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194
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
JUNE 7, 1872
of Southern India, and in a part where Europeans |
DISCOVERY OF IMAGES. have always been numerous. The first press with A NATIVE CHRISTIAN of Velangani (Tanjor) has Devanagari type, in Southern India, was started made a curious and interesting discovery of five about 1805, at Tanjor, by Raja Sarabhoji (Serboji), very ancient copper figures of Hindu deities. The the well-known pupil of the great German Mission- images were found buried in the man's compound, ary Swartz. His object was to print the books re- but he being a Roman Catholic, objections were quired for the elementary Sanskrit and Marktha made by the priest to the sale of the images to the Schools he had established in the Tanjor district. people. It was therefore proposed to break them A small hand press (still in the Tanjor Palace) and up and sell them for old copper, when the matter a fount of Devanagari type were procured, probably came to the knowledge of the Collector (Mr. H. J. from Madras, and this little office received the Stokes), who purchased the images for Government rather magniloquent name of Navavid yakalani
at the rate of four annas per seer, or the price of old dhi. The superintendent was a Brahman named copper. The figures are as follows - Kuppi Bhatta. The first production of the Pidari, a village goddess, seated, with four arms; press seems to have been a Sanskrit-Maratha in one an axe, in one a deer. Height 1 foot 9 Panchanga, or Almanac, which was continued inches. Breadth at base of pedestal 1 foot 27 for several years, till superseded by those of the inches. Weight 63 lbs. Bombay lithographic presses. In 1806 (year Pillayar, called also Ganapati, Ganes'a, and vibhav a) was printed an edition of the Raghu- Vighneshvara, son of Shiva and Parvati, and therevam ga, the 19 sargas of text complete, 97 pp. fore called Pillayar, son. Height 1 foot 84 inches. 8vo. The verses are numbered, and there are two Weight 43 lbs. short perpendicular lines after each half verse. In Nadesha, figure of Shiva, dancing (Nada dancing, other respects it is printed like native MSS. This is isha, king), enclosed in a horse-shoe arch, created the earliest edition of this poem by several years; with flames. Shiva, matted-hair, is worked into the Calcutta edition (Gildemeister, No. 224) and an ornamental pattern, with four arms. In one Stenzlor's were both published in 1832. In 1811
hand a small drum such as is used by fortune-tellers, was printed on 8 pp. (transv.), an edition of the
with a ball made of cord and wax attached by a Tarkasangrah a. The copy of this which I string to the middle, which strikes each end of the have seen is ruled with borders in red ink, and the drurn alternately when oscillated. Round one arm close of each sentence has been marked in the same a cobra. In one hand a flame. Dances on a proway by hand, a vacant space having been left by strate Rákshasa. Height 3 feet 74 inches; width 3 the compositor for this purpose. On the first page feet 3 inches. are two rude cuts of Ganes'a and S'i v a. In Sandikeshara (or Chandikeshvara), a son of Shiva the same year also was printed an edition of An- Is deaf, for which reason worshippers clap their nann Bhatta's Comment on the Tarkasa - hands in his temple to attract his attention. Is. graha, similar to that of the text, oblong 22 pp. placed to the left hand of the figure of Shiva, In 1812 was printed an edition of the Bhash & pa- facing south. Has hair arranged in ornament at richchheda (Karikávall), by Panchanana each side of neck. Figure standing in devotional Bhatta, oblong 10 pp. In 1813 (year Sri mu- attitude. Height 2 feet 2 inches, weight 50 lbs. kha) appeared an edition of the complete text of Amman, a goddess, standing. Height 2 feet, Màgh a's Si s'u pala badh a, 8vo. 106 pp. In weight 36 lbs. 1814 the Kumara champa, attributed to Sara- The images are believed to have belonged to a bhoji himself, but really composed by one of his Shiva temple which once existed at Velangani, Pandits, was printed, 25 pp. transv. Two editions Why or when they were buried is not conjectured. of the Amarakosha (one in 8vo. and the They were found embedded in sand three feet below other in folio) were also early finished ; of the the surface. The images are believed to be very dates I am uncertain, as I have only seen imper- ancient. They are to be placed in the Museum at fect copies. An edition of the Muktavali (@ Madras for the present. comment on the Bhash â parichchheda) was also begun, but only 454 pp. (transv.) were finished.
HIMALAYAN CUSTOM Ainong the Maratha publications of this press is a DR. Cowran, in his " Medical History of the translation of Æsop's fables, with rude cuts, in
Himalayas," speaking of a native tribe in the north12mo. The type is very good and clear ; each ern district of the peninsula, says, when a mother letter is however separated, as in many MSS. All goes into a field to work, or is otherwise unable to the copies I have seen are printed on European take her child with her, she selects some sheltered hand-made paper. The texts are tolerably correct, spot near & stream, in which she places a little in some copies errors have been corrected by straw for a bed for her infant, and then directa, by hand.-A.C.B. in Trübner's Lit. Rec.
means of a piece of split bamboo, a current of
• Gildemeister's No, 390 must refer to one of these editions,
