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/178

154 This temple cannot be classed with the others. In design and in execution it is essentially different, though the same in material; and if style alone be taken as a criterion of age, it should be much older than them. But style is such a vague expression, that it is a vicious system, which presumes from a consideration of that which itself is undefined to deduce the age of any structure. Few, if any, of those who use the expression have any clear idea of its meaning. I certainly have very vague notions about it; and I do not believe it has yet been laid down what, and why, particular features, or what, and why, particular details of features,—whether of plan, of material, of color, of ornamentation, of profile, or of construction,—should be, and what should not be, considered as entering into, and helping to make up, the shadowy thing known (or rather, I should say, not known) as style. Before we can make use of "style" as a test of age, we have, first, to define it; and secondly, to show that style is justly a criterion of age, and of age alone,—not rather of locality, or of a combination of age and locality. I have in several instances been guilty of attempting to judge from "style;" but it has always been done with hesitation, and more because I felt myself somehow bound to give an opinion,—guess it should rather be called,—which will be of use, even if it only succeeds in inviting controversy, and thus helping to throw light from other quarters on the subject.

One interesting feature in these temples must not be passed over unnoticed. The temples are surmounted by urns, and not by cylinders, or spires, or cones. The temple No. 5 had, indeed, once an iron trisul surmounting it, but it appeared to me to have been put in afterwards.

There are no legends in connection with these temples.  

Six or seven miles north of Barâkar, near the right banks of the Barâkar river, are some temples at a place known as Devisthan. All these appear to me of recent date—perhaps built of older materials. They are interesting, as showing that, even at a very late period, the horizontal arch was used by Hindus, as may be seen from the entrance archway of the enclosure, which is evidently built of the relics of some older structure, of which now no traces remain.

Two of the temples here are inscribed. The inscriptions are in bad order, from having been cut on a soft stone. 