1839] March between Mhow and Saagor, 1838. 81 1 



Of course this report, like every such report, was fabulous. All we 

 saw on the hill, were a few Vishnooi ruins, temples, and broken 

 statues ; some of the latter however exquisitely carved. The supposed 

 milk-maids we found to be a mutilated group of Dytes and Deotas 

 churning the ocean, with mount Mundar and Vasooki. The only 

 temple at present in preservation, or hallowed, is a cave, — from the 

 floor of which, a languid spring issues, filling a small square tank built 

 about it. The water was muddy and not drinkable : but the fount, 

 we were told, sometimes supplied a sweeter beverage, — the pilgrims 

 who assemble here once or twice in the year using no other. Some 

 of the sculptures of the cave, (now sacred to Sheo,) perhaps indicate 

 that it had once been dedicated to Vishnoo, — a very common metamor- 

 phosis in South Malwa, seeming to prove the priority of the latter 

 worship in these parts. The Kumbh was merely a large Jain statue 

 at the foot of the hill. 



At a village called Gundawul, about five coss from Belpan, there 

 are several ruined Jain temples, two or three large Jain images, 

 called here by the deceptive name of Kumbh, and a Ling mundir, 

 in which stands an image of Gundrub Sein in his human shape, with 

 an ass's head ; there too Vishnoo seems formerly to have reigned* 

 from the sculptures of the Autars about the temple. These places are 

 worth visiting, were it only for the fine bur trees which luxuriate in 

 every village. 



The sight of these was the more pleasing, in consequence of their 

 scarcity in the higher ground about Mhow ; whilst in this neighbour- 

 hood they are remarkable for their size and beauty. In the latter 

 quality, one at Newri is said to bear the palm ; and another at 

 Untralo near Ashta is very celebrated — but the largest forms the 

 boast of Belpan ; though very lofty it already covers a space of 400 

 paces, and will doubtless spread much further — for remarking that it 

 had encroached on a field, we said to the owner, who was weeding, 

 "You must lop off some of the branches of this tree, or your khet 

 will be destroyed." " By no means," he replied, " Tis a God, and 

 walks where it lists." 



In the villages of this neighbourhood, you meet with a great 

 variety of Rajpoot tribes,— Bhattis, Seesodias, Solankes, &c. ; a fact ac- 

 counted for, by the matrimonial custom of a foreign bride being attend- 

 ed by a few of her brethren, who follow her fortunes, and settle in 

 the country of her husband. It is, to me, quite inexplicable, how in 

 the confusion of names, the Rajpoot crime of incest can be avoided ; 

 since (not to mention the Sachas) many of the minor branches even 



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