1849.] Journal of a trip to Sikim. 537 



2 Looi Poomoo. — A female deity (mermaid like,) all under the navel 

 is a snake, the head is crowned with snakes. She is the daughter of 

 Nagarjun, the great snake king or snake God of the Hindus — a form 

 of Shiva.* 



3 Dorle. — A Thibetan deity. He is mounted on a sphnix, or it may 

 be a lion. 



The body of the temple is a good deal like the Tassiding ones al_ 

 ready noted. Three pillars on each side, very handsomely gilded and 

 painted, form the aisle. Felt seats raised a foot from the ground run 

 between the pillars ; they are exclusively for the Lamas. 



The side walls are painted in numerous groups and figures, from the 

 ceiling to within 3 feet of the floor. The images are in a deep recess 

 at the west end of the aisle, and nearly as large as life. They are as 

 follows : — 



1 Sakya TJioba. — The great Apostle or Avatar of Buddhism. He 

 occupies the centre of the recess and of the group. 



2. A tonsured Lama on the right of Sakya, standing with the pas- 

 toral staff in hand. 



3. Ditto ditto on the left of Sakya. 



4. A red-faced male image with a 4-armed female one clasped round 

 him, — left of Sakya. 



5. A red-faced image of Shiva, f with ornaments of human skulls, 

 and a woman clasped round him in indecent attitude. Left of Sakya. 



6. A white-faced male image with a trident over the left shoulder, 

 human skulls, heads, and the Dorje on shaft of trident ; right of 

 Sakya. 



7. A blood-red image of Devi, the goddess of destruction, war and 

 pestilence ; right of Sakya. 



8. A red male deity sitting cross-legged with the hands folded over 

 the knees. • 



9. A white image with the Dorje in hand. 



* Nagarjun is one of the beatified sages of Buddhism, to whom Mount N. Ajon 

 in Nipal is dedicated. The snake king is Kakotak, a Buddhist deity, also after 

 whom Nipal is called Nagbas. — B. H. H. 



t These are images ofTantrica Buddhism, not of brahmanism, as commonly sup- 

 .— B. H. H. 



