274 Fort and Temple at Vellore. [No. 8, new series. 



IV. Memorandum of the Fort and Hindoo Temple at Vellore 

 and others in its neighbourhood, as recorded in A. D. 1815. 

 By Lietjt. H. P. Hawkes, Sub Asst. Corny. Genl. 



About 450 years ago (A. D. 1365) an inhabitant of Viziana- 

 gram, named Rooma Reddy with his family arrived in this country 

 en route to Ramiseram. On his march he halted several days at 

 a village called Valapady near Vellore. 



The inhabitants of the village, finding Rooma Reddy to be a 

 good soldier, begged his assistance against a large body of robbers 

 who were concealed in the neighbouring forest, particularly where 

 the Fort of Vellore now stands, and who had pillaged all their 

 property. On hearing this, Rooma Reddy with his brother took 

 the necessary steps to secure them and put them all to death. 



The inhabitants being overjoyed at their deliverence from these 

 robbers, reported the circumstance to their head chief the Rajah 

 of Guijee. He gave them permission to encourage Rooma Reddy 

 to settle in the village, and ordered them to treat him well and 

 give him every assistance in their power. 



One day Rooma Reddy, accompanied by his dog, entered into 

 the jungle to look for game. Of a sudden a hare made an attack 

 on his dog on the spot where the sawmy pagoda is now built. 

 Rooma Reddy being surprized and astonished at such an unusual 

 occurrence, thought it must be some interposition of the gods. 

 He returned to his house and dreamed that night that there was 

 a lingum or stone sawmy beneath the white ant hill (near which 

 the hare had attacked the dog), and that it was his duty to take it 

 out and build a large pagoda on the spot, he also dreamed that 

 treasure would be found by searching a certain cave in the hills. 



Rooma Reddy discovered the treasure of which he had dreamed 

 (all in gold) and applied to the Raja of Guijee for permission to 

 build a fort and a pagoda on a certain spot of ground. This was 

 granted, and he employed a large number of workmen who cleared 

 the jungle and laid the foundations in a most durable manner. 

 He first built the sawmy pagoda, covering the lingum stone sawmy, 



