1 r»8 Proceeding* of the Asiatic Society. [Skit, 



with very satisfactory results. The visitors were subscribing towards 

 the cost of it, and though I hear that there has lately been a difficulty 

 in procuring labour, yet it was hoped that this was only temporary. If 

 the whole peristyle is uncovered, not only will there be a most interesting 

 addition to the antiquities of Kashmir, but a& Aventipura is within a 

 morning ride of the capital, one of the most beautiful and instructive 

 among the architectural sights of the valley will also be one of the most 

 accessible. Mr. Cowie will doubtless send to the Society an accurate 

 description of the whole temple, with careful measurements, and 

 (I hope) photographs. 



" 2. At the village of Bhowar near Islamabad are Buddhist caves, of 

 which one is highly interesting, but as Bhowar is also close to the 

 magnificent temple of Martund, the cave is rather obscured by so august 

 a neighbour, and travellers are apt to miss it. In this neglect they 

 are encouraged by a book often taken as a guide, called the Diary of a 

 Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet 7 which is to be commended rather 

 for its pictures than for its letter press. On reaching Bhowar the 

 pedestrian remarks : ' Beyond a tank teeming with sacred fishes,, 

 there appeal's nothing whatever to be seen here, so, taking warning- 

 from this, we thought it not worth while proceeding to Bamazoo, 

 where we were told there were caves, but fed the fish, and retraced 

 our steps,' &c. And even Genl. Cunningham may rather deter the 

 less adventurous traveller from attempting the caves, by his frightful 

 description of the bats and other abominations which he encountered 

 in the most important one, and of the difficulty of the ascent to it. 

 But by pursuing his course from the village to the caves, the traveller 

 will (1) fill up the time during which he must wait for breakfast ; 

 (2) enjoy a delightful walk by the gushing streams of the Lidar, an 

 affluent of the Jhelum ; (3) see while walking a good specimen of a 

 Vihara r for the hills at the head of the valley have been scarped by 

 the river into cliffs which are hewn into numerous square chambers, 

 once the abode of Buddhist monks ; and (4) visit without any of the 

 difficulties formerly experienced, the most perfect sanctuary in Kashmir. 

 There are two principal caves. The first is that of Bhima Devi, a straight 

 narrow fissure in the mountain, widening at the end into two small 

 chambers, which are in the condition attributed by Cunningham to the 

 other cave, 'for it is tilled with countless bats, who, disturbed by the 



