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/80

56 spanned by an arch of overlapping bricks; the necessities of construction from the small size of bricks have caused this arch to assume the form of a tall isosceles triangle with indented sides.

This opening or entrance is divided into two portions by a stone let in right across a lower rectangular one, and an upper rectangle surmounted by the triangular opening; the lower rectangular entrance giving admission into the sanctum, the upper opening into the present, and, as I have shown, subsequently-built upper chamber.

It is an interesting question to determine when this division of the entrance into two was made. At first sight it appears only natural to suppose it to date only to the period when the vault was added, but from examples elsewhere, where, in the absence of the upper chamber, the architrave nevertheless exists, I am of opinion that it was a feature in the original temple; constructively, too, a little reflection will show that it was necessary, if the sanctum had the usual maudapa in front, and the remains here show that some sort of mandapa once existed in front of the sanctum of this temple.

The annexed diagram will help to illustrate what I say.



ADCB represents the front wall of the sanctum (the parts shaded being in section), BDEFGH the mandapa in front, which must have been roofed in; constructively, if the block CD do not exist, the rain from the roof of the mandapa will find its way straight into the sanctum, but by having the block CD the water is prevented from coming into the sanctum.

But it is not constructively alone that CD is needed; æsthetically it is even a greater necessity. The votary entering the temple does not see the great rent above CD, nor can he see it even when he is beyond the entrance of the mandapa GH, by reason of the height of the roof DEF, which effectually hides the rent above CD on the outside, so that he is unaware of its existence, and is naturally surprised at the strong and very effective light which this rent, of which lie is not aware by reason of the interposed block CD, throws direct on the object of worship at the further end of the