958 On the route of Fa-hian through Behar. [Sept. 



There are two old works in existence, describing this curious tract of 

 country, called the Rajgriha Muhatma : one belongs to the Hindus, 

 the other to the Jains, which I am told, to be widely different. I 

 hope to be able to procure a good copy of each and to compare them. 

 I have had occasion to observe, that the Jains hold most of the places, 

 supposed to be of Buddhist origin, sacred, to wit, the caves of Kundgiri 

 in Cuttuck, Girinar in Kutch, &c. &c. 



It is fully two miles or " four li" to the site of the old town which 

 is now called " Hansu Taur," this must have been a very large place 

 when in its glory, and (as described) is skirted by hills, five of which 

 are more conspicuous than the rest, and are called respectively Rutna 

 Girri, Bipla Girri, Baibhar Girri, Sona Girri, and Udhaya Girri, refer- 

 ence to the annexed sketch map will better explain the situation of 

 all I shall have to describe. To proceed, first of all, as to the " chapel" 

 in the northern hill, on the left or west side of the pass is a chamber 

 called Sone Bhundar of precisely the same shape as those of Barabur. 

 There are sockets to admit of timber roofing on the exterior of the 

 cave, and there have been buildings extending to some distance in 

 front : it would be interesting to clear the rubbish here. There 

 are several short inscriptions and some of the shell-shape, one has 

 some resemblance to Chinese, (vide plate) there are no Pali let- 

 ters, but the cave has been sadly ill used by a zemindar, who 

 tried to blow it up with powder many years ago, hoping to find hidden 

 treasure, and a large piece of rock has been broken away at the very 

 spot where we should have expected to find the inscription, — the rock 

 is soft and easily injured, there are some rude outlines of Budhas cut 

 on it : there is a handsome Jain (miniature) temple, much mutilated, 

 which is also remarkable, for each of the four figures has a vahun or 

 cognizance, the same as those of the Gyani Buddhas, on similar temples 

 or stones of undoubted Buddha origin, unfortunately there is no inscrip- 

 tion to help us, (see plate) — this cave is venerated by both Hindus and 

 Jains. Whether it be the temple Fa-Hian alludes to, it is hard to say, 

 for there are remains in the north-east corner likewise. 



To the south of this cave near the centre of the town ? is a high 

 tumulus, the site of a Dagope or Chaitya, on which is a small Jain 

 temple, it is called by the Hindus Munniarkoop, and by the Jains Niz- 

 mile-koop, each have their fables connected with it. From this elevated 



