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/62

38 end, at about one-third of the height of the hill, there is a great mass of ruined masonry. Here the excavations of the villagers for bricks have disclosed several statues; the smaller ones have gone to adorn the modern shrines in the village, but a colossal figure of Padma-Pâni, with the Buddhist creed engraved round the head in Kutila characters, has been left in situ, being probably too heavy to move. The figure is very well executed in black basaltic stone and finely smoothed. A small Buddha is represented seated in Padma-Pâni's hair. This statue appears to be in situ, as remains of a straight wall behind and touching its back can yet be traced. I conclude, therefore, that this mound and terrace with its flight of brick-paved approach was a temple. At the foot of the hill is a larger mound, where also images, large and small, have been discovered. A colossal figure, mutilated, lies neglected here.

A few feet off are other terraces and mounds, from which small statues have been exhumed. They were also small temples or chapels, judging from the square cells which have been disclosed in the foundations.

Further on are other terraces and mounds, all of bricks of large size, and each group with a separate approach or paved way leading up to it, with terraces at intervals. The quantity of bricks dug out and yet untouched is incredible; a large quantity has been broken up into road metal, either to metal the Patna branch road which passes a few miles off, or to use as khoa for terrace roofs.

To the east of this great collection of ruins the ground at the foot of the hill appears to have been used as a burial-ground; excavations at this end have disclosed numerous human skulls and bones, mostly broken, or so decayed as to crumble under pressure between the fingers, but many yet hard, though devoid of all smell or soluble organic matter.

Near the pass, however, the terraces and mounds, which at other parts go up only to one-third of the height of hill, are found up to two-thirds of its height. No excavations have been made here, but from the results at the west end I am sanguine this part would yield results equally rich.

At the foot of the hill runs a small stream which once was spanned by a small bridge, the foundations of which still exist entire, showing that the road over the pass, now seldom used, was once a much-frequented route.

A few feet from the foot of the hills stretches a fine rectangular piece of water known as the Chandokhar Tal.