________________
APRIL 5, 1872.]
MISCELLANY.
131
THE SRIRANGAM JEWELS. The wealth of a native temple, like the wealth of a Hindu, munificence of one modern astute beggar has outdone the consists of gold, lands, and women. The landed property munificence of ancient rájáts! The man, by name Venkawhich has at various times been in the possession of the tathiri, is in Srirangam, still living. We will now give au Brahmaos of Srirangam is well known to have been prodi- enumeration and description of the principal Srirangan gious. Dancing-girls, too, who play a conspicuous part in jewels. the ceremonial observances of Hindus, are not scarce at 1. A diamond coronal head-piece, in three parts, with an extra Srirangam. Gold, too flows into the temple year by year in diamond-beaded pin and screw. The chief stones contained in various ways. Not only do monetary offerings from the vast
this piece of jewelry are diamonds, rubles and emeralds. One
large emerald, well cut, is perhaps the most valuable alone in this crowds of devotees which yearly visit the temple, flow into
crown. Some of the růbles and diamonds also are very fine. the Srirangam coffers, but the pagoda possesses considerable
The great majority of the larger diamonds are shockingly badly stores of gold vessels and ornaments which have been pre
cut, and are flat atones, which fact detracts from their value. sented from time to time by individual votaries. The oldest Their worth is said to be about a lakh of rupees; probably half jewels possessed by the temple were presented by a potentate,
a lakh would be nearer the mark. These were presented by
Venkatathiri, the Brahman beggar. once of great importance in these parts, namely, Vijiranga Chokanatha Naidu. Of these, and of other more recent and
II. Another similar crown, much older. The stones are also,
as in the other crown, emeralds, diamonds, and rubies. In this more valuable pieces of ornament possessed by the temple,
ornament, the rubles are the most valuable stones. However, in we will now proceed to speak.
appearance they look very dim, being badly cat, badly set, and First, as to their character. A great number of these
covered with the dirt of years. They are probably worth about
30,000 Rs. or even less. ornaments are merely vessels of pure gold. Others are
III. A magnificent necklace, worth fully 7,000 Rs., in all prochiefly gold, with an occasional setting of a precious stone
bability, containing a great number of splendid pearls, besides in them. Others are mere masses of jewels let into gold good rubles, diamonds, emeralds, &c. This necklace was also diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, carbuncles, and preseuted to the idol by the beggar Brahman. pearls. Others are specimens of pearl-embroidery.
IV. Another and similar necklace, presented by Vijiranga Secondly, the value. What is it? This is a very diffi- Chokanatha Naidu.
V. Three or four small necklaces, chiefly of pearls. cult question to answer, as it is almost impossible to ascer
VI. Large emerald ear-drope. One of these is a pear-shaped tain the value-even the approximate value of jewels
emerald, probably worth about 1,000 Ra. cut clumsily and but indifferently set. The natives assert
VII. A number of band and foot ornaments for the god. Bome that several of the individual ornaments are worth nearly
of these are very richly decked with small but brilliant gems. a lakh of rupees each, and estimate the value of the whole These ornamenta are chiefly the Sangusaharam of the god, collection at about eight or nine lakhs. This is probably namely, bis two famous weapons, the chank and the wheel. an exaggerated valuation.
IX. A pair of pearl ear-rings, containing each fully a bunAnd now, in the third place, before proceeding to give a
dred fine pearls of various sizes.
x. The Anest jewelled ornament in the whole collection is description of the individual ornaments, let us refer to a
undoubtedly the Ratna Kavacham or " Body covering of jewels." curious history connected with several of the most valuable
This ornament is in several pieces. The stones It contains are of these.. During our visit to Srirangam we were especially very badly cut--some not cut at all, only smoothed by friction struck by this fact, that the most valuable ornaments were but they are very large, and some very brilliant. The ground also the newest. We were greatly surprised. It is a well upon which the gems are set is of course gold. The whole ornaknown fact that Hinduism has greatly decayed since the
ment is intended as a covering for the idol. It is probably worth
more than a lakh of rupees. Of course here again we guess at time of those great native rájks who delighted in rival
the value, but we do not think we are far wrong. When stones ling each other as to who would make the most splendid
are exposed to view badly cut and badly set, the temptation al. offerings to notable shrines. Under the prestige conferred waya is to undervalue them. by royal favour, thousands of temples were enriched by XI. A number of pota, vesela, ewers, dec., all of pure gold offering. Such offerings have lately greatly fallen off, of
Most of the vessels had incriptions engraved apon them in course, and indeed the ruinous condition of innumerable
Teluga characters. One single pot was of such size and weight
that we enquired the value of it. This we were informed was temples through the length and breadth of Southern India
exactly $15,000. Those golden vessels are used for the daily bears witness to the decay of Hinduism. Either the richer
service of the god, they are used in bearing the water for his devotees have grown cold, or the number of rich devotees divine ablutions. has greatly diminished. How then is the strange fact that XII. Two banners, with thousands of fine small pearls emof all the famous Srirangam jewels, the most valuable per- broidered on black velvet--for bearing before the Idol on state
occasions. hape are those which have been presented during the last
XIII. One large pearl-embroidered umbrella for the god. The thirty years? The natives of Srirangam gave us the ex
pearls are embroidered on black velvet, the top of the umbrella planation of this strange fact, and it is an interesting one. (outside) being covered with yellow allt. In the embroidery of
There lives now in Srirangam a rather remarkable per- this umbrella, and in that of the two bannors, tens of thousands sonage, Brahman. This man is # beggar, an ascetic.
of small porris have been employed : and although the work is
old, the pearls have wonderfully retained their original anowy About thirty years ago he gave out that he had made a vow
lustre. that he would not eat on any day of the year in which he did
XIV. One large set, and one small set, of golden feet and not receive the sum of ten rupees as alms. He also, no hands for the god. Several very large rubles bave been placed, doubt, gave out that with the money daily given him, he in- 80 as to imitate ringe, on the fingers and toes of these, also a tended to make a handsome offering to the great Káveri
cluster of handsome rubles is affixed to the palm of one of the Rangan, as Vishnu is termed in Srirangam. Of course,
hands.
XV. A gold clncture for the god, entirely composed of very rather than that so very holy a devotee should die, hosts of
fine chain work. In this clno.are there is 7,000 rupees worth of pious Hindus were ready to give him ten rupees daily. gold alone. Some, to gain additional religious merit through the imput- XVI. A golden crown oontaining 5,000 Rs. worth of gold. A od holiness of this ascetic, gave him 1,000 rupees and more. single large ruby ls set in the front of this crown. So in a few years this Brahman beggar kave a present to the
XVII. An ornament representing the mark which the TenSrirangam pagoda of several ornamente, studded with dia
galel class of Valahnava devotees wear on their foreheads.
Ttis ornament contained several valuable rubles and other promonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls. One of these oma- clocs stones. menta alone is probably worth about 70,000 Rs! Thus the
Abridged from the Madras Atheneum, Jan. 17.
