1837.] condition of Qujein or Ujjayani. 829 



extent, which occupied the site of the city subsequently built. Learn- 

 ing however that there were seven crores of thousands, and seven 

 crorcs of hundreds, of lingas, promiscuously scattered about the holy 

 spot, they returned, unshrived, to Amarawatipuri, afraid lest while they 

 were worshipping one ling am, their feet should unavoidably dishonor 

 some other. Even in this age of sin and unbelief besides the countless 

 ruined mandirs, and small enclosures and chabutras to Nandi and the 

 ling, there are to Mahadeo alone 84 temples supported by the sirkar. 

 The smallest has two rupees a month for the maintenance of a priest, 

 and a trifling allowance for the expences of puja. I will not trespass 

 upon your patience further than to describe the three principal 

 temples, the Mahdkdl, the Nagchand and the Agasteswar, which are 

 distinguished from the rabble, the " fouj" by the names of Rdja, 

 Kutwdl, and Dew an. 



Mahdkdl is the handsomest, the most holy, the largest, and the 

 richest, temple at Oujein. Scindia allows it 11, the Puars of Dewas 

 two, the Guickwar four, and Holkar two rupees a day*. 



The greater part of the funds derived from these and many other 

 sources, is, my pandit assured me, devoted to feeding poor brahmans, 

 but the thinness of attendance at the saddbirt, tempted me to answer 

 him in the words of Euclio in the play. 



Ego novi istas polypas qui sibi quicquid tetigerint, tenent. 



Not to mention however the salaries of the servants, and the cost 

 of keeping the buildings in repair, the expences of the worship alone 

 must be very considerable ; besides the ghee for the lamps, which 

 burn night and day, the various kinds of food, the precious oils, and 

 the ever renewed flowers, rich clothes and handsome ornaments must 

 be provided to honor the god. Every Monday afternoon his servants 

 bring out the five-faced mukhat and carry it in solemn procession to 

 a sacred kund ; attendants walk by the side of the light vahana, 

 fanning it with peacock's feathers and brahmans call aloud the various 

 names of their lord: " the unborn," "the never dying," " the universal 

 soul," while the wild yell of the conch rends the air, and the inces- 

 sant naqdrds, and the shouts of the multitude make hideous music. 

 Having reverentially washed, and presented food to this brazen 

 maskf they convey it to the temple and place it over the lingam, a stone 



* The family of the latter formerly gave five rupees a day, the present repre- 

 sentative, like his ancestor Jeswant, has no partiality for the sacred class. 



f It has I am told, a washing of gold over it, but it is with that exception en- 

 tirely of brass. 



5 N 



