1 EMBLEM OF THE DOVE. 11
2 brought thence), and shaped like a divided cone, facing"
3 to the south, and being (so I was informed) about
4 30 yards in height, and 15 or 20 in depth. I rather
5 believe that there are stalactites in it, and that large
6 icicles are formed from them, so as to connect the
7 bottom of the cave with the roof. When the pilgrims
8 arrive there they commence shouting, clapping their
9 hands, and calling upon the Deity (Siva). Asra dur-
10 shun payareh — " Show yourself to us," is the universal
11 and simultaneous exclamation and prayer of prostrate
12 thousands. The cave is much frequented by rock
13 pigeons,
14 " Spelunca subito commota columba."
15 JEneid, lib. v., 213.
16 who are affrighted by the noise, rush out tumultuously,
17 and are the answer to the prayer. In the body of one
18 or other of these, resides the person of their divinity,
19 and Shur or Siva, the destroyer, and the all-powerful,
20 is considered to be present and incarnate as the
21 harmless dove. If there happens to be no pigeon
22 in the cave at the time, the pilgrims are much disap-
23 pointed, though I could not learn that they augured
24 any thing particularly bad from its non-appearance.
25 The Fakirs and Bramins, at all events, make a good
26 thing of it; their maintenance is an inculcated duty,
27 and they grow comparatively rich by the presents
28 they receive during the expedition.
29 It is well known that if a Hindu die, and the widow
30 is not burned she cannot marry again. A kami
31 dand* is a Hindu woman, who, having lost her hus-
32 band, and being unable to marry again, is devoted by
33 her friends to the service of the god. For this pur-
34 * Kant, alms — dand, given.