1840.J 



Note on an Ancient Hindu Grant. 



305 



a place of no importance, but at Vengipad, north-west of Rajalimundryi 

 there are said to be extensive ruins, but the head serishfadar of that dis* 

 trict, in reply to some questions add.e-^sed to him, slates, that the local 

 tradition uf that province, points to Pedda Vegi in the Masalipatam dis- 

 trict, as the former site ofVengipur. 



In the preface to the Telugn translation of the Mahabharat, Rajah- 

 mundry is styled the " central gem of Vengidesam," " Nayakaratnam." 

 Campbell's Tel. Gram. pref. p. x. At that time it had become the 

 capital of the Chalukyas, and the ancient capital must have been in a 

 state of decay. 



Of the other places mentioned in the deed, little information is ob- 

 tainable. Kuduhara is said to be the ancient name of the district now 

 occupied by the Collar lake. 



The local tradition states it to have been formerly inhabited by certain 

 Bramins, who became so wicked that they provoked the divine vengeance, 

 and were* destroyed by the God of fire. One virtuous Bramin alone, and 

 his wife, received timely warning to fly, the remainder were all burnt 

 up, and the earth sank to the depth of 24| cubits : in proof of which it 

 is asserted that, on digging in any part of the lake during the hot wea- 

 ther, the soil displays signs of the action of fire. This may refer to a 

 volcanic phenomenon having caused the subsidence of the tract. 



Vidanur palli has not been recognized, but mention is made of Chin- 

 napakur in an ancient MS. account of the district of Condavir, forming 

 part of the Mackenzie Collection, and noticed by the Reverend Mr. Tay- 

 lor in his 4th Report at vol. ix. p. 13 of this Journal. At p. 12 of the 

 MS. it is stated that Bala Bhaskara Deva of the Gunapati race, made a 

 grant of 360 kundees of land, to the Bramins of 12 gotras in Chinnapa- 

 kur or Kurupadu, and gave it the name of Muppala, in the saca year 

 1056 (?). And again, at p. 18, in a list of villages which have a Samprati 

 or Gurnum of the Balikuruwar race and Sandilya gotra, it occurs in 

 the following order, 



Gundala. 



Velanadu. 



Betpudi. 



Narayanpuram 



Chinnapakur 



Muppalapudt. 



Gollapadu. 



Munagapadu. 



Buckaparam. 



Chitraratha is a title of the sun.* It occurs as the name of one af 



• Wilsou's Dictionary in verb. 



