110 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [{March, 1912. 
could read or understand a word of them. As for the people 
of the country, they can give no explanation of them. These 
characters appear to be some ancient Greek, while some of them 
b 
the Great.’ I do not, however, assert that the Arabic charac- 
ters were engraved by the same artist. The characters of the 
two inscriptions are the same; the words alone differ, and 
one is fuller than the other. The line in Arabic is on the column 
to the east, which is erected in some deserts, where appear 
still some relics of a fortress. The educated inhabitants affirm 
that the pillars were erected by Alexander the Great, who is 
known in these parts under the name of Mahasicander.’’? 
Father Marco’s other proofs of Alexander’s connection 
with India are here irrelevant. 
ne of the two pillars mentioned is easily identified with 
the lion-capped pillar of Lauriya-Navandgarh. (Cf. Archeol. 
Surv. Rep. (1861-62), Vol. I, p. 68 sqqg.; XVI, p. 167 sqq.) It 
is the only one, of the five now known to exist near Bettiah, 
which has been found to bear a Persian inscription. The in- 
scription, however, proves how badly Father Marco allowed 
his prejudice in favour of Alexander and his native interpre- 
ters to deceive him. It bears in beautifully cut Persian char- 
acters the name of ‘‘ Mahi-ud-din Muhammad Aurangzib Pad- 
shah Alamgir Ghazi, Sanh, 1071,’’ the date corresponding with 
a.D. 1660-61. 
The shaft of the pillar, wrote Cunningham, “is formed of a 
single block of polished sand-stone, 32 feet 93 inches in height, 
with a diameter at base of 35-5 inches and of 26-2 inches 
the round mark of a cannon-shot just below the capital, which 
has itself been slightly dislodged by the shock.’?5 
' I understand Father Marco to mean that some of the characters 
looked like ancient Greek ; others more like modern Greek. 
azir=minister. 
‘‘ The pillar fat Navandgarh] is generally known in the vicinity 
as Bhim-Mari-ka@-lat.”” Cf. Arch. Surv, Rep., XVI. p.108. That of Balkhra 
is called Bhim-Sen-ka-lat or Bhim-Sen-ka-danda. Cf. ibid. 1. p. 61 
orrected to ‘‘ east ’’ j . S.-B.. XVI, p. 107. 
6 Cf. A. 8. R..1, pp. 72—73, and for an illustration of the pillar, 
Vol. I. plates XXII, XXV, and Vol, XVI, plate XXVII. 
