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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JANUARY 5, 1872.
Fah-Hian continues; “this was the town and going 800 feet in a direct line to the southking Ajásat built. There are two Sanghárámaswest, and crossing about midway the Sarasvati in it. Leaving the town by the west gate and rivulet one arrives at a circular mound having an proceeding 300 paces (we arrive at the tower elevation of some 30 feet and a diameter of 180. which king Ajásat raised over the share of Bud- The centre is considerably depressed and seems to dha's relics which he obtained. Its height is consist simply of masses of bricks similar to very imposing."
those on the ramparts and inside the fort. The walls of the town and its gates are dis- From the west side of the rains a sort of terrace tinctly traccable at the distance of about half a leads to a semi-circular heap of somewhat less mile from the foot of the mountain and directly elevation than the first, in the centre of this I disfacing the northern entrance of the valley covered three large statues of Buddha all-headof the five hills. Its form is somewhat difficult less but otherwise little mutilated, they are all to describe and anthors have varied in their at- seated on lotus-leaf thrones supported by bases tempts to do so, but after careful inspection from ornamented by different devices. In one, several all points of view, and, what is still better, figures are seen in the act of making an offerafter studying its form from two of the ing; the centre of the second is occupied by the hills above, I am of opinion it cannot be " Wheel of the Law" with a deer on either side, correctly called a pentagon, but is rather
and the third bears the representations of two a parallelogram having, as measured from the
lions couchant. These mounds are undoubttop of the ramparts, three equal sides, viz., the
edly the ruins of the great tower mentioned in north, west, and south, each measuring 1,900 the text. I hope to make a complete excavation feet, and one unequal viz., the east measuring
of them during the cold season. I have made at 1,200 foot. The wall appears to have liad a uni- the present time two incisions in the side of the form thickness of about 14 feet and is composed topes, and have recovered from them some Budof masses of stone about four feet square, the faces
dhist idols of remarkable beauty, as well as a of which are made uniform and placed one upon tablet covered with the representations of the the other in close contiguity, without any mor- nine planets. tar or coment whatever. Starting from the From the west door the ramparts still increase north-east corner, where a stone bastion still exists in height, but the wall is hidden by masses of in tolerable entirety, the wall remains unbroken brick. Not far from the end of the western for 200 foot, at the end of which distance a side, there is another break in the wall exactly second bastion appears to have existed and opposite which is a small temple containsimilar traces are seen at the 300th foot. The ing a Buddhist idol, now worshipped by the remains of the wall now almost entirely dis- Hindus as the image of Beni Mádhay. At appear, but at the distance of 1100 feet from
each side of the Sarasvati stream is a pacca the north-east corner there is portion of entire
Ghát and the ceremonies of " Goudán" and wall measuring 20 feet by 14. Further on the
“ Pindádán" are constantly performed here. At wall appears clearly to have been removed and a short distance from this opening, the south hardly a traco of it remains till towards the rampart commences and has an elevation nearly north-west corner, where its elevation considera- equal to that on the west. The wall is not bly increases and there are enormous masses of straiglat, but inclines towards the north-east. At brick which lead me to the conclusion that a tower
about the 500th foot from the south-west corner, must have once existed here. At this place the there are unmistakable traces of an enormous bricks are very small and of remarkable brick tower, and 400 feet farther on there is a long solidity. At a distance of 110 feet from piece of wall still intact, and terminating in the the corner there are clear marks of a bastion, and southern gate. From this point to the south-east the same feature is observable at similar distances angle the wall is clearly visible. It has an elevaup to the great wost door, some 500 or 600 feet tion of some 30 or 40 feet above the valley, and from the north-west corner of the fort. The there appears to have been bastions at distances rampart throughout this distance presents an varying from 100 to 110 feet. Opposite the southaverage elevation of 25 or 30 feet above the east corner and at a distance of 50 or 60 paces plain beneath. Just before the west door, a there are distinct marks of a ruined tower similar fine piece of wall still remains intact measuring to the one near the western gate already describ26 feet by 14. Passing out by the west gateed. The wall towards the east has a total length
