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APRIL, 1877.]
THREE KÕRGU INSCRIPTIONS.
out of the rock in situ, and was originally sup- wide and dark passage leads round the back of ported by twelve pillars round the outside, and the shrine, and it would seem that the architect four in square in the centre. The four eastern meant to have supported all this part of the cave pillars have come down during the last five with pillars and pilasters symmetrical with those years, with that part of the roof which they in front; but much of the work remains merely supported. Between the outer circle and in- blocked out. The maximum depth of the cave ner square of pillars is an annular cistern about in the north-west corner) is 75 feet. The two feet deep, which was within my time kept northern section is now divided from the rest by filled with water. The Nandi and four inneramud wall. Between the pilasters on the true pillars rest upon an insulated plinth or pedestal in north wall I found some traces of figures - the cistern. The roof of this pavilion is external- whether blocked out for sculpture, or destroyed, ly carefully smoothed and dressed into the shape it was impossible to say, and thought I recogof an umbrella, except at the very top; where nized the outline of the Saiva Ashta Mâtra. the original rock surface remains,-not having Below them were a few conventional ornaments, been high enough, apparently, for the architect especially that derived from the Chaitya, and to finish his design. There is no trace of his found in many Hindu caves, as at Elephanta. having made any structural addition, either here on the faces of the great Nandi's island-pedesor over the main cave. The rest of the court- tal are panels of a pattern which suggests a yard is almost filled up by a modern well and similar derivation from the Buddhist rail. There garden.
are no other sculptures, but a few unintelligible The facade of the cave occupies the whole marks in the south wall, and I found no inwest side of the court, and is 96 feet long, ex- scription whatever. There is a small cell; the clusive of the thickness of two pilasters. These front supported by two pillars, in the southand eight free-standing pillars, plain and square, | west corner of the court; and in the hill, about with bracket capitals, support the roof in front. a mile behind, there are three or four more, The eaves are very narrow, and dressed below; which are mere square cells. Modern Hinduism the entrance, a flight of five steps up from the has the whole set in full possession, has adorned court, and three down again into the cave, is the cave of Panchaleśvara with marvellous fresbetween the centre pillars. The outer steps coes, and even hewn new images in the cells on are flanked by two stone tigers couchant, hewn the hill. There is nothing to show that the great in situ. An aisle eight feet wide separates the cave has not always been, as now, a Saiva temple. front row of pillars from another precisely similar, As regards its chronological position we have having a great false architrave; and nine feet but little evidence. The long open front and further in is a third row of the same character, but rows of pillars point to the period of the having only three pillars and & pilaster to the BÂdâmi caves; the Nandi pavilion hewn in south of the central interval, as the south side of the court reminds one of Elora and the solid the cave here contracts eleven feetat a right angle, shrine of Dhokeśvara, which is in fact the the north side retaining its direction. Between nearest Brahmanical cave (58 miles off as the the third pillar from the south and fourth from crow flies), and the one which to my mind prethe north is a small Nandi hewn in situ; and 6] sents most points of affinity. All of these, howfeet inside of this third row of pillars is the shrine, ever, are much more ornate than the cave of containing three cells hewn in a mass of rock 39 Panchalesvara, which, for its originality and feet long in front by 27; deep to rear, left stand- vigour of design, deserves to be a good deal ing from floor to ceiling. The central cell is occu- better known than it is, though lying at the pied by the linga of Mahadeva Panchaleśvara; to very doors of one of the largest European his left is Bhavani, to his right Ganapati. A' stations in India.
THREE KONGŮ INSCRIPTIONS.
BY THE Rev. F. KITTEL, MERKARA. The following Old Kanarese inscriptions in the letters of the period (resembling those of • Cf. Ind. Ant. vol. I. pp. 860 et seq. ; vol. II, pp. 155 pronunciation of Kanarese, Kodaga, and other peoples, the et seq., vol. III. pp. 262 et seqq., p. 302. As evinced by the name of the country is Kogu (not Kofilgu with the long
