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 86

70
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH 1, 1872
The north side of the valley is bounded by grass, broken only by some protruding escarpMount Baibhâr-& rocky hill running three or ment or the white cupola of a Jaina pagoda in the four miles north-west, and terminating at its one case, and in the other, by heaps of brickseastern side in the hot wells of Rajgir. Here the ruins of temples and topes, and the huge piles the valley is entered by & narrow ravine of stones which still mark the ancient ramparts through the midst of which the Sarasvati rivulet of the city. The form of the walls can, with a forces its way into the low country to the north little difficulty, be traced with tolerable accuracy. of the hills. On the eastern side of the stream Strictly speaking, these ramparts formed an irrerises the lofty ascent of Monnt Vipula, & gular pentagon about four miles in circumference. branch of which runs as far as Giryak, a dis- One side faced the west, and was about a mile in tance of six miles. Hardly a quarter of a mile length, extending along the western branch of from the western side of the hill it is joined at the Sarasvati ; a second ran south to the foot of right angles by a third mountain running from the Sonargir ; a third east to the entrance of the the north called Ratnagir. This hill is of in- ravine between Udayagir and Ratnagir; a fourth considerable length and terminates in & narrow
north, towards the junction of the streams; and ravine branching away to the east. On the op! the fifth and smallest joins the first and posite side of this ravine rises Mount Udayagir, fourth. A road seems to have run through the a less important hill, running due south and | city from the new town to Banganga. The terminating in the ancient wall and fort of northern side of the city, facing the ravine, apBangangå-the southern gate of the ancient pears to have been protected by a lofty tower capital of Magadha. To the west of the torrent composed of stones of irregular shape, placed is the fifth and largest hill-Mount Sonar. It one upon the other (not squared and arranged first takes a course to the west, then turns north- in courses as in the walls of new Rajgir). Near wards, and finally, exactly opposite the narrow the stream appears to have been another tower valley between MountsRatnagirandUdayagir, of great height and of similar appearance, and stretches away to the west, and forms the south- close under it an outer gate towards the north. ern boundary of this natural fortress, being only From this place an enorinous wall, 18 or 20 feet separated at its western extremity by a narrow thick and 15 or 16 feet high, stretched itself to ravine from an offshoot of Mount Baibhâr, the summit of Mount Vipula, and protected the commonly called the 'Chhâta'. These five hills city from attacks on the mountain side. There are called in the Mahábhárata-Vaihara, were doubtless similar fortifications on the side Varaha, Vrishábha, Rishigiri, and Chaityaka ; and of Mount Baibhâr, but their traces are very in the Pali annals of Ceylon-Gijjhakuta, faint, whereas those on the western slope of - Isigili, Webhâro, Wepulo, and Pandawof Mount Vipula are remarkably perfect and dis
Speaking of the valley, Fah-Hiang goes on to tinct. Over the whole surface of the interior of say: "From.east to west it is about five or six the city is spread a mass of débris covered by brushli, from north to south seven or eight li." It is wood and shrubs, and here and there are piles evident Fah-Hian excluded from his computation of bricks and stones, denoting the site of some the eastern and western bifurcations of the valley, house or temple. Near the south-west corner of and even then its dimensions are slightly under the city is a lofty tumulus, somewhat higher stated.
than the ruins of the eastern entrance. This The north side of the valley is watered by two is covered by a small Jaina cupola of brick and streams, both bearing the name of Sarasvati, plaster. The sides of the tumulus are strewn which rise, the one at the foot of Ratnagir, and with bricks and fragments of granite pillars. I the other at the western extremity of Mount also discovered some pieces of cornice covered Sonar. These rivulets join a short distance to with representations of Buddhas and Någas. the south of the ravine which forms the entrance I made an excavation on the nortl side of the to the valley. The sides of the hills and the tumulus, and uncovered a considerable portion of plain at their feet are covered mostly by a the northern side of a Buddhist building, of tangled mass of flowering shrubs and wild tulsi which the entrance seems to have faced the • Mababbârata, II. 20 v. 799,800.
fore, suspect they were given to these mountains only after + Lassen suspects the reading Vaibhdra by Tumour to the time of Buddha.-Alterth. vol. II. p. 79.-Ed. be incorrect and proposes to read Vaihdra in accordance with the Mahabharata. It is surprising,' he adde, that
Turnour, in Jour. Beng. As. Soc. vol. VI. p. 996. the first and last names are Buddhistk, and we may, there - Beal's Fah Hian, ut sup. Chapter uvi. P. 112.