Memoir on Thar and

former, as its possession was a source of no inconsiderable revenue periodically; and to
the latter, from superstitious apprehensions of the deity’s wrath being excited, by
apparent though unintentional neglect.
33. The legend regarding the Gorecha idol will be found in Appendix, marked B.
34. Close to the present village of Veerawow, situated on the confines of the Desert and
Parkur, is the site of an old town by name Paree Nuggur. Judging from the extent of the
buildings and streets, many of which are traceable—the houses having been built of burnt
bricks, which have since been excavated and used for the present village of Veerawow,—
it would appear to have been a large flourishing town. An arm of the Runn of Kutch rims
up close to Veerawow, and I see no reason to doubt the fact of its having been many
centuries ago navigable, and of Paree Nuggur having been a port; in all probability, its
decline is attributable to the land gaining on the sea, and the Runn ceasing to be
navigable.
35. The only information I have been able to discover regarding Paree Nuggur, leads me
to suppose that it was established in the first century of the Christian Era, and that it
subsequently contained a large population, tradition says, of 40,000 souls. The Purmars
were at a later period the rulers of the place; subsequently, however, the Emperor’s troops
from Delhi destroyed the town. This event is supposed to have taken place about A.D.
1226. For further particulars, vide appendices C. and D.
36. On the site of Paree Nuggur, there are the remains of five or six large Jain temples,
most of them of white marble; and some of them, notwithstanding the lapse of ages, still
partially standing, interesting monuments of ancient and by-gone prosperity. They clearly
demonstrate that at the time of their construction—and which, from dates engraved on
some of the slabs, was probably in the middle of the eleventh century,—the artisans were
by no means behind those of after-times in the art of sculpture. The figures and
ornamental sculpture and designs in various parts of the buildings are beautifully
executed, particularly the figures, which are better proportioned and executed than almost
any I have seen in the East.
37. In Parkur again, there are evident traces of former prosperity; numbers of old tanks,
now choked up, bespeak the liberality of some of the leading members of society in bygone
times. It appears, from stones lately dug up in two tanks at Kharea and Soorachund,
that they were dug or repaired, respectively, in A.D. 1434 and 1465. At Boodesir, also in
Parkur, there are the remains of a large Jain temple, and a mosque; the latter bears an
inscription as follows:— “If it may be injured, any one in power who will not repair it,
will be considered a sinner by God.” A.D. 1436.
38. It was to this place, Boodesir, that the mercantile community emigrated, on the
destruction, by the Delhi troops, of Paree Nuggur (about A.D. 1226); and from hence
they subsequently took their departure and settled at Mandavee, in Kutch, and
Jamnuggur, in Hallar, about A.D. 1388. It is curious to mark the flights of this
community in the course of years, firstly from Paree Nuggur to Boodesir, and then to
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