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SEPTEMBER, 1874.]
CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEA.
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resumed the Gauļike, which their descendants hold to this day.
Nirguda, whose position is thus determined, is in the Hosdurga Taluka of the Chitaldroog District, and is nearly a hundred miles north-west of Seringapatam. Nirgunda was evidently the original name of the place, as ap. pears from the Merkara and Nagamangala plates, as well as from the Tamil chronicle, where it is given as Nirkonda, while Nilâvati. pat na may be the Purånic name. The identification of this kingdom shows that the domiions of the Kongu sovereigns extended considerably to the north-west, and were conterminous at that point with those of the Chåluk yas of Kalyan. Some inscriptions at the place requiring to be cleared and deciphered may throw further light upon its history.*
I may add that I have identified another city connected with the Kongu kings. This is Mu. ganda-patņ& or Mukunde.nagara, at which the 21st and 22nd kings in Prof. Dowson's list resided, and which is described as situated about 48 miles to the north-east of Seringapatam. I find that was the ancient name of the Brahman village of Malar, near Channapatna, on the highroad from Bangalore to Seringapatam, and about midway between the two. Its foundation is attributed to a king named Vijayapala, of the Somavamsa or lunar line, in the Krita yuga, or first age. In the Kali yuga, Vijñánesvara Yogi is stated to have there composed his celebrated bhdshya or commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti or code. There are several ruined temples at the place.
Lewis RICE. Bangalore, 13th June 1874.
insert, below, Mr. Rehatsek's reply to the observations of Herr Blochmann on the Visalgadh inscription (p. 219), and have only to remark that it will be a great misfortune if the fear of laying themselves open to criticism should induce scholars to decline attempting the translation of imperfect copies. Inscriptions are frequently 90 situated that a rubbing cannot be obtained; and it is a great deal better that gentlemen who find inscriptions should get the best copy they can, than that they should get none at all. In the case of Persian inscriptions in the Bombay Presidency there is particular difficulty. The language, being locally a dead one, is seldom a subject of study to European gentlemen; and officers on tour who happen to find an inscription of which they cannot get a stampage or rubbing, think theinselves lucky if the neighbourhood contains any sort of an old Mulána or Kateb who can make a copy at all approaching to accuracy.
SIR.--I am sorry that Herr Blochmann has thought fit to append to his valuable article on Muhammadan Chronograms some remarks upon my rendering of the Visålgadh inscription (Ind. Ant. p. 219), from which it appears that, instead of merely giving a faithful translation of what was placed before me, I ought, in his opinion, to have corrected the text. He accuses me of having "overlooked the metre and +he Ruba'i rhyme of it," and continues, "Mr. Rehatsek's me in the second line is, I am sure, a y," &c., as if I had misread the inscription; and gives his own translation. Now, after all, comparing it with mine (vol. II. p. 372), and considering that I have translated the text as it was given to ine, Herr Blochmann must candidly acknowledge that I have done it well, unless he attaches importance to such differences as "work" for "business," "energy" for "resolution," and "tower of fortune" for "castle of happiness." Moreover, his “Burj i daulat" gives exactly the same date as my "Daulat Burj." He says he has not seen the tablet; and neither have I.
I need hardly remind Herr Blochmann that some inscriptions are very inelegant, e.g. one translated by me and appended to Mr. Nairne's first paper on Musulman Remains in the Konkan (vol. II. p. 282). I differ from Herr Blochmann in believing that a translator has no right to transpose words or alter any text in prose or poetry, but is at liberty to give his opinion in a commentary or footnotes, as I have done in the instance quoted. But I am much obliged to him for
Mr. Growse favours us with a note that part of the Märgala Inscription was published in the Jour. R. As. Soc. Beng. Br. for 1871 (p. 260), accompanied by a translation from the pen of Mr. Blochmann, as follows:--
"The Khân of strong hand and of exalted dignity: the lion is powerless to overcome his strong hand. Mughul Rami composed the chronogram Naziah i Mahrash i Hindustan, 'the moonlike forelock of Hindustan,' A.H. 1083 (1672 A.D.)" This, we presume, is from & rubbing; the transcript printed at p. 205, Ind. Ant. for July, was furnished by Dr. Leitner, who was, we believe, unaware that Herr Blochmann had translated the inscription. The copyist, and not the translator, is responsible for the difference pointed out by Mr. Growse. We
. MR. BOWRING alludes to Nilavati in Eastern Esc. periences, p. 177.
Jour. R. As. Soc. VIII. pp. 5 and 14, and Ind. Ant. vol. I. p. 362.
