Indian Antiquary Vol 10

SR No.: 032502
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 440
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1881.
and in the crowd I saw our hero Ramachandra incident of Hindu mythology. The Brahmans and and Lakshman and the heroine Sitâ being carried pandits (save the mark !) who were present, and away on men's shoulders like tired children, as explained matters to me, spoke as naturally and no doubt they were.
unconcernedly of Malik-ul-Maut, using the words, The whole affair was of course conducted with as they did of Ramachandra and Sita. The whole that marvellous incongruity and that want of the incident confirms what I have frequently said sense of the fitness of things which characterise elsewhere, that in the Panjáb at any rate and I the natives of India. Réwan was fired by means believe elsewhere in India) Hinduism and Mu. of a bambu imitation of the modern field gun and hammadanism are not broadly distinguishable, carriage (!), and the play was conducted as usual in the followers of either religion believing in the the midst of the crowd, and anyhow. I saw the superstitions of the other; for instance, as far Tahsildar, himself a Hindu, quietly stop the as I can understand, there is no difference in the "fight" because it began a little too early, and Panjâb between the cultus of Waran (Varuna) the Police Inspector (now a Tahsildar) showed and that of Khizar-both are gode of the water. Ramachandra how to use his sword so as to Again Rabl, Arabic for God, is used by Hindus, wound Rwan's champion. Nevertheless Rama- thus a Hindu Jato (Kamboh) prisoner said to me chandra and his brother were quite the heroes of in Court one day when hard pressed for an answer, the bour, and their feet were touched by any Hindu "Rabb ne 'agal márd," God made me a fool. who happened to stumble against them. The Even if Kal as the "Angel of Death" has not main attractions to the crowd apparently were the sprung from Malik-ul-Maut, as above supnoise, the smoke, and the fireworks, and I do not posed, since Kala is an ancient name for "death," think one in a thousand either understood or cared yet the Hindu and Muhammadan words are now to find out what was supposed to be going on. I synonymous for one and the same object of belief. But to return to Malik-ul-Maut or KAI and
R. C. TEMPLE. the part played by him in this remarkable "play." The promoters of the spectacle had procured a
COINS OF KHARIBAEL. hunchbacked dwarf about three feet high, whom
Major W. F. Prideaux has described to the they had painted perfectly black except as to his lips, which were painted a bright scarlet; round bis waist
Bengul Asiatic Society two Himyaritic coins which was fastened a black chain some three feet long,
he received from 'Aden in 1880, and which he and in his hands was a black staff about five feet
ascribes to Kharibael, who is mentioned in the long, which he kept twirling about. He was attend
Periplus of the Erythræan Sea ag sovereign of the ed by keepers, one of whom kept the chain in his
contiguous tribes of the Homerites and Sabwang, hand. He danced and jumped about incessantly,
and on terms of friendly alliance with the Roman rolling his blood-shot eyes and head in a half
emperors. This monarch was probably identical drunken fashion, and looked as little like a human
with the Himyaritic king Kariba-01 Wattar being as he well could,--the keeper and chain
Yehan'a m, whose name appears on three of the adding to the delusion. This was Kal or Malik
inscriptions discovered by M. Arnaud in the ul-Maut, in this particular case the Lord of
neighbourhood of Marib in 1813, as well as on Rawon's death, and the meaning of the chain was
these coins. that until he was unbound Rawan could not die. It appears that every human being has his own
ANCIENT REMAINS IN CENTRAL ASIA, Malik-ul-Maut, who remains bound until the
In the midst of the village of Aradan stands fated hour of death arrives. Our monkey-like
an edifice which at once gives the cue to the oridwarf showed his humanity in one point. He
ginal use of the mounds one sees all over this part kept on dancing in front of me, aiming his staff
of the country, and which at intervals occur in at me in a threatening manner until I gave him I great numbers up to the banks of the Attarek. a rupee, which I was told was what he wanted Out in these plains, where there are no natural when he solemnly repeated some blossings over me, elevations, it was found necessary for defensive which were evidently meant as intercessions for a purposes to erect these earth heaps on which to
rear castles and citadels, especially in districts Now tho Dasahra is a distinctly Hindu festival, like these, open to the sudden attacks of the and we have the curious spectacle of a belief nomads of the desert. The castle of Aradan is which has a probably Muhammadan origin play- the first of the kind which I have seen in a perfect ing an important part in a play representing an condition and in actual use. The mound is about Mr. Grierson .sures me it is the case in Tirhat.
Proc. As. Soc. Beng. 1881, p. 52. ? Ind. Ant., vol. IX, pp. 108, 118, 130-134, 333.
long life.