164 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [Juke, 1873. inaccessible to ordinary mortals, bnt on the night of the full-moon of Chaitra the Pa til of Burigam (a neighbouring Tillage) ascends, and at sunrise next morning i^ seen to plant a flag. How he ascends, or how he descends, is a mystery, the attempt to unravel which would be immediately punished by loss of sight. A pair of binoculars, however, enabled the writer to track the footsteps of the flag-bearers, who were two in number, during their descent, which in places is certainly most perilous, and practi¬ cable only to feet devoid of shoes, and capable of grasping monkey-fashion. This perilous office has been filled by the same family from father to son for generations, and though a son is never wanting, other children if bom die young: such is the story told. Opposite Sapta Sring to the east, but divided (as before described) by a deep ravine, lies tbe hill called Marknnd Deva, with a rocky top not unhke the Matterhorn in shape, as seen from the west. This is said to have been tbe abode of a Rishi in ancient days, whose spirit, after his demise, took up its dwelling in the rock: his present occupation is to recite the Pnranas for the edification of Devi, who is said to be an attentive listener; this idea may have origin¬ ated in the echoes, which are very remarkable. The image of Devi resides in a natural cavern or hollow in the rock. The figure is about eight feet in height, carved in relievo out of the natural rock, and is that of an ordinary woman, save tha/t she has 18 arms, 9 on each side, each hand grasping a different weapon. She wears a high crown not unlike the Pope’s tiara, and is clothed with a “ choli” and a “sdri” round her waist and limbs. She has a different suit for each day of the week; she is bathed every day, using warm water two days in the week. In front of her is planted her ensign, viz. a Trisula or trident painted red: there are also the usual accompaniments of bells, lamps, and so forth. A silver nose-ring and necklace are the only ornaments in daily use. The whole figure is painted bright red, save the eyes, which are of white porcelain. Near the base of the steps leading to the temple are two nagarkhdnas; one, called Barodekar, was built by Gopalrao Mairal of Baroda to comme¬ morate the alleged miraculous cure of his wife, who having been a helpless cripple was sud¬ denly enabled to walk up the steps carrying on her head a vessel of water to the goddess. An allowance of Rupees 150 a month is also paid by the same benefactor for the goddess’s service. Tbe other nagarkhdna, called Chandor- kar, was built by a former Divan of Sindhia a savdkr of Chandor, who also added a nemnuk of Rupees 95 a month; a nemnuk of Rupees 35 a month was added by one Daji Saheb Kibe, a savkdr of Indor. Further, the revenues of a village called Chandkapur were alienated for the service of the Devi by the Peshwa in the time of Gaud Svami above mentioned. These funds are administered by different agents, and there is is also a Panchayat who exercise some sort of superintendence over the “ personal property ” of the goddess, her ornaments and so forth. The money offerings of pilgrims become the pro¬ perty of certain families, in certain fixed shares, while one of their number, the Bhopa, receives as his perquisite all eatable offerings. The story is told that a former turbulent jaghirdar of the neighbouringtown of Abhona, facetiously called uTokerao”or “the Hammerer” (pre¬ cisely as King Edward I. was termed Malleus Scotorum), ” used always to be harassing and plundering the pilgrims, until he was bought off by a fixed payment of half the offerings made to the goddess on 72 fixed days of the year. This arrangement is still in force, the allowance being enjoyed by the two widows of “ Tokerao.” This is not the only occasion on which the goddess has had to yield to vulgar mortals ; could a pen blush, it would do so in relating how the sanctity of Devr has recently been invaded by the myrmidons of so very human an institution as the Civil Court. Sad though it be, it is still a fact that at this very moment a mere ordinary mortal, “ juptee Kftrkun,” is in possession of all the property of the goddess, owing to a demand made by “a claimant” against the present Bhopa. At this very mo¬ ment a handsome set of ornaments, the gift of the Gaikwar, and valued at not less than Rupees 30,000, are lying in the hands of the “Panchayat” at “ Wani,” who are afraid to trust the goddess with her own, lest it should be swept into the devouring meshes of the law. After this great fall from the sublime to the mundane we make our best bow to “ Devi,” and wish her safe delivery from the hands of I her friends and their legal squabbles.
