SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

344 SRI PARVATAM.
And we had then the satisfaction of worshipping God with our own
hands at our own leisure and our abhisheka and archana were
performed with the accompaniment of Devdra and Tiruva$aga
Hymns. One has necessarily to attain to that calm, resigned
and reverent attitude of mind and body, forgetting all self, which
is
necessary in a worship of this kind, before one can expect to
feel any soul-elevation.
A visit to the Kistna which cuts through the Nail a Malais at
this point and a bath in it are held very sacred ;
and this is a pretty
stiff job. It is one steep journey, down and down you go, tiK at
the very bottom lies the perfectly blue and placid waters of Patal.a
Ganga or Nil-Ganga. The scene hereabouts can only be matched
by the Nerbudda at the marble rocks. Our artist has taken 2 or
3 views of the bathing-ghat and the winding river. The distance
between Peddacheruvu and mount Kailas is about 15 miles and
from Mount KaiJas" to Patala Ganga (Kistna) is about 5 miles.
For the greater part, the hills are covered with bamboos and
various valuable forest trees, but at the time we went, owing to
the drought and other causes the trees were more or less bare
and the bamboos presented a withered appearance. The forest
produce are all enjoyed by the Chenchus, the native inhabit
ants of these jungles and hills. On the route to Sr! Sailam, these
Chenchus occupy three settlements, called Gudems, one near
Nagaluti, one near Peddacheruvu, one near Sri Sailam. 1 hey levy
from the pilgrims a kind of poll-tax at these different points, at one
anna per head ;
and this is said to be in consideration of their pro
tecting the property and person of the pilgrims in these wild
regions, and the Police Inspector himself told us that they are, so far,
remarkable for their honesty. These hill-men do not differ much
from other natives of the low country, but they are almost naked
except in the piece-cloth (langoti) which they wear. One big cloth
besides they wear with which they cover their upper part
of the
body or lay it iosely over their shoulders. They have a peculiar
way of tying their hair, in the style known as Kondai Miidichu,
which kind of dressing may also be perceived in some of the