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 251

JULY 5, 1872.)
THE GANJAM INSCRIPTION.
221
and beat it into the interstices " by means of a hard clothes brush." The impression took well, and the most favourable results were anticipated, but after the paper was taken off the impression faded either from defects in the paper or frorn damp. Mr. Grahame does not consider cartridge paper well adapted for moulding, as it gets pulpy in some places while in others it remains quite stiff. He recommends a thinner and tougher paper-& paper which can be more easily beaten into the irregularities of the letters, and yet be tough enough not to disintegrate under the pressure of blows. Altogether the mouldings do not appear to have been very successful. However both Mr. Grahame and Mr. Harris were successful in making tracings of the inscriptions. Mr. Grahame also copied the whole of the inscriptions, letter for letter, so far as he could make them out.
It is much to be regretted, says the Report, that these inscriptions were not long ago looked after, and some steps taken to preserve thein from destruction. As they exist now, far the greater part of the first and Becond inscriptions have disappeared bodily, the rock having lost large fragments upon which the missing parts of those two inscriptions were carved. There is a story told by the inhabitants of Jogada, repeated, too, by the Sub-Magistrate, that about twenty years ago a European gentleman went to the place, threw a quantity of hot tamarind juice and water on the rock, and then bent it with raminers, the result being that he broke off a large portion of the rock on which the inscription was carved. This tale reminds one of the story told of the way in which Hannibal cut his way through the rocky barriers of the Alps. It may be true, but I, for one, cannot believe that any one who would take an interest in going to see an old inscription could not in so brutish and barbaric a way. I am more inclined to think that the rock has been gradually caten away by the action of the elements, having been continually for many ages baked by the fierce, hot, tropical snn, and lashed by furious rain. Mr. Minchin, indeed, says that when he first saw the inscriptions, there was then far more of the first and second than now exists. The third and fourth inscriptions are regularly worin-enten away, evidently by rain and atmospheric effects. A good deal of the right hand edges of both has been alınost totally obliterated, with here and there a letter, or the suggestion of one remaining. If these remains of inscriptions are to be preserved, it is high time that something was done. The only step which I think would really preserve the face of the rock fron, the corroding effects of rain and sun is the building of a shed, the roof of which should slope back well over the top of the rock so as to throw rain off to the back, and which should slope forward in front of the rock far enough to keep rain from benting on it. Mr. Minchin sug- gested that a deep rim should be cut in the rock
running all round the inscriptions, with the idea that it would act as a channel to carry off rain, I apprehend that it would act very imperfectly ns an escape channel for rain running down from the top and not at all for rain beating on the inscription. The rock must be roofed in to protect it properly. The roof would come over the top of the Bairagi's house, unless, like a pent-house, it came down at a very sharp angle from the brow of the rock over the inscription ; but as the Bairagi has no title to have a house there at all, he should be required either to remove from the place altogether, or to acquiesce in the measures which may be taken. Mr. Minchin made another suggestion worthy of consideration, which was, that if a roof be put over the rock, the Bairagi should be required to look after it on condition of his house being allowed to remain there, or he might even receive A rupee or two monthly to look after it. He would, in the latter caso, have an interest in seeing that the roof was kept in good order, and that the inscription suffered no damage.
I have carefully compared my transcript with the photographs, and I ain sertain, that in one, at any rate, of the latter certain letters are wrong. This probably arose from the chunam having run in consequence of rain, and of Mr. Minchin's man not having attended as carefully as he might havo done to wiping off the superfluous chunam. Owing to that he has left one or two letters with their tails turned the wrong way, and altered others. I care fully compared the moulding of the socond inscription with my transcript. The two are identical.
The characters in the first and second inscriptions are cnt inuch moro deeply and distinctly, and are larger than those of the third and fourth. The first two seem to have boon much more carefully carved than the third and the fourth, in which not only are the characters smaller but there is not apparently the saine careful division of the words.
I have been informed that there are several old inscriptions in this division. One is on a stone at the back of a mosque in Chikakol. I have seen it, but owing to the rains which prevailed for two months after my return to Chikakol, and to my absence from head-quarters, have been unable to take a copy of it. The mosque was built in Anno Hej. 1051, about 230 years ago. Formerly there was
Hindu temple in the place where the mosque now stands. This temple was destroyed by Sher Muhammad Khan, and from its materials the mosque was built. The other inscriptions are in different parts of the Chikakol Taluq. I shall examine and report on them afterwards. NOTE ON THE GANJAM ROCK INSCRIPTION.
BY PROF. R. G. BHANDARKAR. The Ganjam inscription is in four large tablets, and each of the four sheets of lithographs published by the Madras Governinent reprosents one. On