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SEPTEMBER, 1910.) GAZETTEER GLEANINGS IN CENTRAL INDIA.
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GAZETTEER GLEANINGS IN CENTRAL INDIA.
BY MAJOR C. E. LUARD, M.A., I.A.
(Continued from p. 235.)
THE MALWA GROUP As already mentioned the excavations in Málwā are situated at seven places, Dhamnār and 44 Poladungad in the Indore State of the Central India Agency, and Kholvi (24° 1' N., 75° 55' E.) Awar (24° 8' N., 75° 56' E.) and Benaigā (24° 3' N., 75° 56' E.) in Jhällāwār, and Hategāon (P) and Rāmägaon (24° 7' N., 75° 59' E.) in the Tonk State, in the Rājputānā Agency. The last four I have not visited, but from accounts they appear to resemble the Dhamnār excavations, and not those at Kholvi.10 The relative positions of these places, except Hāgegāon, which is not on the Survey maps, are given in the map attached.
The Poladungad Caves. Poladungad, or "the hollow hill," is an isolated hill of laterite, situated in 24° 14' N., and 75° 45' E., 12 miles south-east of Gārot in the Rāmpara-Bhanpura zila of Indore State.
The excavations lie on three faces of the hill, and, owing to the highly friable nature of tbe stone, have in most cases suffered severely from the collapse of their roofs.
The excavations number over one hundred, but are all small residential caves, except two, which are Chaitys balls. Of these, moreover, one situated on the western face of the hill has collapsed. (See Plate II, fig. 3.)
• The hall which is still in a fair state of preservation lies at the southern extremity of the hill. It is locally called Sūraj-Pol-kā-gupha, or Cave of the Gate of the Sun. The general plan of this cave is shewn in the plan and elevation attached. It consists of a portico, 28 feet long by 4 feet deep and 14 feet 4 inches high, opening directly on to the plain at the foot of the bill. Of this portico little now remains, owing to the collapse of the rock. Behind it are one door and two windows, the door being 5 feet 3 inches wide, and 13 feet 7 inches high. The sockets for wooden frames can be traced in the stone (See Plates I and II, fig. 2). The door leads into an ante-chamber, 24 feet 9 inches by 7 feet 1 inch, in the rear of which is the OhAltya Hall, 33 feet 1 inch by 24 feet 9 inches, and supported on four square pillars of simple design. The ball ends in a vaulted chamber with an apse in which the Dāghoba stands. The Däghoba, which is quite plain, is 14 feet 4 inches high (See Plate II, fig. 1). Owing to the collapse of part of the vault the Dāghoba has been damaged.
Se A. Cunningham's Archeological Surwy Roport, Vol. II, 280.
