40 



Account of Mamallaijyur. 



[No. 30. 



race. Now Deva-malla-raya indicates dignity and lineage : 

 of which title Md-malla-rdja, would be almost an equivalent ; 

 indicating indeed a lower rank, but quite suited as a distinc- 

 tive epithet of a minor offset from the parent stem. Again 

 in the Mackenzie local papers, there is abundant evidence of 

 a gradual progress of colonization by Telugu people, from 

 proximity to the Godavery southwards, at least as far as Nel- 

 lore ; and various instances (b) occur in which those who first 

 cleared forest land and began to build a town, gave their own 

 names to the town so formed. I would not assert it as a fact, 

 but I regard it as a probable inference, that the locality, in 

 immediate question, derived its name from its founder, an 

 offset, or junior branch, of the Malla chieftains in the north. 

 I would not leave the name without noticing that in a modern 

 Tamil poem written in the south, mention is made of the king 

 of Mavalimnam : but whether this place be designated 

 or e not, is doubtful ; and I do not think such an authority 

 could be trusted. — Quitting the name of the place we may 

 further advert to 4 



II. The antiquity, or probable antiquity, of the sculptures. 

 That the antiquity is not c yery great may be concluded by in- 

 ferential deductions ; as 1.) The mythology of the figures is 

 Hindu ' fi tlqp general story, part of that contained in the 

 Mahabharata ; the language of the inscriptions, at least in 

 some places, Sanscrit : therefore Brahmans were some way 

 concerned. But there is much concurring evidence to shew 



(b ) Subsequent to Sal. Sac. 424, or A. d. 502, a person named Mahimalu, or Mavala- 

 mu, left his native place owing to oppression ; emigrated, southerly, and built a village of 

 four or five mud huts. It was called after the founder Mavarnalur. It increased; and 

 by a separation of brothers at a later date JVandi-varam was founded, ultimately a town 

 of note. Ibid. Book 49 C. M. 739. 



This is merely an illustration. From a yet unpublished abstract of another paper, I 

 find that two persons named Malla-raya and Annama-deva-raya, emigrated from Vijaya- 

 nagaram to the district of Arcot, or neighbourhood of Conjeveram, and obtained some 

 immunities from the wife, or queen, of Deva-rayer. These people were of the tribe of 

 athletse, proceeding from the original stock of mountaineers. I cannot identify these 

 persons with MdmaUa-puri. At a period later than Vrishtm-rayer, there were four 

 avenues leading from Conjeveram to distinguished towns, one of which was Makabali- 

 puram, then reputed to be of Faishnava credence. 



