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JULY 5, 1872.]
THE SACRED FIRE AT UDWADA.
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special celebrity and holiness, have endowed the rivers with a divine origin, in imitation of the myth which connects the Ganges with the feet of Vishnu, The hill from which the rivers flow has, from a dís- tance, the faintest possible resemblance to the form of a boar, and Vishnu manifiested himself, accord
ing to the Puranas, in one of his avatars as a bokres These two circumstances being put together, can it be possible that the mystery of the legend is solved? The name Ganga Mala is certainly suggestive.
THE SACRED FIRE OF THE PARSIS AT UDWADA.
te; i ba ! Bi w. RAMŠAY, BO.C.S. The ancient followers of the religion of sacred fire, which, in accordance with the vow of Zoroaster had been reduced by years of persecu their ancestors, had been kept ever burning during tion to comparatively small band of fugitives their sojourn in Sanjân. The fugitives, reached giving up all hope of better times in a land in Bharat, in the hills above Wânsdå, and there which they had once 'reigned supreme, they took cherished the holy flame for some years. The refuge on board ship, and sailing from Ormazd- 'fire had been borne somewhat after the manner bandar eventually landed on the isle of Diu, off of the ark of the Israelites in the desert: it was the coast of Kathiawad, where they remained for carried by the priests in a sort of a litter, by some years : but they were not to remain in peace night to hide it from the rays of the sun, the even here, so again embarking on board ship the touch of which would be a catastrophe to be "Colony." steered for the shores of the Konkan. averted by all means, and so covered up as to be A great storm overtook them, and the pilgrims safe from the possible profane gaze of the outer in their fear vowed a vow that, if spared to reach and uninitiated world. But the fire was not to the land, they would set up again the sacred fire burn on in peace, and anon it was moved to which had been lost in their first flight from their Wânsda, where it remained 14 years, and thence old home. The storm ceased, the sky.cleared, to Nausâri, where for 318 years the flame burnand under a bright sun the wanderers landed oned peacefully and without interruption. But the shores of what was then the kingdom of internal dissensions arose, and again a move was Sanjân, ruled over by a Raja of Rajput lineage.. made to Surat, thence after three years, back The prince received them favourably, and gaye. again to Nausâri, and thence again to Balsas, a kol or charter defining their future rights and the mystic pot au feu being ever borne in the liabilities. By this they were debarred from the dead of night by the trusty guardians of its use of arms their apparet was fixed after the mysteries. After a sojourn of two years at Balfashion ever since in vogue among them; and sår, the priests had an interview with the Rája. their various rites and ceremonials, religious and of Mândvf, Durgan Singhji, then residing in his social, were recorded, and as it were stereotyped. fort at Pardi. Protection was implored and proFor 624 yearst the Parsi community, went on mulmised, and a choice given of certain Villages on tiplying and thriving as they do at the present the sea coast for a residence. At Udwada wag day, when Subah of the then Padshah, one found a small band of Parsis ana a Tower of
Mahmud Beg,'t invaded the kingdom of Saujan, Silence, and here the fagitives fixed their choice and pressed the Raja hard. In his distress, heapure of a resting place.. sandd was given them plied to the Persiand put it to their hands. conferring ceftáirt privileges and immunities." Three timihe did the latter binder & Herbie Telader : This is stated to have been in the samvar yeni named Ardleshit béat“back the nu-disciplined") 1799, (AD: 17199 of about 180 yun nga. levies of Mahmud, but A fourth invasion small temple Was erected to shelter the first was successful, and the Zoroastrians were again some years after b larger temple was built on the compelled "to fly in search of fortune. This same site which was subsequeritly enlarged, and" time, howeyer, they managed to preserwestheir Hually about 45 years ago the present substan - About AID. 19.
a ) Llist Tota
See the K ansanganyar Behram Visit to Gujarat, p. 15. Wilson, Sermon to the Parais... Kaikobad (A.D. 1599) in the Jour. Bomb.-B. R. 13. 80c (1889), p. 9. Vol I. pp. 157-191 p .) osis poitelo 91d 12 There is probably an error of 100 yin it this period.
+ The first Atisb-Bahram is and to have been created by Nsas Arijs ibe Noaripa of Ptolemy. Enkel . the Anjuman of Sanján, and consecrated by Nereosing Dartubi Fryer mention the Fire-templeat Nádtatt i 1675. in Samvat 777, or A. D.720. See Wilga Paris Religion Nong Account of East India, &c. p. 117. The present temple p. 557.-ED. S tart
Wi
l t this plaog WM COberated by Date Bora Di Rustemi! This is doubtless Mahmud Bernds of Ahmadabad, in 1765, and to it all the young Mobeds from Bombay and who invaded this distinct in A.D. 1607. See Note 4 elsewhere are sent for confirmation. ED. .
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