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APRIL 1908.
1
G AZETTEER GLEANINGS IN CENTRAL INDIA.
CENTRAL INDIA.
107
107
GAZETTEER GLEANINGS IN CENTRAL INDIA.
BY CAPTAIN C. E. LUARD, M.A., Superintendent of Gazetteer in Central India.
1. - The Mandagor Pillars. I PROPORE, as opportunity occurs, to give, in a series of articles, miscellaneons information on places in the Central India Agency, and any other matters of interest, which have come to my notice while engaged on the Gazetteer work.
The pillars dealt with in this article, though generally designated the Mandasor pillars, actually lie at the village of Songni [24° 3' N., 75° 10' E.] siso called Sondni and Sondani 3 miles from Mandasor. These pillars bear the inscription of Yahodharman, which has been dealt by Dr. J. F. Fleet. It records the defeat of the White Hun Chieftain Mihirakula.
The position now occupied by the remains is shewn on the accompanying Plan and on Plate I. SURVEY PLAN OF THE FIELDS IN WHICH THE BRONEN IMAGES AND
PILLARS ARE LYING
SONGNİ DISTRICT MANDASOR - SCALE 300 FIT INCNS
AT
A Slab said to represent old pillar B. Base of broken pillar C. Figure of dwdrpala complete) D. Figure of dwarpala (broken) E. Pillar in two pieces F. Base of second pillar with
capital beyond it. 6. Cap and capital of pillar E. on
edge of the field. H. Piece of pillar F near village.
The general appearance of the pillars as they now lie is given in Plate I. The pillar marked E in the Plan, and which lies across Plate I is the more perfect of the two.
On making inquiries I found that tradition asserts the former existence of four pillars, indicated in the Plan by the letters A, B, E, and F. Examination showed that the remains at B consisted of the base of a pillar and the spring of the shaft. It consists of a base in the shape of a cube of 3 ft. 3 ins., from which & shaft with a diameter of 3 ft. springs ornamenteå with crenellatod bands, 4 ins. in breadth. Only 2 ft. of this column remains." At A there is now no indication of a pillar. A slab of sandstone still lies here, but is too dilapidated, for it to be possible to say, that it ever was part of a pillar. As it consists of sandstone, however, and as all the local rock is trap, it must have been imported.
11.4., Vol. IV, pp. 222 and 252; Gupta Irwc., p. 146. ? I regret that my photograph of this fragment has been mielaid, but see Plate I.
