________________
390
H. D. SANKALIA
Indrāyaṇī river we reach by a kacca road the small village of Govitri on the stream Kundalikā. From here climbing over a broad terrace, called locally Paṭangana and leaving the village of Pāle on our right, we reach the foot of the hill from where the cave can be seen, though its slope is thickly covered by vegetation. A difficult climb takes us to the cave which is about 70 ms. high from this point, and faces the east. Like the Bhājā, Kārlā and other caves, it commands a magnificient view of the valley, for miles around: On our right the small meandering Kuṇḍalikā, and on the left the steep, bare scarp of this group of hills, which form an acute 'V'. Numerous rice fields at various levels lie in between, with their yellow and green tops making the whole scene very picturesque.
The cave is now 22 ms. 75 cms. long and 5 ms. 67 cms. broad, and 7 ms. 27 cms. high.
The ceiling is probably incomplete, as we can clearly distinguish between the finished portion and the lower unfinished portion. Further on the left hand wall of the cave, there is a cell with a bench. The cell measures 1 m. 27 cms. X 1.2 cms. X 1 m. 21 cms.
The inscription is carved on the same wall, just near the original entrance, almost at eye level, about 2 ms. from the ground level. Below is carved out a cistern (poḍhi) which is referred to in the inscription.
The inscription is carved on a specially prepared space which is about 50 cms. X 40 cms. The actual engraved area occupying an area of 39 cms. X 17 cms. It is in 4 lines, the first line containing 10 letters, the second 11 letters, the third an identical number and the fourth only 2 letters. The letters are bold and deeply carved, their average size being 3 cms.
The inscription records that Bhadanta Indarakhita caused the cave to be excavated along with the cistern together with a person who might be Kāhi or colleagues (sāhākāhi).
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