Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 405

THE FUNERAL PYRE
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borne in a splendid open palanquin, accompanied by his
guru, his principal officers, and his nearest relatives, who
were all on foot and wore no turbans in token of mourning.
Among them was also a large number of Brahmins. Then
came the two victims, each borne on a richly decorated
palanquin. They were loaded, rather than decked, with
Several ranks of soldiers surrounded them to pre-
jewels.
serve order and to keep back the great crowds that flocked
in from every side.
The two queens were accompanied by
some of their favourite women, with whom they occasion-
ally conversed.
Then followed relatives of both sexes, to
whom the victims had made valuable presents before leaving
the palace. An innumerable multitude of Brahmins and
persons of all castes followed in the rear.
On reaching the spot where their untimely fate awaited
them, the victims were required to perform the ablutions
and other ceremonies proper on such occasions and they
went through the whole of them without hesitation and
without the least sign of fear. When, however, it came to
walking round the pile, it was observed that their features
underwent a sudden change. Their strength seemed well-
nigh to forsake them in spite of their obvious efforts to
suppress their natural feelings. During this interval the
body of the king had been placed on the top of the pyramid
The two queens, still wearing their rich
of sandalwood.
attire and ornaments, were next compelled to ascend the
Lying down beside the body of the deceased prince,
pile.
one on the right and the other on the left, they joined
hands across the corpse. The officiating Brahmins then
recited in a loud tone several mantrams, sprinkled the pile
with their tirtam or holy water, and emptied the jars of
ghee over the wood, setting fire to it at the same moment.
This was done on one side by the nearest relative of the