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 APRIL 5, 1872.]

GEOGRAPHY OF MAGADHA.

nearly as possible, one mile.

109

The south and

on the top of the hill, and I found several images,

west side of the hill are covered with the débris

and the remains of two large stûpas, and

of houses, &c., and the solitary peak which crowns the hill is surmounted by an enorm ous brick stupa.

Though there is no natural

cave in the southern face of the hill, as might reasonably be expected, the other features it

presents are so remarkable as to put its identi fication beyond a doubt, and everything tends to

one temple similar to that on Baibhār.

There

is also a large enclosure containing five modern Jaina temples—the centre one square and the others triangular in shape. Each of the small ones contains a figure of Buddha bearing the creed, “ye dharma hetu etc.” There are large numbers of gray stone columns at the foot of

show that the caves and grottoes of Rajgir

the mounds abovementioned, and the spot has

were mostly artificial.

evidently been once the site of a Vihāra.

Parallel with Ratnagir and Devaghāt runs Udayagir. Two ramparts or walls seem to have

Although five hills are stated both in poetry and history to have surrounded the ancient capital of Magadha, this can hardly be consider ed literally correct, and to maintain the old description, several peaks must be considered as forming part of the same mountain. Thus the rocky cliffs of Chhata or Chhakra must be deem ed the eastern extremity of Baibhār, and the va rious parts of Sonárgir must be considered as por

traversed the valley.

The first to the west now

ealled the Nekpai-bänd, and the second stretches from the foot of Devaghāt, as before described, to the centre of the valley, and this seems to have been continued as far as the foot of the Udaya hill. The slopes of this hill are more gradual than any of the others, and this accounts for the fortifications which surmount it. The steepest side of the mountain is towards the west, and it is through a narrow ravine at the foot of it, that the valley is entered from the south. The passage is very narrow, and in the centre runs the Bângañgå rivulet, which rises from beneath

Sonárgir. The pass was strongly fortified, and the ramparts and bastions are still remark ably perfect, although they have been exposed to the devastations of the rain and sun for many centuries. Just within the valley are the ruins

tions of one great hill. Sonárgir, the most exten

sive, though the least lofty of all the hills, begins at the south-east corner of the valley, and runs due east from this point till it reaches the centre

of the valley just above the plain of the Ran bhūm. From this point three branches stretch eastwards; the first inclining slightly towards the

north, and forming the southern boundary of the valley of the five hills, the second runs due east and forms the western

side of the ravine

which leads into the Hisua-Nowāda

plains,

of the two towers, and at the entrance of the

and the third turns first south, then again almost

pass, where the width of the ravine is little

due east, and finally terminates, as I have before

more than twenty feet, two forts of considerable size—one on the slope of Udayagir, and the other facing it, at the foot of Sonárgir. The

described, in the rocks and torrents of Bângañgå. This was evidently the weakest point in the

former measures 111 feet from the north to

south,

and 40 from east to west.

From

this point a massive wall, 16 feet thick, (and still having an elevation of some 10 or 12 feet), stretches in a direct line due east to the summit of the mountain.

I measured it to

a distance of 4,000 feet from the commence

ment, and it thus appears to continue its course for more than two miles on the crest of the

hill, then to cross over towards the north, and finally to pass down the northern slope, and into the narrow valley between Udayagir and Ratnagir, just opposite the staircase of Bimbi sâra, which leads to the summit of the Devaghāt hill. The wall is composed of huge stones on either side, closely fitted together without cement, the centre being filled up by a mass of pebbles and rubbish.

There are traces of Buddhist ruins

natural defences of the city, for an enemy who

had once gained the entrance of the valley, (which appears to have been still further pro tected by a semi-circular wall outside it,) could easily pass up the gentle slope between the two last mentioned branches of the hill, and descend

by an equally easy road on the northern side of the hill into the very heart of the valley. I -ascended the hill on this side, and soon gained the summit, which, like that of Udayagir, is occupied by an enormous pile of ruins, and a modern Jaina temple. Inside the pagoda is a large figure of Buddha, bearing the creed, and also a comparatively modern inscription on the unoccupied portions of the pedestal. Several columns are lying about, and also portions of cornice and other ornamental carving. This was once, evidently, the site of some great vihāra or temple. Thirty paces south of the