HURDWAR—p.42.
Hurdwar signifies the Gate of Hari, or Vishnoo, the Saviour of the Hindoo mythology, and has, from the earliest times, been one of the most considerable places of Hindoo pilgrimage and purification. Amongst the hordes who flock to immerse themselves in the holy stream, in the month of April, at the point where it first emancipates itself from the gigantic mountains which give it birth, are many victims of disease, or in the last stage of life, who have literally crawled hundreds of miles, apprehensive lest they should expire from exhaustion before they reach the sacred goal; and ere they arrive, exhibit signs of the most extravagant joy at finding themselves once more able to lave their limbs in the sacred stream. The number of persons usually collected on these occasions varies from two to three thousand; and once in twelve years, when particular ceremonies are observed, they have been computed at a million.
