Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/166

 136 NORTHERN OR INDO-ARYAN STYLE. BOOK VI. KlRTTI-STAMBHA GATEWAYS. Toran gateways or Kirtti-stambhas, as above remarked, were common adjuncts to Hindu temples as well as to Buddhist stupas. The gateways at Sanchi and Bharaut are the earliest we can now point to ; but of similar purpose, though of very different construction, were such gateways as those at Baroli and the four already mentioned at Worangal (vol. i., p. 435), which may belong to the I2th century. But there are others of the same character that may be here mentioned. The only one yet known in the Dekhan is at the ruined temple of Galaganath, outside Aihole, which still retains the lintel supported by two massive square carved pillars, and from the style and carving may date from about A.D. 900 ; but if there ever was a pediment over the lintel it has totally disappeared. Of more ornate style is one at Pathari, in the Gwaliar territory, about 1 1 miles south-east from Eran, where are also many remains of great antiquity and interest. It stands in front of an old temple called Gadarmar. The shafts of the pillars are sixteen sided with Gupta bases and capitals of the same pattern as the pillar from the Eran temple (Woodcut No. 1 66). The brackets that support the toran arch now lost also bore female and animal figures on four sides, but these are mostly now lost. Above these brackets the pillars are circular, and support a large abacus on the inner projections of which rests the richly-carved lintel, which carries over its centre a circular stone or amalajila, with lions on each of the end blocks. 1 It has had no pediment, and must belong to the age of the Gupta remains at Eran. In front of the great Surya temple at Mudhera in Gujarat there stood a fine Kirtti-stambha gateway, but the whole of the pediment has fallen, and only the pillars, 24 ft. 6 in. high, remain standing of the structure erected in A.D. 1026. But, besides the arch at the Rudra Mahalaya at Siddhapur, about 32 ft. in height, but now considerably injured, there are at Vadnagar, the ancient Anandapur, two fine examples almost entire, about 35J ft. in height. The photographic view (Plate XXIV.), will enable the reader to form an idea of the style of these Gujarat Ktrtti-stambhas. They must have belonged to some large temple in this once notable sacred city. Another smaller but similar gateway, of nearly 23 ft. total height, stands above a 1 ' Ancient Monuments, Temples, etc., of India,' plate 222 ; 'Journal Asiat. Soc. of Bengal,' vol. xvii. pp. 3O7ff.