Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/145

 Mat, 1873.] SrAVANA BELLIGOLA. 129 oaves are too fall of water and debris to admit of pacing, bnt I estimate tbe length of the ve¬ randa at abont fifty feet, and it is five deep. This veranda terminates at each end in a cell, and communicates by three doors ornamented with scrollwork, with as many square caves. These have no inner communication. The roofs are supported by pillars about eight feet high, hewn in the living rock, of a pattern very like what I have seen at AjantA. About one-third of the pillar is square (the corners terminating in a sort of leaf), surmounted by an octagonal band, as this in its turn is by a circular one; and then the same arrangement is repeated: from the base of the last circle a triangle rises into the capital*. The ceiling is crossed by broad joists intersecting at right angles at, and be¬ tween, the pillars. I failed to detect any image or inscription, or any sign of plaster or painting, but I had no light and my inspection was neces¬ sarily brief. The westernmost cave opens by a hole 6 inches square into a large pit or cistern, which the villagers say was a dungeon; and this hole was used to feed the prisoners through. The pit is about fifty feet long by thirty wide, deep, and open at the top along the whole of one side, but there are no steps down into it. I should think it was originally made to hold water, which is bad and scarce on the rook ; but it may afterwards have been used as related. There is another cave on this southern side of the hill, and three or four on the northern ; but they are all of the Bame class as those first entered. I know of no other Buddhist cave within sixty miles. &RAVANA BELLIGOLA. BY CAPT. J. S. F. MACKENZIE, MAISUR COMMISSION. Five miles from Chenraipatam, in the Hassan District, Maisur, is the small town of Sr&vana Belligola, famous for its co¬ lossal statue of the Jaina god Gomatefivara. The town lies between two rocky hills, and is but a mean collection of houses whose inha¬ bitants gain a precarious living by working in brass and copper. The larger of the two hills is crowned by the. statue, 56$ feet high, and cut out of one solid block of gneiss. It is a striking object and can be seen for miles. The nude figure of the god differs in no way, except in size, from the other statues of the same god which are to be found, now no longer revered, here and there throughout the district. High square shoulders, curly hair, flat nose, thick lips, and small waist, are here faithfully, but on a large scale, represented. Once in twenty years the great ceremony of washing the god is performed. The last occa¬ sion was in the early part of June 1871. To perform the ceremony a platform is erected. Mr. Scandon, who happened to be on the spot* took advantage of this to measure the different parts. Unfortunately before he could complete the work some of the priests interfered. This is, I believe, the first and only time such mea¬ surements were taken. Those now given may be relied on as correct. Total height to the bottom of the ear ...5O' 0ft From the bottom of the ear to the crown of the head (not measured), about ... 6 6 Length of the foot   9 0 Breadth across the front of the foot 4 6 Length of the great toe  2 9 Half girth at the instep 6 4 „ of the thigh    10 0 From the hip to the ear   24 6 „ coccyx to the ear  20 0 Breadth across the pelvis  13 0 „ at the waist  10 0 From the waist and elbow to the ear ... 17 0 „ armpit to the ear  7 0 Breadth across the shoulders 26 0 From the base of the neck to the ear ... 2 6 Length of the forefinger   3 6 „ middle finger  5 3 „ 3rd finger 4 7 „ 4th finger  2 8 The statue is surrounded with buildings, which prevent the full figure being seen until one is close up to it. This of course destroys the general effect, but the head and shoulders as viewed from the opposite hill impresses one with a strange feeling of awe. Calmly gazing away into space, the statue fully realises the idea of perfect repose which the sculptor aimed at. One of the local legends has it that M a -