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/177

Rh The object of worship inside is the figure of a fish lying flat, serving as an argha to five lingam holes cut in it. This sculpture is especially interesting, as proving that the fish is essentially a representation of the female power of nature—a character which it hears in the mythology of other nations, but which appears to have been overlooked, or forgotten, in Indian mythology, where it, and a similar symbol, the tortoise, are dissociated from the lingam. Vishnu, as the preserving, and therefore the reproductive, agent, is, by right, entitled to these symbols, but so is he in his masculine aspect to the lingam. The lingam, however, has long, by a strange anomaly, become associated with Siva, the destroying agent, and has lost all connection with its natural pedestal, the yoni, represented by the fish and tortoise, and elsewhere (out of India) by the boat, the ark, &c. It is out of place here to pursue the subject further, but in the history of Indian symbolism, this unique sculpture will occupy a very interesting and important position. The sculpture represents a fish 5 feet 9 inches long from the snout to the tip of the tail, 2 feet 3 inches wide at the swell below the head, and 1 foot 9 inches at the junction of the tail. The tail itself is 9 inches long by 2 feet 1 inch wide at its extremity.

Close to this temple, and facing it, stands temple No. 5. It is now inclosed, or partially inclosed, within a courtyard; but the walls of this inclosure are evidently later additions, as they cover up the mouldings of the temple outside on the sides.

Divested of this wall, the temple consists of a cell and an antarala, or vestibule. It does not appear to have ever had a mahamandapa in front. The object of worship is a lingam, placed in a great argha, 4 feet 7 inches in diameter. Besides this, there are lying, in and out, statues and fragments, among which may be reckoned, Ganeça, a 4-armed female, a 4-armed male holding a sword and a trident in two hands, and some nondescript fragments. The roof is pyramidal inside, as in other temples.

Externally, the tower differs considerably from those of the other temples here, and, though in bad order, surpasses them in beauty and richness, though the sculptured details are not so profuse or minute. The basement mouldings, too, are bold, elegant, and simple, and stand in strong contrast to the richer, more labored, but ineffective, profusion of lines in the other temples. Reference to the plates and photographs will give details both of this and of the other temples.