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ARCHEOLOGY OF BELARI DISTRICT.
JUNE, 1873.]
At Lepakshi, in the Hindipur tâluqa, is another large temple, said to have been built by Krishna Rayal. The roof of the large hall here is supported by about forty pillars, two of which do not touch the ground but are suspended from the roof. So at least the attendant Brahmans tell you, and prove it by passing a cloth between the pillar and the ground. The space between the pillar and the ground is about half an inch, and the trick is managed so adroitly that, unless the action is closely watched, the cloth really appears to be passed completely underneath the pillar. As a matter of fact each of these two pillars has one corner resting on the ground. The natives will not admit that it has always been so, but attribute this sinking to the act of an engineer some thirty years ago, who endeavoured to find out how such solid pillars were suspended, and injured them in the course of his experiments. About a hundred yards away is a colossal monolith, a Basava or stone bull. The story is that the coolies employed on the great temple being dissatisfied with their wages struck work and retired to consult. They chanced to sit down on a rock, and while debating the question began to hack it with their tools. The masters gave in in an hour and the coolies came down from their rock, when it was found to have assumed the form it now has.
Of more recent buildings, the pagoda at Pennahoblam, on the left bank of the Pennêr, and the Jamma Masjid at Adoni, are perhaps the best specimens of Hindu and Muhammadan architecture. The temple of Anantasaingudi, near Hospet, is worthy of mention, and is of interest to engineers and architects from the peculiarities of its construction.
At most of these places there is an annual festival. Nearly every village has its car-feast in honour of its patron deity, but the great festivals are held in the vicinity of the splendid pagodas and shrines, of which a brief account has been given.*
The general opinion seems to be that the attendance at the Hampi. festival is decreasing year by year. About fifteen years ago it was estimated that 100,000 people were present, five years ago it was 60,000, last year it was doubted if 40,000 people attended. The reason of this has never been satisfactorily explained, and it is the more remarkable, because in former years cholera invariably broke out among the assembled pilgrims, while during the last five years, in which sanitary precautions have been adopted, the festival has not been accompanied by this scourge. One reason possibly is, that the people do not like these sani
The chief festivals are:-at Hampi in Hospet taluqa, in honour of Virupakshapa Svimi about 15th April; at Kotur, in Kudlighi, in honour of Bas&pesvara Svami, 27th Feb.; at Mailar, in Hadagalli, in honour of LingApa Svami,
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tary measures; they object to leave their bullocks at some distance outside the walls, to be obliged to bathe in certain places, and to get their drinking-water from others; they dislike being interfered with, and though the better informed readily admit the benefits that result from these measures, and value their immunity from epidemic disease, yet they, as well as the great mass of the people, would prefer to have none of them, and keep away rather than submit to them. During the last three festivals it has been found very difficult to get enough people to drag the car from one end of the street to the other, according to custom.
One of the superior magistrates always attends this festival; medical assistance is sent out from Belâri, and Rupees 600 is annually allotted for clearing out wells, &c., and for other necessary
purposes.
After Hampi the festival held at Mailar is the best attended. It is held after the harvest, and the people encamp in the fields, being spread over a space about a mile square. The Tangabadrâ is close by, so that there is an abundant supply of pure fresh water, and, as there is no necessity for the pilgrims to crowd together as at Hampi, disease does not often break out. There is one custom which is peculiar to this festival. On the great day, in the evening, when the worship is completed and the offerings made, the deity deigns, in the person of a child, to lift the veil of the future, and in the presence of the assembled thousands to utter one sentence prophetic of future events. A little child is held up on the shoulders of the priests, and, closing in his arms the iron bow of the god upheld by the priests, he utters the words put into his mouth by the god.
The words uttered in 1869 were, "there are many thunderbolts in the sky," and the words were greeted with a murmur of joy, as implying probably a good supply of rain in the coming year. Great faith appears to be placed by the people in these words heard at these times, and, as there seems to be the same vagueness about them as characterized the utterances of the Delphic oracle, it is probable that their faith is never put to any severe test. The sentence uttered the year before the Mutiny,-"the white ants are risen against," is now recalled by many in proof of the far-seeing power of their god "There were present at the festival about 5,000 bandies, 23,000 head of cattle, and not fewer than 40,000 people." (Report of Mr. Clogstoun, Assistant Collector, in G. O., 3rd March 1869.)†
14th to 16th Feb.; at Kuruvalli, Harpanhalli, in honour of Goni Barappa Svami, 12-14th March; and at Manchala, Adwani, in honour of Ragavendra Sv&mi, 14th August.
Ibid. pp. 292-295,
