DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2375#0083
"♦•^vr." "r-5?5KS55^W^^
74
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
CHAPTER
XV.
Feb. 5.
Tigers.
Feb. 6.
Appearance
of the coun-
try.
Choutar
Rajds.
Sopina Angady has only three shops; but the houses of the pro-
prietors are very large, and the occupants seem to be in easy cir-
cumstances. Here is a Jain temple, with an excellent house for the
priest (Pujdri). The place was formerly much infested with tigers;
but a year ago the inhabitants collected, and cleared away so much
of the wood, that they now have no trouble from these animals.
They clear the country by cutting clown the brush-wood, and burn-
ing it when it has dried. If this be repeated two or three years
successively, the large trees also decay. The country is afterwards
preserved clear by annually burning the grass. A few bushes always
spring up, but not more than is sufficient to supply the farmers
with leaves for manure.
6th February.—I went two cosses to Mudu, or East Biddery, and
by the way crossed a branch of the northern Mangalore river, which
descends from the Ghats. On the way, two tigers were seen by
some of my people. Although the country is well cleared, it con-
tains very little rice ground ; and, as the hills are considered as
totally useless, this is in fact one of the poorest countries that I
have ever seen.
Mudu Biddery was formerly subject to the Choutar Rajas, and
their descendants have still a house in the place. The tradition,
as given me here by a Brahman native officer, and apparently a well
informed man, is, that the Jain Rajds of Tulava were independent of
each other, and of all other powers, and were descended from the
kings of Vijaya-nagara by Jain women. They derived their terri-
tories from their parents, as appanages free from all claims of tri-
bute. I think it probable, that the Brahman confounds the Baylala
Rdyas, who were sovereigns of Karndta, and who were Jain, with
the family who afterwards founded Vijaya-nagar, who governed the
same dominions, and who were worshippers of Vishnu.
About 150 years ago, when under the Choutar Rajds, the place
contained 18 Busties or temples of the Jain, and a throne occupied
74
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
CHAPTER
XV.
Feb. 5.
Tigers.
Feb. 6.
Appearance
of the coun-
try.
Choutar
Rajds.
Sopina Angady has only three shops; but the houses of the pro-
prietors are very large, and the occupants seem to be in easy cir-
cumstances. Here is a Jain temple, with an excellent house for the
priest (Pujdri). The place was formerly much infested with tigers;
but a year ago the inhabitants collected, and cleared away so much
of the wood, that they now have no trouble from these animals.
They clear the country by cutting clown the brush-wood, and burn-
ing it when it has dried. If this be repeated two or three years
successively, the large trees also decay. The country is afterwards
preserved clear by annually burning the grass. A few bushes always
spring up, but not more than is sufficient to supply the farmers
with leaves for manure.
6th February.—I went two cosses to Mudu, or East Biddery, and
by the way crossed a branch of the northern Mangalore river, which
descends from the Ghats. On the way, two tigers were seen by
some of my people. Although the country is well cleared, it con-
tains very little rice ground ; and, as the hills are considered as
totally useless, this is in fact one of the poorest countries that I
have ever seen.
Mudu Biddery was formerly subject to the Choutar Rajas, and
their descendants have still a house in the place. The tradition,
as given me here by a Brahman native officer, and apparently a well
informed man, is, that the Jain Rajds of Tulava were independent of
each other, and of all other powers, and were descended from the
kings of Vijaya-nagara by Jain women. They derived their terri-
tories from their parents, as appanages free from all claims of tri-
bute. I think it probable, that the Brahman confounds the Baylala
Rdyas, who were sovereigns of Karndta, and who were Jain, with
the family who afterwards founded Vijaya-nagar, who governed the
same dominions, and who were worshippers of Vishnu.
About 150 years ago, when under the Choutar Rajds, the place
contained 18 Busties or temples of the Jain, and a throne occupied