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OCTOBER, 1912.]
DE SOUZA'S EXPEDITION TO SOUTH INDIA
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possession of his kingdom and expel the usurper, was assisted with gold coins laden on a Lundred bullocks !
The Temple of Tremelle is no doubt the same as that of Tirumala about which the Imperial rasatteer of India gives the following information :-" Tirupati, in tho taluk of Chandrasiri in North Arcot District, Madras, is celebrated throughout Southern India for the temple on Tirumala, the holy hill, 2,500 feet high. This place, often known as Upper Tirupati, is six ailes distant from Tirupati town and situated in 13° 41' N. and 79° 21' E. The shrine is ciedicated to Venkateswaragwami, an incarnation of Vishnu, and is considered so holy that formerly no Christian or Musalman was allowed even to ascend the hill ....... From all parts of India thousands of pilgrims annually flock to Tirupati with rich offerings to the idol. Up to 1843 the temple was under the management of Government, which derived a considerable revenue from these offerings; but now they are made over to the mahant (trustee) ....... Daring the first six years of British rule the income of the temple averaged upwards of two lakhs ...... The hill on which the temple stands possesses a number of the usual holy bathing places, some of which are picturesquely situated."
Correa says that the principal source of the immense wealth of this tomple depended on the charity offered by pilgrims who flocked there by millions on festive occasions, the chief amongst which fell on the full moon day in the month of August. A fair was held every year on this occasion in front of the temple, when the kings of Bisnega, from remote times, gave free access to all kinds of merchandise without any duties whatsoever. He then describes this festival as follows:
"I saw this festival and the fair, which is held on that day. The temple stands on a large plain (campo). The people begin coming to this place with their baggage a fortnight earlier. At this time, there will be seen three to four hundred thousand of horses. Here people of all the nations of the world are to be seen and all kinds of merchandise which can be named and all the things of the world--the whole universe--are to be found in great abundance. All the coins of the world are current at this fair.
"The plain which is full of people, covers an area of about eight leagues interspersed with a great number of small tents, where anybody can kill, with impunity, a thief caught in the very act of stealing.
“The pilgrims, before going to the temple, wash their bodies, apply sandal paste, dress themselves gaily and adorn themselves with ornaments of gold.
"The male pilgrims shave their heads clean with razors with the exception of a thin lock on the top of the head which they twist and tie beautifully. It is said that this lock is of mach use to the fighting men, in-as-much as when they fall on the battlefield, it serves the purpose of carrying them by their bea is hung by it instead of by their ears, nose or beard, which is considered a great dishonour. There is a sufficient number of barbers who sit apart ander the shade of some big trees and shave each head for a single copper coin called caira. It is highly surprising to see the heaps of cut hair which fill the space under the trees as well as over them. This hair, however, is not allowed to run to waste. There is a dealer who buys it from the barbers for a thousand
• Lendas da India, Vol. IV, Londa de Martin Aloro de Souza, phap. XXI.
Imperial Gagetteer of India, Vol. XX[11, p. 393. • Lendas da India, Vol. IV, Lenda de Martim Afonso do Sousa, chap. XXXI.
• Caisa is a corruption of cash or kas, 60 of which make 1 fanam or panam : 12 fanams make 1 ste pagoda, which was 191 carats fine and intrinsically worth 78. 5d. These coins were formerly used in the Madras Presidency.
