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72
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH 1, 1872.
Rikhi, Márkanda, and Byás Kund springs. Next which covered it during the rainy season, I to these comes the Sát dwaraa vault some 60 failed to find it. General Cunningham, howfeet long by 10 feet wide, which receives seven ever, was fortunate enough to light on it distinct streams on the west side, from the during his recent visit, and I have since cummountain above. Several of these springs enter pletely cleared and excavated it. It is of oval the reservoir through "tuyeaux suspendus," shape, and has an opening to the east. Its and at the south end is a small subterranean floor was considerably below the surface, and temple containing rude and, apparently, very was reached by a flight of eight or nine brick modern images of the Seven Rishis. At the steps, several of which I uncovered almost eneast side of the Sát dwara is the celebrated tire. The chamber measured 36 feet from east Bralma kund. The temperature of the water to west, and 26 from north to south. The roof is about 105 deg. Fahr. It is in this that several (most of which has fallen in ) was 18 or 20 feet hundred thousand persons bathe at the recur- high. The whole was lined, as it were, by a rence of every thirty-first lunation. Below this brick wall about 2 feet thick. In the midst of is the Kasi-tirth, which is in reality a mere outlet the rubbish which filled up the bottom of the for the waters of the Brahma kund, which escape cave I found a very perfect standing figure through it, still warm and steaming, into the of Buddha in black basalt. I can, I think, satisSarasvati below. Climbing a distance of 276 factorily identify this cave and platform feet to the south-west of the Märkanda kund, one with the account of Fah-Hian and also with that arrives at an enormous stone platform projecting of Hwen Thsang. Fah-Hian says—“ skirting from the face of the hill. It is composed of the southern hill" (and it is to be noted that this huge masses of unhewn stone piled one upon part of Baibhar runs almost due south)" and the other, and is about 50 feet square and 28 proceeding westward 300 paces, there is a stone high. At its base there are a number of small cell called the Papal Cars, where Buddha was grottoes six or eight feet square, of which two accustomed to sit in deep meditation after his are in the eastern and five on the northern side. mid-day meal." These were evidently caves or chambers of this corresponds exactly with the position of meditation, and are up to this day inhabited at the cave in question, and this view is supported times by 'nâgas' or 'sådhus,' a jogi whose body strongly by the succeeding sentence, _"going is perpetually, smeared with ashes, and whose still in a westerly direction five or six li, there wardrobe seems to consist merely of a very small is a stone cave situate in the northern shade of waistcloth, a tattered umbrella, and a necklace the mountain, and called Che-ti." This deof enormous beads. These beggars flock in scription applies with singular accuracy to thousands from all parts of India to Rajgir the Som-bhandar Cave in the northern shade during the great fair, and are fed by the Mahants of Mount Baibhâr, and almost exactly a or abbots of the monasteries of Rajgir and Raja- mile from the baithak of Jarasandha. Hwen vali, who alone exercise the jealously-guarded Thsang's account is still more striking,"A right of raising their crimson standards during l'ouest des sources thermales, on voit la maison the month in which the gathering takes place. en pierre du Pi-po-lo (Pippala). Jadis, l'honor
To return to the stone platform: It is general- able du siècle y faisait son séjour habituel. La ly known as the Jardsandha-ka-baithak, and on caverne profonde qui s'ouvre derrière ses murs its summit are three Muhammadan tombs, one était le palais des '0-sou-lo-Asouras [of of which is said to be that of Raja Kamdar Khán Jarasandha?] Mai, whose life and adventures during the end of Pushing 800 feet further up the mountain the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries side, I found another platform or bai hak, almost form the subject of many a rude ballad and identical in size and shape with that of Jarastory in Bihar, and which occupy almost the sandha. The Rájwar call it Sitánari, but I same place in the heart of the people as could discover no special legend concerning it. the tales of Robin Hood and his followers do Leaving it and climbing up a steep ascent to at home. Behind this platform is a large the west for a distance of about 1300 feet, one cave. I searched for it in vain in September, comes, quite suddenly, on a small Jaina templo but owing to the dense brushwood and jangal built some few years ago by one Hakumat Rai • Idem.
+ Beal's Fah-Hian, Ch. xxx. p. 117. . Mémoires, Tom. II. p. 24.
