Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/312

 268 ARCHITECTURE IN THE HIMALAYAS. BOOK II. minister, and named Meruvardhana-swamin. 1 It now stands in the water of a shallow pool that occupies the former courtyard. Origin- ally, it seems to have had a third storey or division to its roof, but that has fallen ; the lower part of the building, however, ex- hibits all the charac- teristic features of the style in as much per- fection as almost any other known example. It consists of a shrine only, 1 1 ft. 7 in. square inside, with doors on all four sides, and the inside roof covered with sculpture. One last example must conclude our 152. Temple at Pandrethan. illustrations of Kash- (From a Drawing by Gen. Cunningham.) ... .. , mm architecture. The temple at Payer, though one of the smallest, is among the most elegant, and also one of the most entire examples of the style (Woodcut No. 153). Its dimensions are only 8 ft. square for the superstructure, with a door on each side, and 21 ft. high, including the basement; but with even these dimensions it acquires a certain dignity from being erected with only six stones four for the walls and two for the roof. 2 It stands by itself on a knoll, without any court, or any of the surroundings of the older temples, and is dedicated to Siva. It would be interesting if its date could be ascertained, as it carries with it that of the cave of Bhaumajo or Bumazu, and of several other temples. 3 Vigne, from its perfect preservation 1 ' Rajatarangini,' bk. v., v. 267; Moorcroft, ' Travels,' vol. ii. p. 240 ; Hiigel, ' Kaschmir,' Bd. i., S. 260; Vigne, ' Travels,' vol. ii. p. 38 ; Cun- ningham, ' Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,' vol. x vii. , pt. ii. pp. 283 et seqq. , and plate 21 ; Foucher, ' L'Art Greco- Bouddhique,' pp. 143-146. " Cunningham, he. cit. p. 256; Growse says ' ten stones,' adding four for the tympana over the doors. 3 'Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,' vol. xxxv. pp. IOO et seqq. ; and Stein's 'Rajatarangini,' bk. vi., vv. 177, 178, note. It is probably the same as the temple of Bhimakejava built (950-958 A.D.)byBhima .Sahi, King of Kabul or Udabhanda.