194 Description of the Antiquities at Kalinjar, [March, 



simile No. 2 ; this is on soft sandstone, and consequently was more 

 difficult to transfer than the former. 



The facade of the cave must originally have had a very rich appear- 

 ance, but it is now so plastered with whitewash as to be quite spoilt ; 

 the lower portion is occupied by a row of standing figures of deotas, 

 surmounted by scroll work ; above these the facade is divided into mould- 

 ed compartments, and has four pilasters, apparently corresponding in 

 style with the pillars in the Ras mandal(91) ; the space over the door 

 is divided into four compartments, each having a circular foliated orna- 

 ment, all this part is studded with holes, which the brahmans say are 

 from the nails or pegs to fasten down the metal plates with which the 

 door-way was formerly covered ; a basement or plinth runs along the 

 whole length of the facade, and is ornamented with figures of musici- 

 ans and dancing girls. 



The cave contains a black Ling about 4 feet 5 inches high, with 2 

 silver eyes(92) ; the side of the cave is relieved by several pilasters, on 

 which are figures of fakirs, women, &c. They support a cornice con- 

 taining figure of musicians, worshippers, &c. The small cave contains 

 no sculpture, it is merely a receptacle for chiragh, gharas, &c. 



The bass-relief of the Kurma avatar PI. XVI. (93) is between the two 



(91) The upper part of the facade on the right and left is much mutilated, and the two 

 extreme pilasters are without capitals. The whole is so thickly whitewashed as to be 

 quite useless in a sketch. 



(92) It is a hideous image. I have given a small section of it in figure 4, Plate 4 ; in 

 front of it is a small trough for the water and 2 stone slabs, on which the offerings are 

 placed, n. n. ; near this image is another coarse imitation of a face called Kirat Mukh, 

 and a tawdry dressed up figure of Parbati. 



(93) In order to produce the amrita, water of immortality, during the operation 

 various wonders rose from the sea, which was changed to milk : first the moon, then Sri 

 or Lakshmi, Suradevi, the goddess of wine ; the horse Uchaisrava ; the jewel Kaustabh ; 

 Parijat, the tree of plenty ; Surabhi, the beneficent cow, and the mighty elephant Airavat, 

 the vahan of Indra; these emanations appear to have been shared among the gods. 

 Vishnu getting Sri and the jewel Kaustabh, Mahadeo, the moon, which he placed in his 

 head dress ; Indra, the elephant, the cow, the tree and the horse Uchaisrava. In Coleman's 

 Mythology another version of the Kurma Avatar is given, namely, that " Lakshmi in 

 consequence of the curse of Durvasa" (Siva) abandoned the three worlds and concealed 

 herself in the sea of milk, so that the earth no longer enjoyed the blessing of prosperity 

 and abundance. To recover her the gods churned the milky ocean, as related in the 

 Kurma avatar, by this means Sri was reproduced as Rambha, the sea-born goddess, the 

 Venus Aphrodites of the Greeks. 



