Page:Oriental Scenery — One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan.djvu/11

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Gour there are accounts so early as three hundred and fifty years before the Christian era: it has been the capital of Bengal three several times, and as often deserted. This city appears by its scattered remains to have been of very considerable extent, though at this time it is nearly overgrown with jungle, (i. e. reeds, thorns, and close underwood). The Ganges, which formerly washed its walls, now runs eight or ten miles to the westward of it.

By the appearance of the adjoining wall it is probable this gate belonged to the fort.

Gour stands on the eastern bank of the river, and is distant from Calcutta about one hundred and seventy miles, north.

 

is the most considerable hill fort in this part of India; it is naturally of great strength, and the weaker parts have been assisted by very strong works. Within the fort are the remains of several Hindoo temples, Mahommedan mosques, a palace, and other public buildings, in which frequent examples of excellent architecture occur. The mountain on the top of which it stands is said to be above eight hundred feet in height, and more than twenty miles in circumference. The river Soane washes its base to the south east.

Rotas Ghur is about three hundred and forty miles N. W. from Calcutta.

 

Chalees Satoon, or the, is a pavilion attached to the palace of Allahabad, and was erected by the Emperor Akbar. It is built of grey granite and freestone.

The fort of Allahabad is favourably situated on the point where the rivers Ganges and Jumna unite. The numerous vessels to be seen on these rivers, particularly on the fonner, give great spirit to the scenery.

The buildings in general here are in the grandest style of Mahommedan architecture.

Allahabad is five hundred and fifty miles N. W. from Calcutta, and eighty-three westward from Bernares.

 

plan of the outer wall is quadrangular, with round towers at the angles, and in the centre stands durbar, or hall of audience. This building is very much in ruin, as well as those surrounding it for many miles. It is distant from the fort of Shah Jehanabad, or modern Delhi, about three miles.

 

building, composed chiefly of freestone, was erected by the Emperor Akbar, the pillars are richly ornamented, and the whole executed in a masterly style. In the centre of the terrace, on the top of the building, stood a turret of white marble, very elegantly finished, which was taken down by order of the Nabob of Oud, and sent to Lucknow in the year 1789.

Since this view was drawn, the Nabob of Oud has ordered the whole of the building to be taken down and carried to Lucknow, with the intention, it is said, to be again erected in that city: a circumstance much to be lamented, as the abilities of modern workmen are by no means equal to a task so difficult and so extraordinary as the separating, removing, and again uniting the materials of so excellent a structure. 