'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎166] (299/458)

166
VOLCANOES OF INDIA.
frightened and delighted with the reply of Bibi Maho, One argument is
elusive against an inundation : that the hills on which stood the old city are hi
ground than the level of the present town, and that the latter is the more hi T
also to be overflowed. Indeed no such extravagant theories are required/
account for the desertions of the first occupied spot. The whim of the reian'
prince is sufficient to determine the position of any oriental town, of wliich VV q
cannot look around without observing instances, as at Delhi, Lucknow, Mahema
&c. And that coins and antiques should be picked up, is not a whit more ex*
traordinary than the annual harvest of such curiosities atand Canoui
&c. towns, the last of which at least, was gradua ly deserted. 1
“ Romance lovers would be shocked at my theory of the origins of the so-called
r&.ja BltlSTRl'S caves. The natives are in the habit of excavating the fno' of the
hills of the old city for an excellent day of which there is a thick and extensive
bed. Any one who has resided at Delhi will remember the excavations therefor
the same purpose, which have not unfrequently been converted into agreeable
tahkauehs. One of those at Oujein nearly rivals in extent Bhiiitri , ’s retreat ig
supported by arches cut out of the clay and is divided into several chambers
Such was probably the origin of the great caves, which are very low, and not of
any great extent.* They are supported by pillars, clumsy, but massive, and the
walls and ceilings are lined with enormous blocks of stone calculated, it might be
thought, (i to fatigue time.” But they will shortly be crushed by their own
Weight; already one room has fallen in, and some of the slabs are in such a
position that at first sight it does not seem safe to walk under them. What may
have been the primary object of the buildings is matter of question. The native*
contend that it was raja King Bhirtri , ’s hermitage, but their own fables refute them,
for we read that the raja King immediately after swallowing the amar phal set out on
his travels. In no place did lie allow his weary limbs long to rest, though lie halted
at Sehwan on the Indus, at Bhartewar near Khyroda, at Ghunar and Benares,
and to this day lie is believed to be still wandering about, among the Hyperboreans
beyond the Himalayas. A late writerf imagines it to have been the dwelling
place of raja King Bmartu', There is, however, no appearance of its having been built
tu live in. Bhirtri' would have run the risk of breaking his bead or his shins,
every time he rose up, or walked, in his low roofed unevenly-floored mansion,!
The pillars too are sculptured on only three sides, that side which faces the wall,
and which would not be seen by one passing through the caves, not having been
even smoothly chiselled.
“ The antiquity of the caves will be much lessened,§ if from the first they were
furnished in the same fashion as the present, for they are now evidently ling
temples. The figures on the pillars, are small, much defaced, and were origi
nally far from being deeply carved, but there is no difficulty in recognizing them
for tliose indecent groups which mark the temple of SA'twz. Several lings are
scattered about, though one only seems to be worshipped a Kedareswar, 1 hrd of
cedars,’ Marks of feet engraved on the rock are not unfrequent. At the end of
the left cave on a slab ot black stone about three feet high and one broad, two
figures (one over the other)* are cut, sitting cross-legged, performing tapasya.
The upper one is called Gorakhndih, the lower, his pupil Bhivtri.
“ ftear the entrance lies a huge head of a Rdkshasa, and the ghat below takes * * * §
* The dimensions may be seen in Hunter.
f The author of the paper before alluded to in the E. I. United Service Journal.
3* The caves seem try their position to be exposed to inundation, which alone would have
unfitted them tor houses, and may have been the cause of their having 1 been solidly built* ^
outer court, though very strongly constructed has been partly thrown down apparently W
the swell of the river.
§ That is according to Colebrooke's thsorv, which howevor seems to have now but
followers.