1864.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 83 



two Georges. The Nava Koti (nine forts) alluded to in the record 

 refers to some of the baronial castles of the Tributary Mehals, but I 

 cannot ascertain which of them. 



" The subject of the grant was the village of Purusottomapura, in 

 the district of Balasore, close to Bastah. It was at the time of gift 

 largely inhabited by Brahmins ; hence the distinctive title of Sdsana 

 Bhumi. The donee was a Brahmin of the name of Poteswara Bhatta, 

 whose descendants still own it, though they are no longer Brahmins. 

 During the supremacy of the Pathans two brothers quarrelled about 

 their patrimony, and to secure the good graces of the Moslem 

 Governor, one of them embraced the religion of the Koran, to which 

 his descendants still adhere. The ladies of the family, however, 

 notwithstanding their nominal allegiance to Mahomed, continue 

 Brahminical in their habits and mode of life, and the household gods 

 and the fire altar may still be seen in the family homestead. The 

 plate, which is in a good state of preservation, is shaped like a 

 Kangura, and has the deed of gift inscribed on one side, and the 

 imprecatory verses on the other. 



QBVEBSE. 



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REVERSE. 



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TRANSLATION OP THE INSCRIPTION. 



" Salutation to the auspicious Jayadurga. This is a deed* of sift 

 of the great hero, the fortunate Lord of Elephants (Grajapati) the 



* The word patta is used in the text, but a pottah is never granted for rent- 

 free land, and the word therefore must be taken here for simply a ' deed.' 



M 2 



