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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(DECEMBER, 1893.
6. The B'inji Cave. The Bʻinji Cave is situated in some low hills about 3 miles east of a village called, apparently indifferently, B'in'laing29 and Nyaungjàn, on the left bank of what is usually known to Earopeans as the Dončami River, but is really the B'in'laing River.29 This village is about three miles below Dayinzók, and about 51 from Maulmain and il from Thaton. At the foot of the Cave is the village of B'inji, which is reached by bullock cart across jungle and rice-fields from B'in'laing Village. In front of the Cave is a pool of very hot water from which a stream issues, 30 and over this stream is a single-plank bridge. The Cave itself is not situated at the foot of the hill, and a climb of from 50 to 100 feet is necessary before reaching it. In the rains the country between Bʻinlaing and Bʻinji is flooded. Bʻin'laing can be reached from Maulmain by ferry-launch to Dayinzek, 52 miles, and thence backwards three miles by country-boat. Bullock carts can, by arrangement, be procured at B-in-laing. A special launch from Maulmain could, of course, be moored at B'in'laing, which is a station for procuring firewood for the ferries. In any case more than one day is necessary for the expedition.
Bad weather prevented the exploration of this Cave, wbich is much to be regretted, as it is necessarily but little visited. Old and now faded photographs, see Plate II., taken by the late Mr. R. Romanis, the Government Chemical Examiner at Rangoon, in the possession of Mr. George Dawson, the present owner of the ferries along the rivers which join at Maulmain. and of the little Railway from Duyinzêk to Thatôn, however, fortunately shew that the Cave is of the ordinary Râmaūñadêsa type, though not so profusely ornamented as usual as to walls and roof. The plan has been to place a series of pagodas or chaityas down the centre and images on platforms along the sides. This Cave bas, however, a pagoda jast outside it, which is nnusunl; and it will be observed that this pagoda and those shewn in the interior are not of ancient form.
The B'inji Cave is deep and dark, requiring the use of special lights, but at the end of it is a pool of water flush with the floor, and & pagoda, 80 situated as to be lighted from a hole in the roof, or more correctly in the hill side, 31 after the fashion of the artificial lighting of the Ananda Pagoda at Pagàn (spelt Pagam and Pugan = Påļi Pugâma), and of some Jain structures in India. There is a fine reflection of the Cave, both roof and walls, in the pool.
6. Contents of the Caves. Plate Ia gives an idea of the great variety of images and objects to be found in the Caves above described. The plate itself is from a photograph taken on the spot at Kogun. The objects shewn in it were collected together for reproduction from the immediate neighbourhood of the ruined pagoda apon which they are placed. They are mostly of wood, but some are of terra cotta, plaster and stone.
The modern Burmese seated figures of Gautama Buddha are usually dressed in the garb of 8 monk, or pônji, 3 with curly hair drawn up into a knot on the top of the head, and the lobes of the ears touching the shoulder; but sometimes the Buddha is still represented dressed as Zababado. In these Cave representations there is, however, considerable
* This place is locally identified as "the residence of B'io'laing or Binlaung, the last Talaing king." The tradition is, however, probably a confused reference to the notable doings in these parts of Bayin Naung ( Port. Branginoco (Bayinjt Naungw), Bayin' being spelt 'B'ara') in 1851-1581 A. D., and of Binya Dala, the last Talaing king, 1746-1757 A. D.
* The DùnPamt and the Chauksarit Rivers join at a few miles above Dayinzek, acid form together the B'in'laing River, which, after tanning some 80 miles, falls into the Salween, somo 25 miles above Maulmain.
30 Not mentioned in the list given in B. B. Gazetteer, Vol. II. p. 38, note.
91 There are several such holes in the P'Arum Caves giving fine effects of light. There is cave at Muang Pangiu the Laos States where the name ohance effect ooours. See Bock, Temples and Elephants, p. 289 f.
* Yalo, Mirrion to Ava, pp. 38-9 and note; Fergusson, History of Indian Architecture, pp. 616 and 21
#1 Spelt b'un&krk and explained as the great glory (bunt), by the Burmese, but with doubtful accuracy to my mind.
