Indian Antiquary Vol 04

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 14

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JANUARI, 1875.
tion of the sculptured representations of the many forms employed could not fail to be interesting Sketches of a few varieties of serpent images are given in the Report on the Archaeological Survey of Western India for last season; and from these figs. 3, 5, and 6 are taken. Fig. 2 is from a village in the Belgam district; Fig. 3 and 5 are from a photograph of six scnlptured stones in the principal temple at Sinde-Manauli, on the Milaprabhi, of which two are carved with nine figures each of Hindu devas or gods, seated in a line, and another bears a figure of a single hooded snake, a fourth of a pair-the male with three hoods and the female with one; the fifth (fig. 3) had a single snake with seven heads (one of them broken off) very neatly carved in a compact porphyritic slab, - each head has & crest, and over the whole is the chattrı or umbrella, emblematio of sovereignty: the sixth (fig. 5) has a pair of crested snakes, the male only with its hood expanded. No. 4 is from a stone at Aiholli or Aiwalli, further down the same river, in the Dharwad zillâ; and No. 6 is from the door-jamb of a deserted temple at Huli, not far from Manauli.
At Thàn, in Kathiâwâd, is a temple of Bashanji,' as Sesha Narayana is locally called The principal image is a three-headed cobra with two smaller monocephalous ones-one on each side-carved on the same slab. To the spectator's right of them is a figure of Vishnu in the human form, with four arms; while on, and in front of the altar on which the images are placed are saligramas and sankh shells. A common votive offering at this shrine seems to be a representation of the three snakes in alto-rilievo on a flat earthenware tile. Near the same town is a shrine of Bandill Någa, t where there is an imago bnt no temple. As snake-worship prevails among the K Å this, similar shrines are doubtless to be met with in many places throughout the peninsula; and an account of the
traditions, beliefs, and rites connected with them would be specially interesting.
The following notice of the worship of the living serpent is given by Dr. Cornish, in the Report of the Census of the Madrus Presidency, 1871 (vol. I. pp. 105-6) :-"In many places," he says, "the living serpent is to this day sought out and propitiated. About two years ago, at Rajamandri, I came upon an old anthill by the side of a public road, on which was placed a modern stone representation of a cobra, and the ground all around was stuck over with pieces of wood carved very rudely in the shape of a snake. These were the offerings left by devotees, at the abode taken up by an old snake, who occasionally would come out of his hole, and feast on the milk, eggs, and ghee left for him by his adorers.
"Around this place I saw many women who had come to make their prayers at the shrine. If they chanced to see the cobra, I was assured that the omen was to be interpreted favourably, and that their prayers for progeny would be granted. There is a place also near Vaisarpadi, close to Madras, in which the worship of the living snake draws crowds of votaries, who make holiday excursions to the temple (generally on Sundays) in the hope of seeing the snakes which are preserved in the temple grounds; and probably so long as the desire of offspring is a leading characteristic of the Indian people, so long will the worship of the serpent, or of snake-stones, be & popular cult. In all probability the snake-stones were originally set up in commemoration of a living snake, formerly tenanting the spot. In most places the stones are to be counted by the dozen, or score; and, judging from the modern practice, as I saw it myself at Rajamandri, they were probably set up in fulfilment of vows, and in remembrance of blessings.flowing to the donors through snakeworship."
PERSIAN INSCRIPTIONS FROM BELGÂM, SÂMPGÅN, GULBARGA,
AND SIDDHAPUR.
BY H. BLOCHMANN, M.A., CALCUTTA MADRASAH. Mr. Burgess some time ago sent me tracings 1. The inscription from the Sámpgå† of several Muhammadan inscriptions at Belgår, Mosque is of no interest. It only contains Sâmpgam, Gulbarga, and Siddhapar. I now three Qorân verses, viz. Sürah Lal, 13, XII. 64, give my readings and translations.
and vi. 161. • Anto, p. 306. 8oo Ind. Ant. vol. L-p. 7. I 8ampgd is village to the south-east of Belgfxn.