Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/65

 CHAP. III. MOUNT ABU. elephants on each side of very excellent workmanship, and with rich trappings sculptured with the most exquisite precision. The Moslim has, however, carried off or destroyed their riders. 1 The temple is entered on the south-west, from the court between it and Vimala's by a stair at the south of the enclosure. The plan is in imita- tion of the older temple, from which it differs but little in size, measuring over all about 155 ft. by 92 ft. (Woodcut No. 285). The pillars support- ing the porch are somewhat taller and of eight different types, as may be noted in the photo- graph (Plate XX). On the other hand, in Vimala's the general style of the nth century is ad- hered to through - out ; the dome of the portico is slightly less in diameter than in the former, but quite rivalling it in elaboration of detail and beauty of design. On the octagon formed by the massive architraves across the heads of the pillars rests the dome (Woodcut No. 286). In both temples a single block in the angles of the octagon suffices to introduce the circle. Above the second row of ornaments sixteen bracket pedestals are intro- duced supporting statues, and in the centre is a pendant of the most exquisite beauty ; the whole is in white marble, and finished with a delicacy of detail and appropriateness of orna- ment which is probably unsurpassed by any similar example to be found anywhere else. Those introduced by the Gothic architects in Henry VII.'s chapel at Westminster, or at Oxford, are coarse and clumsy in comparison. It is difficult, by any 1 'Picturesque Illustrations of Indian Architecture,' p. 40; Tod's 'Travels in Western India,' pp. 106-109, lll < 5. Temple of Tejahpala, Mount Abu. (From a Plan by Mr. H. Cousens.) Scale 50 ft. to i in.