Indian Antiquary Vol 02

SR No.: 032494
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 428
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 192

172
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1873.
With all this, I have never been able to find out satisfactorily what the Phursa is*. I have been shown at least a dozen different snakes by that name, the most of them tree or water snakes and as harmless as frogs.
A long thin yellow snake called Korad is. much dreaded in the open stony parts of the Puna district. The people say: "He does not give a man time to drink water." This is certainly the most active ground-snake I have seen.
LEGEND OF VELLUR. BY DINSHAH ARDESHIR TALEYARKAN, SECRETARY, KATHIAWÅR EKSAMPI RAJASTHANI BABHÅ.
If a traveller in Southern India is induced to dered unwholesome by the growth of woeds and visit Vellar, it is specially because of its forts and the rubbish which continually falls into it, would its temple. We ascended one of its hills called be drinkable in time of need. There are lasting "Sajra," on which there still exists an ancient springs in it. fort. There is a sort of rough track which leads | Besides Sajra there are other hills close to it. to the summit in about an hour. Surveying the On two of these are also ruined forts. The hightown from this height, you find it lying close upon est of all is Gojra, whose peak is narrow and the base of the Sajra, irregular, scattered, and pointed. To ascend Gojra is much more difficult. closely surrounded by high hills except towards A tunnel is built in it, which, it is said, leads to all the north. There you find the broad bed of the the other mountains, but no one ventures to go in. river Palár stretching as far as the eye can reach. These hills, forts, &c. were one of the principal Over it runs a lengthy viaduct of about a means by which the former rulers used to defend hundred low archos. The river is dry, but here themselves. The height, the positions, and the and there are canals dug for cultivators, dhobis, and number of the hills were sufficient to harass the others. The expansive bed and the beautiful most patient. bridge lying amidst numerous glittering nalas
Besides these forts, at the extremity of Sajra testify to the dimensions to which the river at hill below, is another fort built of large black tains during the rains. Before the bridge was slabs, which is oblong, occupying about four built intercourse with the surrounding places was miles; a very wide ditch surrounds it, full of pure very difficult: it took & whole day to cross the water. river, and four pairs of bullocks were required to Inside the fort are found the offices of the drag a laden cart through it. We have scarcely Small Cause Court, Sub-Magistrate's and Teh. seen another town so picturesquely situated. sildar's Kacheris, Pension, Post, and other It is pleasantly buried amid clumps of trees of | Offices. In the middle is an open space where'a various sorts. Interspersed here and there about building was erected by Government many years the outskirts of the town are paddy and sugar. ago, in which to confine princes who fell pri. cane fields. Above all is a fort, but nothing soners into their hands. As you enter the fort, of it remains except the surrounding walls. Bro- opposite you stands a large Hindu temple which ken cannon lie here and there half-buried. Large in extent and workmanship excels both the balls are also found scattered and rusting. You grand temples of Konjivaram. It has several sometimes alight on artificial caves. In the very gigantic "Mandap3" of superior carving. In centre of the peak there still exists a deep tank. them are many dark cells for gods. The gods of The water in it, though unused for years and ren. this temple were those who lived in water, hence
Natives are generally very ignorant of natural history, tapers suddenly, sharp-pointed ; length 2 inches. The and often give the Erst name that occurs to them for any colour, the head very dark, obscure, green, without of the less common plants or animals. The Phursa is spot. The trunk (including the tail), almost black, with a species of Lycodon, the 'Gajoo Tutta' (Kaju Pata) a dark-greenish cast. The ridge of the back variegated of Russell, who describes it as a Coluber, "the head broader with about twenty narrow spots, composed of longitudinal, than the neck, ovate, depressed, obtuse. The first pair short, dusky-yellow, white and black lines. Along the of lamina between the nostrils, small, sub-orbicnlar; the sides, and half down the tail, are interrupted rows of short, next, pentagonal; the middlemost laming of the three be- white lines; and from the head to the anus, on each side tween the eyes, broad-lanceolate; the last pair, semi-cordate. close to the scuta, there is & regular row of black dota. The mouth small; the lower jaw shorter than the upper. The scuta and squama are of a bluish white colour." In an The teeth below, numerons, close, reflex; two palatal rows observation, he remarks that the "colour resembles the above, close also and numerous, but the anterior in the Gedi Paragud" of the Coromandel Coast, which is the marginal row, longer than usual. The eyes lateral, small, Maner or Manyar (Bungarum candidum) of the Konkan, orbicular. Nostrils close to the rostrum, gaping. The "but the variegating spots are very different," and "from the trunk round. The scales, broad-ovate, imbricate. Length Want of poisoning organs it may be inferred that it is not 14. inches. Circumference near the head, 14 inch the 80 formidable as, by the natives, represented." (Account thicket part of the trunk about 8 inches, and diminishes of Indian Serpents, p. 22).-ED. inconsiderably till near the tail. The tail very small,