1847.] 



Of the Old Gates at Paduvur. 



89 



in 1836-7 he said was not perfect. But he remembered seeing two of 

 those caves. They were among the mountains, on the side near the 

 Pdlar-x'w&x. A gentleman named Fullarton was judge ; and under 

 his sanction, convicts, and others, were set to work. These two 

 caves were found one and a half foot below the surface of the 

 ground. He thought they were about 8 feet square, as I understood 

 him, formed of blackstone. Inside was found an old rusty sword, 

 and an earthen jar, said to contain nothing. 



Within the fort of Chingleput also there was a large room disco- 

 vered : the sepulchre, as supposed, of a raja. It contained a turban 

 and jewels ; and there was a copper plate inscription. Speaking of 

 the former in comparison he said they were like a tub or vessel, but 

 this was a room ; and also under ground. 



I am not at present exactly aware of the origin of Chingleput fort; 

 but there were, at an early period, ferocious chieftains in that neigh- 

 bourhood ; details of whose atrocities have been traditionally handed 

 down ; and are embodied in the miscellaneous Mackenzie papers. 



Translation 3d. 

 Of the Old Caves at Paduvur. 



Anciently men wearing tufted hair, Curumbars and various others, 

 of the Jaina credence, dwelt in this town. They were the aborigi- 

 nal residents. Those beings, from very old times, were ruled by 

 Jaina kings. By a Jaina king named Pandya-dever^ this town was 

 given, as an entire and independent endowment, to a Jaina-hdsii (or 

 temple) built by the Jainas here. In proof of this, on the site of 

 the said fane there is here its original cause of foundation : that is, a 

 Jainesvara image. A.nd, seemingly belonging thereto, in proof of the 

 said Sarva-manya, gift (or endowment.) there is here an inscription 

 on stone. The subject inscribed therein is as follows : 



The divine gift of Svasta-sri-JVayandr ruling the world. Padu- 

 vur, and its entire precincts are given in full and perpetual grant to 

 the aforesaid temple — so it is recorded. This full endowment, for a 

 length of time, pertained to the Jainor-hasti. Afterwards in the days 

 of Adondai-Cholan, when, by the advice of the Brahmans^ he des- 

 troyed the Jainas^ it was added to the common revenue. 



Anciently in this town, they did not keep the very old people (in 

 the houses) until death; but seeing the time approach, they put them 

 in very strongly-made earthen jars, together with food suitable for 



