170 On the Antiquities of Mainpziri. [No. 3, 



ornaments one of which, (32 inches by 24 inches) has been figured 

 by me as No. 15. There were many others of the same character. 

 We now come to the roof. Of the central slab of this Buddhist (or 

 as Fergusson would call it "Jain") ceiling, I was fortunate enough 

 to find three portions, one of which has been figured as No. 5 ; it is 

 drawn to scale, from which it will be perceived that the central 

 rose lotus blossom must have been 5' 4" in diameter. This would 

 give a central chamber vault of at least 11 feet, or with the cornice 

 12 feet. The massiveness of the long slabs of block kankar, must 

 have been very great ; but they were not sufficiently strong to bear 

 the weight of a large pipal tree, which now stands upon this spot, 

 and which doubtless helped much to cause the ruin. 



Arrived at the exterior of the roof, we find a strange pinnacle, of a 

 form new to me, one in which the form of the vase is not abandoned, 

 but very well adapted. Vide figure 1. 



There were also built into the walls around, the remains of three 

 kalasas, each of 3 feet diameter, which, doubtless, at a subsecprent 

 period, capped portions of the edifice. I also observed the fragment 

 of a very singular capital (figure not mimbered) which would seem 

 to have been used in the building. An emblem of S'iva has been 

 erected in the centre of a wretched enclosure on the site, and the said 

 enclosure is generally kept clean ; but except by the women, much 

 sanctity does not seem to obtain for the place. It is, however, the 

 scene of many a festive " mela" or fair, held at regular intervals, and 

 for the convenience of visitors at which, the kankar blocks have 

 been much scattered and rebuilt into small walls. The temple was 

 undoubtedly of Buddhist origin, and belonged probably to the fifth 

 or sixth century after Christ. Of course, it was impossible to find 

 any mason marks, as these could not be well cut on kankar blocks. 

 There was no inscription that I could discover, whilst my search for 

 coins in the village produced nothing. 



These notes may prove the more valuable, as it is probable that in 

 a short time not a trace will remain of this ancient ruin. 



Karauli. — At the suggestion of Greneral Cunningham, I drove over 

 to Karauli, which is about 11 miles north of Mainpuri, and upon 

 the Grand Trunk Road from Allahabad to Delhi, being 240 miles 

 from the latter place. 



