183 7. J condition of Ovjein or Ujjayani. 853 



Indus, at Bhartewar near Khyroda, at Chunar and Benares, and to this 

 day he is believed to be still wandering about, among the Hyperbo- 

 reans beyond the Himalayas. A late writer* imagines it to have been 

 the dwelling place of raja Bhirtri'. There is, however, no appear- 

 ance of its having been built to live in. Bhirtri' would have run the 

 risk of breaking his head or his shins, every time he rose up, or 

 walked, in his low-roofed unevenly-floored mansionf. The pillars too 

 are sculptured on only three sides, that side which faces the wall, and 

 which would not be seen by one passing through the caves, not having 

 been even smoothly chiselled. 



The antiquity of the caves will be much lessened}:, if from the first 

 they were furnished in the same fashion as the present, for they are 

 now evidently ling temples. The figures on the pillars, are small, 

 much defaced, and were originally far from being deeply carved, but 

 there is no difficulty in recognizing them for those indecent groupes 

 which mark the temple of Shiva. Several lings are scattered about, 

 though one only seems to be worshipped a Kedareswar, ' lord of cedars.' 

 Marks of feet engraved on the rock are not unfrequent. At the end 

 of the left cave on a slab of black stone about three feet high and one 

 broad, two figures (one over the other), are cut, sitting cross-legged, 

 performing tapasya. The upper one is called Gorakhndth, the lower, 

 his pulpil Bhirtri. 



Near the entrance lies a huge head of a Rdkshasa, and the ghat 

 below takes its name from a gigantic stone image of Kapila muni, 

 which leans against the bank half buried in sand. 



The quantity of antiques collected amongst the ruins of Indian 

 cities has always seemed to me a subject of wonder. The supply 

 from the old Oujein is so constant and plentiful that the natives call 

 the place by the appropriate name of Rozgdr kd saddbirt, and it is 

 in truth a never failing charity for the industrious poor. In the idle 

 days of the rains the digging begins. The principal things found are 

 glass, stone, and wooden, beads, small jewels of little value, seals, (agate 

 and cornelian,) and a few women's ornaments ; copper coins are numer- 

 ous, next in number are the debased silver Guzerdti ones. Pure silver 

 rupees seem scarce, and gold mohurs are either secreted and melted 

 when found, or they but rarely reward the searcher, for I was only able 



* The author of the paper before alluded to in the E. I. United Service Journ. 



t The caves seem by their position to be exposed to inundation which alone 

 would have unfitted them for houses, and may have been the cause of their 

 having been so solidly built. An outer court, though very strongly constructed 

 has been partly thrown down apparently by the swell of the river. 



X That is, according to Colebrooke's theory, which however seems to have 

 now but few followers. 

 5 Q 



