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chap, vi FAKIRS
157
swollen.1
8. These are the positions of two penitents who, till death, keep their
arms elevated in the air, so that the joints become so stiff that they
are never able to lower them again. Their hair grows below the waist,
and their nails equal their fingers in length. Night and day, winter
and summer, they remain stark naked in this position, exposed to the
rain and heat, and to the stings of mosquitoes, without being able to
use their hands to drive them away. With regard to the other
necessities of life, as drinking and eating, they have Fakirs in their
company who wait on them as required. 9. Is the position of another
penitent, who stands for several hours daily on one foot, holding in
his hands a chafing-dish full of fire, upon which he throws the incense
which he offers to his god, at the same time fixing his eyes on the
sun. 10 and 11. These are the postures of two other penitents, seated,
who have their hands elevated in the air. 12. Is the position in which
the penitents sleep without ever lowering their arms ; this without
doubt is one of the greatest torments which the human body can suffer.
13. Is the position of another penitent, whose weakness has caused his
hands to fall behind his back, not being able to lower .his arms, which
are dried up from lack of nutrition.
There
are an infinity of other penitents, some of whom assume positions
altogether contrary to the natural attitude of the human body, turning
their eyes always towards the sun ; others who have their eyes directed
to the ground, without ever looking anyone in the face, or saying a
single word ; and the diversity is so great that it would be sufficient
to form the subject of a long discourse.
In
order to give more satisfaction to the curious, and to enable them to
understand matters more distinctly, I shall add here other pictures of
these same penitents, which I have drawn, on the spot, after nature.
Modesty has compelled me to conceal the parts which they have no shame
about exposing to view, for at all times, both in the country and in
the towns, they go about altogether as naked as they came from their
mothers' wombs ; and although the women
1 Cf. Ber^ier, 317 ; M. Monier-Williams, Brahmanism and Hinduism, 4th ed. 88,
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