Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/411

 CHAP. IV. CONJIVARAM. 359 of the court, and with a bull or Nandi and an elephant placed alternately between the spires. On the fronts next the court these cells have each two pillars supported by rampant Vyalis or horned lions in varied attitudes. The attached pillars at the corners of the cells round the main shrine are similarly supported ; and the outer walls are ornamented by scores of pilasters, supported by the same conventionalised animals with riders on them. On the west side is a gopuram or gateway with a tower over it, but the entrance is blocked up that on the east being alone used now. The roof of the old mantapam has been destroyed, but the style of the temple may be under- stood from the Plate No. IX., which, as was to be expected, is the same as that of the Mamallapuram Raths, already described, and gives us a typical example of the Dravidian style about A.D. 680. A second example of this early Dravidian style is pre- sented in the Vaishnava temple to the east of Conjivaram, 210. Section of Vaikuntha Perumal Temple, Conjivaram. (From a Drawing by Mr. A. Rea.) Scale 25 ft. to i in. known as the Vaikuntha Perumal temple. 1 It stands in a court 79 ft. 2 in. wide and 108 ft. from east to west, but at 29 ft. from the east end it is contracted to 63 ft. 3 in. wide. To this is attached an entrance hall or portico 44 ft. 4 in. by 50 ft. more modern than the rest, and roofed on twenty- four pillars. A pillared verandah runs quite round the inside 1 Vaikuntha is the heaven of Vishnu, who is usually styled Perumal (the great one) in the Tamil country.