June, 1873.] ARCHEOLOGY OF BELARI DISTRICT. 179
At Lepakshi, in the Hindip&r t&luqa, is another
large temple, said to have been built by Krishna
Rayal. The roof of the large hall here is sup¬
ported by about forty pillars, two of which do not
touch the ground but are suspended from the roof.
So at least the attendant Brahmans tell you, and
prove it by passing a cloth between the pillar and
the ground. The space between the pillar and the
ground is about half an inch, and the trick is
managed so adroitly that, unless the action is
closely watched, the cloth really appears to be
passed completely underneath the pillar. As a
matter of fact each of these two pillars has one
corner resting on the ground. The natives will
not admit that it has always been so, but attribute
this sinking to the act of an engineer some thirty
years ago, who endeavoured to find out how such
solid pillars were suspended, and injured them in
the course of his experiments. About a hundred
yards away is a colossal monolith, a Basava or
stone bull. The story is that the ooolies employed
on the great temple being dissatisfied with their
wages struck work and retired to consult. They
chanced to sit down on a rock, and while debating
the question began to hack it with their tools.
The masters gave in in an hour and the coolies
came down from their rook, when it was found to
have assumed the form it now has.
Of more recent buildings, the pagoda at Penna-
hoblam, on the left bank of the Penner, and the
Jamma Masjid at Adoni, are perhaps the best
specimens of Hindu and Muhammadan architec¬
ture. The temple of Anantasaingudi, near
Hospet, is worthy of mentfon, and is of interest
to engineers and architects from the peculiarities
of its construction.
At most of these places there is an annual fes¬
tival. Nearly every village has its car-feast in
honour of its patron deity, but the great festivals
are held in the vicinity of the splendid pagodas and
shrines, of which a brief account has been given. *
The general opinion seems to be that the at¬
tendance at the Hampi festival is decreasing year
by year. About fifteen years ago it was estimated
that 100,000 people were present, five years ago it
was 60,000, last year it was doubted if 40,000
people attended. The reason of this has never been
satisfactorily explained, and it is tho more re¬
markable, because in former years cholera invari¬
ably broke out among the assembled pilgrims, while
during the last five years, in which sanitary pre¬
cautions have been adopted, the festival has not
been accompanied by this scourge. One reason
possibly is, that the people do not like these sani¬
- The chief festivals are :—at Hampi iu Hospet taluqa, in
honour of Virupakshapa Svami about 15th April; at Ko- tilr, in Kndlighi, in honour of BasApeivara Svami, 27th Feb.; at Mailar, in Hadagalli, in honour of Lingapa SvAmi, tary measures; they object to leave their bullocks at some distance outside the walls, to be obliged to bathe in certain places, and to get their drink¬ ing-water from others ; they dislike being inter¬ fered with, and though the better informed readily admit the benefits that result from these measures, and value their immunity from epidemic disease, yet they, as well as the great mass of the people, would prefer to have none of them, and keep away rather than submit to them. During the last three festivals it has been found very difficult to get enough people to drag the car from one end of the street to the other, according to custom. One of the superior magistrates always attends this festival; medical assistance is sent out from Bel&ri, and Rupees 600 is annually allotted for clearing out wells, &o., and for other necessary purposes. After Hampi the festival held at Mailar is the best attended. It is held after the harvest, and the people encamp in the fields, being spread over a space about a mile square. The Tdngabadrd is close by, so that there is an abundant supply of pure fresh water, and, as there is no necessity for the pilgrims to crowd together as at Hampi, disease does not often break out. There is one custom which is peculiar to this festival. On the great day, in the evening, when the worship is completed and the offerings made, the deity deigns, in the person of a child, to lift the veil of the future, and in the presence of the assembled thousands to utter one sentence prophetic of fu¬ ture events. A little child is held up on the shoulders of the priests, and, closing in his arms the iron bow of the god upheld by the priests, lie utters the words put into his mouth by the god. The words uttered in 1869 were, “there are many thunderbolts in the sky,” and the words were greeted with a murmur of joy, as implying probably a good supply of rain in the coming year. Great faith appears to be placed by the people in these words heard at these times, and. as there seems to be the same vagueness about them as characterized the utterances of the Delphic oracle, it is probable that their faith is never put to any severe test. The sentence uttered the year before the Mutiny,-^" the white ants arc risen against, ” is now recalled by many in proof of the far-seeing power of their god * * * “ There were presont at the festival about 5,000 bandies, 23,000 head of cattle, and not fewer than 40,000 people.” (Report of Mr. Clogstoun, Assistant Collector, in G. O., 3rd March 1869.)+ 14th to 16th Feb.; at Kuruvalli, Harpanhalli, in honour of Goni Barappa SvAmi, 12-14th March ; aud at Manchala, Adwani, in nonour of RAgavendra Svami, 14th August. + Ibid. pp. 292-295.
