Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/466

406 ﻿tion to which idolatry has reduced the Hindus. They have a monkey-god, Hanuman by name, famous in the annals of the hero-god Rama as the leader of an army of monkeys from the continent to Ceylon, to aid in the rescue of his wife from the custody of a giant of fearful power. This monkey-god is widely worshipped in India. In many private houses, as well as in the temples, his image is kept, to be prayed to and honoured with religious services and offerings. The mass of the people look upon these monkeys with a superstitious reverence, and would not dare to do them any harm. In some places there are hospitals for invalid monkeys. In many parts of India it is considered a work of religious merit to give them food; and some of them make this charity a regular duty. I have seen a man with quite a load of cakes of coarse bread, surrounded by a crowd of these mischievous divinities, dispensing with great gravity a piece to each as it came up and held out its paw for the offering. Some of the cunning fellows would hide what was given them, and, returning with an innocent air, demanded a second portion.

Other equally foolish modes of attaining heavenly bliss strike the eye. Even the feeding