Page:Oriental Scenery — One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan.djvu/300

Rh Opposite the windows are the obelisks (B) before mentioned. From the station of Nandi, you cross over the second bridge (13), and ascend by three steps (14) into a handsome open portico (15), supported by two pillars, (above each of which, on the outside, is the figure of a lion, that, though mutilated, has the remains of great beauty, and on the inside, two figures resembling sphynxes) towards the bridge, and two pilasters that join it to the body of the temple, the grand apartment of which (16) you enter from the portico by four handsome steps and a door-way, on each side of which are gigantic figures. Advancing a few paces into the temple, which is supported by two rows of pillars, beside the walls that are decorated with pilasters, there is an intermission of one pillar on each side, leading to the right and left, to an open portico (17), projecting from the body of the temple, from the right-hand one of which, the bridge, already mentioned as broken, connected the main temple with side apartments, to which there is now no visible access, but by putting a ladder for the purpose, though I was told there is a hole in the mountain above that leads into it, which I had not time nor strength to explore. The access to the opposite is by stairs from below. The recess (18) of the Linga (19) of Maha-Deva, to which there is an ascent of five steps, forms the termination of this fine saloon, on each side of the door of which is a profusion of sculpture. The whole of the ceiling has been chunamed and painted, great part of which is in good preservation. A door (20) on each side of this recess of the Linga of Maha-Deva leads to an open platform (21), having on each side of the grand centre pyramid, that is raised over the recess of the Linga, two other recesses (22), one on each side, formed also pyramidically, but containing no image. Three other pyramidical recesses (23), without images within them, terminate the platform, all of them elaborately ornamented with numerous figures of the Hindoo mythology. Many of the outer as well as the inner parts of this grand temple are chunamed and painted. The people here attribute the smoky blackness of the painting within, to Aurungzebe having caused the different apartments to be filled with straw and set on fire, which I can reconcile to no other ground than to efface any (if any there were) obscenities, as there are many in the sculpture. Upon the whole, this temple, of which I was too much indisposed to give even the inadequate account that I might, if in perfect health, has the appearance of a magnificent fabric, the pyramidal parts of which seem to me to be exactly in the same style as that of the modern Hindoo temples.

RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE AREA.

"This side of the rock has a continuance of excavations as marked in the plan, but all those below, except the verandah, which I shall quit for the present, are of little note; and those above, of three stories, called Lanka (24), which appear much more worthy of attention, are inaccessible, but by a ladder, from the fall of the bridge. I shall therefore proceed to the

LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE AREA.

"In which there are excavations of some consideration from below, from which you ascend to an upper story called Para Lanka (Upper Lanka), by an indifferent staircase (25), into a fine temple, at the extremity of which is a recess containing the Linga of Maha-Deva, and opposite thereto, near the entrance from the staircase, is the bull Nandi, with two large fine figures resting on maces on each side of the recess in which he sits. The ceiling of this temple is, I think, lower than any of the foregoing. The whole of this temple is in fine preservation, strongly supported by very massy pillars, and richly ornamented with mythological figures, the sculpture of some of which is very fine. The ceiling, like the others, has the remains of painting visible, through the dusky appearance of smoke with which it is obscured. Descending from Para Lanka, you pass through a considerable unsculptured excavation (26) to a verandah (27), which seems allotted to the personages of the Hindoo mythology (a kind of pantheon) in open compartments; these figures commence on the left hand, with—1st. The Linga of Maha-Deva, surrounded by nine heads, and supported by Ravana.—2nd. Goura Parvati, and beneath Ravana writing.—3rd. Maha-Deva, Parvati, and beneath Nandi.—4th. Ditto, ditto.—5th. Vishnu.—6th. Goura Parvati.—7th. A Bakta (a votary of Vishnu) with his legs chained.—8th. Goura Parvati.—9th. Ditto. N. B. These representations of Goura and Parvati all differ from each other.—10th. Ditto.—11th. Vishnu and Lakshmi.—12th. Bala Badra, issuing from the Pinda or Linga of Maha-Deva. Here ends the left-hand side, and commences the eastern extremity, or end of the area (28), in which the figures are continued, viz.—13th. Goura and Parvatj.—14th. Bheru, with Govinda Raj, transfixed on his spear.—15th. Daitasur on a chariot, drawing a bow.—16th. Goura and Parvati.—17th. Kala Bheru.—18th. Nara Singa Avatara, issuing from the pillar.—19th. Kala Bheru.—20th. Bala Bheru.—21st. Vishnu.—22nd. Govinda.—23rd. Brahma.—24th. Lakshmi Das.—25th. Mahmund.—26th. Narayana.—27th. Bheru.—28th. Govinda.—29th. Bala Bheru.—3Oth. Govinda Raja and Lakshmi.—31st. Krishna Das. Here ends the verandah of the eastern extremity; and I now proceed with that on the right hand (29), having, in my description of that side, stopped at the commencement of this extraordinary verandah, for the purpose of preserving the enumeration of the figures uninterrupted, viz.—32nd. Maha-Deva.—33rd. Ittuldas.—34th. Dharma Raja, embracing Uggar Kam.— 35th. Narasinga destroying Hirana Kasyapa.—36th. Vishnu sleeping on the serpent Sesh Naga, the Kamala (lotus) issuing from his navel, and Brahma sitting on the flower.—37th. Govardhana.—38th. Maha-Deva Bali, with six hands.—39th. Krishna sitting on Garuda.—4Oth. Varaha Avatara.—41st. Krishna Chitterbooz trampling on Kalya Naga.—42nd. Ballagee.—43rd. Anapurna. It is to be observed, that almost all the principal figures are accompanied in their respective pannels by others, explanatory of the character of that part of the history of the idol in which it is represented. Had not my strength failed me, I should have been much more particular than I have been in this and every other part of so wonderful a place, though the utmost minuteness could not have done justice to it. I am sorry to observe, that, from the appearance of the hill above, this verandah projecting greatly beyond the pillars at the eastern extremity, the water, during rains, must fall into the area in a perfect torrent, or cascade, of the whole height of the superincumbent rock, a number of loose pieces of which, lying on the slope above, seem ready for precipitation down the scarp."