4. ARCHITECTURE. 
a hundred tons. The lower story of the pagodas is constructed of granite 
blocks, the upper story of burnt bricks. As a specimen of the elaborate 
sculptures of these buildings the trimmings of a window of the large 
pagoda are represented on pil. 3, fig. 13. 
For the better understanding of the ancient Hindoo temple architecture we 
annex a general description of the temple district of Chalembaram. 
A quadrangle of 1230 feet by 960 feet is surrounded by a double brick 
wall 30 feet high and 7 feet thick, faced with freestone slabs, which forms 
the perebolus or inclosure of the whole of the temple buildings. Each side 
has an entrance, a pagoda (pil. 1, jig. 3) constituting the pylon (gateway). 
The pylon or pagoda is constructed of stone for about 30 feet of its height, 
the remaining 120 feet being built of brickwork, anchored with copper 
clamps, and plastered with cement. The ornaments of the brickwork 
on the upper part are in better preservation than those cut in the stone. 
‘The pagoda forms a passage to the court of the temples. On each 
side of this passage stands a column, resting upon a base moulded into 
the figure of a lion, the capitals of which are connected by a stone chain, 
cut out of the same piece with the columns, composed of 29 movable links, 
each 32 inches in circumference; and consequently, the block from which 
the two columns and the chain were cut, must have been about 60 feet 
long. There is a staircase in the pagoda leading to the top. 
About one third of the court of the temples is portioned off by a wall into 
a quadrangular space, which contains three dark cells connected together, the 
stone ceilings of which are supported by pillars, all decorated with sculptures. 
The largest cell contains an image of Vishnu, to whom it is consecrated. In 
front of this smaller court is situated the pool of purification, where both 
sexes bathe. 
The main temple, with a portico bordered on either side by three rows of 
columns, six in each row, which are covered by sculptures, and whose 
capitals are very similar to the ancient Ionic, which were probably 
borrowed from them, is located on the right hand side in the fore part of 
the court-yard, and surrounded by various colonnades. It is composed of 
the pronaos or ante-nave, the main nave, and the sanctuary, which contains 
a picture of the bull Nundi, and also a statue of Parvati, the consort of 
Vishnu. The situation of this statue gives rise to the supposition that this 
temple was ¢onsecrated to that goddess. On the left of the temple is a 
colonnade of 100 columns, covered with a stone ceiling, leading to a 
small dark building on the opposite side, designed for the use of the 
priests. At the left of the pool of purification stands the temple of 
eternity, surrounded by 1000 monolithic columns 30 feet high, with a 
ceiling partly of stone, partly of cemented bricks. This colonnade, one of 
the most remarkable constructions in existence, is 360 feet long by 210 feet 
wide, and offered to the three thousand priests, who passed here almost 
all their time, a cool and airy promenade at all hours of the day and night. 
The temple itself is small. It contains an antenmave and a main nave, 
with a plain altar covered with gold leaf. The inscriptions upon the walls 
are unintelligible, even to the Brahmins. 
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