Fort
William fronts toward the river, and with its ramparts and buildings
forms a striking object; while the whole is bordered and "beautified" by
the broad river, with its crowd of masts and flags, its almost
innumerable boats, its landing-ghats, and all its life and motion.
* * * * *
[Benares: page99.jpg]
From Calcutta, Madame Pfeiffer proceeded to the city of temples, the
sacred city of Hinduism--Benares. She visited several temples, but found
them all agreeing in their leading details. That of Vishnu has two
towers connected by colonnades, the summits of which are covered with
gold plates. Inside are several images of Vishnu and Siva, wreathed with
flowers, and strewn over with grains of rice and wheat. Images in metal
or stone of the sacred bull are plentiful everywhere; and living bulls
wander about freely, the object of special care and adoration. They are
free to stray where they will, not in the temple precincts only, but also
in the streets.
Among the other buildings, the one most worthy of notice is the Mosque of
Aurengzebe, famous on account of its two minarets, which are 150 feet in
height, and reported to be the slenderest in the world. They resemble a
couple of needles, and certainly better deserve the name than that of
Cleopatra at Alexandria. Narrow winding staircases in the interior lead
to the summit, on which a small platform, with a balustrade about a foot
high, is erected.
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