‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎37] (58/508)

„; f „,
^ tlltv
e ) to lec a Gar.
f* 'Tisfmall
{EHr % which
lrunn ing-water
or i '■
Into the EAST-INDIES.
37
.cootigu,
^thatof^,
this GardgQ
,c we went to
tie Mabome-
wfeofpeople
Mahometan^
ite, manyper-
thepaffers-by
it tk) Money:
am\k&de,vss(
call f^j that is,
F imagine it the
ich.The people
who ufe to be
ho go in, drew
ilvers near tk
Offerings : But
fiometans.j and
inCmiim, 'tij
Ito the Malio-
other Sepuchie
tiles, who burn
2;reat roof four
it a place open
ame tokifs and
n upon the Sea-
tan of qealify,
[i is afcended by
yprofpedupoa
^ being
Morning, going
is, Ki4^
werezlfo ionie
fame help? ^
nor wanted
: the fame Ho-
far from hence
fomewhereo
or lean 5 a
t hebeafts^ re
was
was alfo a Mahometan Thief, who having been taken in Theft
had both his Hands cutoff: Bat the compaffionate Gentiles^
that he might not perifti miferably., now he was no longer able
to get his living, took him into thia place, and kept him among
the poor beafts, not fufFering him to want any thing. Moreover,
without one 0f the Qaces of the City 5 we law another great
troop of ? Gows, GalveSj. and Goats, which being cur'd, and
brought? into betteri plight, or gather d together from being
difpers-d dnd without Mates, or being redeem'd with Money
from the Mahometans who would have kill'd them to eat,
(namely, the Goats and other Animals, but not the Cows and
Calves) were fent into the field to feed by Neat-herds, purpofe-
ly maintain d at the publick charge $ and thus they are kept till
being redue'd to perfed health, 'tis found fitting to give them
to fome Citizens, or others who may charitably keep them. I
excepted Cows and Calves from, the Animals redeem'd from
{laughter $ becaufein Cambaia, Cows y Calves,, and Oxen, are
not killed by any : And there's a great prohibition againft it, by
the inftance of the Gentiles, who upon this account pay a great
fumm of Money to the Prince i and {houldany, either Maho
metan or other be found to kill them, he would be punifti'd fe-
verely, even with death. At Night we had Mufick at home,
made by feme Mahometan Women Singers and Dapcers, ( for
among the Gentiles none praftife fuch Arts) who with their In
dian Inftruments, which are Drums, Bells ty'd to the Arms,
and the like, all of great noife, gave us divertifement, playing,
dancing, and finging whilft we were at Supper 5 but their
Mufick being too full of noife, was to me rather diftafteful then
pleafing. The next Morning we faw in the City a Temple of
Idols, one of the beft which the Gentiles have in Cambaia. The
form of it is perfeft fquare, with walls round about, fupporting
a flat roof, which is alfo upheld in the middle by four pillars
difpos'd in a fquare too} within which, upon the little fpace re-
maininf ,13 advane'd fomewhat higher then the roof, and yet of
a fquare form, akmd of Cupoktta , or little Chappel. In the
principal part of this Temple ftand in three great Nieches lb many
greatldok, made of white Marble, and naked, (as the Indians
paint all their Idds: ) They are in a fitting pofture, yet after the
manner of the Eaft, as they ufe to fit upon the ground with
the Legs gather'd under > but they fit in a place fomewhat higher
then the fkwe, as it were upon a large Pedeftal. Thefe Nieches
are inclos'd with doors made with lattices, that fo the Idols may
be feen without opening them 5 but they are open d upon occa-
fion for any' that are minded to go in: They were lb for us, but
we entred not,becau(e the Nieches mc fo fmall that we (aw every
thing well enough from the doors. The principal Idol in this
Temple, is that which flands in the middle Nieche, calld
Mahavir^ from whom the Temple is denominated : Who this
Mdhavir is, and whether he be all one with Mahadcu , as I
7 t have
Is
/
:Hi
4^
A^ts is**
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