‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎225] (246/508)

into the EAST-INDIES. ^25
Palais and other Fruit-trees 5 and it ftands onf^e famebankof
the River more Northwards with Ciuulo^ the Portugdls, Tisa
larfe Town well inhabited both by Moors and Gentiles, efpe- ^ .
ciafly near the Bazar or Market-place, where the Shops afFord
plenty of all things neceflary for Food and Clothing, according /7/ /
to the fafhion of the Country, as alfb very fine Cotton Clothes ot T\/i ,
fever a 1 (brts 3 with other commodities which are brought thither
from the rtiore inward parts. Beyond the Bazar, the Houfes
ftand not fo clofe together, but (batter d here and there amongft
Gardens, or rather woods of Palmes and other Fruit-trees 3
which are Very thickj tall, and handfome, affording(badow to
the ftreets all the way, which are broad, long, green, and very
delightful. A little diftant from the Bazar is a great Artificial
Lake or Ciftern, furrounded, as their cuftom is, with ftone
ftairs 5 they call it Tattle Nave Nagher, The Moors^ for the moft
part dwell neir the towards the River, which pafles not
far off, and is navigable (even or eight leagues upwards : Here
al(b the Mahometans have their Mefchita's, hot Baths^ (which
the Gentiles ufe not, becaUfe they wafh themfelves publickly in
their CifternsV and places of Sepulture^ a Dogana, orCuftom'
houfe 5 and faffly, a Divan, or Court of Juftice, and what-ever
belongs to their Government.
Moft of the Gentiles are the greateft part,liye InHoufes re- lit,
mote from the Bazar, amongft Gardens and Trees 5 where in
feveral places they have fundry Temples of their Idols, as one
principal, wh^chl faw, of a Goddefs, who, they fay,
is the fame with Lehsemi, Wife of VifeWj another good one
dedicated to Amrnt Suer, who, they fay, is the (ame with Maha-
and isfigur'd by a round ftone like him ofC^W^. Other
Temples 1 faw of Neratena, and others of their Idols 5 but the t
greateft and chiefeft of all, both for efteem and devotion, ftands
remote fromthe Bazar upon the way to Ciaul of the Vortugals^
and is dedicated to Rami, or Ramifuer ^ it adjoynes to a great
Artificial Lake or Ciftern, each fide whereof is about 73
paces, environ'd after theufual fafhion with banks and ftairs of
ftone, leading down to the furface of the water j there are al(b
round about it very broad walks fhadow'd with high, thickjand
goodiy Trees, which make t\he place opacous and very lovely.
In the front of the Temple next tfee Ciftern , undfcfc a Cupolet
fupported by four Pilafters, is the ftatue of an Ox or Bull fitting
with all the four Legs gather'd under it, being the fa n^pjEh at I
faw in Canara 0 call'd Bafuana, but here Nandii they tolcraie, it
was a Male , and different from Gaietry Vafca, which jwas the
Wife of Rama, The head and breaft otthis figure looks towards
the Gate ofthe Temple, the back and tayl towards the Ciftern 5
and the Gentiles who come to vifit this 1 emple, firft go down to
wafb their Face, Hands, and feet in the Ciftern, and then come
to kifs and touch with their Head in token of Reverence, (or at
leaft with their Hands reverently bow'ddown after their man-
Gg ^ rnO
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