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Description of the Valley of Sondur, 



[July 



lU.-^ Description of the Valley of Sondur.-^ By Lieut, Newbold. 



Geographical Position and Extent.-~This]stn.te, though situated in the 

 heart of the Balaghat territories ceded to the British by the Nizam in 

 1800, remained long under the Mahratta government— a singular in- 

 stance on a small scale of the imperium in imperio. It comprehends 

 a valley about twenty miles long, by from one to eight in breadth, girt 

 in by a cordon of hills, which completely isolate it from the surround- 

 ing territory, and situated about twenty-five miles (travelling distance) 

 to the west of Bellary. In shape the valley is elliptical, having a 

 direction to the south-east: the north-western extremity of the cordon 

 rests on the right bank of the Tumbuddra near Hospett. To the south 

 lies the taluk of Gudicotta — on the east, those of Hovin HudguUy and 

 part of Gudicotta — on the west and south-west it is flanked by that of 

 Kumply, and part of Mysore. The valley is entered by four principal 

 passes. The eastern pass is termed Bima Gundi ; the western, 06/a 

 Gundi or Cunnaway hully; the northern, BamaiGundi, and the southern 

 Nowluty. The first alone is practicable for loaded bandies, the rest 

 maybe traversed by bullocks, elephants and camels— the northern 

 pass is dangerous to the solitary traveller being infested by tigers. 

 Troops of pilgrims to the hill shrine of Jumbunat frequent it with im- 

 punity at the time of the annual J air a. 



Besides these four passes are two others less known, at the south-east 

 and south-west angles of the southern extremity — the first leading by 

 Mullapur to the Arin Mudga tank— the last by the C omar swami ^^godo. 

 to Somahully, Tonshghirri, Hirrahal, and Bellary. 



Produce, — The whole of that part of the valley that fell under my 

 observation presented a nearly uninterrupted sheet of culiivation, most 

 luxuriant on the banks of the rivulets; by which, with numerous wells 

 and the tank at Sivapur near the centre of the vale, it is irrigated. 

 The soil is principally mussub, and produces 



Juari. Holcus sorghum. 



Bajra. Holcus spicatus. 



Kungoni. Pannicum italicum. 



Sanwa chauwal. Pannicum frumentaceiim, 



Gunna. Saccharum officinale. 



Lussnn. Allium sativum, 



Pyaz. Allium cepa. 



