1869.] Some Observations on the Temples of " Razdah." 179 



that of the temple, which may be 50 or 60 feet. The sketch par- 

 tially represents this. ( Vide Plates II. and IV. J 



(6.) The entrance of both temples, and that of the large centre 

 building are due south. The entrance of the enclosures due west. 

 The two temples are about 230 yards apart, have been connected by a 

 stone causeway and a connecting chain of buildings. — Opposite to the 

 entrance to the gateway of the southern temple is a raised plateau 

 of land built up into what has evidently been a garden ' v now called 

 the Gulab B'igK). 



Thus far my notes conduct me, and I shall now, before closing this 

 paper, venture to put before the Society some remarks and ideas which 

 subsequent reading has enabled me to form on this interesting group 

 of temples. I would remark, however, that although so extensive, they 

 do not approach some of the other temples of Cashmere in interest of 

 architectural detail. The two centre temples, however, are Ariostyle 

 and those to which they bear most affinity are those of Puttun, 

 and I would attribute them to above the same era. I see that Cun- 

 ningham assigns about the date 883 — 901 A. D. to the Puttun- 

 teinples which were built by Sankara Verma. With regard, how- 

 ever, to some of the adjacent buildings and fragments I have spoken 

 of as surrounding the two groups at Eazdoing, I am inclined to attri- 

 bute to them a very high antiquity of origin ; and I even think it pro- 

 bable that there may have been more ancient temples than the present 

 ones standing on the same site ; and that these I have described may 

 have been repaired or reconstructed (as was usual) in their present 

 form. I am led to this conclusion by what I find recorded in the 

 Raja Tarangini (Persian translation) that in the reign of Jaloka son 

 of Asoka (to whose reign I see the date 250 B. C. assigned), it is re- 

 lated that this prince (Jaloka) was wont daily by means of a serpent* 

 to visit daily the temples of Warainool, Bej Biharie, and Zar, and 



* This " serpent" is frequently mentioned in the ancient chronicles of Cash- 

 mere, and appears to have been a mechanical machine, a propeller, or flyina; 

 bridge. It is related that King Meegwahun having conquered Ceylon, Surat 

 &c, returned to Cashmere by way of Scinde, and passed his army over the 

 river Indus (A. D. 22) by means of serpent; but the fabulous and the quasi- 

 Historic are so blended in the earlier chronicles, that it is impossible to dis- 

 sever them, and although the word is the same, the chronicle in the case quoted 

 in the text, of Jaloka's daily visit to the three shrines seems to imply an aero- 

 nautic element as the sloke speaks of a " flying" serpent ; but Jaloka is always 

 .mentioned as a magician king possessed of supernatural powers. 



