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JUNE 7, 1872.)
ANCIENT REMAINS IN THE KRISHNA DISTRICT.
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Dargah Darwaja, there is another entrance, known as Golkonda Darwaja, on the other side of the hill, from which a path leads down towards Jagiapett. On the hill ferns abound, and many flowering and odoriferous shrubs. There is a white and purple creeper (samulrapala the milk of ocean) which is very luxuriant. There is a good deal of jungle but no forest. One tree Ponugu chettu grown in considerable abundance, and is much used by the Machis of Kondapali who are celebrated for the manufacture of figures as representations of all the castes and costumes. Some of these are very good. On the hill there are numbers of monkeys (kondamutsu). There is a Telugu manuscript containing the legends and history of this fort.
Bellamkonda. There is an old fort of stone here, also said to have been built by the Reddis when they ruled the country. The fort is on the top of a high hill, and is termed a durgam or durg. The fortification still remains, and also the ruins of flat roofed dwelling houses, magazines, granaries, etc. There is a perennial spring at the top which supplies a reservoir. The hill is covered with jungle, and there are tamarind trees, custard apple trees, and bamboos. There is a pathway formed for the ascent.
Vinukonda.This is the Hill of Hearing. Tradition says that here was the spot where, according to the localized legend, Rama first heard of the rape of his wife Sita by Ravana. On the hill, about 600 feet high- bare rock without vegetation, there is a temple of Shiva under the designation of Ramalingeshwaraswami. The ascent is a very steep one, by steps cut in the rock, and cut stones piled to form steps. Close to the temple on the summit are two konerus or artificial reservoirs of water revetted
Arvoirs of water revetted with cut stone. These never run dry. The larger
Thean never run dry. The larger one is known as Ramagundam, and is much resorted to for bathing. The other, which is much smaller, is known as Sitágundam, and it would be considered desecrative to bathe in it, as it is left for the goddess's private use.
There are three lines of fortification around the hill, one above the other, but the walls have been demolished, and the stones are gone for long distances. The fort is said to have been built when the Reddis held the country, and there are still to be seen the foundations of the old dwelling houses on the hill, magazines, granaries, etc. About a quarter of the way up the hill there is a large artificial reservoir with a perennial spring known as Tega Bhavi. At the foot of the hill there is an old temple dedicated to Kodandarámaswami and another to Prasanna Ramalingaswami : all around are the ruins of mantapams, and much cut stone.
There is a curious story attached to & large representation of Hanuman at the foot of the hill. It is known as Tappal Anjanayulu, and it is said that when the country was held by Guntupalli or Rayani Baskarudu, a Deshapanda, under the Muhan-
madan Government, he used to deposit his letters for Haidarabad at the foot of this image, and used to return the following day and find the answers. The monkey god is credited with a feat worthy only of the electric telegraph.
There is another fort with walls of mud and stone at the foot of the hill. This formerly belonged to the Malraj Zamindar's family. The fort is entirely in ruins, and the area has been given up for cultivation.
Dharanekota, Amravati, and Chintapalli.Dharanekota is the site of a very ancient town," the city of magic" as the name imports. The walls were pulled down by the late Vasereddi Zainindar to build the town of Amravati about a century ago. These buildings have also in time fallen into ruins. There were two hundred two-storied houses built for Brahmans, and the Zamindar's palace is reported to have had gilt and silvered tiles. The whole place is now a mass of ruins. There are to be seen the remains of large reservoirs and fountains and places for pleasure grounds. A long law suit, carried through many years regarding a disputed succession, dissipated the wealth of the family. The estate fell into arrears, and was sold by auction, and bought in by Government for & nominal sum. There are two brothers, the present representatives of this old and ancient Zamindari, who now live in a ruined tenement where their ancestors were once high lords, drawing a revenue of thirty or forty lace &-year. They are dependent on their mother pension of Rupees 150 a-month. The fort at Chintapalli belonged to the same family, and is now also in ruins. Also another at Rajapett, which is in the same condition.
Gurjala.-At Gurjala in the Palnad there are the ruins of an old fort, the stones of which have been largely taken by the villagers to build their houses, It is said to have been originally raised by Rája Narandrudu, the 4th descendant of the Pandavas (Kshattrayas).
There are also the remains of other stone forts in the Palnad, at Tunnekota (this has lately been pulled down and levelled,)at Kambhampad, Goli Nayarjunakonda, Tangada, and Karempudi. At the latter place, outside the fort wall, there are several two storied mantapams or porticos, which are said to have been used by an old Rishi in former days for the performance of his japam (prayers). He would recite his prayers at different quarters of the town at different hours of the day, high up in the second story of these mantapams where his devotions might be duly observed.
Agnig medala-This place, in the Vinukonda Taluq, derives its name from the hot springs which are said to have existed here, but there are no traces of them now. The fort here belonged to the old Malraj family, and is now quite dilapidated, and the
in the Vinukonda Taluq there are also the ruins of old forts at Vinukonda, which belonged to the
