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/77

Rh Of these places, such as have already been noticed have a note "see ante;" the others I now proceed to describe.  Kispa is a large village about twelve miles to the west of the Barâbar hills, and four miles west of the Murhar river. It stands on the banks of a deep narrow branch of the Murhar, and is now famed for possessing a temple ef Târâ Devi, to which people for miles round flock with sacrificial he-goats. This temple, which is at the west end of the village, is a small rude brick building of modern date, built on a high stone platform, approached by stone steps. Numerous cut stone blocks lie about, and there is not the least doubt that the platform now supporting the modern brick temple is the basement of an ancient large temple.

Several lingams are lying scattered outside, and various sculptures. One of these is of Vishnu Chaturbhuj; another is a stone sculptured on four sides, and therefore evidently meant to be a pinnacle to some structure; besides a statue of Vishnu on Garud and several fragments. On the sides of the entrance to the temple two statues of Hara-Gauri are let in. The great object of worship in the temple is a life-size standing statue, clothed in a yellow sari, and known as Târâ Devi. There are several smaller statues besides the principal one.

In the village are numerous fragments, Brahmanical as well as Buddhist, most of them mutilated; two of these are life-size standing statues of Buddha, with the "Ye Dharmma Hetu" creed over the halo round the head of one of them. This statue is a really fine one in very fair preservation, of exceptionally good execution, and deserving of preservation.

The general appearance of this statue so strongly resembled in size and shape that known as Târâ Devi in the temple, that I was induced to go back to the temple; and as the ministering Brahmans had loudly resented my attempt to go up even the steps of the platform to the temple, I sent up my Hindu servant. He was allowed to go up and enter the temple, and examining according to my directions the halo round the head, he found the usual Ye Dharmma inscription (at least I guess it to have been the Buddhist creed from his description—that it was exactly like the other inscription on the statue in the viliage). Thus satisfied in his own mind that the statue was not an object of orthodox worship, he ventured to peep in behind the sári, and discovered the statue to be a male and not a female one. The 