160
"Hook-Swinging" in India.
were attached. By slackening the rope for the management of the cross pole, the other end, to which the hooks were attached, was lowered to a platform higher than the heads of the assembled multitude, from whence, when it was raised, was borne into the mid-air a man, with no other dress than a waist cloth, and supported only by the muscles and flesh of the middle of the back, into which were thrust the iron hooks. When the cross pole, thus laden, had regained its horizontal position, it was quickly turned on the pivot, by the persons holding the rope at the other end moving round with it at a good pace. . . . Others, more bold and hardy, made no use of the rope, and, as though happy as well as fearless, thrust their hands into their cloth, and, taking out a profusion of flowers, provided for the occasion, showered them abroad amongst the people, who struggled to catch and preserve them as though they had been blessings from heaven. . . . Swinging is neither practised nor sanctioned by the Brāhmans; at least they have disavowed it to me; and I never observed any besides the lower classes of the Hindus conducting or participating in the ceremony. It is said to be observed in consequence of vows made in time of sickness or danger, in expiation of an offence, or for the obtaining of children or some other desired object."[1]
Photograph No. 15 (Plate XIV.) is taken from a set of mica paintings depicting the life and customs of the Madras Presidency at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and it will be noticed that the man is suspended in the way- described by Sonnerat and Hoole. An examination of this photograph clearly shows that the horizontal pole is intended to rotate on the central pivot, the arrangement in this respect being very similar to that employed in Bengal.[2]
- ↑ Elijah Hoole, Personal narrative of a mission to the South of India, 1820 to 1828, quoted by E. Thurston, Ethnographic Notes in Southern India, pp. 491-3.
- ↑ The mica paintings from one of which this photograph was taken were brought from India early in the nineteenth century by General Robert Bell, Royal Madras Artillery. They are now in the possession of his granddaughter, Miss Poynter, Oxford, to whose kindness I am indebted for permission to make this use of them.
