118 N. N. Vasu— Nagaras and the ‘Nagari-alphabet. [ No. 2, 
Hatakecvara temple in Crigundi on the river Sarasvati in that division.! 
Nagara or Ahmadnagar was within the boundary of the Hatakegvara- 
ksétra. Most of the sacred places of pilgrimage ( @t¥) mentioned 
in the Nagara-khanda, were in this Nagara division. Of these nearly 
all have been ravaged by the Muhammadan invaders. Siddhé¢vara, 
Naganatha, Hatake¢vara and a few others are the only surviving 
shrines. 
If we rely upon the veracity of these Nagara Brahmanas, we 
must conclude that this spot is the ancient Nagara, as related in the 
Nagara-khanda. But though the Pandas of the Hatakécvara of Cri- 
gundi may endeavour to give fame to the spot by identifying it with 
that of Nagara-khanda, it is certainly not the ancient Hatakécvara 
mentioned in that work. The shrine of this Hatakécvara was erected 
long after the establishment of the ancient Hatakécvara. 
It is related in the Nagara-khanda that a Nagara Brahmana by name 
Campa-carman, was excommunicated for accepting the gift of an indi- 
vidual named Puspa. He, being renounced by his kith and kin, quitted 
the city and began to dwell in a certain place on the right bank of the 
Sarasvati. His descendants became known under the title of Vahya- 
nagara. These Vahya-nagaras in imitation of the ancient Hataké¢vara 
as described in the Nagara-khanda, planted the present Hatakégvara on 
the right bank of the river Sarasvati at Crigundi. According to the 
Nagara-khanda, Nagara is on the north side of the Sarasvati and 
is within the boundaries of Hataké¢vara which extend 5 krogas or 10 
miles. But our present Ahmadnagar is more than 10 miles from 
Crigundi: moreover, the river Sarasvati does not flow close to it. 
These facts prevent me from taking Ahmadnagar as the early dwelling- 
place of the Nagara Brahmanas. Nor do we find any tradition to the 
effect that Nagari-alphabet sprang from that place. 
Origin of the Nagaras. 
T learn from a note received from a friend that the Nagara Pandits 
of Gujarat maintain that the Nagari-alphabet was originally invented 
by their ancestors. Many Nagara Brahmanas still live in Gujarat. 
They consider themselves superior to all other Brahmanas.*? The Hindi 
1 List of Antiquarian Remains in Bombay Presidency, by J. Burgess, p. 107. 
2 The Nagara-Brahmanas still recite the following Gloka to ascertain their 
superiority over all other Brahmanas :— 
ABI Wa: WAT YT AU VWITRsA | 
fayiufae saat aal Sal fe aa: A 
( aaa vse | wy ) 
bars. 
