Page:Oriental Scenery — One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan.djvu/299

36 THE ENTRANCE TO KAILASA.

(the paradise of the gods, and abode of Cuvera the god of riches) is situated nearly in the centre of the numerous excavations in the mountain of Ellora, and is by far the most considerable of them. No. 8, is under it in the margin of the second general view. The following is nearly copied from Sir Charles Warre Malet's description of Kailasa in the sixth volume of the Asiatic Researches.

"This wonderful place is approached more handsomely than any of the foregoing, and exhibits a very fine front in an area cut through the rock. On the right-hand side of the entrance is a cistern of very fine water. On each side of the gateway, there is a projection reaching to the first story, with much sculpture and handsome battlements, which, however, have suffered much from the corroding hand of time. The gateway is very spacious and fine, furnished with apartments on each side, such as are now usually added to the Dewries or Portals of the eastern palaces. Over the gate is a balcony which seems intended for the Nobat Khana (Music gallery). On the outside of the upper story of the gateway are pillars, that have much the appearance of the Grecian order. The passage through the gateway below is richly adorned with sculpture, in which appear Bahwani Ashta-Bhuja (or the goddess Bhawani with eight arms) on the right, and Ganesa on the left. From the gateway you enter a vast area cut down through the solid rock of the mountain to make room for an immense temple, of the complex pyramidal form, whose wonderful structure, variety, profusion, and minuteness of ornament, beggar all description. This temple, which is excavated from the upper region of the rock, and appears like a grand building, is connected with the gateway by a bridge left out of the rock, as the mass of the mountain was excavated. Beneath this bridge, at the end opposite the entrance, there is a figure of Bhawani sitting on a lotus, with two elephants with their trunks joined, as though fighting over her head. On each side of the passage under the bridge is an elephant marked A in the plan, plate D, one of which has lost its head, the other its trunk, and both are much shortened of their height by earth. There are likewise ranges of apartments on each side behind the elephants, of which those on the left are much the finest, being handsomely decorated with figures. Advanced in the area, beyond the elephants, are two obelisks, B, of a square form, handsomely graduated to the commencement of the capitals, which seem to have been crowned with ornaments, but they are not extant, though, from the remains of the left-hand one, I judge them to have been a single lion on each. To preserve some order, and thereby render easier the description of this great and complex work, I shall, after mentioning that on each side of the gateway within, there is an abundance of sculpture, all damaged by time, proceed to mention the parts of the centre structure, and then, returning to the right side, enumerate its parts; when taking the left-hand I shall terminate the whole in a description of the end of the area opposite and behind the grand temple. Exemplifying the whole by references to the annexed plan.

ENTER BELOW.

"Passing through the gateway (1) below, you enter the area (2), and proceeding under a small bridge, pass a solid square mass (3) which supports the bull Nandi stationed above. The sides of this recess are profusely sculptured with pillars and figures of various forms. Having passed it, you come to the passage under another small bridge, beneath which there is, on one side, a gigantic sitting figure of Raja Bhoj, surrounded by a group of other figures; opposite to which is as gigantic a figure of Chatur Bhuj, with his four arms. At the end of this short passage commences the body of the grand temple (4), the excavation of which is in the upper story that is here ascended by flights of steps on each side (5).

RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND SIDES OF THE TEMPLE BELOW.

"The right-hand side is adorned with a very full and complex sculpture of the battle of Rama and Ravana, in which Hanuman makes a very conspicuous figure. Proceeding from this field of battle, the heads of elephants, lions, and some imaginary animals, are projected as though supporting the temple, till you come to a projection (6), in the side of which, sunk in the rock, is a large group of figures but much mutilated. This projection was connected with the apartments on the right-hand side of the area by a bridge (7), which has given way, and the ruins of it now fill up the sides of the area. It is said to be upwards of one hundred years since it fell. Passing the projection of the main body of the temple, it lessens for a few paces, then again projects (8), and after a very small space on the line of the body of the temple, the length of this wonderful structure, if what is fabricated downwards out of a solid mass can be so called, terminates in a smaller degree of projection than the former. The whole length is supported, in the manner above mentioned, by figures of elephants, lions, &c. projecting from the base, to give, it should seem, the whole vast mass the appearance of moveability, by those mighty animals. The hindmost, or eastern extremity of the temple, is composed of three distinct temples elaborately adorned with sculpture, and supported like the sides, by elephants, &c. many of which are mutilated. The left-hand side (I mean from the entrance) differs so little from the right, that it is unnecessary to be particular in mentioning any thing, except that opposite the description of the battle of Rama and Ravana, is that of the Kurus and the Pandus, in which the warriors consist of footmen, and others mounted on elephants, and cars drawn by horses, though I had observed none mounted on horses. The principal weapon seems the bow, though maces and straight swords are discoverable.

CENTRE ABOVE.

"The gateway consists of three centre rooms (9), and one on each side (9). From the centre rooms, crossing the bridge (10), you ascend by seven steps (11) into a small room (12), in which is the bull Nandi. This room has two doors and two windows.