3M 



Account of the Province of Rdmndd. 



[April 



opulent men, and many of them trade to a considerable extent in cotton, 

 as it is in greater plenty here, and in the neighbourhood, than in any 

 other part of -the province. A great market is held on every Tuesday, 

 when astonishing crowds of people come from the neighbouring dis- 

 tricts for the purchase of articles to retail in the different villages. 

 Cattle are also brought to this market for sale. 



ArmukamkoUa is a fort that lies twenty-one miles north by east of 

 Ramnad, on the road towards Trichinopoly, and three miles east of 

 the lake of Rasingamangalam. It stands upon an eminence, having 

 a gentle declivity to a river which runs by it to the north and to the 

 east. This river has an impetuous torrent, and in the rainy season 

 flows up to the walls of the fortress, and, inundating a large tract of 

 land in its course down towards the sea, often proves injurious to the 

 villages situated on it. The fort is denominated after its form of a 

 hexagon, having six bastions at equal distances. It was built about one 

 hundred and ten years ago, and appears, from the accounts respecting 

 it, to have been a place of some importance. It is in good order, has a 

 gate on the west, and a few wells of excellent water, which are now 

 appropriated for the use of the garden that is made in it by the neigh- 

 bouring villages : it is otherwise desolate and uninhabited. 



At Mangalagudi is a small ruined fart. This village is situated on 

 the highroad from Armukamkotta, and is chiefly inhabited by Musal- 

 mans, who carry on a little trade. A market is held here every Thursday. 



There are several other forts, but all in a ruined state, and almost 

 levelled to the ground. 



Tirupallani, a populous village six miles south of the capital, situated 

 on a commanding plain, is highly distinguished as one of the sacred 

 places of Hindu worship ; the temple stands on the east side of the 

 village, and a rectangular reservoir is situated opposite to it. Two 

 pavilions are raised on stone pillars j the one adjoining the gate of the 

 temple, the other to the east of the reservoir. The temple is surround- 

 ed by a high stone wall. The main street of the village is about two 

 furlongs in length, and forty feet wide ; the south and east streets are 

 inhabited by Brahmans, and the north and west streets by the people 

 attached to the temple, and other Hindus. This temple is dedicated 

 to the god Jaganatha, and the festivals are celebrated annually in the 

 months of April and July. In the north-west and south-west angles of 

 the village, are two substantial stone pavilions ; and, on the north-east 

 side, a reservoir of excellent water. A broad but shallow salt-water 

 lake runs w T est of the village, which receives the surplus wafers that 

 flow from the interior parts of the country, especially from the kalin- 

 gula, or sluice of the Chakkrakotta lake, the whole falling eventu- 

 ally into the Kottagudi river. 



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