HYDRABAD AND BIDUR. 
195 
citadel, raised upon a high mount, has a fine com- 
mand over the whole works. On all sides the city 
is filled with noble remains of antiquity, which 
cannot fail to interest the visitor, especially him who 
is conversant with the history of the Bahmani and 
Bereed kings. 
There is little commerce carried on in Bidur, and 
the principal article of manufacture is the beautiful 
metallic pottery known in India as the Biduri, or 
vulgarly the Vidri, ware, which is in great demand 
for the bottoms and mouth-pieces of hookkas, for 
vases, beetel-dishes, and other elegant household 
utensils. The ware defies all imitation, although 
the manufacturers make no secret of their art ; the 
great nicety required in the preparation of the 
material, and skill in the modus operandi , being 
apparently unattainable, except to those who have 
been bred to it. The process is most ingenious, and 
appears to be practised only by Hindoos. The com- 
position is of a fine dark-brown colour, almost black, 
but quite metallic in appearance, and if tarnished it 
is easily restored. It was until lately supposed to 
be formed from a metallic stone or lithomarga, 
strongly resembling the Biduri ware in colour and 
texture, which is to be found on the table-land of 
Bidur. But Dr. Heyne, the naturalist, assures us 
that this notion is erroneous, — he having visited the 
place with a sanguine expectation of discovering a 
new mineral ; and having been disappointed by 
