Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/142

 U4 NORTHERN OR INDO-ARYAN STYLE. BOOK VI. in use while many of those we have constructed out of the ruins of the temples and palaces have been swept away as if a curse were upon them. Before leaving these Orissa temples mention may be made of three at Mukhalingam, in Ganjam district, a place of pilgrimage adjoining the town of Nagarakatakam. This was the site of Kalinganagara, the old capital of the eastern Ganga dynasty of Kalinga before, and for some time after, their conquest of Orissa in the nth century. 1 The place is described as a wilderness of ruins, and the largest and most entire of the temples consists of a shrine and mandap with two rows of three plain pillars in each 2 supporting the roof. Outside, this roof is in the Orissa form, somewhat flat and with three finials in line across it. The shrine is surmounted by a tower or jikhara of numerous thin moulded courses, crowned by a double amalajiia with domed apex and small finial. The doorway, on the east, is deeply recessed and has two broad frames round the entrance the inner sunk con- siderably within the outer and both richly carved on their faces and lintels with floral patterns. This is flanked by square jambs sculptured on the front with figures in compartments and supporting a projecting lintel. Projecting still more on each side is a richly carved pilaster with capitals of the Gupta type, supporting an upper lintel crowded with figures. Smaller temples occupy the corners of the court, which is enclosed by a wall, and has entrances on the east and south sides. The gateway in front of the temple has, like Orissan porches, a stepped roof with leogriffs over it. The entry, like that of the mandap, is considerably recessed, the inner jambs and three lintels being elaborately carved. Of the Bhtme^vara temple only the shrine and mandap remain, and are of the general style of the Mukhalingervara just described. When its inscriptions have been fully examined, some definite clue may be found to determine its date, which may perhaps be of the nth century. But the finest of the group has been the Some^var temple, of which only the jikhara remains. It resembles in its proportions and variety of sculptures the Para^uramejwar temple at Bhuvane^war. The carving round the three niches on each face are exceed- ingly elaborate and interesting. But until we have the fuller illustrations of a survey or some epigraphical guidance, we may 1 Nagarakatakam is on the Vaima- dhara river, in Lat. 18 34' N., long 84 2' E., about 20 miles N. N. W. from the modern Kalingapatam, and within the Parla-Kimedi estate. 2 These pillars and the walls bear inscriptions, some of which are said to go back to the lOth century.