Report of a Tour through the Bengal Provinces/Chandimau
CHANDIMAU.
Chandimau is a small village on the west bank of the Panchâna river, and about 2 miles north-west of Giriyak; there are some few remains here. (See Broadley's paper, J. A. S., for 1872.)
Giriyak has been noticed by numerous writers and by General Cunningham in his report, to which I refer. The controversy between Mr. Broadley and General Cunningham regarding the mountain visited by Fa-hian ultimately resolves itself into the question, Is or is not Fa-hian's Siao-kou-shy-shan the same as Hwen Thsang's Indra-Sila mountain? Fa-hian's account of the legend attached to his rock is not only substantially the same as Hwen Thsang’s, but the existence of a cell facing the south is distinctly recorded by Fa-hian in his mountain. Now, although he places this cell on the top of the hill, I think there cannot be a doubt that the cave referred to is the Giddha-dwâr cave which faces south, and is at the top, not of the mountain, but of the pass, between the two ranges of hills which converge and meet at Giriyak.
In addition to the Giddhadwâr cave, there is a cave near the foot of the hill on the north side; it is a natural cavern of no interest, but is said by the people to communicate with the Giddhiadwâr cave; it is named the Shekbir cave. Close to it is a great boulder worshipped by the Musahars of the neighbourhood as Hathiya Deo.