1866.] Buddhist Monasteries and Temples. 75 



length of the existing fragment is equal to the depth of the terrace 

 ahove the foundations of the neighbouring cemetery, in addition to 

 its present elevation above the terrace, and to the extent of insertion 

 of its lower extremity in the primitive but now subjacent soil. In 

 this case, it would be not less than from fourteen to sixteen feet in 

 length. 



Buddhist Chaitya — No. III. 



Battis Khambha. 



About a third of a mile to the east of the Bakarya Kund Remains, 

 is a beautiful little structure called by the natives Battis Khambha or 

 thirty-two pillars. It is a very picturesque object as seen from the 

 Raj Grhat road, from which it is some four hundred yards distant. It 

 consists of a dome sustained by twenty-four square pillars, standing 

 in pairs at intervals all round. Formerly each corner had four pillars, 

 thus increasing the present number by eight, and then, of course, the 

 entire number was thirty-two ; but two from each corner have been 

 removed, leaving the spaces occupied by them empty. All the upper 

 part of the building is Mohammedan, while all the lower part is 

 indisputably Buddhist in its style of architecture. On the western 

 side is an abutment for the Singhasan of Buddha, similar to that 

 which exists in the Chaitya at Bakarya Kund, and indeed, so far as 

 our knowledge extends, in all bond fide Buddhist temples. The 

 pillars stand upon a platform raised above the ground, and in the 

 interior of the building is a Mohammedan tomb. 



It is remarkable that there should be so many ancient remains lying 

 almost in a straight line from Bakarya Kund to the Raj Grhat fort, 

 yet most of the remains hitherto referred to, lie in this line. We 

 have no doubt that formerly a large number of Buddhist buildings 

 existed between these two extremes, and that the foundations of some 

 of them might be discovered, if a keen search were instituted, in addi- 

 tion to the more prominent remains already brought to notice. It 

 seems evident therefore that there was a road here during the Bud- 

 dhist period, not far removed from the track of the present one. 

 This road was at right angles to another proceeding from Bakarya 

 Kund in the direction of Sarnath ; which still exists. Search might 

 be made along this road for the foundations of ancient buildings and 



