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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1889.
identification of the port-town to the north-east of Mount Potalaka, Mr. Beal's quotations from I-tsing! show that shortly after Hinen-Tsiang's time the port for Ceylon was Nagavadana. Accordingly, the town, which Hinen-Tsiang mentions, seems to be intended for Nagapattanam or Nogapatam in the Tanjore District.
The unnamed capital of Malakotta is placed by Hinen-Tsiang 3,000 li to the south of Kanchipura, and by Hwui-li 3,000 li or so from the frontier between Dravida and Malakotta. As General Cunningham points out, even the first mentioned distance would take us out to sea beyond Cape Comorin and must have been exaggerated by the pilgrim's informants. Mr. Beal, who identifies Chi-mo-lo (see above) with the Tamil Kumari (Sanskrit: Komârt), thinks of Cape Comorin itself. But there is no tradition of a capital having been situated there. Perhaps Hinen-Tsiang refers to Korkai in the Tinnevelly District, the Kixou of the Periplús and of Ptolemy, which was, according to Dr. Caldwell, the ancient capital of the Pandyas.21
THE BALLAD OF THE GUJARI.
BY PUTLIBAI D. H. WADIA. I give the text and translation of this celebrated Gujarati ballad as it is sung at AhmadAbad. In other parts, especially in Surat, a somewhat different version obtains. This version contains a curious admixture of Hindustani and Gujarati words. The ballad is of the class called gurb, and is sung by women who form themselves into a ring round a lighted lamp, and king the verses as they go round and round, beating time with their hands.
TRANSLATION.
The Ballad of the Gujart,1 The Badsah is on his way to invade Kabul and all the ministers of Dalhi are with him. The Badsah takes up his abode in a garden : on what pretext shall I go to have a look at
them)? I shall take & red earthen pot in my hand and go (dressed) as a dairy-maid. The
Badsah, &c. (Her) skirt of brocade, and a gold border to (her) oddí; 5 Kallai, and kárbí, and anuat, bichhuiva, and jháfijaro jingling (on her person);
Armlets round her arms, and rings on all her ten fingers; Kaláphulsa adorning her ears, and a costly jh&V glistening; Páriydi adorning her throat, and a single-string necklace round her neck;
Her cloth (sádt) being of green gaji, and the necklace of pearls ; 10 A ring adorning her nose, and a brilliant red mark glistening on her brow:
She made (some) curds in a small earthen pot, and took the best of milk (with her): (Thus arrayed) the Gujari set forth to sell curds, and arrived at the Badiah's darbár, (And cried) -"Who'll buy my cards! who'll buy my sweet milk!"
Seys her mother-in-law, - Listen daughter-in-law, do not go into the camp. 15 Or the Badóth of the city of Dilhi will keep thee in his palace."
The daughter-in-law beeds not the mother-in-law and goes forth to sell (her) curds: Goes forth the Gujarfin to sell cards and takes her seat in the Lal Bajár. The Badsah being informed (of this) comes to have a look at the Gujari.
1) Life, p. Iuri.; Si-yu-ki, Vol. II. p. 233, note 131. » Ancient Geography of India, Vol. I. p. 540. . For references on Korkai see Mr. Sewell's List of Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 318.
The word gujarf means'a Gujarati woman.' : Names of different gold and silver ornaments for women.
gajt is a sort of silk fabrio manufactured in Gujarkt, so called from its being just one ga (= ghasof yard) in width. . This ought to have come before the two preceding lines.
. The same as Gajar.