1841] 



Account of Mamallaipur. 



39 



Remarks by the Rev. TV. Taylor. 



The author of the foregoing paper having done me the 

 » honor of transmitting it to me for perusal and remark ; and 

 the few cursory observations made having called forth a fuller 

 explanation of his wishes, — although I do not think myself 

 fully able to meet them, -I offer the few following observati- 

 ons on the locality which is the subject of his interesting il- 

 lustrations. 



I. The Name. This the people of the neighbourhood 

 colloquially term Mavalivaram. It is also known to natives 

 as Mabalipuram, whence I presume, it became expanded 

 (by Mr. Goldingham if I remember aright) into Mahabali- 

 puram. More recently I observe Dr. Babington, has made 

 it Mahdmalaipur , " the town of the great" (or as Dr. Babing-* 

 ton understands it, sacred)" hill." If trie said reading be actu- 

 ally borne out by the old Tamil inscription near one of the 

 caves, I must submit ; but without copy, or fac -simile, the ac- 

 curacy of the reading may be open^to doubt. There is con- 

 siderable reason (a) to believe that the true reading is Ma- 

 mallapuram ; and the true reading is of consequence. 



Malta is a northern patronymic, or rather titular name of 

 a race, like Caesar, or the Medicis, or the Bourbons. In 

 local papers of the Mackenzie collections, obscure but nu- 

 merous indications are given of a race of chieftains bearing 

 that surname ; of whom Deva-Matta-raya is most frequently 

 mentioned. This chieftain was a (Peninsular) highlander 

 in origin ; not, properly speaking, Hindu, but of an aboriginal 



(a) According to legendary tradition one named Mallcsudu ruled in early times. 

 He seems not to have been a Hindu, as he mocked a Brahman, and was metamorphos- 

 ed into an alligator. An appearance of Vishnu is said to have occurred. Before that 

 appearance the place was called MaUapuri and Mallapuri-cshetram, from the above 

 Mallesudu. Mackensie M. S. S. Book No. 33 C. M. 787. Sect. 9. This paper is in the 

 Telugu language. 



