156 Report of the Archaeological Survey. [No. 3, 



perfumes, and before which they kept lamps burning the whole night. 

 Hwen Thsang describes these processions as carrying flying streamers 

 and stately parasols, while the mists of perfumes and the showers of 

 flowers darkened the sun and moon ! I can easily realize the pomp and 

 glittering show of these ceremonies from the similar scenes which 

 I have witnessed in Banna. I have seen streamers from 100 to 200 

 feet in length carried in processions, and afterwards suspended from 

 pillars or holy trees. I have beheld hundreds of gorgeous parasols of 

 gold and silver brocade flashing in the sun ; and I have witnessed the 

 burning of thousands of candles day after day before the great Stupa 

 of Shwe-Dagon at Rangoon, which is devoutly believed to contain 

 eight hairs of Buddha. Before this sacred tower, I have seen flowers 

 and fruits offered by thousands of people, until they formed large 

 heaps around it, while thousands of votaries still came thronging in 

 with their offerings of candles, and gold leaf, and little flags, with 

 plantains and rice, and flowers of all kinds. 



161. From these accounts of the Chinese pilgrims it would appear 

 that the Buddhist establishments at Mathura must have been of consi- 

 derable importance, and this conclusion is fully borne out by the 

 number and interest of the recent discoveries. Contrary to his usual 

 practice, Hwen Thsang has unfortunately given us but few details 

 regarding the monasteries and temples of Mathura. This is the more 

 to be regretted, as we now know that one of the monasteries was 

 established by the great Indo- Scythian King Huvishka, about the 

 beginning of the Christian era, and that one of the stone statues, 

 judging by the size of its hand, could not have been less than 20 feet 

 in height. 



162. The first place described by Hwen Thsang is a monastery 

 situated on a mound, at 5 or 6 li, or about one mile, to the east of the 

 city. Cells were formed in the sides of the mound, which was ap- 

 proached through a hollow, and in the midst was a Stupa containing 

 the nails of Buddha. This monastery is said to have been built by 

 the holy Upagupta, who, as we learn from one of the legends of Pdtali 

 Putra, was a contemporary of Asoka. The nails and beard of the 

 holy man were still preserved. 



163. On another mound to the north of this monastery, there was 

 a cave containing a stone chamber, 20 feet high and 30 feet long, 



