DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0127
105
CHAPTER V.
MAHAYALLIPUR, OR THE SEVEN PAGODAS.1
Introductory.
With the exception of the caves at Elephanta and Elura, there is
perhaps no group of rock-cut temples in India which have been so
often described, and are consequently so familiar to the English
public, as those known as the Seven Pagodas, situated on the sea-
shore 35 miles south of Madras. From their being so near and so
easily accessible from the capital of the Presidency, they early
attracted the attention of the learned in these matters. As long ago
as 1772 they were visited by Mr. W. Chambers, who wrote a very
reasonable account of them, which appeared in the first volume
of the Asiatic Researches in 1788. This was followed in the fifth
volume of the same publication in 1798, by one by Mr. J. Golding-
ham. Both of these, however, may be said to have been superseded
by one by Dr. Guy Babington in the second volume of the Trans-
actions of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1830. He was the first who
attempted and succeeded in decyphering the inscriptions found at
the place, and the illustrations of his paper, drawn by himself and
his friend Mr. Hudleston, are among the best and most trustworthy
of any that up to that time had been published of any Indian
antiquities. Before his time, however, in 1816, they had attracted
the attention of the indefatigable Colonel Colin Mackenzie, and lie
left a collection of 37 drawings of the architecture and sculpture of the
place, which are now, in manuscript, in the India Office library. Like
There seems to be great difficulty in ascertaining what is the proper name of this
place. In the beginning of the century it was the fashion to call it Maha Bali puram,
which was the name adopted by Col. Mackenzie in his MS., and by Southey in his
Curse ofKehama. Dr. Babington, in his paper in the second volume of the Trans.
«■ A. S., states that in the Tamil inscriptions in the Varahaswami Pagoda it is called
Mahamalaipur, which he states means " city of the great hill." This is disputed by
the Rev. G. Mahon and the Rev. W. Taylor, and they suggest (Carr. 66) Mamallaipur,
-lahalaram, &c. I have adopted, as involving no theory, Mahavallipur, by which it is
generally known among Europeans, though far from pretending that it is the real
name of the place.
CHAPTER V.
MAHAYALLIPUR, OR THE SEVEN PAGODAS.1
Introductory.
With the exception of the caves at Elephanta and Elura, there is
perhaps no group of rock-cut temples in India which have been so
often described, and are consequently so familiar to the English
public, as those known as the Seven Pagodas, situated on the sea-
shore 35 miles south of Madras. From their being so near and so
easily accessible from the capital of the Presidency, they early
attracted the attention of the learned in these matters. As long ago
as 1772 they were visited by Mr. W. Chambers, who wrote a very
reasonable account of them, which appeared in the first volume
of the Asiatic Researches in 1788. This was followed in the fifth
volume of the same publication in 1798, by one by Mr. J. Golding-
ham. Both of these, however, may be said to have been superseded
by one by Dr. Guy Babington in the second volume of the Trans-
actions of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1830. He was the first who
attempted and succeeded in decyphering the inscriptions found at
the place, and the illustrations of his paper, drawn by himself and
his friend Mr. Hudleston, are among the best and most trustworthy
of any that up to that time had been published of any Indian
antiquities. Before his time, however, in 1816, they had attracted
the attention of the indefatigable Colonel Colin Mackenzie, and lie
left a collection of 37 drawings of the architecture and sculpture of the
place, which are now, in manuscript, in the India Office library. Like
There seems to be great difficulty in ascertaining what is the proper name of this
place. In the beginning of the century it was the fashion to call it Maha Bali puram,
which was the name adopted by Col. Mackenzie in his MS., and by Southey in his
Curse ofKehama. Dr. Babington, in his paper in the second volume of the Trans.
«■ A. S., states that in the Tamil inscriptions in the Varahaswami Pagoda it is called
Mahamalaipur, which he states means " city of the great hill." This is disputed by
the Rev. G. Mahon and the Rev. W. Taylor, and they suggest (Carr. 66) Mamallaipur,
-lahalaram, &c. I have adopted, as involving no theory, Mahavallipur, by which it is
generally known among Europeans, though far from pretending that it is the real
name of the place.