500 ANCIENT REMAINS 



of Raju, began to build a house there, and that some workmen, employed 

 to dig for stones to aid the building came upon one at the depth of five or six 

 feet, beneath which these plates were discovered. As the spot was contigu- 

 ous to the principal temple of Ramchander generally known by the name 

 of Raju Lochan, Maharik thought that the plates might be a record belong- 

 ing to it, and accordingly deposited them in the temple where they have 

 since been preserved. 



Raju is a town situated on the right bank of the Mahanadi at the junction 

 of the Pyri with that river, about twenty-seven miles to the south of Rypur. 

 At the present day it is celebrated for the temple of Raju Lochan, which I 

 believe means lotus-eyed, and for an annual jatra and fair of fifteen days 

 held in honor of that deity, commencing on the Magh Shud Purnima and 

 ending on the Magh Badh Choudami. A large concourse of people are said 

 formerly to have attended it from all the neighbouring countries, for the 

 purposes of devotion and traffic, and the assemblage is still considerable. 



The temple of Raju Lochan would scarcely seem to merit a particular 

 description, even if I were qualified to give it. The image of Ramchander 

 is perhaps four feet high, of black stone, and faces the west in a standing 

 posture. It has four arms holding the four common emblems of the Shankh, 

 Chakr, Gada and Padma. 



Garura as usual faces the god in a posture of devotion and behind him 

 on a separate terrace are images of Hanuman, and Jagatpal, the Raja who 

 is said to have built the temple. The latter is in a sitting posture. Be- 

 tween these two figures is a door way beautifully sculptured, with the re- 

 presentation of Nagas entwined together in endless folds. This door 

 way leads to two modern temples of Mahadeo, and a third behind them 

 is attributed to the wife of an oil seller, respecting whom there is a po- 

 pular story as connected with the ancient image of Raju Lochan which 

 makes her contemporary with Jagatpal. 



