1866.] Bv/Mliist Monasteries and Temples. 77 



roof of the second story of the mosque a slah was discovered bearing 

 a long Sanscrit inscription, towards the end of which is the date 1248, 

 which, regarded as Samhat, is equivalent to A. D. 1190. The inscrip- 

 tion itself is of no particular importance, except that it abounds with 

 references to the Hindu religion, showing that it belonged to a build- 

 ing erected by a Hindu, and therefore subsequent to the Buddhist 

 period. It alludes also to certain tanks, temples, and maths, erected 

 and embellished in and about Benares, which of course were all in 

 honour of Hinduism. It is not unlikely indeed that these structures 

 were erected and this inscription was written with somewhat of a 

 religio-political object, to testify to the triumph which Hinduism had 

 then recently gained over Buddhism ; for there is good ground for 

 believing that the buildings at Sarnath were not burnt, and the monks 

 were not expelled therefrom, till about the twelfth century of our era. 

 "We have obtained a copy of the inscription in Sanscrit, with a trans- 

 lation into Hindi, through the kindness of Babu Shio Parshacl, Joint 

 Inspector of ' Schools, whose intelligence, enterprise, and extensive 

 knowledge place him in the front rank of native gentlemen in these 

 provinces. 



We would direct especial attention to the small side door or postern 

 with its massive wall, to the right of the building, which has a great 

 appearance of originality, and also to two noble capitals of gigantic 

 dimensions, lying in the court -yard in front of the mosque and turned 

 into small cisterns. They are the largest carved capitals we have 

 found anywhere. 



Hindu Temple of Klrt Bisheshwar. 

 Alamgiri Mosque. 



Near the temple of Briddhkal, one of the very few Hindu temples 

 of the earlier Mohammedan period still standing in Benares not 

 appropriated by the Mussalmans, and a few paces from the well- 

 known shrine of Rattaneshwar, is a mosque spoken of in the neigh- 

 bourhood as the Alamgiri Masjid, which was erected during the reign 

 of Aurungzebe or Alamgir, and was designated after that emperor. 

 Upon it may be read the following inscription in Arabic : — 



11 



