Mahomedan Festival in Melbourne.

Te Aroha News, Volume 64, Issue II, 23 August 1884, Page 5

Mahomedan Festival in Melbourne.

Tin: Mahomcdan Festival uas celebrated on *23rd July nb Melbourne. About 70 discipleo of j\lahomct took pai t in the ceremony. Some ten cabs bi ought the M.ihomedans to the Albert Park, and they immediately made preparations for worship. First they proceeded to the lagoon and washed their feet, mouths, hands, and faces. They next selected a grassy plot of ground alongside the railway line, and after having taken the " bearings," prepared to worship, with their faces towards the west. A large stool, bearing a very handsomo cover, was placed on the ground, and upon this the Koran was deposited. They next busied themselves spreading on the grass a quantity of calico, and then, having removed their boots, stood on the cloth in three rows. The priest stood a yard from the rest, and pronounced in a singing tone the words, " A-llahil Akbhar." Immediately this was done the assemblage bowed reverently. The saying of the prayers continued tor a minute. The priest alone repeated them, and then all fell on their knees, and almo.^t immediately afterwards prostrated themselves. The priest continued the prayers, and the Mahomedans constantly bowed. This lasted for half-an-hour, after which they sat down. The priest then retired from his place, and another man stepped forward ; and, standing on the stool facing his auditors, read for half anhour in a sing-song* tone select passages from the Koran. After this was done all joined together in prayer for about two minutes, and the ceremony terminated. Servico over, they embraced one another in true Mahomedan fashion. There is a particular art oven in this, and several gentlemen holding high positions in India are adopts at it. They approach one another smilling, and, having seized the waist, bend over each other's left shoulder first, then over the right, wink over each ehouklei, and then lelease their hold and ga/n affectionately at one another. It took about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour to finish this ceremony, and then they put their boots on and repaired to their cabs. Some of them went as far as Sandridere, where they bought two goats, and having returned to the spot where they had prayed, sacrificed the animals, and took the carcases away with them to their houses. All were dressed in Indian costume. They kept their caps and turbans on, but removed their shoes. The priest woro a large cloak made of Cashmere goat's hair. During the whole service tho worshippers woro a remarkably reverential aspect. Black lace dresses continue to be very popular ; the corsage is of lace or of black brocade with a raised design in coloured velvet ; the front is ornamented with a black lace plastron over a coloured lining, and bows of ribbon, in the same shado as the lining and as the velvet design, are nestled amongst the flounces and folds of the dress,