114 
ON THE OEIGINAL INHABITANTS 
The connection of tlie ancient hill tribes with many cele- 
brated Indian shrines is also admitted by the Hon. Visvanath 
Narayan Mandlick. "The above tradition of Gokarna," he 
says, " points out to the origin of these places of Linga worship 
" by the influence of, if not amongst, the wild tribes of the 
" mountains of whom Ravana is a fair representative. The 
*' actual position of the Kolis at the temples of the Krishna 
" and also at Mahabalesvara, appears to confirm the above 
*' conclusion. The serpent is connected with both these 
" temples, and from the Lihga temples he seems to be quite 
" inseparable. In the latter he is represented as being coiled 
" round the Lihga, while in the temple of the Krishna, a living 
*' one is supposed to be guarding its sources." 
The most accurate description of the Kolis has been 
written by Captain A. Macintosh, to whose account we 
owe, in fact, the greater part of our information about 
these people. Yet, he is compelled to admit : " We cannot 
" expect to glean much authentic information of an historical 
" description from an ignorant and unlettered people Kke the 
" Kolis. The few traditions they possess relative to then- first 
" settlement in their present locations and of subsequent 
Read also Dr. Fr. Buchanan's Journey from Madras through th^ countries of 
Mysore, Canara and Malabar, second edition, vol. II, p. 316. " Gaukariia, or 
the cow's horn(?), is a place of great note among the Brahmans, owing to a 
celebrated image of Siva called Mahahalesivara. The image is said to have 
been brought from the mountain Coila by Eavana, king of Lanca. He 
■wished to carry it to his capital ; but ha\-ing put it down here, the idol 
Decame fixed in the place, where it stands to this day." 
The Kanara people regard Gokarna as holier than Benares ; for they 
Bay: 
Gokarnam ca mahakasi viAvamitho mahabalah 
Kotitirtham ca Gangayah saniudram adhikam phalam ; " 
according to the Journal of the Bombay Royal Asiatic, vol. IX, p. '2oS. 
Compare in the Indian Antiquary, vol. Ill, pp. 247, 2-18, Dr. J. Gerson 
da Cunha's account of the legend concerning the linga of Wdlukcsvara, 
the present Malabar Hill, with which lifiga the Kolis seem also to be con- 
nected : "The Kolis, who, as will be shown lioroafter, were the original 
inhabitants of Bombay, pay special devotion to this liitya .... (their) 
pi'iucipal quarter in the whole Konkan, I suppose, is Kulabi." 
