Vol. V, No.1.) The Vikramasilaé Monastery. 9 
[N.S.] - 
statues elsewhere, and consequently I was surprised to see that 
these statues were in no way inferior to those of Nalanda. Some 
years ago Mr. Skrine, the District Magistrate and Collector of 
lotus mad silver, containing he Se petals which could be 
opened or closed by means of a spring: it has, I understand, been 
sent to the Museum of the Asiatic Society of 
a 
There can be no doubt therefore that these “clas at Pathar- 
ghata are the ruins of a Buddhist monastery. 
iuen T'siang while visiting Champa in the ee century 
gives the followiny description of the place : “To the east of the 
city [Champa] 140 or 150 li [28 or 30 miles] on the sont of the 
river Ganges, is a solitary detached rock, craggy and steep, 
and es y water. On the top of the peak is a Deva 
ing the rock, houses have been made; by leading the streams 
dangerous precipices are the resort of me # oF wisdom and virtue 
those who go there to see the place are reluctant to return. 
9] 
General ner eee says with reference tothis: ‘‘ From the 
description it is easy to recognize the picturesque, eng island 
opposite Patharghéts with its temple-crowned sumn Fro 
this statement it is clear that the General never etal Pathar- 
ghata personally, But there can be no doubt whatever from the 
fact of Hinen Tseang’s mentioning the rock-cut caves and stating 
the distance of the place from Champa that he gave a description 
of Rétharghats itself, which, however, is not a * detached rock 
ghata with its temple-crowned summit” as stated by General 
Two things are very clear from the aforesaid decker of 
tim rwi 
Tsiang would not have failed to allude ‘ it. Secondly, that the 
tea caves which may still be seen, existed at the time of Hiuen 
Tsian and he are the work of the Brahmins and not of 
the Boidhist, It is therefore not always safe to ascribe all rock- 
cut c the Buddhists, for the Brahmins must have exca- 
vated "The Pathargh4té caves long before the seventh century. In 
many, places, as in Gayé and Orissa, we find Buddhist monas- 
teries and temples appropriated by the Hindus,’ but in Pathar- 
ghaté Hindo shrines and other sacred places were Saks meses 
1 Beal’ 8 Records of ed Pals Abbelisswer vol. ii, p. 192. 
2 ips ngham’s Ancient Geography of India, p. 477. 
Ds. Rajendralala Mitra’s Saddle Gaya dik Antiquities of Orissa, 
vol. ii, p 
