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/165

Rh 4. One from the temple of Káli Mái, temple C; this is cut in relief in modern Nagri characters in two compartments of five lines each; it was dated, but the date has been purposely chiselled out, having the word Samvat followed by a rough space; this again followed by Mâgh Sudi, then a blank, and lastly "tisa;" the record is clearly one of the building of the temple; the builder's name occurs in the second compartment.

5. One from the same temple in Sanskrit slokas in nine lines; it is a record of the construction of the "Sunidara Mandirâm."

6. One from the temple of Anna Purna, temple F; this is in Bengali in 10½ lines, and is a record of the dedication of the temple to "Anna Purna" Devi.

7. One from the temple to Ganeça, temple R; this is in eight lines, Bengali; it mentions a Tikarâm Dvijendra.

8. One from the temple of Sanjhyá Mai; this is in eleven lines in Bengali; it records the construction of the temple by several people.

9. One from the temple of Surya, M, in six lines, Bengali; this is dated in the 17th century Sake; it is in bad order.

10. One from Anand Bhairon, temple J; this in in nine lines in modern Nagri, and is dated in Sake 1745.

11. One from the statue of Anand Bhairon in three lines; this is apparently an ancient inscription, dating to, perhaps, the 9th or 10th century.

12. One from the statue of "Surya" in two lines, is also old; it is the usual Buddhist formula, Ye Dharmma, &c., &c.

From all these inscriptions it is evident that not a single one of the temples dates to the pre-Muhammadan period, while several are very recent.

Among those which I consider as likely to be more ancient, dating, however, at the furthest only to Mân Singh's time, are temples S B D; but even these I should not be surprised to find dating to a later period.

It now remains to ascertain, if possible, why these temples were built here, and not rather at any other place; this is accounted for by the existence of the two ancient inscribed statues, one of which is clearly Buddhist; and of a third figure, not inscribed, but clearly Buddhist, being a fine seated statue of Buddha himself, beautifully polished, and equal in execution to the finest statues to be met with in Bihar. These statues prove beyond a doubt that here was at one time a large Buddhist establishment.