This is the
principal festival, and the number of devotees varies from about 80,000
to 150,000. No European, Mussulman, or low cast Hindoo is admitted into
the temple; we can therefore only speak from report of what goes on
inside. Mr. Acland, in his manners and customs of India, gives us the
following amusing account of this celebrated idol:--

"Juggernaut represents the ninth incarnation of Vishnoo, a Hindoo deity,
and consists of a mere block of sacred wood, in the centre of which is
said to be concealed a fragment of the original idol, which was
fashioned by Vishnoo himself. The features and all the external parts
are formed of a mixture of mud and cow-dung, painted. Every morning the
idol undergoes his ablutions; but, as the paint would not stand the
washing, the priests adopt a very ingenious plan--they hold a mirror in
front of the image and wash his reflection. Every evening he is put to
bed; but, as the idol is very unwieldy, they place the bedstead in front
of him, and on that they lay a small image. Offerings are made to him
by pilgrims and others, of rice, money, jewels, elephants, &c., the
Rajah of Knoudah and the priests being his joint treasurers. On the day
of the festival, three cars, between fifty and sixty feet in height, are
brought to the gate of the temple; the idols are then taken out by the
priests, Juggernaut having golden arms and diamond eyes for that one
day, and by means of pulleys are hauled up and placed in their
respective carriages: to these enormous ropes are attached, and the
assembled thousands with loud shouts proceed to drag the idols to
Juggernaut's country-house, a small temple about a mile distant. This
occupies several days, and the idols are then brought back to their
regular stations. The Hindoos believe that every person who aids in
dragging the cars receives pardon for all his past sins; but the fact
that people throw themselves under the wheels of the cars, appears to
have been an European conjecture, arising from the numerous deaths that
occur from accidents at the time the immense cars are in progress."

[Illustration: CAR OF JUGGERNAUT.]

These cars have an imposing air, from their great size and loftiness:
the wheels are six feet in diameter; but every part of the ornament is
of the meanest and most paltry description, save only the covering of
striped and spangled broad-cloth, the splendid and gorgeous effect of
which makes up in a great measure for other deficiencie