i44 



Description of the Valley of Sondur, 



[July 



Temple of Ccmara. — The famous and ancient temple of Comara ok 

 Kartica Swami, the Hindu Mars, fto circumstances from which iJ* 

 founding is supposed to have originated Sondur has derived the high 

 odour of sanctity it has long enjoyed), is pleasantly situated near the 

 hason of a ravine near the summit of the S. W. part of the cordon of 

 hills that enclose the valley. It is nearly surrounded by the adjacent 

 vi^ooded heights, which support a table land of considerable extent. 

 The ascent from the town of Sondur, a distance of about 6 miles, is 

 by a steep though safe path flanking the ravine, practicable for horsey, ' 

 elephants, &c. The pagoda is neither large nor magnificent, but has a 

 air of antiquity, of which its white-washed exterior and gilded ^a/a,9 can- 

 not entirely divest it. The Gopar, a pyramidial tower over the gateway^, 

 faces to the east; on the left of the entrance is the shrine of the goddess 

 Parvati consort of Siva : under a Vimana to the west is the image of her 

 son Coniara, the presiding deity of the place, and to the right stands 

 the shrine of the destroyer Siva. In front of the temple is a fine spring 

 that supplies a large quadrangular pool ; flights of stone steps lead 

 down to the water, it is held sacred by the Hindus and called the 

 j^gusta Tirtum. Descending this flight of steps from the pagoda, on 

 the left is a smnll pyramidal shrine dedicated to the Muni ox religious 

 guide of Comarswami. At the bottom of the steps at the right angle of 

 the well stands the shrine Ananta Padmanu. 



In front of the Gopar is seen a small octangular column of hewn 

 stone, and at its br'se lie three Irunkltss store heads and an armless 

 hand. The centre and largest of the heads is supposed to have erst 

 graced the shoulders of the Rakas or giant Tarkasura, slain by Comar- 

 swami, The two smaller ones belonged to Vishnu Kerma, and Karoin-' 

 cha Sura, personages figuring in Hindu mythology. 



At some distance in the jungle the guides led me to a cavern in the 

 rock, dripping with water, and redolent of bats, regarding the great ex- 

 tent of which they told some tales for travellers, among which was a 

 story of its having been the abode of him of the petrified head — the 

 giant Tarkasura. I groped along one of the passages for some dis- 

 tance, but having no torches returned, but not without having experi- 

 enced a stout resistance irom the hosts of bats that rushed forth in a 

 continued stream from the cave's murky recesses, as if resenting the 

 unhallowed intrusion. Hard by, a delicious fount of clear water gushes 

 through the mouth of the eflligy of a cow, rudely carved in stone, falling 

 into a small square well called the Goi Tirtum. Here is also a small 

 temple to Iswara facing eastward ; some of his emblems, the Ling^ and 

 sacred bull, are seen around. The following (I crave pardon from my 

 Hindu ciceroni for curtailing it) was given me as the local legend. 



