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/180

156 need hardly add that this is quite a myth; the temples do not appear older than the mediæval Brahmanical period.

It is said that about half a mile off, in digging near a tank, old steps leading down to it were found, as also a subterranean passage. I accept these statements as correct, and as indicating the former importance of this place.  

Katrás is an important village, about 6 miles south of the police outpost between Gobindpur and Topchânchi; there must once have been numerous temples here, but the materials have been used up in building new ones; to the north of the village is a small temple, perhaps partly old, but standing on a terrace, which has evidently been restored. As the basement moulding of this terrace are curious, I have inserted it (vide plates); close to it, on a small mound, are the ruins of an old temple; here lies an old sculptured doorway and several fragments; in the vicinity are several low mounds, with fragments of statues and cut stone lying about.

To the east of, and separated from, the village by a small rivulet stands a half-ruined old temple known as the Dewal; this temple is especially interesting, as showing the construction of temples of this class—single-cell ones—and for the simplicity of its mouldings; the temple is remarkably plain; it has in front the tall triangular opening, formed of overlapping stones, and divided into two portions by a broad slab let in across; at present I see no remains of any mandapa in front, but the existence of the dividing slab shows that it existed at one time, as otherwise the slab dividing the opening into an entrance proper and an illuminating window becomes meaningless.

The temple is filled up inside to some depth with rubbish; on excavation, I came upon an argha eccentrically placed; judging from this that it was a later addition, I continued the excavation, and came upon an argha centrically placed and in situ; the temple was, therefore, Saivic; the exterior of the temple is also buried under about three feet of rubbish, and this may account for my not seeing any traces of the foundations of a mandapa in front.

Close to the temple is a tank, now nearly dry, known as the Ghât Bándhá Tal; it was evidently attached to the temple; its name is said to have been derived from the existence of a stone ghat, which was once found upon digging, but 