224 HUMCHA
a Jain principality founded in the eighth century by Jinadatta Rāya,
who is said to have come from Muttra in Northern India. He was
invested with sovereignty by the goddess Padmāvati, whose image he
had brought with him. By her direction he touched with it his horse's
bit, which was at once converted into a golden bit, and she conferred
on him the power thus to transmute iron into gold. A descendant of
his acquired the Santalige country (the Tirthahalli tdluk), and the
rulers thenceforward took the name of Sāntara. Around the village
are extensive ruins, including those of large Jain temples. The
Humcha math is one of the chief seats of the Jains in Mysore, but is
now reduced to a very impoverished state.
Hungund Taluka.-South-eastern tdluka of Bijāpur District,
Bombay, lying between 15° 51′ and 16° 16′ N. and 75° 50′ and
76° 20′ E., with an area of 521 square miles. It contains one town,
ILKAL (population, 9,oi9) ; and 16o villages, including AMĪNGARH
(7,734) and HUNGUND (4,775), the head-quarters. The population in
1901 was 83,615, compared with 102,894 in :c891, the decrease being
attributable to emigration consequent upon famine. The density,
16o persons per square mile, is however above the District average.
The demand for land revenue in 1903-4 was 1-56 lakhs, and for cesses
Rs. 12,ooo. Except in the south-west, the soil is mostly black and very
rich. During the hot months the heat is very oppressive, but during
the rest of the year the climate is one of the best in the District.
Hungund has a good water-supply, chiefly from the Kistna, Malprabha,
and several streams. The annual rainfall averages nearly 22 inches.
Hungund Village.-Head-quarters of the tdluka of the same name
in Bijāpur District, Bombay, situated in 16° 4′ N. and 76° 4prime; E., about
29 miles from Bagalkot station on the Southern Mahratta Railway.
Population (1901), 4,775. Most of the wells in the place are im-
pregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen. Hungund contains several
interesting temples, and two schools, of which one is for girls, with
253 and 57 pupils respectively.
Hunsur Taluk.-Western tdluk of Mysore District, Mysore State,
lying between 12° 8′ and 12° 35′ N. and 75° 55′ and 76° 31′ E., with
an area of 66o square miles. The population in rgoi was 115,928,
compared with 113,271 In 1891. The tdluk contains two towns,
HUNSUR (population, 6,673), the head-quarters, and PIRIYAPATNA
(3,872); and 412 villages. The land revenue demand in 1903-4 was
Rs. r,57,ooo. The Cauvery forms part of the western boundary. The
Lakshmantirtha runs through the south and east, and is crossed by
several dams, from which channels are taken off. The principal hill is
that of BETTADPUR (4,389 feet). Westwards are low ranges, from
which commences the great forest belt of the south-west of the District.
The surface is very undulating. The north, centre, and east are open,
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