Old Bramhi Inscriptions In Udaygiri And Khandagiri

SR No.: 020516
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Benimadhab Barua
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1929
Total Pages: 354
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 80

52
OLD BRĀHMT INSCRIPTIONS
bands on the top as in the Queen's Palace, but without any intervening frieze. The two ends of the verandah project forward to the extent of about 5 ft. Its pillars are now very much decayed, and mis-shapen, but originally they were of the Queen's Palace type, square above and below, and octagonal in the centre. The architrave once had a deep frieze formed of basso-relievo figures of men and animals, but it has been very much defaced by the ravages of time.”
"A little beyond the northern projection of the verandah, there is a narrow flight of steps reaching to the upper storey which is an exact counterpart of the lower floor except that on the east side, there is only one room running along the whole length of the verandah, and baving three doors, and the side room has, in the middle of the western wall, a window of a much larger size than any that I have seen on this hill. The dimensions of the eastern room are 22' x 6' 6", that of the southern room 9' X 6', both average, and that of the verandah 24' x 3 ft. The doors measure 3 ft. by 2, and have the usual side pilasters and semi-circular arched bands, but no frieze. The verandah had a range of four detached and two attached pillars, of which the last only are visible. On the architrave on the top of the verandah, there was a frieze of angels, elephants, devotees, the Bo tree, the wheel of law, etc., but they are hardly distinguishable now."
"To the west of the southern room and forming the right wing of the Pätālapura cave, there is a small room running east and west, with two doors and a verandah divided into two intercolumniations by a beavy pillar in the middle. At the corner where the verandah starts from the Pâtālapura range, there is an alto-relievo figure against the side pier, in imitation of the sentinel before the right wing of Queen's Palace. The cave is in a very ruinous condition now, and bears the appropriate name of Yamapura or Hades. The exterior view of a rihāra on the Udayagiri hill in Mr. Fergusson's Illustrations of the Rock-cut Temples of India represents the three caves of Vaikunthapura, Pātālapura and Yamapura."
"On the right hand pier of the centre door of the Vaikuotha range (the upper storey of the Mañcapuri cave in Mr. Banerji's description), there is a Pāli inscription in the Lāt (Asokan) characters, which is very carefully and deeply cut."
The text is based upon Major Kittoe's facsimile read and reproduced by James Prinsep in JAS 3, old series, Vol. VI, PI, LVII, Cave No. 8 called Vaikuntha Cave ; Rājendra Lāla Mitra's copy of Prinsep's transcript