1849.] discovered on a Spur of the Satpoorah Range. 949 



and does not look as if it had been disturbed, and may have been flat 

 originally. In other respects the temple was the usual vestibule and 

 mindra, but no semblance of a colonade or porch. The pillars nearly all 

 differ ; they are small, six feet eight inches only in height, light and 

 tapering and devoid of much ornament, but this, with their projections 

 on the shaft and bracket-shaped capitals, only attest their antiquity. 



It is remarkable though not rare that the Paduka or feet-worship 

 which extends over such an immense tract of country, — Ceylon, Malwa, 

 Siam, Ava, and Behar, should be discovered on a solitary mountain in 

 the centre of India, and speaks much for the uniformity of the religion, 

 whether in its primitive form of Buddhism or that of the succeeding 

 faith of the Jains, but it is, I fancy, less reverently adored than among 

 the Siamese, where the Paduka are covered with water for the devotees 

 to sprinkle and wash away the stain of sin, — a potency not admitted 

 by the Jains in central India. 



Those at Bawangaj are probably emblematical of Mahavira, to whom 

 such are generally attributed, — the only exception which I know being 

 some to Vasupujya, in a temple at Carbirpur near Champanagar in 

 Behar, and to Parsvanath at Samet Sikhar. There is an annual Tirtha 

 to Bawangaj, most likely the feast of the Pajjusan or Paryushana, but 

 of the season of it I have no note, nor whether it is kept in conformity 

 with that festival in respect to religious meditation, fasting and reading. 

 I believe the assemblance of Srawacs at this season is large, from Man- 

 dissura, Rattam and all the large mercantile towns in central India, and 

 I think there must exist, or have in former times existed, some caves or 

 buildings for them to assemble in which may yet be ascertained, for 

 the country is quite barren. Neither at the summit of the hills, nor on 

 the road at the foot, is there any water or shelter for devotees, nor yet 

 any building. It may not be uninteresting, and perhaps prove of 

 utility, if I describe the road and means of access to Bawangaj and its 

 figure. Taking Mhow as a starting point, there are two roads, one 

 ninety and the other one hundred and nine miles long, each having its 

 advantages ; the first and shortest is by Akbarpur and the Nerbudda, 

 and is that most likely to be taken by a traveller going towards the 

 provinces. The distances are — from Mhow to Akbarpur, on the Ner- 

 budda, 39 miles, from this to Chakulda, 44 miles, but by water some- 

 what less. I performed it in about 20 hours, going with the stream, but 



6 G 



