FYZ
452
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particular shrine, the preaching of some anchorite or devotee ^had led him to give so far a pre-eminence to Vishnu that his more formal daily devotions were directed specially to him, while he was still eager to pay all reverence to and take as many holidays as possible in honour of any other
god in Moslem, Christian or Hindu calendars. A glance at the Ajodhya will show that the last occasion, and almost the only one in modem times, when the Hindus ventured to shed the blood of their Moslem masters in a religious war, was in defence of their long-tailed saint or article
divinity, the
The
monkey Hanom^n.
religion of
Fyzabad
is
fully dwelt
on in the
article
Ajodhya.
may, however, be remarked here that the Hindd revival at Ajodhya one of the most remarkable things in modem times. In Buddhist times the place had no peculiar sanctity, although there were doubtless temples and shrines. Long afterwards, during many centuries, Gya, Benares, Puri, and Muttra kept their reputation, while Ajodhya became a wilderness and famous hunting-ground. About a hundred and fifty years ago there was a revival whether a national feeling was aroused by the tyranny of Aurangzeb, or by the success of the Marahtas, or by the translation into popular language of the Ramayana, somehow or other Ajodhya became again esteemed as a holy place it grew in favour each year, and now in all India, perhaps, except the Jaggannath festival and that at Hardwar, there is none to equal the Ramnaumi celebrations at Ajodhya. It
is
Be it remembered, though, it is not religion it is a mixture of hagiology and hero-worship. Its roots lie in the newly-aroused national feeling. Earn Chandar draws because he was a Hindu prince, and because he conquered the Indian foreigners. It is because he is supposed to have done for North India what Wallace did for Scotland and Tell for Switzerland that his hold upon the Hindu affections is strengthening year by year. It is not for Englishmen, who have been ruled by their own kin for four hundred years, to estimate aright the utter abandon and delight with which Hindus again raise a throne, even if it be a plantom one. Religion, national pride, ancestral pride, love of spectacle, all combine to make these festivals in honour of Ram Chandar the most, exciting and popular of modem
Hinduism. Concerning the Musalman sects there is little to observe. Except in Fyzabad, long the residence of a Shia court, that sect numbers very few disciples. It is obvious that among the masses of the faithful it is a matter of precedent and fashion whether each man is a Sunni or a Shia. If there was any enquiry after truth, or any willingness to receive it, the sects would be more intermingled, for men's studies would lead to diverse convictions about the twelve Imams, independent of the enquirer's surroundings.
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Castes. The castes of Fyzabad are the same as those which are found in the rest of Oudh. The Brahmans are the most numerous, numbering about 15 per cent, of the population. Chamars, the lowest in rank, are the next in number, about 12 per cent. ; then Ahlrs, and then Chhattris, who hold two-thirds of the soil, but are only seven per cent, of the people. Kurmis are six per cent., Koris, Kahars, Vaishyas, MalMhs or boatmen, and
