364 Description of the Ruins of an [July, 



is entirely conclusive of this compartment of the original building 

 being still complete. 



These columns and pillars support a stone roof composed of a 

 first set of ribs, whose ends are supported by four columns, forming a 

 square with a side of about 10 feet. Over the point of bisection of 

 each of these sides, another set of ribs are disposed, so that the angles 

 of a second and of course smaller square rest on the centres of the 

 lower ribs. The interstices of these figures are covered in with slabs, 

 forming between each four columns, a beautiful and simple figure, and 

 taken as a whole a roof of the most primeval architecture. 



In the northern face of this apartment, a door- way (relieved by an 

 architrave of most elaborate sculpture, divided into twelve compart- 

 ments, in each of which a group from the Hindu Pantheon occupies 

 a place,) communicates with an inner apartment, (the sanctum sanc- 

 torum), around which, at a height of about five feet from the ground, 

 are ranged 17 Jogies, about 3| feet high, executed in bold demi- 

 relief, in a superior style of sculpture. They are in a very primitive 

 state, as regards their habiliments, and placed in lascivious postures, 

 belonging to Devi', who herself about six feet high occupies a corner. 

 This figure has no connexion with the buildings, but merely reclines 

 against one of the walls, and has probably been brought here in latter 

 days, although from its style evidently coeval with the others. 



In the centre of this room is a Jelahri, on which stands a Chau- 

 mana Mahadeo, worked in marble. 



Near the entrance to the outer apartment lies a large slab of black 

 stone, about 3^ inches thick, and 3 feet square, in which is cut an in- 

 scription in a fine clear character, in good preservation, of which I 

 have forwarded a fac simile, taken with ink on paper from the stone. 



About 10 yards in front of the entrance lies, or rather sits, Nandi, 

 sculptured in a block of coarse white marble, with an ornamented 

 collar, and bells hung round his dewlap, and the back of his hump, 

 and another round his neck, about one-sixth larger than life. How 

 this immense block of stone (in itself a curiosity) was ever brought 

 to the top of this hill, considering the imperfect knowledge of machi- 

 nery possessed by the natives of the present day, is a matter of asto- 

 nishment to me. 



The site of the main building, if we may judge from the remains of 

 an octagonal chaubutra, round the whole base of which are an im- 

 mense number of elephants, executed in demi-relievo, about a foot 

 high, and each one placed in a different attitude, some of them in the 

 act of destroying a human being, othex-s assisting the Mahaut to 

 mount, others again destroying monsters ; and from what remain, I 



