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CHAPTER XI
THE VERTICAL TREATMENT OF THE BASE
(i) The Plain and Ornate Phases in the extant temples
In building a temple, a paved platform is first laid upon a wall bedding of concrete, or upon a solid mass of brick work. On this is raised a pitḥa, a solid substructure, the upper surface of which forms the floor of the building. The outer face of this basement may be either plain or ornate being decked with series of horizontal mouldings which follow either a fixed order or a varying order having additions and omissions of certain mouldings.
In almost all the temples the mouldings over the shrine base run parallel to those over the base of the antarala, the mandapa and the porch.
The horizontal mouldings which are generally found carved on the ornate outer face of the basement of the temple are as follows from the bottom upwards Bhitta (platform), Jadaykumbha (or Jadambo, cyam recta moulding), Antarapatra (recess ), Karnikā or Kaņi ( astragal with sharp-edge ), Grasapaṭṭi ( a band of Kirtimukhas), Chadya (eave), Gajathara, Narathara and Vajithara (bands of elephants, men and horses respectively), and Paṭṭikā (a square-edged moulding adorned with flowers and leaves pattern in a square, circle or lozenge-shaped design). Between two successive mouldings are carved a number of mouldings deep in recess. They are known as antarapatras.
The Graspaṭṭi is a string-course or moulding sculptured with grinning faces; with horns-called also 'Kirtimukha' or Kirtivaktra-which is a decorative form of great antiquity, being found in the cave-temples as well as in structural buildings.
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