280 



Siatistical Report on the 



[No. 35, 



All these rajahs were mighty men of war, fighting and conquering 

 the rajahs of Kuttack, Guzerat, and Maharashtra, and generally re- 

 turning with three crores of pagodas to their capital Hunnumcon- 

 dah. 



The next rajah bore the name of Poolraj, he was left a minor by 

 his father. The rajah of Kuttack took advantage of this and be- 

 sieged Hunnumcondah, which for twelve years successfully resisted 

 his attacks; in the end the siege was raised by Poolraj invading 

 Kuttack with the usual success of his race. Poolraj was a prince of 

 great piety, continually building or repairing temples, kissing the 

 feet of monees and feeding brahmins ; no wonder that such piety 

 should be rewarded by a signal discovery. As some carts were 

 bringing in grain to Hunnumcondah one of them without any appa- 

 rent cause got upset. As it was at night the cartman did not think 

 of raising it till day had dawned, but lay down and slept; in the morn- 

 ing when they were about to proceed to their task, they saw that the 

 iron rings of the cart wheels had become gold. On this they flew 

 to Hunnumcondah, and told the rajah the news, who with his wise 

 men repaired to the spot where the cart had upset, and on beholding 

 the gold were struck with wonder and joy. So they took counsel 

 together and dug on the place, where the miracle was done, and in 

 digging they came upon Mahdeo Persabede Shembolingum which in 

 splendour rivalled the purest gold, and the rajah wished to transport 

 the precious gift of the gods to Hunnumcondah, but the sacred stone 

 refused to stir, whereat the king was cast down,- and sought more 

 counsel, calling monees from afar to give him advice, and the holy 

 men performed poojah to the ling and counselled the king to leave 

 the stone where he had found it and then to build a city. So these 

 monees founded a city which they called Akshsalinuggur, two coss 

 south of Hunnumcondah in Shal. 909, and a road was constructed 

 between the city and the town, and shrines were raised to Mahdeo, 

 to Verabuddroo, to Yishnu and the Saktis, but Mahdeo's shrines in 

 number outstripped them all. As for the expenses of the temples they 

 had only to place a piece of iron beside the lingum when straightway 

 it became the purest gold. Now the king had a son born to him, 

 and on the day of his birth he was told that he would fall by his 

 hand, but instead of destroying the infant as he was advised, the king 

 had him left in the temple of the lingum during the night, whereon 

 the morrow the Poojarrees found him, who informed the king, by 

 whom they were advised to cherish the infant thcit heaven had sent 



