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120
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARI.
[MAY, 1898.
Assuming the tuld then to equal 25 lbs. Av., the weight of Dhammacheti's bell of 3,000 tulds would be 75,000 lbs. Av. or 881 tons. If we give the told a weight of 20 lbs. or lese, then the weight of the bell would be 261 tons or less.
The weights of the Kahatibaddaganda of King Darawadt at Rangoon and of U Kunklingâya's bell at Maulman are, of course, stated in modern terms, and weigh, according to the inscriptions thereon, the first, a few lbs. over 12 tons, and the second, about one ton.
The traditional weight of the Mahaganda at Bangoon is 25,855 viss, 33 which amounts to about 41, Loths tons, or a little less than the Mahatibáddagàndâ ; * bat, in the course of an interesting correspondence in the Rangoon Gasette on the subject, a writer says, in a letter, dated 27th May, 1896, that part of the inscription on the bell runs as follows:- "Year of the establishment of religion 2822, era (Burmese) 1140, 11th day of the waxing moon of Tabotwai (Tabôdwe, about February) after the third watch, the position of the stars being propitious, with metal weighing 15,555 perktha (viss)." Now 2822 A. B. and 1140 B. E. both represent 1778 A. D., and assuming that the above transcript is right, it must have been Singhisa (1776-81). who gave the bell, and not B*8ddp'aya.(1781-1819), as is generally stated on the strength of Mr. Hough's rendering of the inscription ; 44 and its weight must be about 25} tons.
The above variations in statement arise from two causes : - positive variations in the statements themselves and differences in the mode of compatation. For the instruction of students I now'collect in one view the information so far available in the subjoined table.
The Various Computations of the Weights of the Greater Burmese Bells.
I. - The Myingun Bell,36
Date.
Authority.
Visa,
Ibe.
Ton.
1835
321,20080 500,000 (over) 200,000 (over)
143-39 219.64 89-1
'c. 1852
Malcom, Vol. I. p. 274 ...
88,000 Op. cit., loc. cit., n.37 Bigandet, Gaudama, Ed, 1880,
Vol. I. p. 74 f. 1. Yule, Ava, p. 17134_
(a) Popular view30 ... ... 555,555
(6) Malcom based on Burney..! 65,500 Phayre, Burma, p. 219 ... ...
1855
204,575
922:47 91.32
1883
80
* Hesketh-Biggs, Shwedagon Pagoda, p. 68.
25,665 vias against 25,9404 viss. * The remarks now made should be taken, where they differ, to supersede those made ante, Vol. XXVI. p. 210, on the same subject. The difference arises in the taking the tuld at 145 oz. Troy (see Monier-Williams, Sanskrit Diot., ... tula), based on Colebrooke's remarks, loc. cit., on the ancient Sanskrit weights, and on the assumption that the ratt was a little over 2 grs. This works ont the fuld to about 12 lbr. Troy be. Av., instead of what I now think that Dhammacbéti's engravers meant by the term tuld, vir., the then current tula of about 25 lbs. Av.
15 Near the Sibyo Pagoda, anto, Vol. XXII. p. 846. Cox, c. 1796, Burmhan Empire, p. 105 #., describes this Pagoda, but not the bell, which was doubtless not then in existence. # Maloom says over 830,000 lbs., but the above statement is the correct one,
By computation of the metal in the bell. This, however, is as uncertain many other statement about it. A comparison of the writers I have quoted will show them to differ very greatly as to dimensions. Copied by Strettell, Ficus Elastica, p. 48 .
* This is merely popular exaggeration.
