Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872-73.djvu/156

132 a charan, or sacred foot-print, sculptured in stone and set up on a platform.

The only other remains near the east foot of the hill are a number of nondescript tombs, or rather chhatris, built of brick and stone; some of these are inscribed, and from them we learn that they date to only the seventeenth century; one gives the name of a petty local Raja, and is dated Sake 1621.

The eastern face of the hill is peculiarly impressive in appearance; it rises sheer up, a mass of smooth stone without a single blade of grass all the way up in the central portion; the form in outline is a graceful curve somewhat resembling a parabola with its vertex upwards. When within about 30 feet of the ground, vegetation begins to shew itself, and thence the slope is a gentle one in the reverse direction till it meets the plain; the outline, therefore, of the entire hill here is a curve of a double flexure, and is singularly beautiful.

The ascent to the hill is up a series of rude steps cut along a spur on its south face. There is another minor series of steps also on the south face cut on another spur, the ascent up which is much steeper, and it appears that, eventually, the attempt to carry the steps all the way up by this route was abandoned.

Following, however, the principal ascent, which is cut on a spur, that starting from the main hill on its west side curves round to the south, and ascending up the slippery steps a short way, one comes upon a large rock-sculpture to the right. The sculpture represents a ten-armed, three-headed figure (male or female it is impossible to tell from its rudeness) cut on a large boulder lying on the hill-side; the right hand holds a sword, a gada, a vajra, a spear and an hour-glass-shaped article. The left holds a chain, a shield, a spear, a chakra and a bow: the figure which has only two legs is represented trampling on a squat prostrate figure with large ears and large earrings in them; he has a short sword in his right hand, and over his head appears a canopy as of the spreading branches of a tree similar to the canopies of tree branches sometimes seen in sculptures of Buddha and of Mâyâ Devi. The ten-armed figure wears crowns; it has long ears but small earrings; it has anklets on the feet and bracelets on the arms, and also wears the sacrificial thread.

I have been thus particular in describing this rude sculpture, which, as a work of art, is of no value on account