vi Archeological Survey Report. 
of the erection of the temple. The basement mouldings are strikingly 
bold and effective. 
9. 'To the north-west of the town, the hill of Pretsila bears a 
small temple erected by Ahalya Bai to pacify the ghost or spirit 
(preta) who is said to dwell in the hill. I could learn nothing of the 
origin of this spirit, who is held in great awe, from which I infer 
that he is identical with Yama, the god of death, one of whose 
titles is Pretaraja, or king of ghosts, that is, of departed spirits. 
The hill is 541 feet in height, and its rocks are believed to contain 
gold. The shrine is much frequented by pilgrims who seek to appease 
the dread spirit by their offerings. There is a curious serpentine 
road leading from the foot of Ramsila to Pretsila. The road has been 
metalled, and trees have been planted on both sides of it, by some 
wealthy devotee. 
10. Ham Gaya isasmall hill on the eastern bank of the Phalgu 
river, opposite Brahmjuin. There are some ruins and broken statues 
scattered about it, but nothing of any interest, except one short 
inscription of S'7z Mahendra Pala, Deva, dated in the 8th year of his 
own reign, or of some new era. 
Il.—Buppwa Gaya. 
11. Buddha Gaya is famous as the locality of the holy Pipal 
tree, under which Sakya Sinha sat for six years in mental abstrac- 
tion, until he obtained Buddhahood. A long and detailed account 
of this sacred place is given by the Chinese Pilgrim Hwen Thsang, 
between the years A. D. 629 and 642. He describes minutely all 
the temples and statues which surrounded the celebrated Pipal tree, 
known throughout the Buddhist world as the bodhi-drum, or “ tree 
of knowledge.” Several of the objects enumerated by the Chinese 
Pilgrim I have been able to identify from their exact correspondence 
with his description. 
12. The celebrated Bodhi tree still exists, but 1s very much 
decayed; one large stem with three branches to the westward is 
still green, but the other branches are barkless and rotten. The 
green branch perhaps belongs to some younger tree, as there are 
numerous stems of apparently different trees clustered together. 
The tree must have been renewed frequently, as the present Pipal is 
standing on a terrace at least 30 feet above the level of the surrounding 
country. It was in full vigour in 1811, when seen by Dr, Buchanan 
