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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1880.
to simulate the monks' dormitories that sur- terrace 5 feet above ground level, which projects rounded the many-storeyed halls of the Buddhist 31 feet beyond the plinth and forms a processionvihåras or monasteries, of which the monolithic path completely round the building. It is termtemples of Seven Pagodas' are early imitations. ed in Tamil ļodai - "man-way" or "serviceThese ornamental cells form a more conspicuous course." The mouldings below the processioncharacteristic of this temple than is common path are very bold and good, the ornament of elsewhere; at Tanjore for instance, where there the vertical or flat portion simulating a range of are thirteen storeys of cell terraces, the cells pillars or palings, alternately plain and sculpturbeing only about half the size, are consequently ed to represent Yali, (conventional lions) and far less noticeable individually. Above the various scroll-enveloped animals. seventh or highest row of cells, there is a roomy There is no trace of horizontal rails or of any terrace occupied by four large bulls couchant at wooden form of structure below the top of the the corners, and from the centre rises a compara- plinth-moulding which is the floor level of the tively slender neck surmounted by an umbrella temple and 10 or 12 feet above the ground. or semi-dome crowned by the usual kalasa Above that, wooden for.ns are frequent, as for or finial. The entire temple from base to summit instance in the projecting beam heads at all the is of hard stone, brought from a distance, for angles, which are only slightly ornamented. there is none in the neighbourhood. On the The string-course of griffon heads between them, east side of this great Stubi or Vimana stands probably, also represents the ends of the interthe Velimandapam or outer hall,' a plain rect- mediate timbers. The whole structure points to angalar building 160 feet long by 83 feet wide, a style of architecture in which the basement was with a flat roof supported by four rows of plain of masonry and the superstructure of timber. stone pillars and without any windows. This The brackets underneath the lower projecting grand hall or covered court was evidently cornice represent rampant animals with atdesigned to be of two storeys in height, and was tenuated bodies like greyhounds, of a rather begun on that scale at the west end, but never wooden pattern. completed, being only one storey, eighteen feet The panel or flat part of the back wall of high, throughont
each recess, between the projecting tower-like Between the Velimandapam, or outer court, compartments, is ornamented by a vase or some and the great Vimana, there is a three-storeyed very florid object called púranakambam. This building joining them together, called Méle- is a common feature at Tanjore and elsewhere, mandapam, covering the transverse aisle be- and seems to correspond to our cornucopia. tween the north and south entrances by which | The rounded plinth-moulding just above the the shrine is approached. This portico or procession-path is covered with inscriptions, transept is designed and completed in keeping mostly in old Tamil. Many of the letters cor with the grand scale and style of the Vimdna. respond with those on the base of the Tanjore The interior is too dark for its arrangements temple as shewn in plate xviii. of Burnell's and details to be seen, nor are strangers permit- 8. Indian Palmography, but others seem more ted to enter the doors. A third entrance is modern, approximating to those on his plate provided at the east end of the Velimandapam xix., of the fifteenth century A. D. To the onby a plain rectangular door in the centre, which instructed, the architecture seems uncommonly is approached from without by a double flight of good, chaste and archaic compared with the stone steps from the north and south sides, common great Hindu temples of Southern India. similar to the two other pairs of stairs by whichThe sculptured figures and groups that occupy the transverse aisle doors are approached the niches in the middle of each compartment Gigantic stone warders (dwdrapálas) guard each are very good indeed, both in design and exeentrance. This triple building (Vimána, portico, cution. They are carved in very hard, fine and outer hall) stands upon a grandly moulded grained, light coloured stone, occasionally applinth 5 or 6 feet high, no part of which is flat, proaching a cream colour. The figures are reand the whole is supported by a basement or presentations of sivs, Vishņu and Bramha, all
It measures 50 foet by 80. . Among some sketches by the writer, is one from a
niche representing Siva appearing out of the side of the Linga, four armed, with purasu and mriga, and a figure
