there are

1 73

LEGEND OF WELLUR.

JUNE, 1873.] wells all about.

Streams

of

water

for cleansing the teeth.

He daily went to Kai

run continuously underneath the temple. There is one portion of the temple in which you cannot go without a guide and torch; it consists of seven rooms built one beyond another. This temple went out of the hands of the Hin

lás Hill to worship the Dharmalinga, from whom

dus about the commencement of the Muhammadan

brothers were attacked by Pálagar marauders, but

he wished to know all about his lot.

He intended

to stay where he was, if he was thereby to become happy, otherwise he purposed to go and live in

Senchi near Tanjor. On the tenth day the two

No idol is left in it; half a dozen

Bimardi and Timardi fought so boldly against

public offices are located in it; the richly carved black massive “Mandaps” have been white washed; the whole building has been disfigured. The following story” will tell how this curious temple and fort were erected. It is said that when this place was a desert it was resided in by a god named Jalāgandi Ishwa rar; Gangă Gauriaman was the goddess. The small hill or Durgam was their frequent resort.

them that they retreated. On hearing this the Rāja was much pleased, and the two brothers were

rule in Vellur.

The Palär river was then called Chir and was on

the north. To the south was the village of Wela

padi. To the east was Palakonda Rānmalāi mountain. To the south-east was Dharmalinga Malási mountain.

To the west was the tank of

Sádipári. Everything within these boundaries was “Welankud,” or forest. Cholā Rāja was then reigning, who had acquired much fame. A person named Eatumardi used to live in the sacred city of Palavansa, on the banks of the Krishna river. He had two sons, Bimardi and Timardi, whose statues are yet at the sides of the temple gate. They are also found inside the tem ple in various attitudes. Their mother died soon after giving them birth. Eatumardi had four sons by his second wife. His wealth consisted in cattle, and they were by thousands. Soon after

entrusted with numerous Silladars. The villagers also rendered them any aid they needed. At this stage of affairs one of the cows of Bimardi was delivered of a calf. It was as white as milk; but its horns, nose, tail and hoofs were black. Its teats

were five. When it grew it never went in com pany with the other cattle. It went to graze alone, and returned alone. It was delivered of a calf, but did not allow it to drink milk. Bimar

di was surprised to find that daily when the cow returned in the evening it came with empty udder. Nor was the herdsman able to explain this, but one morning he followed the cow wherever it went. The cow went on till it came near a small

island, to which it went crossing the water.

Im

mediately after this a serpent came out of a hole. It had five mouths, by which it drank milk from the five teats of the cow. After the serpent had

done drinking, the cow returned to its master's place. Bimardi was much affected by this sight. He considered

both

the

occurrence and the

locality as sacred. On the morning of the follow

ing day he crossed the water and went near the

two divisions of his wealth; one was given to Bi

hole of the five-mouthed serpent. There he pray ed to know what were the wishes of the serpent. After this he fell fast asleep. A figure then ap

mardi and Timardi, and the other was divided

peared to him in his dream and said to Bimardi—

among the four sons by his second wife, who

“My name is Sambašivam. That cow which you possess is created by me. I drink its milk and am pleased. I therefore wish you all suc

celebrating the marriages of his sons he made

commenced quarrelling with and even concerting the death of their two half-brothers after the death

of their father.

Hereupon the two brothers

abandoned their homes with their families and

their cattle. In course of their journey they halted at a place called Tirum, whence water was conveyed for the god Sriranganaigar, who was living in Palikonda. Hearing of the fame of Chola Rāja and the sacredness of the hills in his possession, they went to Kailāspatnam ; and Bimardi besought the Rāja to give him some land for cultivation. The Rāja, seeing he had come with immense cattle, gave him as much land as he wished in Welapadi to till and to rear his cattle. This place was called Welapadi, because it was full of trees named welam which furnished sticks

cess and happiness l’” Bimardi answered—“I do not care for life or happiness, but am anxious always to remain in your service; and I am also anxious to perpetuate your name; with that desire I wish to construct a temple and a fort.” The god

replied: “Why need you do this? I am not any way known, and wish to remain so.” Bimardi repeated, however, his prayers with much suppli cation. The Deva then asked ; “Well, if your wishes be so strong, whence can you bring all the wealth to build the temple and fort P What

money have you got for this purpose P” “All my wealth consists in the 8,700 head of cattle I pos sess; I shall sell them and carry out my object.”

• A different legend is given by Lieut. H. P. Hawkes in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, vol. XX, p.

274, bearing some slight resemblance however to this.-ED,