330 INDIAN ARCH^OLOGICAL SURVEYS. 



and other remains of the time of Asoka and his successors, 

 and of numerous specimens of the architecture of the Gupta 

 period. The General also visited Khajuraho, in the small native 

 State of Chatarpur, for the purpose of examining the Ghautai 

 temple which, on the occasion of his previous inspection, he had 

 considered to be a Buddhist structure, but which Mr. F. C. Black, 

 C.E., after careful examination, pronounced to be a Jaina temple.* 

 This opinion was accepted by General Cunningham on his re- exami- 

 nation of the buildiag and its surroundings. Fresh visits were also 

 paid to the great Buddhist stupa at Sanchi, and a good number of 

 pillars which formerly supported the circular colonnade were dug 

 up, besides 21 new inscriptions. An interesting square temple 

 at Deogarh, apparently of 7th century date, with all the 

 characteristics of the style of the Gupta period, and first brought 

 to notice by Captain Charles Strahanf in the course of his survey 

 operations, was also carefully described. 



During the next year General Cunningham examined many 

 curious remains of Hindu architecture and sculpture of all ages. 

 Of the old Buddhist times there are the ancient mounds of Panch 

 Pahari, or the " Five Hills," close to Patna, from whence Akbar 

 viewed the city when he was besieging Daud Shah, the last king of 

 Bengal. Of the same age are the old temples and stupas of 

 Sravasti and Tandwa. Of the Indo-Scythian period there is a very 

 curious group of sculpture from Tusaran Bihar, near Allahabad. 

 Two inscribed stone pillars at Bilsar in the Doab belong to the 

 Gupta age, while the period of Muhammadan rule was well repre- 

 sented by the grand old masjids at Budaun of the time of Iltitmish, 

 A.D. 1202-09, by the magnificent masjids at Jaunpur, built by the 

 Sharqi kings in the 15th century A.D.,J and also by the tomb of 

 Sher Shah at Sasseram, possessing the largest dome in Northern 

 India, and picturesquely built after the Hindu fashion in the middle 

 of a sheet of water. Two identifications made by General 

 Cunningham during the tour were of great historical interest in 

 regard to the early career of Buddha. One was the famous 

 I'ruvilwa forest of vilwa or bel trees, whither Sakya Sinha 



* See Mr. Black's paper in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. XL V 1 1 1., 

 Part I., 1879. 



| Report on the Topographical Surveys of India. 1870-71, Appendix A., Gwalior 

 and Central India. 



J Subsequently visited and described by Dr.Fiihrer and Mr. Ed. Smith (see page 339). 



