'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎155] (288/458)

^Mnaknit
' ole ^oes knom
Ku’ee of tli^ u
a t a distaace;r :
& some way i
les from tliewi
oloured eattl,!
divided at fcti
ern sides are 1;
;roup is about I
area than eitkn
diaracteristicselt
idented at tU s
to the interior
with sluices ol®
• liquid mid*
t of the hff 1
ru, p 1 ®
MUD CRATER OE BEIL A.’
the three. Air bubbles and jets of mud arise from the basin continually
^the semi-fluid mass within being constantly disturbed by them*
The whole summit of the hill is crusted over with caked mud.
The same appearances almost exactly are presented by the craters
of the two other hills,—with this difference, that in the case of one
of them the mud was said to rise and fall, occasionally overflowing
the crater, sometimes sinking in it above 15 feet. A fourth-
hill, similar to those just described, was seen at some six miles off, bui
was not visited. The water and mud all around is salt. The ground at
the base of the hills is full of cracks and rents. It is the same volcanic
agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , most probably, which gives rise to the hot springs of Peer
j| U ggen, that supply the famous crocodile tank, which feeds or
stimulates the mud volcanoes. Abundance of brimstone is found
at no great distance, and one eminence some twelve miles off
is known by the name of the sulphur mountain,” Capt. Ro
bertson describes the whole district, for an area of probably
not less than 1000 square miles, from the Hara range westward as co
vered with mud cones, active or quiescent. He spent a fortnight
amongst them in 1819, and could discover no particular day on which
they were unusua ly affected : Captain Hart had been told that on
Monday they were more active than they were on other days.
«The native tradition regarding them is, that the abduction of the
Goddess Seeta by Rawim Sedashew, a form of Mahadeo was amongst
others occupied in endeavouring to discover the place of her con
cealment. For twelve years he prosecuted his search unceasingly,
but without effect. Worn out with exertion, and enraged at the
fruitlessness of the task he had imposed on himself, he dashed his
sacred cake on the ground. It broke into eighteen pieces, and from
every fragment a koop arose. The goddess instantly appeared,
and chid his wrath and impieties, assuring him that throughout
his wanderings she had accompanied him in the shape of a fly, which
generally sat on his holy cake. In commemoration of his exertions
on her behalf, she ordered that every pilgrim should pay his devotions
to one of the koops before visiting her temple. The koops are called
h y the name of her husband Rama Chandra. On nearing the
orater, the holy man who precedes the pilgrims continually cries out,
Speak, oh ! Rama Chandra !—and to their astonishment, accordingly;