Wanderings of a pilgrim in search of the picturesque, Volume 2 (of 2)

by Fanny Parkes Parlby

“Ten miles above the ferry, and seven below Mirzapūr, on the left bank, is Bhajoan, with a white tomb and a patch of kankar in the river, on which many boats are lost: hence the cantonments of Mirzapūr are visible.

“Mirzapūr, a military cantonment, is two miles below the city and the civil station: the judge’s, the magistrates’, and the collector’s offices are one mile below the city. The steamer stops at the agency ghāt at the lower end of the city. This place is noted for a cotton mart and cotton manufactory; as likewise for shell lac, lac dye, and hardware in a small way. Many boats are here at all seasons. The city is very confined, dirty, and subject to great sickness: there are two or three very fine stone ghāts here, and some small temples and minarets: bread, butter, eggs, mutton, lamb, kid, veal, and fowls, are procurable. Mirzapūr is from Calcutta, viâ Bhagirathī, 748 miles; viâ Sunderbands, 1036 miles; and by dāk route, 455. The dāk takes five days, and banjhī eight days to run. Steamers having plenty of cargo to land are generally detained here four or five hours.”

The river has given us some trouble to-day, and we have grounded many times. The white houses of the Mirzapūr cantonments stretch along the right bank on a very high cliff; the church, a very elegant building, was planned by Colonel Edward Smith,—the spire rises just above the ghāt of the civil station. The manjhī of our vessel wished to anchor there, but we pushed on to the city, and lugāoed on the other side the river, close to a fine house, the residence of the Raja of Ramnager. We did not like to anchor at the stone ghāt of the city, on account of the noise, smoke, and heat produced by a crowd of native boats: this will be pleasant: I can be up top dāghī (gun-fire) to-morrow morning, and sketch the ghāts. In the mean time the sandbank by which we are moored is cool, pleasant, and quiet. Now for English letters!

11th.—We found we ought to have stopped at the ghāt off Cantonments, as there bread, butter, meat, &c., could be procured; but what cared I for such creature comforts when I saw the ghāts in the early morning? We crossed the river, and I went out to sketch them. There are two fine ones, built of stone, that lie close together, and a number of temples are upon them,—placed at intervals upon the cliff, from the river to the top of the high bank, and very beautiful they are.

The first sketch comprehended the ghāts that rise out of the river; on their steps of stone, multitudes of people, in the gay attire of the East, were ascending and descending for pūja and bathing, and to bring water up for domestic purposes; the scene was particularly animated. On the steps of the ghāt was a large awning, formed of mats, and supported by bamboos, under which the natives were sitting and conversing, while it screened them from the sun. Upon the river-side were several square platforms erected on four bamboos, with great stones beneath to support them; and on the top of the poles were large jhāmps—that is, mats of straw, which protected the people sitting inside from the rays of the sun; these platforms were used as booths, and in them sweetmeats were displayed for sale. Half-way up the cliff were three small temples, with fine trees in the background, in front of which stretched the high bank along the side of the Ganges.

The second sketch of the same ghāt was taken half-way up the cliff; on the right are the three small temples above alluded to, which form part of a group of singular beauty and varied form. A large shiwala or temple dedicated to Mahadēo is next to them, and a smaller, separated only by an archway, adjoins it; on the portico of the latter a fakīr’s staff and flag were erected. The branches of fine trees were in the background, the cliffs were abrupt, and the vessels on the Ganges were in the distance. In front of the doorway of the larger temple the holy bull, (the vehicle of Mahadēo,) was couchant on a small ghāt erected for the purpose.

The third sketch was taken from the top of the cliff looking up the river: it consists of a large shiwala or temple of Mahadēo, with a second in front which forms a portico, beneath which Nandi the holy bull reposes couchant; to the side is the spire of a temple that rises from below. The Ganges adds to the beauty of the scene, and some branches of large trees in the background adorn the temple. No mandāp have I ever seen so elaborately carved or so beautiful; from the basement to the pinnacle it is a mass of intricate sculpture, united with great elegance of design. It is covered with images of the gods, carved in stone. A little kid, which had just been offered to the idol, was frisking about the temple, unconscious of how soon he would be served up as a feast for the Brahmāns. Kid is eaten by Hindūs at particular times, and the priests consider the offerings as holy food.

There is another handsome stone ghāt a little further up the river, with nine temples upon it; and many are the picturesque spots along the banks of the Ganges. Mirzapūr is famous for its manufactory of carpets, which are often sent to England; and large vessels in hundreds were off the city. We proceeded on our voyage, and lugāoed at Bindachun.