282 Notes on Bootlh Gya. [No. 4, 



The lowest 12 laps were made after the placing of 4 bricks perpen- 

 dicularly, making a height foi each such set of bricks of 9 inches only. 

 Then there came 16 laps, over 5 inches similarly laid and measuring 

 13 inches in height, whilst again above them came 24 laps over courses 

 of 4 bricks as at first. 



I had hoped to be able to calculate the height accurately in this 

 manner, having with me no means for measuring so great a height ; 

 but I imagine the laps got less at the top and the height assigned has 

 therefore only been approximately ascertained. This system of 

 " Lehra" still exists in Orissa. Mr. Armstrong, the assistant to 

 Mr. Shore, Commissioner, has obligingly sent me a drawing of a long 

 draw-bridge of more modern construction at Jajipore near Balasore. 



The openings thus covered are said to be 



~~I i — *\ — 7 — I 1 — from 8 to 15 feet. The space at Boodh 



II I] Gya is about 20 feet. At the temple of 



_J — . — 1 I — | 1 I Kooch Behar, is an excellent example, and 



it seems to have been universal through - 



-r, , e • • t •• ,, out Eastern Bengal. 



Part of an opening m Jajipur ° 



drawbridge. Capt. Austen informs me that in Cash- 



mere this "Lehra" is very neatly tied with a ~]~ stone. 



a r 



Cashmere Lehra. 



The arrangement above described holds good as regards the north, 

 south and west sides of the temple ; but on the east, the front wall is 

 pierced with two large openings, the one over the other, and above 

 these in the curved part are two " Lehras" or horizontal arches run- 

 ning east and west in the thickness of the said wall. 



The upper one, which is closed outwardly, was doubtless made to 

 lighten the weight of masonry over the entrance, and both shew plainly 

 that when they Avere constructed, i. e. at the same time as the original 

 building, the architects of the same, did not know how to build a true 

 arch. The temple at Kooch is similarly constructed. 



The lower one which runs through Avas probably arranged so as to 

 throAV the eastern sun-light, at a particular hour, on the figure of 



