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NOVEMBER, 1874.]
THE TEMPLE OF AMARNATH.
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ences in the faces of the great Trimurti there.* Bringi is to be seen. Above this course the In this all three are bearded, and a female sits horizontal members become smaller; only the on the left knee of the figure: it is probably next has single figures on each face; and a intended simply to represent Mahadeva and little higher up we reach the cornice, supported Pârvati.
by modillions formed of dwarf figures such as The base is a series of projecting and receding are so common at Ajanti (see VI). A curious members, one of the upper of which has been belt of beautiful carving runs up each face of carved in a string of curious horned bat-like the vimand. The small linga shrine at the east faces; the next fascia is filled with elephants' side of the north door is evidently an afterheads and small human figures; then comes a addition to the plan of the temple. Except a string of tracery with the half-bat half-goat little carving about the entrance it is a very faces interspersed (No. IV); over this, a slightly plain structure. deeper course with innumerable human figures, The sculpture both on the pillars of the hall and having a niche on each face and a miniature and round the whole of the outside shows a de. canopy over the figures in it. The next pro- gree of skill that is not surpassed on any temple jection is a heavy torus with a sort of boss on in the Bombay Presidency. This has led Dr. each face; the next is plain : and then there is Wilson to suppose the artizans must have ac. a single small figure on each face. The next quired their skill by working "in softer stone, course is the deepest, and is one series of male the marble of the north." And possibly they and female figures in every variety of attitude may have learnt much as to the treatment of (see V.). Several of these represent Mahadeva figures from those accustomed to work in softer or Siva and Pârvati; and all the withdrawn stone, but they must have learnt to cut skilfully and subordinate positions are filled with female in moro obdurate material than marble before figures. Of these last--one on the north side they attempted the figures pourtrayed in this has her back turned to the spectator, and her temple. hair hangs in a large ball from the back of her It seems, however, that this is not the first head; another on the north-west of the vimana temple that was erected here, for, as Mr. Terry is on the whole a well proportioned figure and remarks in his report, -"soon the discovery in has been exceedingly well cut, but it is damaged the upper story over the Mandap of a quantity about the feet.
of worked material. cither mouldings, ornaments, On the south-east of the vimand are sculp- or figures, some sharp and perfect, others much tured some of the vagaries of Hindu mythology, mutilated, worked indiscriminately into the stone of which we need only particularize that of walls, or as columns supporting the roof, the dif. Kali, represented in the terrific form she is ference in the characters composing the largest fabled to assume in order to frighten her votaries inscription found cut into one of the architraves to provide her with the bloody sacrifices in in the Mandap to those discovered on a stone in which only she delights; her limbs bend, her the upper story, the frequent discovery that hands are usually open, bat here they have been parts of figures and ornaments had been delibebroken off'; as described by mythologists-a rately cut to fit them into their present position, serpent forms her girdle and another convolves and that others had been selected to fill parts about her neck. She is naked, except a scanty for which they were not originally intended, cloth, called pira, round her middle; her belly is being either too large or small, led me to doubt empty, thin, and shrivelled; her breast, pendant that I was then investigating the original temwith long disgusting nipples;' and a long neck- ple, and to conclude after further investigation lace of skulls hangs down to her ankles. This that this one had been either rebuilt, or partly figure has been repeated on the base of one of restored from an older structure, of which the the pillars in the hall, and there too it is defaced. least mutilated sculpture had been incorporated Nearly facing her is a male figure with lank belly into the present building, which, I was led to and somewhat jaunty moustache. In another believe, was of a cognate nature from the subpart of this line of figures the skeleton form of jects chosen for the decoration of both."
There is a somewhat striking trimurti about 8 feet high in an old temple at Chittar, locally known as Adbuddha Mah&deva's.
