Historical Sketch of the Kingdom of Pandya. 



third in the hands of Tumbi, and conferring the rest on Danu Kanta, 

 the son-in-law of Adi Narayan. 



This division of the Maravvas, although it laid the foundation of fu- 

 ture partitions, did not at that time long continue. Tumbi contrived to 

 put his brother to death, bat soon after dying himself, his portion was 

 seized by Vijaya Raghunath, the adopted son of Adi Narayan, who, 

 likewise, gained possession of the state of Danu Kanta upon his death, 

 and thus re-united the three governments under one head. This prince, 

 although he extended his authority over the adjoining districts, con- 

 tinued obedient to the authority of Tirumalla ; and, upon the invasion 

 of Madura by a formidable army from Mysore, was highly instrumen- 

 tal in their repulse, leading, with an activity which received the ac- 

 knowledgment of the Nayak, a considerable force to the assistance of 

 his lord paramount, and mainly enabling him to defeat and expel the 

 invaders. 



Although the fortress of Trichanapali was the chief stronghold of the 

 kingdom of Madura, the city of Madura appears to have been the fa- 

 vourite residence of Tirumalla Nayak. We have already ascribed to a 

 much older prince the original construction of the fort, the temple, and 

 palace, of which such stately vestiges still exist. There is no doubt, 

 however, that they owe much of their present form to the taste of Tiru- 

 malla Nayak, and the palace of Madura especially shews indications of 

 modern architecture ; at the same time, the more celebrated building, 

 still in good order, the Choltri of Tirumalla Nayak, known to be his 

 work, is an edifice purely Hindu, and blends the square and massive 

 character of the general structure with the singularly minute decora- 

 tion, and luxuriantly fantastic development of the details. The Chol- 

 tri is a chamber of an oblong square form, the flat roof of which of long 

 stones, rests upon one hundred and twenty-four pillars of stone twenty 

 feet high, and placed in four rows. The pillars are curiously carved 

 with different figures representing stories connected with the Hindu 

 religion, the peculiar legends of the Madura Puraua, and the persons 

 of the founder, and his predecessors. One pillar represents Tirumalla 

 Nayak himself, w r ith six of his wives, and a number of the women of 

 his haram. The Choltri, it was said, was begun in the year 1623, the 

 second year of the founder's reign, was finished in twenty-two years, 

 and cost above a million sterling. It was built, it is asserted, to re- 

 ceive the Lingam of the great temple ten days in every year, the Brah- 

 mans agreeing to bring their divinity forth upon condition of Tirumal- 

 la Nayak's providing a suitable place for his temporary accommoda- 

 tion. Besides this Choltri, the same prince is said to have completed 

 three other great works — a pagoda ; a tank, three quarters of a mile 

 square, twenty feet deep, and faced with stone ; and a grand palace or- 



