1865.] Notes on Boodh Gya. 285 
This chamber, the floor of which is at about the level of the terrace, 
may probably have had before it an open porch; but all traces of this 
would have disappeared with the falling in of the arched roof below. 
I have before alluded to the extraordinary opening—or horizontal 
arch on the overlapping or Lehra principle as existing in the story 
above this. 
By the aid of ladders and bamboos obligingly furnished me by the 
Mohunt, I with considerable difficulty got within this, and found the 
floor to be about 55 feet from the ground, and that within it, on all 
sides, there was a space of about 5 feet of upright wall before the 
springing of the curve, and that this bit of wall was plastered ! 
This room might have been entered from the roof of the porch’ 
above suggested; but was evidently not used for 
any purpose. 
The open arch extends just half way in the 
height. Another similar arch, but closed externally, 
stands upon it as shewn marginally, and it is very 
curious that the open arch above mentioned should 
have been left in its singularly unfinished condition. 
The temple at Kooch, however, displays the same 
peculiarity. 
I have now at some length described the arches 
at Boodh Gya, relative to which Babu Rajendra- 
lila Mitra notes, (p. 4,) that when he brought the 
fact of their existence to the notice of Capt, Mead, 
Executive Engineer, who was shewing him through 
the ruins—‘ He readily acknowledged that the 
builders of the temple, whoever they were, 
certainly knew the art of constructing an arch, 
and the one before them was a very good speci- 
men of it.” ' 
The first thing that strikes an observer, when 
looking at the great tower from a little distance, 
Rough plan shewing and it is clearly seen in the photographs of Boodh 
general elevation. 4 } ; 2 
Gya kindly prepared for me by my companion, 
Mr. Peppe of Gya, is, that the whole of the arch arrangements are a 
subsequent insertion and formed uo part of the original building. 

