Indian Antiquary Vol 05

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 99

MARCH, 1876.)
THE DHÅRÂSINVA ROCK TEMPLES.
In the cell at the east end of the back wall & verandah is 44 feet long by 8 8" wide, and similar figure has been begun but never finished. has had four octagonal pillars with bracket
The verandah in front is 8' 8" wide, and sup- capitals in front. Inside, the cave is about 43} ported by six plain octagonal pillars with bracket feet wide and 38 deep; but the pillars are only capitals, and the cave is entered from it by a roughly blocked out. In the shrine, however, central and four smaller doors. At the east end is a Jina with snake-hoods behind the head. of the verandah & rough excavation has been Cave VII. is well to the south of this, at the made, leaving a large rough square block in the turn of the hill, and is only a verandah, fully centre, perhaps intended for an image. Outside 60 feet long, but quite choked up with earth. is a chamber 18} by 8} feet. The facade of the On the frieze over the front pillars, however, verandah has been ornamented by a line of are several compartments containing scenes that chaitya windows enclosing circular flowers, with seem to identify it as a Vaishṇava rather than fleur de lis finials, and a flying figure at the a Jaina excavation. In one compartment are side of each. The member on which these are a group of cows with milkmaids, one churning, projects, and is supported by elephants' heads and Krishna with his brother. In another is with floral scrolls between.
a person of consequence seated on a low platCave IV,-the third large one (close to this form, with a story-teller in front relating some on the east side) is a hall 28 feet deep by narrative, while a little behind is a rather corfrom 26 to 27 wide, of which the roof has been pulent danseuse making her habiliments fly up supported by four round columns, now all behind her head like the tail of a peacock; an gone except the capitals, which have support- attendant leans on a staff a little further back; ed a sort of square canopy. There is one cell and behind the principal figure are three women on each side near the front of the cave-one and a child. In another an elephant appears of them unfinished; two in the back, but the as the rear figure, whilst two figures on a raised partition between that on the east and the Beat occupy the other extremity, but the seven shrine has been broken through; and the door or eight intermediate figures are too much deof a cell has been commenced on the right cayed to be recognizable. Makaras with floral side. The shrine is about 9 feet 6 inches deep, terminations occupy the intermediate divisions. and the Jina is very much disfigured by the Near the base of a hill to the south of this, crumbling away of the rock and the soot of ages. crowned by a temple of Hátlá Devi-a form of The floor is filled up, I know not how deep, with Bhavani-I found the trace of a cave on the earth and cowdung, and the walls are encrusted east side; but after two days' excavation it with soot. The central door is surrounded by turned out to be a water-cistern. I had been three plain facias, & roll moulding, and a border assured that thirty or forty years ago there was of leaves, while above it is a semicircalar recess a large cave in this hill with cells, and was in such as is also to be seen over the door of one hopes I had found it here. Some of the natives of the chaitya caves at Junnar.
thought it was on the south side, but could not Crossing the head of the ravine, where there point it out when I took them all over that is a small torrent during the rains, and in the part of the hill. course of which there is a water-cistern cut in To the east of this hill and south-west of the rock, we come to the fourth cave, the front Dhåråsinva are the Châmar Lena, excavated in broken away, and the first compartment measur- & low ledge of rock. Of the largest cave, or ing 13' 10" by 9', with the roof slanting up at group-for it is difficult to say which, the front an angle of about 30°. A door in the back leads having all fallen down-only irregular fraginto an inner room 9 feet square, very roughly ments remain. At the west end, and facing east, hewn out; on the right side of it is a cell about is a cell with moulding round the door, at each 7 feet square, while on the left a similar one has side of which there has been a figure with a high been begun but left unfinished.
cap, and on the façade has been a line of figures, Cave VI., at some distance to the south-west of which the right-hand one-Ganesa-only can from the last, is a large unfinished excavation be made out. A little east from this is another nearly filled up to the roof with earth. The cell that has once been at the back of a larger :
That is, reckoning the first-mentioned small one as an appendage of the largest one, which may be called Cave L.