IDOLS.
Mole, Fa Imagen, . . . . Sr.
Bild, Ootze, . . . Gen. Vigraham, Salai, • TAIL Ebenbild ,, Vikmmn, Vigram, • TEL. But, . . Aim., Pzas. Prattima, . . . . ,, Imagine Ir. Put, Surat, . . TURK.
Melo . IT , SP.
Tho idols of the Hindus are made of gold, silver, and copper, or their alloys,—one alloy of frequent use being that called panchalaka, of gold, silver, copper, tin, and lead ; but iron, brass, crystal, stone, earth, cow-dung, and wood are also often employed, the red sanders wood and the woods of the Cupressus torulosa, 3facrotomia euchroma, and Melia azedarach. Many of the idols in India are monsters, many are mere shape less masses of stone with a smearing of red lead, or a log of wood without shape or form, or a stone from the riverbed; others, like the bull Nandi or Basava, the vahan of Siva, are beautifully formed models of that quadruped. The forms of Siva and of his wife Parvati and of the cobra serpent are usually well portrayed, as also of the peacock in the Saiva temples. The horse is formed of wood, plated with silver and gilded ; occasion ally well-made figures of the elephant are to be seen.
The images made of gold are generally those of Durga, Lakshini, Radha, Krishna, and Sams , wati ; they are kept in private houses, and wor shipped daily, and weigh from one to four tolas.
The image of Sheetula, of 10 or 12 toles, is often made of silver, kept in the house, and wor shipped daily. Ward mentions that at Kidder pur, adjoining to Calcutta, was a golden image of Puti-tupavuni, 2 cubits high. Near Sarampur was a golden image of Jagadhatri, about li cubits high. Very small copper images of Surya, and of Siva riding on a bull, are preserved in private houses, and worshipped daily.
The images of all the gods and goddesses may be made of stone, generally of a black, but some of a white colour ; the greater number are placed in temples; a few small ones are found inprivate houses. All images of stone are worship daily ; the greater number areof the lingam, or t e various forms of Vishnu. A few exist of the lingam, nine or twelve cubits high. Throughout Lower Bengal
and all the south of India, every village has its guardian idol, generally one or more rough stones smeared with red lead, and placed under an aged banyan or pipal tree. In one single street of Cal cutta there are more images of Krishna and em blems of Siva than perhaps in the whole length of the Doab. A lingam at Bemires requires six men to encircle it. The clay and composition images made in the vicinity of Calcutta for the annual festivals (some of which have a very splendid appearance, and are of large dimensions), after the ceremonies are over are cast into the river. Tho modern manufacturers of the deities are artisans in gold, silver, and other metals, stone-cutters, and potters. Some of the modern casts are hand some, but the modern sculptures are commonly contemptible. Some of the ancient Hindu sculp tures are magnificent, and in minute ornamental and floral decorations almost unrivalled.
In Burma the images of Gaudama are made of wood, marble, and the precious metals. In Siam, Japan, etc. images are made of the ornaments, precious metals, etc., collected from the ashes of the funeral pile of a deceased person ; and others again from the pulverized fragments of the bones kneaded with water into a paste, baked, and after ' wards`gilded. ' Images of snakes are :The idea of their .curative virtues is very old in India : a Hindu attaoked by fever or other diseases, makes a serpent of brass or clay, and performs' certain ceremonies to its honour, in furtherance of his recovery. Such ceremonies are particularly effica cious when the moon is in the Naksbatm (mansion, sign, or asterism) called Sarpa or the serpent, called also Ashlesha. Dhanwantari is the Escu lapius of the Hindus, but has not an attendant serpent like his brother of Greece ; the health bestowing Dhanwantari arose from the sea when churned for the beverage of immortality. He is generally represented as a venerable man with a book in his band.