Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/17

 January, 1873.] ARCHAEOLOGY OF HASSAN DISTRICT. 9 Kurg is peculiarly rich in such remains, I have no doubt that careful search among the j an gals would bring to light some specimens of these remains.* Circles.—Large numbers of these are to be found all over the district. Several stones vary¬ ing in size, but seldom larger than feet, mark the circumference of these circles ; the enclosed area is on a level with the surrounding ground or nearly so, and the diameter from 12 to 18 feet. Sometimes, but rarely, two circles, one within the other, are found. These circles are always to be found in groups, the number in each group varies from several hundred to but five or six. Near Fraserpett on the banks of the Kaveri, the best collection is to be seen ; here we have several [hundred all clustered to¬ gether occupying as is usual the highest ground in the neighbourhood. On digging below the surface soil we come on the covering slab of a kistvaen. These kistvaens are formed of slabs of granite and have always an opening at one end, large enough to admit of an ordinary-sized man of the present day passing through. They are always full of earth in which are em¬ bedded pots of every sort and kind, some of decidedly Etruscan look both in form and ap¬ pearance, others in no way to be distinguished from the common chatti of the present day; some have three short legs, others have none. Pieces of iron instruments, bones, and a black substance, supposed to be charcoal, are also found. The kistvaen, however, is not always found complete. In some there is nothing but the bottom slab, on which always in one corner are to be found the pots and other finds. In one—and one only—I found a stone arrow or small spear-head. Similar remains, containing similar finds, are to be met with not only throughout the whole of Maisur, but the neigh¬ bouring districts of Koimbatur and the Nilgiri hills are reported to be particularly rich in this class of remains. They are generally supposed to be burying-grounds of an extinct race. Cairns.—A number of these arc to be found,— they are the graves of persons who have been either killed by tigers or died of leprosy. The common belief is that if the body of a leper is buried, no rain will fall on the lands of the vil¬ lage where this is done. They are therefore always buried under a pile of stones. Menhirs.—From the simple unadorned mo¬ nolith to the highly-carved monumental stone whose inscription tells why it was erected, we find ♦ I am inclined to think they will be found only on or among hills.—Ed. f Kodu kalu means ‘ slaughter stones,’ see Yol.I. p.372.—Ed. great numbers differing in size, in form, and in appearance. The most common—so numerous indeed as to form a regular class of themselves— are those known to the natives as kodu kallu. Kallu is the Canarese for stone. These are said to have been erected by the Rajas of Kurg to mark the boundaries of their kingdom. They are however found in places where, from other evidence, it can be proved that these Rajas (for in its best days Kurg was but a petty state) never held sway. The explanation given by the natives then cannot be held to be correct. The original meaning of the word kodu has been forgotten, or the word so corrupted that it is impossible from its present form to determine the original word.f The similarity in sound between kodu and Kodagu (which is the Kanarese for Kurg) has, I think, given rise to the usual explanation. Such mistakes do arise sometimes. For instance in the Malnad portion of the district, Orchids are called “ Situhuvu” (or flowers of the mist). The similarity in sound between Situ (mist) and Sita (Rama’s wife or sister) is too much for individuals of a highly imaginative mind who give a long story of how and why they are called Sita’s flowers. However to return to the kodu kallu. They are about 3 feet above the ground and always divided into three compartments. The upper generally represents a priest with long and flowing locks officiating at an altar carrying a 1 i n g a, and on the side is seated the person in whose honour evidently the stone has been erected. The centre compartment has two women, said to represent frail ones of the Hindu paradise, fanning with chauras the central figure. The lower division delineates a battle scene, where the combatants are represented now on foot now on horseback. In one case there is shown an elephant. Tho most interesting specimen I have met with is one near Arsikerre. It is as usual divided into three compartments but has an inscription in “ Halla Kanada” or old Kanarese. The letters are clear and have been read. The date is given as “ Chalukya Vikrama” 424 I have come across other kodu kalu bearing inscriptions, but the character is unknown to the natives. There are two or three different accounts given by the natives about the origin of the circles. One, and the most common, that they are the dwelling-places of the followers of the five Pandu princes who, having lost their all by gam¬ bling, were obliged to wander among the forests J-This is probably the era of the Chalukyaa referred to in the Tidgundi copperplate (see lnd. Antiq. Yol. I. p. 83), commencing 1076 A.D.—Ed.