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Magnificent Oriental Procession

ARODA is the capital of conspicuous for Oriental magnificence the territory of one of would seem to have been the regal sowari, the most powerful or procession, in which the prince himprinces in Western self appeared in state. It is thus described India, the Guikwar. It by an eye-witness: is seated on the river The road was obstructed by the multi- Vishwamitra, an im- tudes who hurried to the festival; and petuous and irregular our escort had much difficulty in forcing stream, which flows in a a way for us by the use of strong landeep channel, spanned by an old guage. Crowds covered the approaches Hindoo bridge of two rows of to the river, and banners and oriflammes arches, one above the other. gaily decorated every house. At a little Great flights of stairs lead distance a balcony had been fitted up for down to the water's edge; and us with arm-chairs and carpets, overlookabove them rise a thousand bell-towers of ing a long street, through which the protemples, together with the tombs and cession would pass. The prince, a short kiosks, half-hidden among the clustering time before, had purchased one of the foliage. most famous diamonds in the world, the The suburbs consist of a maze of nar- "Star of the South," and had resolved to row crowded streets, teeming with a give this new acquisition the honor of a population of one hundred and fifty triumphal entry into his capital, and a thousand souls—a larger population than solemn procession to the chief temple, that of the town itself. The houses are where it would receive the benediction of nearly all of timber, and built in the most the priests. Delighting in such spectapicturesque varieties of style. At all the cles, all the inhabitants of Baroda had cross-ways stand pagodas and idols, sur- poured out to see the procession, and mounted with colored banners. lined the streets awaiting its approach.

In the time of the late Guikwar, deposed The scenes were wonderful in their by the Indian Government on account of variety. A magnificent giraffe, saddled, his sensual and cruel tyranny, Baroda bridled and splendidly harnessed, was led glittered, day after day, with splendid through the bazaars by the royal servants spectacles. Amongst these, the most-the crowd expressing their admiration