Dec. 6, 1872.]

ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE KRISHNA DISTRICT,

female energy and creative or productive power, as a part and distinct from, and yet intimately connected with, Almighty power. I have found several images of this kind which appear to be of considerable antiquity, and the form represented is the same in each, a female figure with four arms holding in each hand a sword, a mallet, a trident, and a chakra. These figures have been turned out of the temples. They are not regarded as the consorts of Vishnu and Siva, and the people call them village goddesses, and give them the names of Aukamma in one vil lage, and Poleramma in another, and so on. I have met with two in Bapatla (one in the chief street, the other near the kacheri), another at Dachipalli near the kacheri, and the fourth at Tenali in the Weavers' street, beside a collection of snake stones and sculptured figures which re-call their Scythic costume.

There are four stones near the kacheri

at Bapatla, one the female figure, a second repre sents a full length female figure with a glory round its head ; on the third there are a few Telugu letters sculptured of forms now obsolete ; on the top of the fourth stone there is represented a circle depict ed by a serpent having its tail in its mouth, and within the circle are portrayed two pairs of foot prints. The circle is only about a foot in diameter; on the side of the same stone are sculptured four standing figures in striking attitudes. The people say these are Palnati Viralu, or Palnad heroes. The Viralu, I may remark in passing, have a temple

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the Saktas, and linked them as consorts of the deitics, and invested them with all the attributes most calculated to terrify and alarm. Such are Kali, Durgā, and Bhavāni in the north. Such are the village goddesses throughout Southern India. In nearly every village we find some special female divinity of the kind : a Poleramma, or Aukamma, or Gangănamma. And if Brahmans and Vaisyas frequent Vaishnava and Saiva shrines, the great bulk of the lowest classes confine their religious exercises to the propitiation of evil in the offerings made at the temple of some local female divinity. It may not be out of place to mention here an experience of my own. It will show how associa tions gather, and also how the popular mind de lights to associate the human element with its rude conceptions of a Supreme Power. In the village of Nandigama in the Krishna District, one early morn ing I was visiting the temples as I often do, and looking for antiquities, when I came upon a new shed in a line with two others. On inquiry I was informed that this was a temple dedicated to a new village goddess named, I think, Poleramma. I was further informed that she was, in fact, a rayat’s wife who lately lived in the village, and was murdered by her husband. He was tried for the offence, but was acquicted. The popular rustic mind at once conceived the idea of adopting this unhappy woman as the personification of unsatiated vengeance. An image was made to represent her, and in her hands

dedicated to them at Karempudi in the Palnad. The

was placed a sword, and she was installed hence

hundred heroes are here represented each by “smooth

forth as the village goddess. Strange to say, an image of her husband, who is living to the present day in the village, was added and placed by her

stones of the stream” well waterworn, and these are

ranged round the temple. There are also some iron trophies in the temple. There is an annual festival held in November, which is very numer ously attended. It is observed exclusively by the lower order of the people. Whether there is any connection really between these Viralu and the sculptures at Bapatla, I cannot say ; but in the en closure of a Sivalayam, dedicated to the title of Agastes’varasvāmi, on the bank of the red tank at Guntur, there is a stone which has a striking resem blance to the one at Bapatla. On the top are por trayed two pairs of footprints, and on one side there are standing figures. The stone has been broken.

side.

Perhaps the worship paid to the spirits of mur dered persons, or those who have left behind them an evil memory, is analogous to the belief in Eu rope of ghosts haunting particular spots. It appears a common notion among all nations in all ages.

Mr. Walhouse, Judge of Mangalor, South Kanara,

Near it there are several snake stones and other

informs me that Bhuta worship is the really pre valent cult in that district, and half the Bhutas are the spirits of murdered or notoriously evil-lived persons. It assumes the character of propitiatory worship. New village deities are thus continually springing up. Mr. Walhouse mentions a curious

stones with figures which appear to belong to a pre

instance which came under his own observation in

Brahmanic age.

Trichinapali. A much dreaded dacoit was killed,

Connected with the worship of the s'aktas, as the female personifications of creative power, fecundity, and fertility, we have the worship of Bhu Devi, the earth goddess, so general throughout Central and Southern India, celebrated by the Khonds with hu man sacrifice, and by other classes with slaughter of cattle. We find the worship prevalent among many wild tribes and among the Pariahs. It is evidently a very ancient form of religion. Among the lowest orders, where the densest ignorance prevails, the idea of deity is still inti mately associated with fear and dread, and so they have taken the personifications of female energy,

and after his death became a fashionable Bhut, and half the children born were named after him. So,

too, Dr. Caldwell, in his Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian languages, relates a very curious illustration of the same sentiment. In some lonely wild spot of the Tinnevelli District there is the grave of a European Officer. In life, he appears to have made himself obnoxious to the natives, and to have been greatly dreaded. To this date it is a custom to offer spirits and cigars upon his grave. But to return to the idea of serpent worship, and its connection with the several phases of religion in India:—To this day the serpent may be still found