1 Sing and ITeera Sing were accustomed to take their repasts
2 from similar cups and dishes, sitting with their retinae on
3 white cloths, spread upon the grotfrid. Every guest has one
4 or- more of these cups placed before him, and they only em¬
5 ploy their fingers in eating, as forks, knives or spoons are not
6 used by the native inhabitants. The Maharajah Gholah Sing,
7 however, does not dine in company, but invariably takes in's
8 mails alone, in the kitchen where the dishes are prepared,
9 haying previously passed an hour or two in performing his
10 ablutions, and repeating his poojah (prayers). It is a common
11 custom in India for every Hindoo to prepare his own dinner,
12 lie makes a circle, washing the hearth within it, beyond
13 which no person, even of his own caste, is allowed to pass;
14 anil if any stranger, ignorant of the custom, should place
15 his foot beyond this sacred circle, the dish lie has been pre¬
16 paring is considered as polluted, and is thrown away .«»-
17 tonched, no matter how expensive the ingralunts may have
18 been. There are a large number of Hindoo castes, and much
19 diversity prevails in their habits and customs. In some of
20 these, a pci sou will liot eat of a dish prepared ev en bv his
21 own brother; and should lie be dangerously ill, would rather
22 confine his diet to dried fruits than take any food which
23 another person had touched, Tills extreme jioculkrity, how¬
24 ever, attaches only to a few of the Hindoo castes, as hv far
25 the larger number resemble in this respect the sikhs (reformed
26 Hindoos), who do not object to cat of any dish which has
27 been prepared by a Brahmin. One of my orderlies, i e.,
28 attendant of my house, who was a Hrniimin, had eaten of n
29 cake which had been bought at the bazaar, but which by
30 accident had been touched by one of his companions who
31 was a Mu- .■Ima.ii, and in consequence, lie was looked upon
32 1)v those of his caste as being polluted. In order to purify
33 himself, lie was, by way of penitence, obliged to give a
34 splendid dinner to the Brahmins of the neighbourhood, the
35 cost of which absorbed about a month’s wages; and to eat a
36 sugared paslc compounded of milk, butter, urine, and excre-