BY THE ANCIENT HINDUS. 



243 



celebrated throughout India, on account of its famous 

 temple dedicated to Adijagannatha, for pilgrims "visit it from 

 Benares and other places in the north. The erection of this 

 shrine goes back to a far distant period. On the outside of 

 an ancient stone mandapa are seen the figures of some 

 soldiers carrying in their hands small firearms. The dress of 

 these sepoys is also peculiar, as the belts round their waists 

 are provided with little bells. The soldiers have slippers on 

 their feet and a peculiar cap on their heads. 



2. In Kumbhaghona (Combaconum) is a temple devoted to 

 Sarngapani, i.e., to Visnu bearing in his hands his bow Sarnga. 

 It is one of the most ancient, largest, and most celebrated shrines 

 in the Tan j ore District. The height of the pagoda amounts 

 to about 180 feet, and the numbers of its stories to eleven. 

 On the left side of the front gate of the fifth story from the 

 top is a king sitting in a chariot drawn by horses surrounded 

 by his troops. In front of the king stand two sepoys with 

 small firearms in their hands which look like pistols. The 

 lower part of the pagoda is of solid stone, the higher ones 

 and also the story just described partly of brick and partly of 

 stone, i.e., the principal figures are all made of stone, but they 

 are every ten years covered with a layer of chalk and bricks. 

 The Sarngapani pagoda is said to be about 500 years old. 

 Its sanctity and beauty is praised by seven Alvars, so that 

 as it has not been rebuilt since that time, it must have been 

 in existence when the sages lived. Tirupati is glorified by 

 nine and Srirangam by ten Alvars. 



3. In KdncJpuram (Conjeveram) is a famous mandapa, which, 

 as it rests on a hundred columns, is called Satastambhamandapa, 

 or NutiMlmandapa in Tamil. It was erected by Laksmikuma- 

 ratatacarya also called Kotikanyadanatatacarya, as he was 

 very rich and generous, and was said to have given a 

 wedding present of 50 rupees to a krore (or ten millions) of 

 girls. Being a Tatacarya he belonged to one of the highest 



