658 On the Temples and Ruins of Oomga. [Julv, 



be done, and the words " Ramjee," " Sri Ram," " Sri Ganesh," " Sri 

 Jugnath," " Bulbudrajee," &c. &c. have been scratched in common 

 Nagree to supply their place, as his European friend suggested that 

 it was not right to allow Mahomedan badges to remain in a Hindu 

 Temple : however, his having at the same time recommended substantial 

 repairs which were executed, may be considered as some slight set-off to 

 such outrageous folly. 



The next object worthy of notice is a large slab of chlorite contain- 

 ing the long inscription before mentioned, recording the building of 

 the Temples, and other great works which surround it. This I regret 

 to state is said to have been taken from its proper site by another 

 indiscreet officer with the intention of carrying it away ; it has been 

 lying out of doors trodden under foot and used as a whetstone till 

 very much injured ; I have had it set upright within the Temple, where 

 I hope it will be preserved. I offered two years ago to have it properly 

 fixed, but the young Raja of Deo, like all his kindred, made excuses 

 owing to some absurd suspicion of my intentions, a suspicion which 

 pervades all alike, and is the greatest bar to finding such valuable re- 

 cords of byegone times and events. The Raja informs me that a fine 

 slab was taken from the Deo Temple by some gentleman (name un- 

 known) many years ago to Benares. I have had one verse given me 

 that the Brahmins know by heart, only that they have added several 

 zeros to increase the date ; this may give a clue to what has become of 

 it. Shame upon such mischievous spoliation ! 



The view from either balcony of the Temple is very extensive and 

 beautiful ; two prettier landscapes could not be seen in any country — 

 from the south the visitor looks down on the site of the deserted and 

 ruined town of Oomga, with its magnificent tank and high square 

 mound surrounded by a (now) dry ditch, once the Noor or palace of 

 Byrub Indra, the founder, and subsequently of the Oomga Chiefs, the 

 last of whom, Purbeel Singh, was attacked by the emperor (name un- 

 known), his town and palace sacked and laid in ruins, and himself taken 

 to Aurungabad, a town 14 miles further west, and there blown from 

 the muzzle of a gun. 



The Tank is now much choked with mud, and in the hot weather 

 dries up, it is about 300 yards long by 200 wide, has a sluice in the 

 centre of the northern face which empties into an extensive " Ahur" or 



