________________
JUNE, 1915)
BAUDDHA VESTIGES IN KANCHIPURA
129
deposited in its present position by some well-intentioned man, the questions which remain to be answered are (1) where could it have lain before it was brought into the temple ? and (2) a man of what religious persuasion could have brought it in? It may have been lying at some distance from the temple, or near it, or within its compound. In the first two cases, it must indeed hav, been a herculean task to have carried the image, weighing some tons, over a long distance and lifted it to a height of about seven feet in order to deposit it in its present position. In its transit into the temple no less than two or three gateways have to be crossed. And why, after all, should it have been taken in ? If it was for preservation, it could have been set up in a well-illuminated place in, say, the outermost prâkâra, which would not have involved so much trouble and labour as carrying it to the innermost placc of the temple. On the other hand, it is easier to believe that the image was in some place very near its present position and was removed from its original soat and just set down where it is at present.
Again, who was the person who took the trouble to put the image into the innermost prakâra of the temple, a Hindu or a Buddhist? If it was a Hindu who removed it into the temple and was so considerate towards this image, why did he not extend his sympathy also towards the other images lying near the temple? It is quite unlikely that a Hindu would have taken all the trouble to have brought the image for safe custody in a Hindu temple. On the other hand, he could have easily removed it from some important place occupied by it in the same temple and placed it in its present position. If, on the other hand, it is to be said that a Buddhist brought it from outside and deposited it in the Hindu temple, that would be a patent absurdity, for no Hindu would allow a Buddhist to'place a Bauddha image in safe custody in his temple. Thus then it is impossible that the image was lying outside the Hindu temple of Kâmákshi and brought into it for safe custody; rather, the probability is that the temple itself or at least a portion of it was a Buddhistic one. The temple of Kâmâkshi was, in all probability, originally a temple of Târâdêvi and, as with many other temples of alien faith, converted into a Hindu temple in later times.
The second image, whose head is broken and lost, is found in the second prâkâra. It was covered with debris and with some trouble the image was unearthed for photographing. Its position is market B on the ground plan of the temple. Both the hands of the image lie on its lap in the yoga-mudra pose. See Fig. 2.
The third image is to be found in a garden situated near the temple of Kâmâkslidevi. It is also seated in the yôga attitude, with the hands in the yogi-mudra pose. The jválů on the head, the upper cloth and other minor features declcre it to be an image of Buddha. I heard that in the same garden there are lying buried two more very large seated images of Buddha. It would be interesting if these could be excavated and exposed by the Archæological Department. See Fig. 3."
The fourth and the fifth images are kept in safe custody in the Karukkil-amarndaamman temple on the way to Vishnu-Käßchi. I was told that a pious man.collected all stone images lying round this goddess's temple and set them up in their present position. It is worshipped now by the Hindus who visit the temple. One of these has its right hand, in the bhúsparia-murâ, while the two hands of the other are in the yôga-mudra, attitude. See Figs. 4 and 5.
I am inclined to believe that if a vigourous and earnest search for more Bauddha vestiges is made, many more pieces of sculpture and architecture are likely to be discovered. It is to be hoped that the enthusiastic and energetio Archeologist with the Government of Madras will turn his attention to this interesting field of investigation.
