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/181

Rh which is now again buried. A fair, lasting one day during the month of Chait, is annually held here. The temple stands on the crest of high undulating ground. The place is known as Jhinjhi Páhári. For details of measurement and construction, I refer to the plates and photograph; description is superfluous. The temple faces west; on the entrance is a human head sculptured on the architrave; the head has matted locks, and is apparently intended for Siva.

I have elsewhere indicated the importance of Katrás; it is even now of some importance, as the Rájá of Jhariá occasionally resides here. There are numerous modern temples and several pakka residences in the village.

From the evident simplicity of the mouldings and the occurrence of the triangular overlapping opening in front, which, however necessary constructively in brick buildings, is not a necessity here, and from this opening being designed in accordance with the proportions that held in brick temples, I infer this temple to be one of the oldest found in Magadha (supposing Magadha to have extended to the Dámudá river southwards). The district of which Katrás is, or was, the capital is known, in Muhammadan history, as Jhárkhand, which appears to have been derived from Jhariágarh; but as Jhariágarh is traditionally said to have risen into importance after the decay of Katrás, or rather as its rise is said to have caused the decay of Katrás, I infer that the temple here must date to a period long anterior to the Muhammadan conquest.

About 8 miles west of Katrás is a temple at Dumra, but which I could not visit.

Two miles south of Katrás are two small and apparently modern temples, one dated in Samvat 1904, 18th Vaisâkh: the village is called Malkará.

About 8 miles south by a little west from Katuis, on the right bank of the Dámudá river, are the ruins of a large religious establishment; the place is now utterly deserted, the nearest village being two miles off; the ruins are known as the ruins of Chechgaongarh.  

There are the ruins of a few temples on the north banks of the river also, one faced south, and was built exactly facing a corresponding one on the south, or right bank of the Damuda; the ruins contain several stones, evidently the 