﻿FROM CHUNARGHUR TO YERTNAGOODUM. IQI 



1 WAS much gratified with this defcription, which 

 they delivered with fo little hefitation, and which 

 agreed (o well with the accounts I had previoufly re- 

 ceived, that it left no doubt in my mind as to its ve- 

 racity. I next inquired of them, in whofe territory 

 Omercuntuc was conlidered. They faid, that the Nag- 

 pour government attached apart of , it to their Pwr- 

 gunnah of Pindara ; a fecond part was claimed by the 

 Rajah of Sohaujepour ; and a third by the Goands ; m 

 whofe poffeflion indeed the whole at that time refted. 

 They defcribed the building as being about forty feet 

 high; that the images were numerous, and that they 

 were defcriptive of a very romantic fable; and thi^ 

 fubjed immediately led me into that of the pilgrimage. 

 A defire, it feems, to poffefs the property accruing 

 from the offerings, and taxation levied on the pilgrims 

 who travel thither, had raifed three competitors for it; 

 but it properly be;longed to the Brahviens who attend 

 on the pagoda. 



The Hindoos worfhip at tlie fource of tliefe rivers 

 the confort of Siva^ whom Sir William Jones, in 

 his Treatife on the Gods of Greece^ Italy^ and India, 

 mentions as being diltinguifhed by the names of Par- 

 VATi, or the -mountain-born goddefs; Durga, or dif- 

 ficult of accefs; and Bhavani, or .the goddefs of fe- 

 cundity ; which latter is her leading name at Omer- 

 cuntuc, The temple which contains the Moorat or 

 image of Bhavani, was built by one of the ancient 

 Rajahs of Ruttunpour. The Pundits faid there were 

 •formerly records of fifty-two fucceffions; but that, 

 about fixty years ago, the family had become extinct; 

 when the Mahraltas took advantage of the confyfion 

 that enfued, from the endeavours of many competitors, 

 to feize upon the government ; and have retained it ever 

 fince that period. They related to me the names of 

 •three preceding Rajahs; viz. of Heohobun Sing; 

 his father, Heonnurais; grand father, Bisnaut Sing; 

 and greatgrandfather, Ruttum Sing. More their 



G 3 memory 3 



