The scene now represents Chunar, a fortress of considerable natural strength, situated on an insulated rock, about 150 feet high, forming the extremity of a low range of hills, on the right bank of the Ganges, about eighteen miles from Benares. In December, 1765, the Company’s troops, commanded by Major Pemble, stormed the place, and were repulsed with severe loss. The defences were irregular, following the outline of the eminence on which they were erected: several heavy batteries were mounted on the ramparts; but the native garrison trusted more to the inaccessible nature of the approach, and to the facilities it possessed for rolling down stones upon any assailants,—of which missiles, a large supply was always held in readiness on the ramparts. The fortress was again invested, and on the 8th of February, 1765, the Killadar of the Fort surrendered the keys to Major Stibbert. It is an invalid station, although not reckoned a healthy spot, owing to the great heat arising from the stone: it completely commands the river, and is used as a place of confinement for state-prisoners. Snakes are numerous, and boys bring the cobra di capello for sale to boats. In the Magazine is a large black slab, on which the deity of the Fort is said to be ever present, with the exception of from daybreak until the hour of nine A.M., during which time he is at Benares. Tradition asserts, that the Fort would never have been taken by the English, but for the absence of their god Burtreenath.
A little above the Fort is a temple: tradition states it to contain a chest, which cannot be opened, unless the party opening it lose his hand—four thieves having so suffered once in an attempt upon it. It is also recorded, that the deified giant Bhīm Singh, built the fortress of Chunar in one day, and rendered it impregnable.
A native has just succeeded in crossing the river on a bundle of reeds; his clothes placed on the top of his head are safe from wet, and with one hand he paddles along. On the outskirts of the village is seen a remarkably ancient Banyan-tree, the Ficus Indica.
In front of the tomb of a Pīr (a Muhammadan saint), three followers of the prophet are at their devotions. A Shāmiyāna, or awning, screens the tomb from the sun and rain: the standards of Hussan and Hussein are displayed, and daily coloured lanterns are suspended from the top of high bamboos.
THE PERSIAN WHEEL.
A woman is sticking cakes of cow-dung on the wall to dry for fuel. This article, called oplā, is generally used by the poorer classes; 1280 cakes are sold for a rupee: when well prepared and dried it blazes like wood. On the right is a fine Persian wheel: the water is brought up in gharas, red earthen vessels fastened round its circumference; it is worked by two bullocks, and gives an abundant supply. A wheel of this sort is perhaps superior to any other method of drawing water.
MIRZAPŪR.
Mirzapūr is a military cantonment, famous for its beautiful ghāts, and noted for its carpet manufactory and cotton mart. Some remarkably picturesque Hindū temples are on the ghāts, with fine trees in the back ground. The cliff is abrupt, and the river is always crowded with vessels full of merchandise: steamers having plenty of cargo to land are generally detained here four or five hours. Mirzapūr is from Calcutta, via Bhagirathī, 748 miles, and by dāk route, 455.
The scene before you is very singular; it represents the finale of the Kalī-pūjā festival: the goddess is seen on a platform in the boat in the foreground, covered by an awning, and adorned with flags: on the steps of the ghāt, a similar image is being put into a boat, and from every part of the city the worshippers are bringing forth the idols. One of the boats is towed by a dinghī, in which they are firing a feu de joie from a matchlock.
In the house of the Bengalī babū you beheld a nāch, and the worship of the goddess Dūrga, a yellow woman, with ten arms. You have now before you another form of the same Hindū deity, under the name of Kalī, the black, the terrific. When this goddess is worshipped in the month of May, it is called the Phuluharī festival, on account of the quantity of fruits and flowers offered to the idol at this particular season: animals are sacrificed in her honour, and jack fruit and mangoes are presented to her in that particular month.