Matsya-tirtha.—Either (1) Mahé, the French possession on the coast of the Malabar district. Or (2) Matsya-gundam, a curious pool on the Macheru river, near the village of Matam, six miles north north-west of Pacleru (in the Padwa taluq of the Vizaga-patam district). A barrier of rocks runs right across the river there, and the stream plunges into a great hole and vanishes beneath this, reappearing again about a hundred yards lower down. Just where it emerges from under the barrier it forms a pool which is crowded with mahseer of all sizes. (Vizagapatam Gaz. 285).
Nine Tripadi.—Alwar Tiru-nagari, 17 m. s. e. of Tinnevelly. Around it are 9 temples to Vishnu (Tirupati), the idols of which are assembled in this town on holy days. [R. M. G.]
Paksha-tirtha.—Pakshi-tirtham or Tiru-kadi-kundram, 9 miles south east of Chingleput. [R. M. G.] "The hill of the sacred kites." It is a ridge terminating in a spiked hill, some 500 feet above sea-level, on which stands a Shiva temple. The name of the hill is Vedagiri or Vedachalam, and the idol is called Veda-girishwar. Every day two birds of the kite species come to the mountain and are fed by an attendant Brahman. The same two are believed to have come from Benares to receive this daily dole from time immemorial. (Chingleput Man. 106-107).
Pampá.—The ancient and Puranic name of the Tungabhadra. The village of Hampi (the site of the famous capital Vijaynagar) was originally known as Pampa-tirtha. This name (also Pampá-saras) is now borne by a tank on the Haidarabad side of the Tungabhadra near Anegundi. (Bellary Gazetteer, 6, 261).
Pána.—Panakal Narasimha at Mangal-giri, 7 m. south of Bezvada. But it is too far to the north. [R. M. G.] When visitors offer a draught to Narasimha-swami, the image in the temple refuses to drink more than half of it. (Kistna Dist. Man. 179).
Páná-garhi.—Panagodi, 30 m. s. s. w. of Tinnevelly on the road to Trivandrum. [R. M. G.] But the temple there is to Ramlinga-swami Shiva and not to Ram.
Panchavati.—Identified with Nasik in the Bombay presidency. Nasik and Trimbak (at the source of the Godavari) are described in Bombay Gazetteer, xvi.
Pandupur.—Pandharpur, on the Bhima river, 38 miles due west of Sholapur; famous for its temple to Vithoba. (Bombay Gaz. xx. 415-481).
Papa-nashan.—Eight miles s. w. of Kumbakonam (Tanjore Gaz. 221). There is another city of this name 29 miles west of Palamkota, (in the Tinnevelly district). Here near a pagoda the Tamraparni river takes its last fall from the hills to the level country. (Tinn. Man. 91).
Payaswini.—Tiru-vattar in the Travancore State. [R. M. G.]