KOWA DOL. The Barabur Hills are isolated rocks of syenitic granite, rising abruptly from the plain about 15 miles north of Gyah, by the left bank of the Pliulgo or Mahaadi ; the cluster is remarkable for the masses of roRk, piled one above another, with hardly any soil, an rising to various heights, from 100 to 400 feet. Each bill has a name of its own. The highest is Called Barabur, also Sidheswur, from a temple to Mah deva that once crowned its heights. The next in height is the Kowa Dol, which is detached from the rest by near a mile to the south-west. A third is called Nag-arjuni, and is the easternmost of the great cluster. A fourth, and the smallest, called Durhawut, is at the northern extremity ; but others also have names. The Kowa Dol is an almost entirely bare rock, having nearly a perpen dicular scarp on its northern facer and sloping at an angle of 45° on the southern side ; east and west, it is disjointed and inaccessible ; huge stratified masses are piled one over the other, decreasing in length at each end, the whole is surmounted by single blocks like pillars, the centre one of which towers above the rest, and is conical. It is said that formerly there was a huge
block balanced on the top of this cone, which, from its being moved by birds alighting on it, obtained the name of Kowa Dol, or crow-moved, or the crow-swing. About the middle of the 18th century, this rocking-stone fell down to where it may still be seen. This hill seems to have been surrounded by a large town. There is an artificial mound continuous round the north and east faces, filled with broken pottery, bricks, and blocks of hewn stone ; there are two names given, Sarain and Summunpur ; on the portion called by the latter name there is an extensive Muhammadan cemetery. The caves of Barabur, with one ex ception, are entirely devoid of sculpture or orna ment of any kind. They are seven in number ; four iu one bill, three in another ; but the name Satgarba, commonly understood to mean seven chambers, is applied only to two.