Indian Antiquary Vol 18

SR No.: 032510
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 454
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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818
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1889.
chala Hills near Tiruppadi in the North Arcot remaining five-sixths to the conductors. They look District.
upon it as a "good work," but the village boys Their legend is as follows:-Among the and girls think it the greatest fun in the world to habitual gifts to the Venkatachala temple at watch its performances, and the advent of a
Tiruppadi were all the freaks of nature of the Vishnu's bull is hailed by the youngstere with neighbourhood as exhibited in cattle such as two- the greatest delight. tailed cows, five-legged bulls, four-horned calves, The demeanour of the balls has led to a well and so on. The Paidaiyans, whose original duty known South Indian proverb : -"As mild as was to string flowers for the temple, were set to Vishnu's (or Ganga's) bull." In Tamil it is avan graze these abortions. Now to graze cows is an Perumdl modu appa : in Telugu vádu Gangi honour, but to tend such creatures as these the eddu vale addhu. Poidaiyans regarded as a sin. So they prayed to Madras.
S. M. NATESA SABTRI. Venkatáchalapati to show them how they could purge it away. On this the god gave them a bull called after himself the Perumal bull, and said -
KALI NAG; A KASMIR LEGEND. "My sons, if you take as much care of this bull Just outside on the river side of) the Shal Haas you would of your own children and lead it madan moeque in the heart of Srinagar city. is a from house to house, begging ita food, your little stream constantly running. The stream is sin will be washed away." Ever since then they sacred to Kalt and is called Kalt Nag. A Brth. have been purging themselves of their original man is generally to be seen sitting near to offer sin!
the prayers and receive the presents of worshipThe process is this. The bull-leader takes it pers. The water emerges from the ground inside from house to honse and puts it questions, and the mosque. On this account several Hinda the animal shakes its head in reply! He then rulers have tried to get the place and offered abuses it and it butts at him in anger! This is large sums of money for it, but without avail. proof positive that it can reason !
Oolonel (P) Miyan Singh determined to raze the The fact is the animal is bought when young mosque to the ground, but being afraid of a for a small sum and brought up to its profes- rebellion on the part of the Musalmans, he changed sion. Long practice has made its purchasers his mind. experts in selecting the animals that will suit It is said that nobody can look upon the spring them. After purchase the training commences, itself without losing his sight. Some curious which consists in pinching its ears whenever it is folk essayed to do so, and came away blind. given bran, and it soon learns to shake its head Afterwards, in order that others might not come at the sight of bran. I need hardly say that a | into the like misfortune, a great stone was placed handful of bran is ready in its conductor's hands over the ndg, which remains there to this day when the questions are put to it. It is also The spring is said to have appeared here when taught to butt at any person that speaks angrily Råvana's house was destroyed by Råma, and is to it.
therefore supposed to have come from Ceylon. As regards the offerings made to these people,
J. HINTON KNOWLES. one-sixth goes to feeding the bulls and the Srinagar.
BOOK NOTICES. ALBERUNI'S INDIA. An account of the Religion, Philo- Natives of India usually either can not or will not
sophy, Literature, Chronology, Astronomy, Customs, Laws and Astrology of India, about A.D. 1030 buy expensive works, such as this necessarily in Edited in the Arabic Original by Dr. EDOUARD If we may be allowed to express an opinion on such BACHAU. Published by the Secretary of State for India. London: Trubner and Co. 1887. 4to;
a matter as this, we should say that the outlay Pp. xli., 365.
would be more likely to be profitable if made Upwards of three years ago, ante, Vol. XV. p. 31f, in freely advertising it in English papers and we had the pleasure of publishing a preliminary journals, and in sending copies of it liberally for notice by Dr. Bühler of this mighty work, and notice in the same. we have now to notice its actual production.
As all the world knows, the peculiar value of We have at last before us the Arabic text Albêrûnt's work is that it is practically almost the of the great original. But the book as it stands only authority we possess for Indian history and is consequently available only to Arabic scholars. mode of thought at a period which is otherwise as For this reason the publishers have extensively a sealed book to us. To have, therefore, made advertised it in vernacular papers in India, but available a text, which is as accurate as we can whether this will repay them is doubtful, as reasonably expect, is a matter of no small