VIZIANAGRAM TALUK.
Resembles in general appearance the rest of the low country of the district, consisting of a plain of red soil scattered with red hills. The most prominent of the latter stand just north and west of Vizianagram town.
Next to those of Vizagapatam, the people of the taluk are better educated than any others in the district and increased at a relatively faster rate both in the decade 1891-1901 and in the thirty years ending with 1901.
There are two places of interest in the taluk: —
Rámatírtham lies about eight miles north-east of Vizianagram and contains 986 inhabitants. North of it stand two hills which are in striking contrast to the rounded red heights so common in this district, and consist of bare, solid rock, dotted with tors and worn into sheer precipices like the hills of the Deccan. The nearer of these is called Bódikonda, or 'bald hill.' On the top of the western end of it is a ruined brick shrine in which stand three images of Jain tirthankaras, some 1½ to 3 feet high, neatly carved out of the local garnetiferous gneiss. They are of the ordinary nude, seated, cross-legged, contemplative type, have the usual long ear-lobes, triple crowns and chámaras, and rest one foot on a figure of the animal which is their cognizance. Higher up this hill, under an immense overhanging rock, is another much mutilated Jain image.
On the hill next to the north, known as Gurubhaktudukonda, are three more slabs (one broken) bearing other sculptures of the same class.
At the western foot of Durgikonda, the second of the bare hills above referred to, under a great overhanging rock weathered into smooth rounded curves which look almost as if they were due to the action of running water, are yet other Jain remains. On the rock is carved a small, standing, nude in^age, beside which is a much defaced inscription which the Government Epigraphist says is a record of an Eastern Chálukya king who is probably identical with the Vimaláditya who reigned from 1011 to 1022 A.D. Near it lie two slabs, on one of which is sculptured another standing Jain image, behind whom curls a cobra with expanded hood playing above the head of the figure, and on the other a greatly mutilated sculpture of the same class. Above
