UP THE GANGES VALLEY.
OUR liuiiilrod and fiCteeu miles U[) the vivev from Cal-
cutta is the city of Benares with a population of
two hun(li'(Ml thousand. It is the ^Fecca, of Ilindu-

ism. The city contains three thousaml Hindu temples
and shrines. Thousands of aged persons come here to spend
the remnant of their days, that the}' may die upon the sacred
banks of " Mother Ganges." Among other tem})les is the
famous ]Monkt^y Temple a short distance out of the city. It is
so named from the mordceys that swarm the trees and the sur-
r(mnding walls. They expei.d to lie fed at the expense of e^'cry
A'isit(n', and jjeconui rather ini}iudent if this is not d(nie. A
few handfuls of rice or gi-ain will satisfy them.
The huildino' is not a remarkajjle one amonii' its class. It
is built of red sandstone, and consists of a wall enclosing a
tank of water, or bathing jilace, and the tem])le proper. This
structure is aljout tliirty feet S([uare at the l:)ase, and tapers to
a point fifty feet high, in pagoda, style. Within the building
is the image, a, gaud\', ill-citncei^ed olijcM-t. Before the door
is a raised jilatform of stone, on which the worshipers con-
gregate.
The Cow Tem])le attracts (^special attention. I was per-
nutted to stand in the dooi', and that satisfied me ; for (lie
}da(;e is filthy with tin; presence of the sacred l:)o\ ines, which
seem to enjoy lilV' alio\"e the a\"ei'age of their class. ]\Iany
wonuui to whom the privileg(_^ of jiearing sons has been denied,
I'esort Inu'e to ]ira}' de^'outly for that blessing.
[22-]



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224 UF THE GAXGES VALLEY.
