Page images
PDF
EPUB

votaries being either clean or well dressed, nor is there any order or imposing procession; all is done in a hurry with much noise and tumult. The priests are quite ignorant, nor do they affect any extraordinary devotion. They live at Gaya and resort daily to the temple, where they go through the ceremony with as much indifference as a huckster retailing petty wares; but are to the last degree clamorous for money. The case with the votaries is very different. They seem strongly impressed with devotion and the remembrance of their deceased parents, to whom they were performing their duties. Many of them were old and infirm, and required the assistance of friends or servants to enable them to ascend and descend the stairs, which they did on their bare feet. Some of them from distant parts bestowed blessings on me for the protection and safety with which under the British Government they enjoyed their religion, while two of them made bitter complaints of the rapacity of the priests. One from Malwa alleged that he had been stript of every thing that [he] had; another that the demands were so exorbitant that he could not afford to perform the ceremony. For such evils I had no remedy to offer.

3rd December.-I went west about 16 miles to view the country in that direction. Not quite four miles from my tents I came to a small hummock at the south end of Kewali,' the southern peak of the cluster of hills in which Prethsila is placed. This hummock consists of a stone exceedingly difficult to break, and consists of small grains, some patches are a grey consisting of black and white grains. Other patches consist of black and rust-coloured grains. In some places the black grains are pretty equally diffused, in others they are conglomerated into irregular spots. Its fracture is somewhat conchoidal, and it is vastly more difficult to break than granite. It has no appearance of stratification. About 1 miles farther I came to the Yomuna, a small river (1) Kewall.

(2) Appendix, No. 15.

3

(3) Jomnah N., R., Pomna N., B.A. ; Jamuna N,

in a deep channel of clay, but it contains a fine little stream and affords several fine canals for irrigation. One of the best bridges that I have yet seen in the course of this survey is on this river. It consists of three small arches of brick in the gothic form, but is wide and the road good, with very neat parapets and a stair at each end to facilitate the descent to the river; just beyond it is a neat small temple of Siva. Both built by Raja Mitrejit. From the Jomuna to a small hill named Dhermsala' is not quite 14 miles. This hill has at its north end a small hummock, both are of a smooth surface, and I saw no rock within reach to give me an idea of their structure. Near Dhermsala I found people employed in making lime from Ganggot.

From Dhermsala to Pochananpur3, a marketplace is rather more than 3 miles. Pochananpur is a little west from the Morhar3, a river which has a sandy channel perhaps of a mile wide. The stream is very small but exceedingly clear, and contains many small fishes, so that it probably is perennial. Several fine canals taken from it. So far the road is good, with many bridges and in many places an avenue of trees. All made by Raja Mitirjit. Rather more than two miles from Pochananpur at a village named Pali, I observed three heaps of brick, and all are said to have been temples of Siva, which would appear in some measure to have been the case. The heaps are also attributed to the Kol, once the lords of the country. The largest is by the side of a tank, by the side of which is lying a large Linga. The heap of bricks and stones is very considerable. On its summit has been erected a small temple of granite, a few of the stones of which are still in their places. Within these is standing up the end of a stone of hornblende, probably a lintel. On one end of this is carved a Buddh. On the heap next to this is placed a square block of hornblend, the top of which is carved into a Linga; but (1) Dharampur.

Pachainpour, R., Pacianpour, B.A.; Panchanpur.

(3) Muthar N., R., Moorhur R. or Little Pompon R., B.A.; Morhar N. Pall.

this obscene object of worship is evidently placed upon the heap after it had become a ruin. Near it is lying a long stone of hornblende much carved. It contains four figures sitting, with many others in a posture of adoration. The four figures are in the usual posture of Buddhs, and resemble them in every respect except in having four arms. The third has no images, but it is said that it contained a Linga which has been removed.1

From Pali to Koch' is rather more than 4 miles. From the Morhar to Koch the road has as yet been only marked out by two rows of young trees, and in the rainy season must be impassable as the country there is low. There are several fine wells (Inderas) built by Raja Mitrijit, who seems to be an attentive Landlord. Koch is a very large village, mostly tiled as indeed is the case with a great many houses on the way. A few are neat, being smoothed and painted, and a very little pains might make such houses very pretty, but in general they are very rough and slovenly. From entering the town I went about half a mile north to an old temple of Siva, which is a little beyond the town. The north end of the town stands on some large heaps of bricks and stones, usually said to be the remains of the Kol. Beyond these heaps and a mud fort recently gone to ruin, is a tank, and on the west side of this is a large heap of bricks and granite, among which are some pillars of a curious structure but not exceeding four feet in length.

The whole of these ruins are supposed to have belonged to the temple of Siva, and the vulgar allege that they are the work of the Kol, but the priest says that he knows nothing of the Kol, and that the temple was built by Raja Bairu Indra, but the priest knows nothing of what country he governed, where he dwelt, to what caste he belonged, nor when he lived. I am inclined to think that the temple is of very modern date, as so much of the plaster by which it was encrusted (1)" See Journal from Jehanabad" (Note by Dr. B.). (2) Cowch, R., Couch, B.A.; Koch.

remains entire that it cannot well be above four or five centuries old. It farther seems to me to have been built on the ruins of a former temple. Before it are lying many images carved in relievo on hornblende. These were probably among the ornaments of the former temple. Among them are many of Surja, Vishnu, Devi, Ganesa, Hurgauri, Krishna and Rada, etc.; and two remarkable groups, one representing the Avatars of Vishnu, among which Budh is omitted and Rada put in to supply his place. The other I have nowhere else observed. It represents eight females sitting in a row on an equal number of animals, but it is called Naugraha so that one figure has probably been broken away. Among the others were two of Buddh, the only ones which contained inscriptions. They were broken, and the head of the one and legs of the other have been lost, but the whole figure may be made out from the two. Their hands are in a posture different from the the common, but over the head of one is placed a smaller Bouddh in the usual posture. I could hear of no other inscription at the place. I was here met by the Moslem son of Raja Mitterjit, a very obliging young man, who has European instruments for drawing and has made a little progress in the art. He gave me two drawings of waterfowl which I had not before seen, and was employed taking a drawing of the temple for my use. Had he masters I have no doubt that he would make much proficience.

Sorujugiri, a learned Dasnami of Buddh Gya, says that the account of the actions of Sankara Acharya is contained in the Sankar Dig Vijayi. He established four principal muts-Sringagiri, Jaisi near Rameswor, Sarada in Kashmir and Goverdon at Jugannat. He gives the following account of the origin of the Dosnamis-Sankara came to Kasi destroying the Nastik. The Raja was a Buddh, and in order to make Sankara love his caste, confined all the Brahmans and dressed up some people like them. These people entertained Sankara and he ate their food and drank their liquor, afterwards some of his disciples did the same and scandal

arose.

The disciples having been accused of eating and drinking with low people by their master alleged his example in their defence. He reprimanded them severely for their impudence in pretending to imitate him, who had license to do everything, and heating a piece of iron red hot ate it up. As they could not venture to do the same they were degraded. They are now mostly of the Virbhav and Sakti sect, and have deserted the doctrines of the Smart in the South. The Mahants and Chelas take the same Upades. None ought to be admitted as Sannyasis but Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas. In this district no Sudras are admitted. Rajputs and Kateri are both admitted to be Kshatriyas. The Kateri are very common in the Punjab, and cannot pronounce the Ksh. The Dosnamis give l'pades to all castes. Those of them who are Saivi or Vaishnavas give Upades only to those of their own sect, but those of the Sakti sect give Upades to any one. When they came to Gya, the whole people had left the place, which was a forest. They consider the image as representing Budh Avatar. The whole of [the] bricks and stones in the present Math of the Sannyasis [were] taken from the temple of Boudh. This contained many images of the ordinary Hindu gods, but a little different from those used by the Astik. On being shown the drawings of Keya Dol he says that they are all Nastik, and that they have taken] vast numbers of such from the old temple and have placed them in the new temple. The Nastik as usual were persecutors, and long stopped the worship of the orthodox at Gya. He says that the Nastik and Astik always existed, but that sometimes the one sometimes the other have prevailed Formerly Vishnu, taking into consideration that mnkind. offered innumerable sacrifices and put many animals to death, took upon himself the form of Budh A vatar and prohibited sacrifices: but afterwards considering that this was contrary to the Vedas he disappeared and sent Sankara and Udayan to destroy the Boudhs. He says that he never heard of Amara Singh having built Bouddh Gya, but such a story is current, and he says that Amara was no doubt a Nastik because in the 2 Res. J.

5

« PreviousContinue »