Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 2.djvu/118

 MOHUNTS OF HUNOOMANGURHEE. (89)

UNGOMAN is the name of the monkey which, according to the legend of the Ramayan, is said to have headed the army of King Ram, of Ajoodhia, when he invaded Ceylon in remote times. A temple was afterwards erected for the worship of Hunooman at Ajoodhia, which became renowned for its magnificence and the number of its votaries.

Some two thousand years ago. Raja Bikrama Dutt of Oojeyn, added to the temple, and bestowed a small idol upon it. A well is said to be all that exists of the ancient edifice. It is not known who were the original priests of the temple; but the present occupants came from Jeypoor two or three centuries ago, and took possession of it when Mahomedan intolerance had almost reduced it to ruin, and they finished the present building, which is on a lofty mound, and resembles a castle, with a long flight of steps ascending to the entrance. They also made the present idol, which is in the form of a monkey, and is decorated with costly jewels.

There are four or five hundred Bairagees, or religious mendicants, attached to the temple, who take it by turns to go begging all over India; and twice a-year hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come from remote distances to make offerings to the shrine; the income of the temple from these sources is believed to be very considerable. The Mohunts are the chief authorities, or as they may be termed abbots of this great Bairagee monastery.