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to by pilgrims. In 1795 captain Blunt was sent to explore a route 

 through that part of Hindostan, which lies between Berar, Orissa, 

 and the northern Circars: he then approached within a few miles of 

 the source of this celebrated river, but the cruel and savage man- 

 ners of the mountaineers prevented him from proceeding nearer. 

 He however obtained the most satisfactory information that the 

 Nerbudda and Soane rivers take their rise at a little distance from 

 each other, near the temple of Omercuntuc, where the Hindoos 

 worship the consort of Siva, whom Sir William Jones, in his trea- 

 tise on the gods of Greece, Italy, and India, mentions as being- 

 distinguished by the names of Parvati, or the mountain-born 

 goddess; Durga, or difficult of access; and Bhavani, or the 

 goddess of fecundity; which latter is her leading name at Omer- 

 cuntuc. The temple which contains the moorat, or image of Bha- 

 vani, was built by one of the ancient rajahs of Rutturpoor, the 

 principal place in that country. 



" The spring from which the Nerbudda takes its source, is said 

 to be enclosed by a circular wall, which was built by a man of the 

 name of Rewah, and on that account the river is called Maht 

 Rewah, from its source all through Mundilla, until it reaches the 

 confines of Bhopaul." 



From the classical streams of ancient Greece, to Pope's Lo- 

 dona, rivers, fountains, and naiads, have afforded a copious sub- 

 ject for poetical fiction; the Nerbudda and the Soane, with poor 

 Johilla, have in like manner enriched the Hindoo mythology : for 

 the same intelligent writer informs us, that the images at Omercun- 

 tuc are said to represent Bhavani, (who is there worshipped un- 

 der the symbol of Nermada, or the Nerbudda river) much enraged 





