Page:Oriental Sketches Dramatic Sketches and Tales.pdf/263

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
254


"To the chabouta's esplanade."

The chabouta is a raised terrace formed of chunam, a composition of clay so well tempered as to take as fine a polish as marble. From these chaboutas a flight of stone or chunam steps descend into the river, and compose the ghauts or landing places, which are often extremely beautiful, especially when they are shaded by a majestic banian or tamarind tree, and accompanied by a mosque or pagoda, or a series of small white Mhuts.

"Her graceful ghurrah filling there."

The ghurrah is a coarse earthen water-pot of an elegant shape. It appears in Mr. Westmacott's (the celebrated sculptor) marble statue of a Hindoo girl seated, and has been very naturally mistaken for an urn. The attitude of the female figure of the groupe alluded to, is not that of a native of Hindostan.


"Freed from each grovelling trammel glide,
And mingle with its holy springs."

Should the patient who has been dedicated to the sacred river, recover from his malady, he loses caste—none of his tribe will associate with a man rejected by the Ganges.