1899.] 
NORTHERN DISTRICTS OF MADAVARAJYA. 
169 
conspicuous ruins of this place attracted already the attention of the 
early European visitors. General Cunningham did not fail to recognize 
in them the remains of the two great temples of Avantisvamin and 
Avantisvara which Avantivarman had built here. 1 Of the two great 
ruins one is at Van^por itself, the other and larger one half a mile 
further down the river close to the hamlet of Jaubrar (map ‘ Jabair.’) 
Owing to the complete destruction of the central shrines it is im¬ 
possible to ascertain now which was dedicated to Visnu and which to 
Sfiva. The fine enclosing quadrangles of the temples have also suffered 
badly. That of Avantisvamin was used as a temporary fortification in 
Kalhana’s own time and underwent a severe siege. 2 
The site on which Avautivarman’s town was built, had apparently 
enjoyed some sanctity before these temples were founded, and bore the 
old name Visvaikasara. The great extent of the town is indicated by the 
traces of ruined buildings which cover the foot of the hills east of 
Vantfpor for a considerable distance. The frequent references to 
Avantipura in the Chronicles show that the town retained some impor¬ 
tance long after the death of its founder. 
We hear but little of other old sites in Holada. The great town of 
Mihirapura which King Mihirakula is said to have founded in it, can no 
longer be traced. 3 Khuli, a village situated a short distance to the 
south-west of Tral, the modern headquarters of the district, may 
possibly be the Khola of the Chronicle, one of Gopaditya’s Agraharas. 41 
Of Tral I am unable to trace any old notice. 
The identification of the village of Buis , about two miles south of 
Khuli, with the old Bhayaccheda is also uncertain. 6 It is based on a 
gloss of Rajanaka Ratnakantha, the writer of the Codex Archetypus of 
the Rajataranginl. Still further south lies the village of Kai, probably 
the old Katika named by Kalhana as a foundation of Tunjina I. 6 This 
identification is made in the old gloss on the passage and supported by 
the phonetic evidence of the modern name. 
Of old remains in Vular the interesting temple of Narastan at the 
northern extremity of the district (34° 3' lat. 75° 10' long.) deserves 
notice. 7 Unfortunately I am unable to find any clue as to its old name 
1 See for a full description J. A. 8 . B., 1843, pp 275 sqq .; also ib., 1866, 121 sqq. 
8 See Rajat. viii. 1429 sq., 1474 sqq. 
5 See Rajat. i. 306. 
A See Rajat. i. 340. 
6 Compare iii. 381 note. 
^ Rajat. ii. 14. 
1 See Mr. Lawrence’s notice, Valley , p. 172. The attached photograph shows 
the site after my excavations. Regarding the result of the latter, see Vienna 
Oriental Journal , 1891, p. 345 sqq. 
J. i. 22 
