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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1874.
the Gohel the Rå gave Lâti with 125 vil- where Dhan Mer received them and presented lages. Sejo lived at Sejakpur, and Vejo them with djivká. Then Dhan Mer with 5000 abode at Lati, and his descendants are still to men, aided by Ranji with 2000, went against be found there and at Pálitâņa.
Ebhal Walo and slew him. Ebhal worSejo's son was Rân Gohel, who founded shipped the sun, and seated himself every RApur, S. 1201 (A.D. 1144), and made it & morning for four hours after sunrise in devorogal seat. At that time there were Mer Kolis tion to Suraj and telling his beads. While at Dhandhuka, who were powerful. Râņ so engaged he was attacked, and, refusing to Gohel, in order to preserve friendship with leave his devotions, was slain. The Mer gave them, married the daughter of their chief, Dhan Rânji his son-in-law Wala and Talâja, Mer. Her son obtained the village of Khas and and Ranji removed his capital to Wallâ and became the ancestor of the Khasia Kolis. ruled there. At that time Ebhal Walo reigned at Wala of his race, several generations later, was and Talaja. He oppressed the Brahmaņs Ranji the younger, who ruled at Ranpur. in his provinces and committed Brahmahatya. Having slain a Musalman the Pådísháh's army The Brahmaņs retired to Dhandhuka, I came and put him to death.
NOTES ON THE SHRINE OF SRI SAPTA-KOTISVARA.
BY J. GERSON DA CUNHA, M.R.C.8., &o., BOMBAY. The shrine of Sapta-Kotisvara is situated in takoţiśvara, or Saptan atha, "the lord the village of New Narvem or Naroa, in of the seven sages." the Portuguese territory of Goa.
Both the Sanskrit and Kanarese inscriptions According to the Sahyadri Khanda of the found in Goa and Belgån, relating to the Skanda Purana, this shrine was founded in time Kadamba kings of Goa, make mention of immemorial by the Sapta-Rishis, or seven sages. theirbei ng the favoured devotees of this SaptaIt is said that while the Sapta-Rishis were Kotisvara. engaged in their devotions in the Rasåtala, Some old coins were lately found in the old city a subterranean region, they were suddenly in- of Goa, bearing the name of Jayakesi as, by terrupted by a great serpent, which compelled the favour of Sri Saptakotisa, being the antsthem to come to the banks of the Pancha. 1 gonist of Malavarma.. Ganga, or five riwprs, to praise Mahes. This temple has been unfortunately the vic. vara. This took place in the month of Srâ- tim of the proselytizing ardour of both the vaņa (Ang.-Sept.). Here they produced a Muhammadan and Christian rulers in Goa. Linga, of seven metals, viz. gold, silver, tin, The first Muhammadan invader of the lead, copper, iron, and bell-inetal, andestablished Dekhan was Ala-ud-din; the second, Khilji it at Narvem, in the island of Divar, called Sulţân. Firishtah states that Ala-ud-din's by the Hindu geographers Dipavati (i. e. general, by name Malik Káfur, after having a row of lamps), which lies to the north of Goa executed the Raja of Deogadh, now called Island proper. In this place the Sapta-Rishis Daulatábad, laid waste the countries of Mahaworshipped the Linga for seven karors of years, râshtra and Kanârâ in the year 1312 A.D. when the deity, highly flattered by their conti- It was about this time that the Muhammad nual worship, appeared to them in person as ans, settled in Goa under one Malik Tubliga, Śiva, and inquired what it would please them pulled down the temple of Sapta-Kotisto ask from him. The sages replied that they vara. Soon after, however, it was restored would only like him to remain always with by Vid yaranya Madhava, a very distinthem, that whenever any misfortune should guished scholar and statesman, and prime minbefall them and they should have recourse to ister to Harihara, Raja of Vidyanagar or him he would condescend to appear. Sive Vijayanagar, who reigned from 1367 to 1891. then retired to the fine of Narvem, and dis- It was he, also, who conquered Goa from the appeared. Since that time they named it Sap- Muhammadans.
• See Ind. Ant. vol. I. p. 320.-ED.
