346 THE mDIAK ANTIQUARY, [Notzubeb, 1875. Btreefc and before the house where a marriage is taking place. The usual number is twelve, but some castes are restricted to eleven. ' Three corners' refers to the canopy carried over the young couple during the marriage pro- cession. In general all four corners are sup- ported, but some castes are only allowed to support three. MAHE&VARA, BY RlOJI Vi-SUDEVA Mahesvara is an important city in No- ma d a , on the banks of the Narmada, and is believed to be second only to I n d o r in size and population inH. E. the MahirAjaHolkar's ter- ritories. Mahesvara was for a long time the capital of the Holkar family, and had attained a position of note in the time of Ahalya Bai, oae of tbe few model female rulers of India. "Mahesvara ," says Major-General Sir John Malcolm, in his Memoir of Central India (vol. I. p. 14), " must be considered the principal and almost only place of note in Neniada. This ancient city, which is pleasantly situated on the northern bank of the Narmadu with a fort eleva- ted above the town, has long been, as well a. its attached lands, accounted a distinct portion of territory,— probably from having been under the immediate management of the head of the Holkar family wheu it was their capital. That benefit which it formerly derived from being the resi- dence of Ahalya Bai is now given to it as contain- ing the ashes of that great and venerated woman. Public buildings of different kinds are erecting, and a most spacious and highly finished flight of stone steps from the town to the river— meant, with the adjoining temples, to be dedicated to her memory — is nearly completed." Having had an opportunity of seeing these buildings, I propose in this paper to give some account of them. Most of the building} are temples; as the northern bank of the NarmadA is studded with them, a boating excursion is the most con- venient for seeing them in a short time, The temples are all built of stone, and generally crown the summit of the hill or rock on which the fort of M a h e s v a r a is situated. They are master- pieces of Hiuda art, and though most of them are more than a century old they appear as fresh and strong as if nevrly built. Scarcely an inch of surface is devoid of carving. Gene- rally there are ghats leading from the banks of the river to the ridge ton which the temples are situated. On these is a good deal of Bcalpture. IN MALWA. TULLU, Ml, INDOE. Besides the many curves and flourishes that deck the stone slabs .of the steps, there are scenes of daily life carved with artistic skill : — ■ bands of players and musicians, hunting parties, marriage processions, singing and dancing girls, fights of bulls and elephants, pairs of lovers, scenes of war, &c. Ac, all carved in the liveliest style. But, deservedly, the most esteemed is the magnificent tomb or chkatri of A h a 1 y A B I i To give the reader an adequate idea of her greatness, I proceed to extract from Malcolm's / au account of her character : — " The character of her administration was for more than thirty years the basis of the prosperity which attended the dynasty to which she belong- ed; and, although latterly it was obscured by the genius and success of MahAd.Vji SindyA, it con- tinued to sustain its rank during her life as one of the principal branches of the Mftf&(uA em- pire Her great object was, by a just and moderate government, to improve the condition of the country while she promoted the happiness of her subjects. She maintained but a suiill force independent of the territorial militia; but her troop.-) w.-re sufficient, aided by the equity of her administration, to preserve internal tranquillity; and she relied on the array of the state, actively employed in Hindustan and the Dekhan, an <l on her own reputation, for safety against all external enemies Ahalya BAI sat every day, for a considerable porio.l, in open darb&r, transacting business. Her first principle of government appears to have been moderate assessment, attd an almost sacred respect for the native rights of viUaftQ officers and proprietors of lauds, She heard every complaint in person, and although she continually referred causes to courts of equity and arbitration, and to her ministers for settle- ment, Bhe was always accessible : and so strong was her sense of duty on all points conn' with the distribution of justice, that she is represented as not only patient, but unwearied, in the investigation of the most insignificant
