Page:Oriental Scenery — One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan.djvu/242

Rh No. IX.

S. W. VIEW OF THE FAKEER'S ROCK IN THE RIVER GANGES, NEAR SULTAUNGUNGE.

is a village on the western bank of the river Ganges, about 300 miles above Calcutta. The Fakeer's rock is a small island in the Ganges. It consists of several masses of grey granite, and was formerly a point of land projecting from the shore, but by the violence of the current is now become perfectly insular. This spot is said to have been destined to religious purposes, from very remote antiquity; which, indeed, seems probable, from the sculptures on many of the rocks, among which several small temples are interspersed, that give the island a very romantic appearance.

 No. X.

S. E. VIEW OF THE FAKEER'S ROCK IN THE RIVER GANGES, NEAR SULTAUNGUNGE.

assemblage of rocks has been long considered as one of the most sacred places on the River Ganges, and much resorted to by the religious Hindoos, not only for its reported sanctity, but on account of a much celebrated figure of Náráyan, over which is erected a building, probably, either to honour or preserve the idol. There are several other figures of Náráyan to be seen here, as well as those of Seeva, Vichnou, and Sooroj.

 No. XI.

PART OF THE KANAREE CAVES, SALSETTE.

excavation appears immediately on the right hand of the entrance to the large Temple represented in Plate III. The sides of the recess, which contain the idol, are covered with various sculptures of Bhood figures in basso-relievo: to the left of the centre, somewhat elevated, are two smaller chambers; and on the right, passing through irregular apertures, are two other chambers, containing also similar Bhood figures.

 No. XII.

THE INTERIOR OF AN EXCAVATED HINDOO TEMPLE, ON THE ISLAND OF SALSETTE.

view is a representation of the largest of the excavated Temples of the Hindoos in the island of Salsette, the entrance to which is given in Plate III. The ceiling is vaulted, and appears to have been ornamented, though at present so much defaced, that the design is unintelligible. The pillars, which do not diminish, are octangular, and, including base and capital, about fourteen feet high. The capitals are well executed, and chiefly composed of elephants, to which, in some instances, are added, horses and human figures. The idol that occupies the space at the further end of this cave is twenty-three feet in height, and forty-nine in circumference.

 No. XIII.

THE TEMPLE OF MANDESWARA, NEAR CHAYNPORE, BAHAR.

Temple is near the village of Chaynpore, in the province of Bahar. It terminates the top of the hill of Seeta, and was dedicated to Mandeswara, one of the appellations of Maha-Deva. By the accumulated mass under which the Temple is now buried, it appears probable it had originally a spire, similar to many other Hindoo Temples in this part of india; and the peculiar forms of the ornamental parts found near the entrance, strengthen this conjecture. The irregular path on the side of the hill leading up to the Temple is in many places marked with the mouldering remains of antient Hindoo art.

Chaynpore is about 30 miles S.E. from Benares. 