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Desolate Condition of Cities and Territories
75
671. Here in the wells full of lotuses and Karavira flowers are waters lovely (even ) in summer, that excel (in quality) the essence of Kunda (flowers) and Uśira plants or the pink mango juice.
672. Here on the precincts are some building projects commenced by good men, with their built-up solid foundations, with piles of stones cemented, but later abandoned in (a state of) incomplete construction, now gone old (and dilapidated ).
673. Here are parts (of cities) with arch-tops, to which are fastened big bells with straps (ņālī), remaining in tact (tthia ) because of their inaccessibility, (thus ) indicating ( sambhāvia ) their great prosperity (in the past ). ... 674. Here are these residential extensions now, with (only) the piled-up walls standing up-to their tops, the wooden supports having fallen down; ( they ) as it were, torment (their heart with the heat of) the bright light of the sun scorching their inside. ... 675. Here are dwellings where the threshold construction in stones is ( covered ) by thin iron bars that are still without rust, being (constantly) rubbed (and polished) by people, while, of the light doors made out of Agaru pieces, only a few chips of wood are left over.
676. Here are extensions of raised grounds (thala ), with sloughs of snakes hanging over joints of the dislocated wooden beams (pimdi) and with distinct signs (limgā) of mud-layers stretching all along their length.
.677. Plucking the flowers of tamarind trees ( cimciņi) greyish like the wings of an old sparrow and crushing (olumpa) it into a lump on his palms, the traveller makes a morsel of it (eats).
678. Here are to be seen decayed bricks, with thick layers of reddish clay sticking ( to them ) and coming out through the cracks in the walls falling apart from their first ( lower ) foundation.
679. On account of the fact that the ring of the encircling wall is corroded (parihina) by a coating of salty layers, the tubular wells appear more awesome and upraised, being fully filled (with water ). ....680. The streets, grave and solemn, with their solid thickness piņattaņa ), with their conditions of slight wear, tear and friction
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