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No. 25.]
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INSCRIPTIONS AT ABLUR.
261
each of four standing figures, apparently spectators, and some seven or eight men are lying stretched oat wounded or dead, all along below the foot of the combatants and of some of the spectators.---The writing runs along the top of the stone, above the senlptures, and covers an ares about 5' 21' broad by 0' 28" high. It is in a state of very good preservation, except that seven or eight letters are missing at the end of each line ; it would seem that the stone has been at some time or another trimmed at that end, and that these letters have been cut away, and perhaps, with them, some sculptures,-- possibly some horsemen and, at the extreme end, an image of Jinêndra. The purport of what is lost at the end of line 2 is plain enough, though it need not be supplied with exactly the same aksharas that I shew in square brackets in the text; bat it is impossible to say how the missing word or words at the end of line 1 should be illed in. The second line of writing commences below the of sanka-gduundan in line 1.- The characters are well formed and boldly engraved Kanarese cheracters of about A.D. 1200. The size of the letters ranges from about t" to 1". The language is Kanarese.
The inscription is not dated, and does not refer itself to the reign of any king. It simply marks the place where, according to tradition, Êkantada-Ramayya cut off his head and offered it to Siva, and then obtained it back again, as recorded in the long inscription, E. above.
TEXT, i r-Brahmddvara-devaralli Ekantada-Råmayya basadiya Jinan-oddav=&gi taleyan
arida badeda tavu II Samka-gávumda basadiyan=od [*]yal-iyadhe(de) alura
kudurey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 a-ođa-iral lantada-Ramayya kadi gelda Jinanan=oợedn li[mgamam pratishthemedidam 11]
TRANSLATION." The place where, at the temple of) the holy god Brahmēsvara, Ekantada-Ramayya, when the Jina of the shrine had been wagered, cut off his head, and received it back again! When Sankagåvunda world not let him destroy the shrine, and arrayed his men and horses . . . .... .. .. .... (to defend it), Ekantada-Ramayya fought and conquered, and broke the Jina, and set up a linga.
G.Of the time of Singhaņa.-A.D. 1919. This record is on a stone tablet standing against the wall, or perhaps built into the wall, outside the back of the temple of Basavēsvara. At the top of the stone there is a compartment
addition to being used in the ciroular shape, the two parts of them can be turned so as to stretch out in teversed barves like an elongated S. To the European ear, they are ohledy asociated with nothing but a discordant tumult of sound; and not incorrectly, when they are blown in processions, with simply the object of making as much noise w powible. But this use of them does not do justice to them. In the Kanarese country and doubtless olaewhere also some of the men, whose profession is to play these largo horns, have well-merited reputations, reaching far and wide their service are much in request, and are well rewarded, and it is a great treat to get hold of one of these skilled players and hear his performance. He will Arst stand upright, and a wind "the horn, which for this parpose he holds in ita circular shape, sweeping right up from bis mouth over, his head. He will thon sit dowo, with the born, in the same shape, sluog by A cord round his neck and rugoing from his mouth down under one arm pit and then up over the other shoulder; and it is surprising what sweet sounds he will produce with it, especially when he places the mouth-piece inside his mouth and sings an air through the horn. And he will asgally Apiah by placing the month-piece against the outside of his check, or against his throat, and then also, apparently, playing it in the same soft mode; but this, which is also done by some players on the laskha-shell, is of course only & trick, - though it is a very clever one. I do not know wbst authorities confer the distinction; but the more specially skilled players are entitled to carry turdyie or pluwen, wbich are fred into sockets in the rics round the woatbs of the horns. Similar plumes for drums are mentioned in some of the Kanarese ballade (Ind. ant. Vol. XV. p. 862, Vol. XVIII. p. 859). The kafe was one of the five instruments used in producing the paúchamahdiabda ; see page 216 above, note 8.
1 From the ink-inpression. This record is not included in Carn - Désa Ingers.
1 That is, according to the return inade to me. But iu Cars Dósa Insors. It is described as being inside the temple.
