1839.] March between M how and Saugor, 1838. 817 



saints. In talking of these steps I carelessly made use of the word 

 "siri," (instead of paoriaor pugtia,) much to the horror of my companion, 

 a Jutti. The incorrectness of the term as applied to stone steps, he 

 said was a trifle, but the word itself was unlucky, and of bad omen, 

 which to pronounce in a temple, was almost sacrilege, and to pro- 

 nounce any where was a breach of good manners, as it is the name of 

 the bier on which a corpse is carried. Close to the Jain temple, (Mr. 

 Wilkinson informs me) there is a cavity in the earth, from which a 

 warm air issues; unfortunately our guide, either stupid or sulky, 

 failed to tell us of the phenomenon, and we lost the opportunity of ex- 

 amining its nature. 



Continuing our journey in a southerly direction, some singular 

 looking masses of black rock, cresting a high hill to the right of the 

 road, attracted our attention. They are known by the name, (common 

 in all parts of India to such seemingly art-shaped stones,) of the Pandu, 

 Bhim ; and though worshipped by the country folks, (who celebrate 

 fairs there some once or twice a year,) are, we were assured by our 

 guide, mere natural rocks, unfashioned into their present pillar-like 

 form by human hands, and not sanctified by any ancient images 

 or sculpture. A personal verification of the point would have been more 

 satisfactory, but we were obliged to take our informant at his word ; 

 as though from their conspicuous position on the brow of the hill they 

 appeared quite close, they were at least nine miles off, and our time 

 only admitted of going as far as Asapuri, two miles from Bhojpoor. 



This village should be visited for some very beautiful Vishnooi 

 images ; which though their temples have been thrown down by some 

 zealous servants of Mahommud or perhaps of Sheo, are themselves 

 generally unharmed, being concealed and protected by the huge stone 

 beams of their roofs, which seem purposely to have been allowed to 

 fall over them, and under which you must creep to view them. The 

 scattered ruins are richly sculptured, but we will merely specify some 

 of the principal images. 



1st. Bhoot Nath Gee, so our guide named it, probably incorrectly ; 

 as Bhoot Nath is a form of Mahadeo, and here every thing seems 

 Vishnooi. My pundit called the figure Hunuman, but the tail was 

 wanting. 



2nd. A highly ornamented image, the size of life of probably Indra- 

 jit, with a pair of ankleted feet in front ; near it a Varaha.* 



* The worship of Indrajit, or Megh Nath, seems (as will be seen in the sequel) to 

 be popular in these parts. One of the most beautiful temples in Malwa, and the 

 chief view at Wane, is a shrine of Indrajit. 



