Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/232

 198 BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE. BOOK I. sect. On the whole, they are p purer and simpler than the latest at Ajanta, though most probably of a slightly earlier age. The plan of one has already been given (p. 182), but it is neither so large nor architecturally so important as the great vihara, shown in plan, Woodcut No. 113. Its great "3. Great Vihara Cave at Bagh. (From a Plan by Dr. Impey.) hall is about 96 ft. square, and would at AjantS. rank as a twenty-eight pillared cave, like No. 4 there, but inside this are eight pillars ranged octagonally ; and at a later age, apparently in consequence of some failure of the roof, the damaged portion was hewn out, making the central area higher than the rest of the hall, and four structural pillars shaded lighter were introduced. The architraves forming the inner sides of the octagon on the roof are carved with a double row of chaitya window ornaments. The jala connected with this vihara measures 94 ft. by 44 ft., and the two are joined together by a verandah measuring 220 ft. in length, adorned by twenty free-standing pillars. At one time the whole of the back wall of this gallery and the inner walls of the vihara were adorned with a series of frescoes, equalling in beauty and in interest those of Ajanta. As in those at Ajanta, the uninitiated would fail to trace among them any symptoms of Buddhism as generally understood. The principal subjects are processions on horseback, or on elephants. In the latter the number of women exceeds that of the men. Dancing and love-making are, as usual, prominently introduced, and only one small picture, containing two men, can be said to be appropriated to worship.