Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 129

APRIL 5, 1872.]
GEOGRAPHY OF MAGADHA.
107
wells is a spring immediately under the north- There is little difficulty in identifying this from ern face of the mountain. It is surrounded the remarks of Hwen Thsang as well as by by a large enclosure, and its water is tepid. those of Fah-Hian. The former says, “Au Passing through a courtyard, the visitor arrives nord de l'endroit ou Che-li-tseu (S'âripouttra) at a small stone cell in the rock, and imme- avait obtenu le fruit du Saint (la dignité diately above this a flight of some eighty steps d'Arhat), tout prés il y a une fosse large leads up the side of the hill to a platform paved et profonde à côté de laquelle on a élevé un with brick. This is the celebrated Makhdum- Stoûpa....... Au nord-est de la fosse ardkund of the Muhammadans, and Sringgi-rikhi- ente, à l'angle de la ville entourée de montagnes kund of the Hindus. This well is held in ex- il y a un Stou pa. En cet endroit, le grand métraordinary veneration alike by Hindus and dicin Chi-po-kia (Djivika) bâtit en faveur du Musalmans, and is thronged by pilgrims all Bouddha, une salle pour l'explication de la loi." the year round. The spot is celebrated as Fah-Hian writes:f “To the north-east of the the residence of Makhdum Shah Shaikh Saraf- city in the middle of a crooked defile, Djivika ud-din Ahmad, a saint, not only revered by the erected a Vihara. . . Its ruins still exist." I beMuhammadans of Bihar, but by the followers of lieve these places to be identical with the remains the Crescent all over India. The date of his which I shall presently describe. sojourn at Rajgir was, as far as I can ascertain, Nearly a quarter of a mile to the east of the about 715 A.H. The stone cell is said to be pagoda of Mahavira one arrives at the summit • his "hujra," i.e., the scene of a forty days' of the hill, which is exactly above the centre of meditation and fast [ver: chillah], and the plat- the "crooked defile." At this place is an enormform above, the place of his morning and even- ous platform 130 feet long by 30 wide, and ing prayers. General Cuningham has been led about 6 feet above the surrounding rocks. It is into a strange error about this spot, and states constructed almost entirely of the materials of it to have been the dwelling of Saint Chillah, a Buddhist buildings [I counted more than 30 converted Hindu. I trust at a future time to pillars in the floor alone), and this is easily acbe able to give a complete history of the life counted for by a large pile of ruins at either end and writings of Saraf-ud-din, in connection with of the platform. The mound to the east is the history of Muhammadan rule in Bihar. nearly 30 feet high, and its surface is bestrewn
About two hundred feet from the foot of the with pillars and stone slabs. The ruins to the hill, almost immediately above the northern west are undoubtedly those of a temple or vihara, gate of the ancient city, and nearly half a mile and several gray stone columns are still erect. south-west of the Makhdum-kund, are the The modern Jaina temples on the platform deremains of an enormous brick Stúpa or "tope," serve some notice, as all of them abound, more now surmounted by a small temple of Maha- or less, in Buddhist ornamentation. The first deva. There is a similar ruin opposite this at of the series of four is only about 10 feet square, the foot of Baibhâr, and the bed of the ravine is and is surmounted by a simple semi-circular also strewn with débris. I clearly identify these cupola. It is dedicated to Chandraprabha, the ruins with the description of Hwen Thsang*; 8th Tirthankara. The doorway is a fine speci“En dehors de la porte septentionale de la ville, men of Buddhist art. In the centre is a figure il y a un Stoupa. ... au nord-est de l'endroit of Buddha under & canopy, and three parallel où fut dompté l'éléphant ivre il y a un Stoupa." rows of exquisite geometrical pattern run Leaving this place, and going some few round the sides. Above the door, a large ornahundred yards to the north-east, one arrives at mental slab, about five feet long and eight inches two small Jaina pagodas, built on a peak of the wide, is inserted in the masonry. It is divided hill. The first is dedicated to Hemantu Sadhu, into seven compartments. The first of which, and the second to Mahavira, the 24th Tîrthan- on either side, contain figures of elephants, and kara of the Jainas, who is said to have lived, the remainder-groups of figures in the attitude and died at Pawapúri, eight miles north-east of of the dance. This is almost identical with the Râjgir. Continuing to ascend the western face ornamentation of a very beautiful doorway excaof the bill, one looks down on a rocky defile vated by me from the mound at Dapthu, and which separates Mount Vipula from Ratnagir. which is now in my collection of Buddhist sculp* Mémoires, tom. II. p. 16. † Mémoires, tom. II. p. 18-19.
Beal's Translation, charr. XXVIII. p. 113.