2 



TRANSLATION OF INSCRIPTIONS 



temples, founded by its rulers, or their chief officers, but in innumerable 

 inscriptions recording grants and endowments by the same, and specifying 

 the names and dates of the ruling prince, with occasional genealogical 

 details. It has a still further advantage in the existence of individuals 

 descended from, the royal family at the period of its subversion, and who 

 preserve the memory of their ancestry, if not the hope of recovering the 

 dignity which their predecessors enjoyed. 



The documents now presented to the Society, by Mr. Ravenshaw, relate 

 to the Vijayanagar principality, and consist of copies and translations of 

 fifteen inscriptions, and a pedigree of the kings of Vijayanagar, presented to 

 him by the Guru of the family, whose duty it is to keep the Book of the Chro- 

 nicles. I purpose to offer to the Society some observations on these papers. 



The city of Vijayanagar was situated on the south side of the river 

 Tungabhadra, (Toombuddra). On the north was the suburb of Anagimds, 

 the Elephant city, which is still a town of some size, and gives its name to 

 both the ancient and modern towns : they are also called Alpaltan. Of the 

 city of Vijayanagar the only remains are the ruins of innumerable temples 

 interspersed with jungle, and tenanted by baboons. The principal temples 

 are to the west of the road along the bank of the river. One of them 

 dedicated to Vitala, a form of Vishnu, is said to be equal in its architectural 

 details to any thing to be seen at Ellora. The roof is formed of immense 

 slabs of granite, supported by columns of the same material richly carved, 

 between 20 and 30 feet high, and of a single block. Another temple 

 approached by a long, broad and colonnaded street is that of Pampapati 

 Virapaksha, which is kept in repair by the British Government. Other 

 remarkable buildings of this class are the temples of Virabhadra, and of 

 Ganesa ; near the latter of which is a statue of Narasinha, 30 feet high. 

 There are also the remains of the Raja's palace and elephant stables, and 

 the granite piles of a bridge over the Tungabhadra, 



