Indian Antiquary Vol 07

SR No.: 032499
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 386
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 273

SEPTEMBER, 1878.] THE CHINESE OR JAINA PAGODA AT NEGAPATAM.
225
sanctioned for its repair should be cancelled, and the building demolished.
Against this proposal, being then in Council, I protested; and the Governor, intending shortly to visit the southern districts, agreed to suspend the issue of final orders until he should have an opportunity of seeing it himself.
Meantime I left India, and Sir Charles Trevelyan went to Negapatam. He does not appear to have been impressed with a high opinion of the antiquity of the structure, and considered that any expenditure on its repair would be a waste of public money. At the same time he did not concur in the recommendation for its demolition, but directed that it should be fenced round with an enclosure, to secure it from wilful injury, and that good photographs should be taken of it in its present condition.
These orders were never carried out, owing to obstructions thrown in the way of their execution by the Jesuit missionaries, and the building remained in statu quo until 1867, when the Fathers renewed their application for leave to remove it, on the following grounds : "1st, because they considered it to be unsafe in its present condition; 2nd, because it obstructed light and sea-breeze from a chapel which they had built behind it; 3rd, because they would very much like to get the land on which it stood ; and 4th, because the bricks of which it was built would be very useful to them for building purposes."
The Chief Engineer, who meanwhile had himself examined the edifice, and had directed the District Engineer to prepare a small estimate for its repair, reported that the first only of the above reasons had any weight, and that it would be met if Colonel O'Con- nell's estimate, prepared under his own orders, received the sanction of Government. He therefore recommended that this should be given, and the tower allowed to stand, since, he added, "there is no doubt that it is used as a landmark
for vessels approaching the Negapatam roadstead." The Master Attendant of the port, however, was of opinion that the inconvenience would be diminished by sighting the five white columns at Nagore, four miles further north, but, he added, "the native population objected to its removal, and if it be ordered would petition against it."
The Chief Engineer's proposal did not meet with approval, and on the 28th August 1867 the following order was made on the Jesuits' petition :-"The Governor in Council is pleased to sanction the removal of the old tower at Negapatam by the officers of St. Joseph's College, at their own expense, and the appropriation of the available material to such schoolbuilding purposes as they appear to have in contemplation."
The Fathers were not slow in availing themselves of this permission. The venerable building was speedily levelled, and the site cleared. Some time afterwards, when Lord Napier visited Negapatam, they presented him with the bronze image represented in Fig. 3 of the plate, which had been found in making excavations connected with the college. It represents a Buddhist or Jaina priest in the costume and attitude of the figures in wood and metal brought from Burma. A band enciroles the neck, and the lobes of the ears are pendent and elongated, as if by wearing heavy earrings. The hands are open, the right upraised, the left turned down, as if in the act of preaching. On cleaning the pedestal some ancient Tamil characters were discovered, occupying the greater part of the front and right sides, which are represented in the plate 28 Fig. 4. These have been deciphered by Dr. Burnell, who writes-“The inscription is Tamil of the 12th century, or perhaps the beginning of the 13th. It runs Srasti sri [This] Agamapan dita (dedicated] Uyyakkonda Nayak. There are only two words, the first in the 2nd (aocusative) case, the second in the 1st (or nominative) case. The meaning is plain; but who was
* Chief Engineer's Report, pars. 4, in Cons. 28th Aug. 1867.
Ibid. p. 7. From the last edition of Horsburgh's Sailing Directory, 1874, p. 453, it appears that Negapatam being now the terminus of the Great South Indian Railway, the trade, which was before considerable, has greatly inoreased, bringing & large number of ships and steamers to the roadatead. The anchorage is from 1 to 2 miles off shore, the flagstaff bearing W. or W. S. in 6 or 7 fathoms. To the sopth of the anchorage is an extensive shoal of hard sand or stones, with a depth of 19 to 24 feet water. It is between
6 and 7 miles in length, ranning N. and 8., and from 8 to 4 miles distant from the shore. Ships bound to the north must not come into less than 7 fathoms until the Nege patam flagstaff or the Black Pagoda bears NW. by W. The town lies to the N. of the Fort near the entrance into little river and about it miles NNW. from the fort stands the old Black Pagoda, which is one of the most conspicuous objects in approaching this part of the coast, the whole of which has a low, drowned mapoot when firut seen from the offing, consisting wit does of sandy, barren soil planted with OOOOonat trece; do do