1888.] Account of the ruins of Jdjipur. 53 



VI. — Extracts from the Journal of Lieut. Markham Kittoe, sub- 

 mitted to the Asiatic Society at the meeting of the 6 th Oct. 1836. — 

 Ruins and Pillar at Jdjipur. 



Sunday the 27 th Nov. — Halt to-day. 



Having made previous arrangements for a visit to Jdjipur, I started 

 at 4 a. m. in company with about a hundred men of the corps proceed- 

 ing to pay their devotions at the famous tirath or khetr resting (as the 

 Hindus assert) on the navel of the great Gay a Asura. At this place all 

 good Hindus make offerings to their deceased relatives termed " pinda 

 pharna:" a notice of the ceremonies attending which is to be found in 

 Stirling's account of Orissa. I had no leisure to make many inquiries 

 or to visit every object worthy of notice, yet I still saw a great deal 

 which duly repaid me for my long ride of six miles there and six back 

 again with a burning sun over my head. 



The first place I visited was the mosque in the outskirts of the town, 

 where there formerly stood the palace of the Subehdars of the province 

 Muhammad Taki' Kha'n, Abu Nasar Kha'n and others. The 

 mosque is rather a pretty object but of rough workmanship. 



Over the centre archway is an inscription of five verses placed in 

 five " howducs" or compartments in the style of the reign in which the 

 mosque was built, the verses run thus : 



IL ^a^ai^jl^Uj J^»- As:**" Ji\ . jjl ±fjx& ^lju*d5 ^ax**? 



The English of which is nearly as follows : 



1 

 " May the Shadow of the insignia of the Emperor Aurangzeb 

 3e spread as long as the stars cast their light (shine.) 



2 

 The praises and good qualities of the excellent Nawab 

 Are greater than in the power of the poet to describe. 



3 

 In the town of Jdjipur he laid the foundations of a mosque 

 Beneath the domes of which the nine heavens are hidden. 



