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Sir Walter Elliot made, I understand; & collection of these, but I am not aware what he did with them. It is a work which will require much care to select these inscriptions or shasanams, 88 some are no doubt spurious, but those which are genuine would afford much information as to the old dynasties.
Mangalagiri is a town situated about eight miles south of Bejwada. It bas & Vaishnava ten.ple dedicated to Narasimhaswami of considerable repute. The annual festival or celebration of the Kaleyana Utsavaru in the month of Phalgunam draws great crowds. The chief temple is situated on the side of a high hill. The approach is by steps cut out of the rock. The old caves are evidently of Buddhist origin, and have been transformed to suit the worship of Vishnu. At the foot of the approach is a pillar of black granite with inscriptions in Telugu on all four sides. This was blown down some years ago, exhibiting a cavity in the lower stone or pediment in which coins or other valuables were probably deposited. The temple is of two stories cut out of the rock, and there are also many rock-chambers. Sugar-water is the offering here made to the divinity. It is poured into a cavity in the rock and disappears. The god is supposed to take half of every offering and the other half goes to bis priests. Behind the principal chamber is a passage into the hill, which has never been explored, but is said to afford subterraneous communication with Undavalli. In the town of Mangalagiri is another temple (old), though of more recent date, also dedicated to Narasimhaswami. It has a very high gopuram of ten stories, but the priests are very exclusive, and will not admit visitors. Some of the carving on the temple
car which is kept outside is good, but inuch of it is abominably disgusting. The difference in the style of work, according as the subject is one worthy or not the study of art, is very marked. The grosser representations are evidently the work of inferior artists. There is a very large koneru or tank, having four sides of cut-stone steps. This is very much esteemed, and greatly resorted to for every sort of purpose, for bathing, for the washing of foul linen, as a receptable for dirt, and also very largely for drinking purposes. The tank is very deep, and never dries up. It has been proposed to have it cleaned out, but the expense would be great. It is supposed to have a rich deposit of bangles and all sorts of native jewellery, which persons have lost when bathing.
At Macherla in the Palnad there is an ancient stone temple of much fame. On the surrounding walls are a series of sculpures representing scenes from the Mahabhårat and Bhagavatam. There are also sculptures in the temples at Senkarapuram, Gamalapad, and Dachapalli.
At Satrasala also in the Palnad, on the southern bank of the Krishna, there are a number of stonetemples dedicated to Shiva. Many of them are in ruins, but worship is still kept up.
At Gurjala in the Palnad there is ancient mantapam or portico, with regular Muhammadan arches cut in stone, but evidently of a date long before the Muhanımadan era. An old temple here is said to have been built by Nalaganna Raja Naresimha Raya (Velama), of which many of the stones appear to have been taken from more ancient structures of Buddhist origin.
(To be continued.)
THE ASIATIC SOCIETIES. Asiatic Society of Bengal.
the best and most characteristic carvings in the A PARTY of draughtsmen and moulders who had Khandagiri caves. He, however, made use of an been especially trained for the work by Mr. H. H. opportunity which occurred to him, to go to Jajpur, Locke, Principal of the Calcutta Government School
and to procure some photographs of the celeof Art, went to Bhubaneshwar in 1869,o and there brated monolithic figures, and column at that executed casts of the more remarkable of the mould- place. ings and sculptured figures, which form the decora- Such expeditions serve the double purpose of tion of the exterior of the ancient temples. Babu placing, so to speak, original materials within easy Rajendralkla Mitra accompanied this field party, reach of every enquirer, and of taking evidence, as and during the short time he was with them, selected it were de bene esse, which otherwise might pass subjects for their earlier operations. From Bhu- irrecoverably away. This risk of disappearance is baneshwar he visited the neighbouring rock temples, by no means imaginary, for Mr. Locke infers from or caves of Khandagiri, on which he has since com- a comparison of the sketch of Bhubaneshwar given municated his observations to the Bengal Asiatic in Sterling's paper on Orissa,t with the present Society.
features of the ground, that as many as eight or A second expedition-also a party of Mr. Locke's ten or even more of the smaller temples have, withstudents, this time under his own personal super- in say the last forty years, sunk into confused massintendence proceeded to Crissa in the end of De- er, or ill-defined jungle covered mounds of ruins. cember last. Mr. Locke's principal object on this se- No one will doubt that the tale, which would be cond occasion, was to obtain casts and drawings of told by the archaic remains of Khandagiri and Bhu• Vide unto pp. 24, 25
Asiatic Researches vol. XI. (1826.)
