1862.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 307 



of a jhil. This is still loftier being fifty feet in height. Both of 

 these ruined topes should be opened. I am quite satisfied that these 

 topes stand on the site of the celebrated Kusinagara. I surveyed 

 the ground carefully. The Hirana Nadi (or Chota Gandak) once 

 flowed close past the topes, and I found the village of Anirudha with 

 a ruined mound immediately to the south of the topes. Anirudha 

 was a cousin of Buddha, and the senior disciple present at his death, 

 who conducted all the proceedings up to the arrival of Mahakasyapa. 

 The. plain between the topes is covered with low earthen tumuli from 

 three to five or six feet in height. I opened three of them, but 

 without any result, although they were said to be the tombs of 

 gipsies ! 



KhuTchundo is a very remarkable place. There are about twenty- 

 five ruined mounds scattered over about one square mile, to the west 

 of the village. The statues now existing about the ruins are Brah- 

 minical, chiefly of Vishnu. There is a small Jain temple, and there 

 are several Jain figures scattered about. I opened one of the mounds 

 and came upon the floor of a temple, with the Yoni, or receptacle of 

 the Lingam, still standing in its original position. The temples have 

 been overthrown by the trees which were planted close to them. 

 These mounds would, I believe, repay the trouble of excavation. 

 But the work could not be satisfactorily done under one month. 



At Kahaon I found, close beside the pillar, the ruins of two small 

 temples, one of which was still standing when Buchanan visited the 

 place. The villagers informed me that it was overthrown by a Pi- 

 pal tree, which I fully believe, from the appearance of the ruin which 

 was lying in one mass, just as if it had sunk slowly down. 



At Hathyada, I found a pillar and stone elephant and tank of the 

 time of Govinda Chandra of Kanoj, S. 1201. 



At Bhitari, I made a copy of the inscription on the pillar, which 

 is in a worse condition than when I first saw it, in January 1836, 

 and one portion of the inscription has peeled off. I made an excava- 

 tion at its base, and found a brick stamped with the name of Sri 

 Kumar a Gupta. On making enquiry, I found that bricks thus in- 

 scribed are frequently found amongst the ruins, and 1 soon obtained 

 four more broken bricks with portions of the same inscription. This 

 discovery shows that Bhitari rnust have been a favourite place of 

 Kumara Gupta. All the mounds have been covered with Musal- 

 man tombs. There is an old stone bridge with painted arches built 



