1851.] Report on the Turan Mall Hill. 505 



debris of the fallen rocks in the valleys below. The fissures in this 

 ridge are very deep and irregular and bear the impress of a mighty 

 convulsion of nature having occurred in ages past. 



The summit of Turan Mall is interspersed with remains of numer- 

 ous temples and walls. The latter have evidently been built merely 

 for protection from external foes, and extend for miles in all directions, 

 but are chiefly to be seen at points where nature required the aid of 

 art to make the hill impregnable. The temples having been built 

 with loose stones and no cement or mortar of any description used in 

 their erection, have consequently during the course of years, made but 

 a slight resistance to the force of the elements and their sites are now 

 to the unobservant eye, hardly distinguishable from the ground which 

 surrounds them. The earthen embankment or bund on the eastern 

 side of the lake, measuring some 460 yards long, and faced with stone, 

 is remarkable for its solidity, which cannot be less than 170 or 200 feet 

 at its base with a height of 40 feet. The labour expended upon it 

 must have been immense and this work would alone draw our attention 

 and wonder as to the means and power of the individual who could 

 execute, as well as devise, such an undertaking. Nothing approxima- 

 ting to certainty, can be said as to the ancient history of Turan Mall. 

 What the natives say regarding it, is puerile in the extreme and un- 

 worthy of notice. The evidences of a former numerous population are 

 plain enough, but not a vestige of an inscription remains to guide one 

 in his researches. On the south side of the hill in a small artificial 

 cave about 12 feet square an image of Parswanath is to be seen. At this 

 cave a small annual mela or fair is held in October. Besides this, 

 there are other and numerous sculptured evidences of the Jaina reli- 

 gion to be found by the sites of ruined temples ; but they again have 

 seemingly in places been appropriated by the followers of the Brah- 

 manical faith at a later date as stones to form the wall of their own 

 temples. One of the approaches to Turan Mall is through the wall 

 on the S. E. side. This has been named the " Arawassa" Durnaza. 

 What the derivation of " Ara" may be, I am at a loss to conjecture ; 

 " wassa" may be but a corruption of the Sanscrit word " basa" a dwell 

 ing or residence. The inhabitants of this portion of the Satpura range 

 are mostly Bheels and Paurias. The first are distinguished under 

 several castes and denominations, numbering, I believe, upwards of 84. 



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