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CONTRIBUTIONS TO LITERATURE, ETC.
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sculpture, and attained a considerable degree of excellence in the perfection of their pillared chambers which were their favourite form of architecture. These took various shapes and gave full play to a variety of designs, differing according to the locality, the nature of the climate or the substance available out of which to execute their artistic ideals. Dr. Coomaraswamy, however, finds fault with Fergusson for his 'sectarian classification " which he says "is quite misleading"; "for, just as in the case of sculpture, there are no Buddhist, Jaina or Brahmanical styles of architecture, but only Buddhist, Jaina and Brahmanical buildings in the Indian style of the period." 139 Without entangling ourselves in this controversial question, we might accept the geographical classification of Dr. Coomaraswamy as an "adequate" (though not " the only") classification, for our purposes. "The three most clearly differentiated types are", according to him, " the Northern, marked by the curvilinear sikhara; the Southern, with a terraced pyramidal tower, of which only the dome is called the sikhara; and the Central, combining both types with peculiarities of its own These three types are thus designated in the Silpa-śāstras :
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A. Nāgara-mainly, North of the Vindhyas.
B. Vêsara-Western India, the Deccan and Mysore.
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C. Dravida-Madras Presidency and North Ceylon. 140 It is to be understood that these are the most predominant characteristics of each area, but not the monopoly of any particular zone. We have already noticed, for instance, in a Raṭṭa inscription of Saundatti, that King Rājā caused to be erected at Kalpolê, a temple of Jina, wonderful to behold, the diadem of the earth, having three pinnacles (śikharas) unequalled, so that Brahma, Vişņu, and Śiva were charmed with it; he also built a place of retreat for the high-minded devotees of the god Santinatha (Jina) adorned with golden pinnacles and arched
139 Coomaraswamy, History of Indian and Indonesian Art, pp. 106-7. 140 Cf. Ibid.. pp.106-7.
