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 269

RAMGARH HILL.
SEPTEMBER, 1873.]
cesses I recalled Col. Dalton's remark that at the time of his visit it had all the appearance of being the dwelling-place of a family of tigers, so I took the precaution of calling up my rifle. bearer to be at hand in case of need. When about halfway through, I saw by the dim light some animate object and a pair of glaring eyes on one of the ledges of rock in front of me. It proved to be a young wood-owl, who clapped his bill in furious rage at the intruders and then made several abortive attempts at flight.
At the south-east end of the tunnel, on the south side, a face of rock appears to have been chiselled off for some purpose, possibly for the reception of an inscription which was never written. Close by there is a small cave to which you ascend by a few steps; it has been partially enlarged artificially, but there is nothing further remarkable about it.
Returning through the Hathpor to the north-west, the stream is found to take its rise in a basin or horse-shoe-shaped valley of very singular appearance. On the south rises a cliff of sandstone, high up on the face of which are seen the entrances to two caves. A climb up over débris from the mouth of the tunnel brings one, after an ascent of more than 100 feet, to the foot of a double flight of stairs cut in the solid rock (see fig. 1).
Ascending the stairs you find yourself on the threshold of a rectangular chamber cut in the rock. The accompanying plan, and elevations of this chamber, on a scale of 1 to 100, will render the following brief description intelligible (fig. 2, 3, 4).
There appears to have been originally a natural cave here at least the outer hollow shows overhead no sign of artificial excavation.
On the slope of the rock on the right of the staircase there are two deep grooves or channels, said by the natives to have been portions of the charmed circle drawn round Sitâ or Janki by Ramachandra. To me they looked like drains for the purpose of carrying off water used in the ablutions of those who may have lived in the
cave.
On the extreme right of the mouth of the onter cave there are two footprints somewhat rudely cut in the stone.
The entrance to the inner chamber is 12 feet wide at the mouth, but widens to 17 feet. To right and left of this the cave extends with
245
perfect symmetry. The total length is 44 feet. The breadth at the centre is 12 feet 10 inches, and the height varies from somewhat over 6 feet down to about 5 feet 6 inches. This is partly caused by the floor of the recesses to right and left being raised some six inches above that of the central portion, and partly to
curvature of the face of the strata of rock which forms the roof. The walls bave throughout been finished with cutting tools. The linear dimensions are not quite constant, but the dif erences are so small that they are neglected in the plan.
All round the wall there is a raised bench cut out of the solid rock. On three sides this bench is double, the inner portion being raised two inches above the outer. On the side facing the entrance the double bench is 8 feet 6 inches wide. In the recess portions of the entrance side there is a continuation of the lower bench, and on each side of the buttresses of the entrance small seats of rock have been left.
On the left side of the entrance there is an inscription in two lines, the last two or three letters in each of which are much damaged and illegible. A transcript is given (No. 1).
The letters are about two inches high, but, though clearly engraven, they do not exhibit much skill. I forwarded a copy of both this and the one which follows to Babu Rajendralâla Mitra, who informs me that these are in the Old Pali or Asoka character and the Påli language, but not of Aśoka. They record something about one Devadatta, but what it is I cannot make out. Many of the letters appear to be doubtful. Copies of both inscriptions were formerly forwarded to the Asiatic Society by Col. Dalton and Major Depree, but nothing was ever published regarding them, and the originals appear to have been lost. Col. Ouseley in his short account of the caves makes no allusion whatever to the inscriptions.
Although there are some broken idols resting on the bench, which represent, on the authority of the Baiga, Mahadeva, Pârvati, and Bardevli, there is nothing to connect them with the cave.
There is no attempt whatever at ornamentation in this chamber, and the benches look so eminently suitable for sleeping purposes, while the recesses might be so readily shut off, as Col. Dalton suggests, for females, that I am inclined to believe that this cave must have