect, tor no casualty attended tho ■TWwtM stoamor iu midstream,

for the bathing of the pilgrim*, who were oil safely despatched from the other aide in a special train by the E.I. Railway Company ou their way to Bombay. A couple of huudrcd coolies, who had been interested spectators of the scene bom various vantage-points on the hank, made a unanimous rush puto the Water ou tho disappearance of the last red coot) and began busily seeking for tho tod (gifts?) thrown to their gods, nothing undeterred by tho sacrilegious nature of their performance. Many unci Hit Nepaulese coins were thus recove led."