. Europe and other continents . 388 ASIA have a great variety of religious beliefs and customs, as mightbe expected in a country made up of many tribes speaking dif-ferent languages ; but throughout India there are numerousgeneral customs based upon the rule of the priests or people have many religious superstitions. For examplethe Ganges, doubtless because of its great value for irrigating and fertilizing thesoil, is considereda sacred river () ; and bathingin its waters issupposed to washaway disease,though, since thewaters are alsoused for drinking,this custom is nodoubt
. Europe and other continents . 388 ASIA have a great variety of religious beliefs and customs, as mightbe expected in a country made up of many tribes speaking dif-ferent languages ; but throughout India there are numerousgeneral customs based upon the rule of the priests or people have many religious superstitions. For examplethe Ganges, doubtless because of its great value for irrigating and fertilizing thesoil, is considereda sacred river () ; and bathingin its waters issupposed to washaway disease,though, since thewaters are alsoused for drinking,this custom is nodoubt responsiblefor the spread ofmuch conscientiousHindu makes atleast one pilgrim-age to the holy riveras a means of gain-ing divine favorand Crovernment.—Over three hun-dred years ago acompany of Lon-don merchantsobtained a foot-hold in India for trading purposes. The peninsula wasthen divided among many native rulers, and at various Fig. 276. The Great Pagoda in India — a sacred temple. INDIA 389 times the British government was called upon to settledisputes between them. Partly in this way, and partlythrough the necessity of intervening for the protectionof British subjects engaged in the Indian trade, GreatBritain gradually gained control of the peninsula. Indiawas formally transferred to Great Britain in 1858, and in1877 the Indian Empire was established as a part of the
Size: 1272px × 1965px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectgeograp, bookyear1901
