Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/201

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Jcxe, 1873.] ARCHAEOLOGY OF BELARI DISTRICT. 177 eye in tbe forehead of Pullavabhupati, and he has certain other qualifications. In the reign of Nata Bhiraudu and other potent kings born in the family of the said Kalikaludu, the earth had been prosperous for a long time. Somabhupati, son of Duhutta N&r&yana R&mabhupati of the same fami¬ ly, who is the emblem of Supreme Being himself, subdued many neighbouring kings and begat a son named Prince Gang&dharabhupati by his wife Sur&mbikA Gangadharabhupati, devoting him¬ self to the god and Brahmans, begat a son, Bhakit- bhupati, who resembles Parijata (the name given to all the flowers resembling in scent the jessa¬ mine), which exhales a sweet scent over all the earth, and who is a votary of Siva, by his wife IrugambA 'who is the daughter of Kamabhupati of the lunar brace, and sister of Yahupati. Bhakitbhupati, deserving as he is to be adored by many kings, wore the badges or the honourable distinctive marks of “ Gandabherunda,” which is fit to repel all lions of foes (i.e. kings’ foes), and of u Rayavcsiya bhujanga,” which is fit to compel all kings to leave off their haughtiness and bo sub¬ missive, and so he continued to reign. One day, while he was proceeding on his royal tour, he hap¬ pened to meet on a hill a Brahman hermit named Visvanadhudu, who is well versed in Vedas, and finding him to be zealously engaged in divine con¬ templation, and, as such, an emblem of &iva, saluted him. He remained there for some timo with devoutness. On Monday, the 15th of the waxing moon of K&rtika, 6aliv&hana Saka 1277, he gave with plea¬ sure to the said Visvanadhudu, who is steadfast in devotion and a great hermit of the Kau^ika gotra, the village of Kadavakolanu, which is replete with complete comfort and every blessing and with tho eight sources of pleasure. The village is bounded on the east by a large ant-hill, on the south-east by Chintajodupallam, on tho south by a Vagu or watercourse, on the south-west by Madetopuna Nandikambham, on the west by Doni Maru, on the north by a Kunta or pond, on the north-east by the boundaries of Bommada and Makkala. The said king having given to tho aforesaid worthy Brahman the village of Kadavakolanu, within the above-mentioned notable limits, thought the descendants of his family would be meritori¬ ous. May this Sasana, inscribed to notify the gift of the village called Kadavakolanu, endure until the end of time! As bestowing the gift is common to all kings, this deserves to be preserved by you for ever. Ramachandrulavaru will frequently pray all kings that commit anything to affect this gift. —Proceedings of the Madras Govei'nment, Public D> - partment, 7th April 1873. ARCHAEOLOGY OF BELARI DISTRICT. (From the Beldri District Manual, by J. Kelsall. M.C.S. The finest specimens of native architecture are to be seen at Hampi, the site of the ancient city of Vijyanagar. These ruins are on the south bank of the Tfingabadra river, about 36 miles from Be- lari, and cover a space of nearly nine square miles. At Kamlapfir, two miles from Hampi, an old tem¬ ple has been converted into a bangali, and this is probably the best place to stop at when visiting the ruins. Many of the buildings are now so destroyed that it is difficult to say what they were originally meant for, but the massive stylo of architecture, and the huge stones that have been employed in their construction, at once attract attention. Close to Kamlapiir there is a fine stone aqueduct, and a building which has at some time or other been a bath. The use of the arch in the doorways, and the embellishments used in decorating the inner rooms, show that the design of this building was considerably modified by the Musalmans, even if it was not constructed by them altogether. A little to tho south of this is a very fine temple, of which the outer and inner walls are covered with spirited basso-rilievos re¬ presenting hunting-scenes and incidents in the R&mayana. Tho four centre pillars are of a kind of black marble handsomely carved. Tho flooring of the temple, originally large slabs of stone, has been torn up and utterly ruined by persons in Bearch of treasure which is supposed to be buried both here and in other parts of the ruins. The use of another covered building close by, with numerous underground passages, has not been ascertained. It also is covered with basso-rilievos, iu one of which a lion is represented. At a little distance is the building generally known as the “ Elephant stables,” and there seems no reason to doubt that it was used for this purpose. Two other buildings, which with the elephant stables form roughly three sides of a square, are said to have been the concert-hall and the council-room. Both, but especially the latter, have been very fine buildings. Not far off are the remains of the Zenana, sur¬ rounded by a high wall now in a very dangerous condition, and beyond this again the arena where tigers, elephants, and others animals were pitted