North Indian Inscriptions

ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE

necks and round capitals. They are richly carved with tracery and human figures. They support a dome about five ft. from the outer rim to the centre. “It rises in a series of concentric circles to a central pendant. The lowest circle is decorated with a running scroll, while the remaining four are scooped out into half cup-shaped and cusped hollows. These allow of an effective play of light and shade.”[1]

..Each of the three porches on the three sides of the manḍapa has pairs of pillars richly carved, about ten ft. high and five ft. round, supporting a dome above. Two of these pairs are detached, while the third is half built into the wall. The ceiling si flat and is carved in geometrical designs.

..The basement of the garbha-gṛiha and the maṇḍapa is decorated on the outside with rows of kīrtimukhas, elephants (gaja-thara ) and men (nara-thara ). The row of horses (aśva-thara), which also appears in such places, is here conspicuous by its absence.

.. The outer walls of the temple are decorated with the images of gods and goddesses, hermits and heavenly nymphs (Sura-sundarīs). Some prominent deities have larger niches assigned to them. Generally, the niche on the back wall of a temple is regarded as the principal one, from the image in which we can determine the deity to whom the temple is dedicated. In the present case that image is of three-faced Śiva as in the Elephanta Cave. But the image is standing, not a bust as in the latter place. It has a jaṭā-mukuṭa and wears such ornaments as a necklace, a mekhalā (girdle), bracelets and foot-ornaments. It had eight arms, but most of them are now broken except the upper left, which holds a serpent. On each side of it are shown two gaṇas (attendants) in a small form.

.. In the chief niche on the north is an image of eight-armed Mahākālī in a terrible form with a thin shrivelled body and drooping breasts.[2] She wears a necklace of human skulls hanging to her feet, and holds various weapons such as the dagger, the sword, the triśūla and the khaṭvāṅga. She is shown dancing, with the limbs bent and serpents twined round her neck and waist. On her two sides are shown her devotees as shrivelled as she. The whole panel is revolting.

..Below this image of Mahākālī there is that of Brahmā.[3] He is shown in the āliṅgana- mūrti form, with his wife Sāvitrī on his lap. He holds the sacrificial ladle (sruch), the unbound book, the rosary and the kamaṇḍalu in his hands. Brahmā is four-faced, but here only his three faces are seen, the fourth being hidden from view. His vehicle, the swan, is shown below his right lap.

.. The chief niche on the south has the image of dancing Chaṇḍikā.[4] Some of her arms are now broken. She is shown as trampling a demon under her feet. She wears several orna- ments such as kuṇḍalas (ear-ornaments), necklaces, a girdle and foot-ornaments.

.. Besides these, there are several other images of the Śaiva cult such as Ardha-nārīśvara, Śiva-Pārvatī, Bhṛiṅgī etc. seen in other niches of the jaṅghā of this temple. Another note- worthy image is of Vishṇu.[5] The god is shown four-armed and holds the bow, the lotus, the conch and the mace in his four hands. He wears the kirīṭa-mukuṭa and several ornaments. His vehicle Garuḍa is shown nearby. The niche is decorated with a large kīrtimukha at the top. The circular niches at the top of the pillars on the two sides of the image of Vishṇu contain some subsidiary images.

.. Besides these images of gods and goddesses, there are several others such as heavenly
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[1] M.T.D., pp. 15-16.
[2] Plate C, Fig. 5.
[3] Plate D, Fig. 6.
[4] Plate E, Fig. 7.
[5] Plate F, Fig. 8.