OF KAMAON. 165 



their support amount to about one-fifteenth of the total arable lands of the 

 province. Under the former government, large sums were distributed on 

 particular occasions, and festivals to the temples of the favorite deities, a few 

 of which will be here particularly noticed. 



The shrine of Badarindth, dedicated to an incarnation of Vishnu^ and one 

 of the most sacred in the Hindu mythology, is situated within the Himalaya^ 

 in the Mana pass, immediately below the village of that name. The temple 

 is built on the bank of the Bishenganga^ immediately over the site of a 

 hot spring, the existence of which no doubt led to the original selection of 

 this remote spot. The present building, a modern erection, is small and 

 neat, the material being a hard white stone, and the roof formed of copper 

 tiles. The constant danger from avalanches, renders a contracted style 

 of building indispensable, and even with these precautions, many former 

 temples have been overwhelmed and destroyed. The Rdwal, or chief priest, 

 who administers this institution, is invariably a Brahmin from the Carnatic, 

 or Malabar coast, no other description of Brahmin being allowed to touch the 

 idol. To prevent any inconvenience or cessation of the religious rites, in the 

 event of the sickness or death of the lidwal, a Brahmin of the same caste 

 remains in attendance at Joshimath. The Rdwal has a regular establishment 

 of vizirs and secretaries, treasurers, kc, to manage the temporal concerns of 

 the institution, and under the former Rajas, this personage exercised supreme 

 and uncontrouled authority in the villages attached to the temple. The 

 shrine, notwithstanding its extraordinary sanctity, is far from rich. The 

 idol is adorned with only one jewel, a diamond of moderate size, in the 

 middle of its forehead, while the whole paraphernalia, including ornaments, 

 dresses, gold and silver utensils. Sec, do not exceed 5,000 rupees in value. 

 As some explanation of this comparative poverty, it may be stated, that on 

 the Gorkha invasion of Gerhwal, the Raja took jewels and plate to the 

 amount of 50,000 rupees, as a loan from the temple. The revenues of the 



s s 



