Temple of Satrunjaya

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 64

columns and entablature, and the representations of the six murdered infants are in black marble."118
The hill is in many places excessively steep, and, except the doli, a seat 18 inches square, slung from two poles and carried by four coolies, no mode of conveyance would be even tolerably comfortable either for ascent or descent. The winding path is paved with rough stones all the way up,only interrupted here and there by regular flights of steps. At frequent intervals also are the rest houses already mentioned, more pretty at a distance than convenient for actual use, but still deserving of attention.
High up, when near the top, we come to a small temple of Hanuman, the image of course bedaubed with red lead in ultrabarbaric style; at this point the path bifurcates ; to the right leading to the northern peak, and to the left to the valley between, and through it, to the southern summit. Ascending by the first of these, we enter through a narrow door into an outer enclosure, at the left corner of which under a tree, is the shrine or dargāh of Hengar, a Musalman Pir; so Hindu and Muslim alike contend for the representation of their creeds on this sacred hill of the Jainas. This Hengar or Angarsa Pir, they say, when living, "could control the elments", but he was foolish enough to try his mace on Adinatha, which unable to hurt him struck the Pir dead. His ghost, however, was malicious enough to annoy the pujāris at their prayers, and in a solemn council they summoned him to state his wishes. "Lay my bones on that corner of the hill."-said the ghost, and the matter was settled.
Our endeavours to discover who this saint was, and when he flourished, were equally fruitless with those of Colonel Tod; there seems to be no information respecting him "beyond the tradition that it was in the time of Ghori Belam, nephew of the king of Delhi, who resided in Palitana, and by whom the mosques and Idgahs, both inside and outside, were erected". "At present, however", he adds, "the darvesh attendants on the tomb of their saint have found it requisite to conform to the rules of the place, and never touch food on the rock, nor partake of animal food below."119
The view that presents itself from this point may well arrest the attention. It is magnificent in extent; a splendid setting for the unique
1118
Tod's Travels in Western India (in 1822), pp. 281, 282, 293; though perhaps not perfectly correct in details, these extracts give a good general idea, and I had no guide on the ascent to supply fuller information, Ibid., pp. 292, 293.
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