1 78 Nagendratiatlia Vasu — Susnnld Rock Inscription. [NoV. 



base to the liigliest summit is covered -with a dense jungle of various 

 forest trees, some of which may produce good timber ; but the hill 

 being subject to the usual annual burning, the trees suffer much from 

 the fire, and are little used except for fuel and for the framework of the 

 thatched houses. 



This hill together with Bihari-nath, Pachette and several other 

 hills, forms the eastern oatskirt of the Vindhya ranges, the Susunia 

 hill being the easternmost extremity. The whole hill is formed of a 

 fine kind of sandstone which is especially valued for paving purposes, 

 known in the trade as Burdwan paving stones. A few years ago its 

 quarries brought a considerable sum to its proprietors, but during 

 recent years stones of a superior quality having been dug at a place 

 near the B. N. Railway the Susunia stone trade has greatly fallen off. 



A branch of the Ahalya B^i's Road passes by the western side of 

 the hill from Chatna to Raniganj. At a little distance to the east 

 from the road and at the south-western base of the hill, there is a 

 perennial spring called Dhara and some ancient sculptures, the prin- 

 cipal one being that of Narasiriiha (an incarnation of Visnu). An 

 annual fair is held there on the Varuiil festival, on the 13th day 

 of the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra. But the chief object of 

 interest to which I endeavour to draw the attention of the meeting is 

 the Inscription on the hill, which though so near to the metropolis and 

 to a first class Railway Station, has not received the notice it deserves 

 from any of our former worthy antiquarians. I here give a brief account 

 of it, which, though insufficient, will, I hope, give an idea as to the 

 nature and contents of the inscription. 



I was first informed of it last January, by my friend Babu Gopi 

 Nath Karmakar, who told me that there was an inscription on 

 the north-east side of the Susunia hill, which the people of that locality 

 resfarded as the work of the Devas, written in three lines in three dif- 

 ferent DOvaksaras, z.e., characters of the Devas. They also believed it 

 to have existed there from time immemorial, and that none can read it, 

 and that, if perchance some sddJm (sage) did come and read it, he would 

 not disclose its contents to the people in general, who are deemed unprivi- 

 leged to hear its sacred teachings. I at once concluded that this 

 must be some ancient inscription, and requested my friend to send me 

 an impression of it. Accordingly he went to that place, but being 

 unable to procure an impression of the inscription, Avhich he reported 

 to be too large for his materials then at hand, he sent me the annexed 

 hand-copy, with a brief description of the locality, nature of the in- 

 scription, vtc , promising, however, to procure a faithful impression in 

 ink when required. Trusting to get it shortly I have ventured to 

 make the copy and my reading of it, the subject of my present paper. 



