184 Description of the Antiquities at Kdlinjar. [March, 



Bhairon, to reach which you have to climb over steep and slippery 

 masses of rock. The situation of the sculpture is curious ; it is sculp- 

 tured in relief on the perpendicular rock with a small ledge about 2 

 feet wide immediately below it, which is the only standing room near 

 it. (44) This figure is called the Minduke or Mirke Bhairon. He 

 has ten arms, two supporting the rock and holding up some drapery 

 stretched out like a curtain, probably the veil with which at the end of 

 the world, he will hide the sun, thereby causing universal destruction. 



(45) His various hands hold respectively, a sword, a thunderbolt, 



(46) a head, (4 7) shield, trisul (trident), axe, club, ladu;(48) an ele- 

 phant is sculptured behind him, and he is attended also by his vahan 

 or vehicle, a dog. He has a skull in his head-dress and a garland of 

 them round him ; under the figure is the date 1432, ^8^ but under 

 a small figure of a worshipper on the right, which appears part and 

 parcel of the subject, is the date 1194 (Samvat) VA£5i- The Bhairon 

 must be 8 or 9 feet high. On the left are three standing figures 

 with Ling and Joni between them. They consist of a male between 

 two females ; the male figure holds two, and each female figure one, 

 string of beads. On the right is a seated female figure(49) rather 

 larger than life ; one hand is on her bosom, and she supports herself on 

 the other. Her eyes are turned towards Bhairon ; she is seated on a 

 kind of charpai, on which is an inscription with Manu's name, date 

 ^^. (50) There are also a figure of a sarman, and a head of Mahadeo. 



(44) On this account I am unable to give a drawing of it ; however, it resembles in 

 most respects the various other figures of Bhairon. 



(45) One of the figures of Siva in the Elephanta cave is so represented. 



(46) Hence Bhairon's name of Bajranga. 



(47) The origin of the head represented in the hand of the destructive form of Siva is 

 thus explained by Col. Vans Kennedy : during a quarrel between Siva and Brahma, the 

 former in a rage cut off with his nail one of the 5 heads of the latter, who had originally 5, 

 and was unable to loose it from his hand ; hence he is represented with one in his de- 

 structive capacity. 



(48) Most of the figures of Bhairon at Kalinjar are attended by an Elephant, which he 

 feeds with Ladu. 



(49) Kali, who with Siva, is the progenitor of Bhairon. 



(50) Between the years 1550 and 1600 of the Samvat, there seem to have been exten- 

 sive works carried on at Kalinjar. Manu Bijay seems to have been the principal architect 

 and sculptor (vide notes 9, 11, 14, 16, 18 ;) probably at that date the Fort was thoroughly 

 repaired as well as enriched with sculpture. 



