Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/515

 CHAP. IV. DIENG PLATEAU. 43 1 n like all the Chalukyan Temples we know of in India, especially in the Nizam's territory, is subsequent to the loth, most of them belonging to the I3th century. The most important and best preserved of these Dieng Plateau temples is the Chandi Bhima in Plate XLIX. It is square on plan, with a projecting porch on the west side, and is surmounted by a series of five storeys, each set back so as to con- stitute a pyra - midal roof, which is in accord with the interior con- struction, consist- ing of horizontal courses of stone corbelled out each in front of the course below till they meet at the top. It might be noted here, that decoration of the storeys as they rise diminishes in scale so as to in- crease the ap - parent height. The summit was probably covered with the lotus plant, of which examples are shown in bas- relief sculptures. On each of the storeys are sunken niches with figures of Buddha in them, 1 three niches on each side of the two lower storeys, one niche in each centre above and at the angles of the third storey, and a lotus finial, probably a small replica of the crowning feature of the temple. 5 "" o 's 10 "" "is feet. 482. Plan and Section of Temple of Chandi Bhima. 1 Van le Coq, found at Turfan, in Chinese Turkestan, an example of a temple of precisely similar design, but built in brick there also were five storeys each in situ with niches which had once contained figures of Buddha.