Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 7.djvu/151

 BRAHMINS OF OOMKAR, MUNDRATA. (373)

HESE Brabmins belong to the Smarth, a Sivaic sect, and in nowise differ from others previously described. They are some of the priests who officiate at the celebrated temples of Mundhata, in the Nimaur province, to which pilgrims resort from all parts of India. Grant's Gazateer, article "Mundhata," p. 257, gives an excellent descriptive article on the subject by Capt. J. Forsyth, Deputy Commissioner, which is too long for quotation, but we extract a few striking passages. Mundhata is an island in the Narbada Nerbuc1da) river, and contains numerous temples, ancient and modern, including the great shrine of Oomkar, a form of Siva.

"The island covers an area of five-sixths of a square mile. Towards the northern branch of the river, the slope is not very abrupt in some places; but its southern and eastern faces terminate in bluff precipices, 400 or 500 feet in height. It is cleft in two by a deep ravine running nearly north and south, the eastern end containing about one-third of the whole area. The southern bank of the Narbada, opposite Mundhata, called Godar Pam, is as precipitous as Mundbata, and between them the river forms a deep silent pool, full of alligators and large fish, many of which are so tame that they take grain off the steps. The rocks on both sides of the river are of a greenish hue, very boldly stratified, and said to be hornstone slate.

"The island is said, in the Narmada Klwnd (professing to be a portion of the Skanda Paran) to have been originally called Baidurya Mani Purwat, which was changed to Mundliata, as a boon granted by Oomkar to the Rajah Mundhata, seventeenth of the solar race, who had here performed a great sacrifice to the god. Be this as it may, there is no doubt that the worship of Siva was established here at an early age. On Mundhata, the shrine of Oomkar, and on the southern bank, that of Amareshwar (lord of the immortals), are two of the twelve great 'Singhs,' which existed in India when Mahomed of Ghuzni demolished the temple of Somnath in 1024.