Dr.B.G, Babington's Account of Sculptures, 8^c. at Mahdmalaijmr. 265 



and not an excavation, increase the probability of this conclusion. It is 

 not unlikely, however, that there may exist in the sanctuary a subordinate 

 sculpture representing the Vardha Avatdra, like that of Crishn'a, and the 

 Gopdlas in the Crishn'a Man'd'apam, and of equally ancient date, and that 

 a roof and walls may have been thrown out from this rock, and a temple 

 thus formed. The Brahmans on the spot did not permit me to enter the 

 sanctuary to ascertain this point. 



Throughout this Tamil inscription the place is called Mahdmalaipur, 

 which signifies the city of the great mountain, evidently with reference to 

 the rocky eminence in the vicinity. This indeed cannot be called a great 

 mountain on account of its size : but the word Mahd may refer to greatness 

 of sanctity, or renown, with equal propriety. 



To designate the village Mahd-Bali-puram, the native name at the present 

 day, is therefore an error, which has led to the assumption that this was the 

 capital of that renowned giant Maha Bali, whose kingdom, if it ever 

 actually existed, was on the western coast of India, where he is still 

 honoured by an annual festival. 



A second kind of character found at Mahdmalaipur is in a small mono- 

 lithic pagoda,* now dedicated to Ganes'a,! and situated on the north side 

 of the hill. It is contained in an inscription (see PL 14) of consider- 

 able length, but is so faintly cut, and on such rough granite, that the fac- 

 simile which I have furnished, however imperfect, cost me several days' 

 labour to trace.t One of the Jain Brahmans, in the employ of Col. Mac- 



* Mrs. Graham gives an engraving of this small pagoda, which she says is called the Teer of 

 Arjnn, and she explains the word Teer (properly Ter), to mean a place of religious retirement. 

 The explanation is erroneous, as the word Ter signifies, in Tamil, a car or sacred vehicle, 

 corresponding with the Sanscrit Hatha. 



t When Mr. Goldingham wrote his account, this pagoda contained a lingam (see his first 

 paragraph), so that it has passed from the Saivas into the possession of the Vaishnavas since 

 that period. Brahman families of both sects reside on the spot. 



% In this character there are two forms of affix for long a, used indifferently as convenience 

 may suggest. Thus, in the first stanza, we find the syllable (c^iT) cd in the word caran'am 



(C^\|<^U|) made thus i^ ; while in the eighth stanza the same syllable in the word cama ^jJIT 



is made thus "jj^ 

 The letters p (tT), and s (^\ seem similar in form ; but perhaps some slight difference may 



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