Account of Mamattaipur. 



[No. 30. 



supplied the artist with a subject capable of being embodied 

 with great spirit : but here, instead, is an inanimate, meaning- 

 less group, which, hut for the principal figure, would not at 

 all have interpreted the story. There are about twenty figures 

 of men, women and children, and as many heads of cows or 

 bullocks. There is one tolerable figure of a brahmany bull, 

 and another of a cow licking its calf while in the act of being 

 milked. It may be that the general quietude and repose of 

 the figures are intended to imply their security from the ter- 

 rible danger so recently, and still but for the god's interpo- 

 sition, impending over them. In another part of the sculp- 

 ture is a figure playing on a flute or pipe ; this may also re- 

 present Krishna, in his character of Murlidur, the tuneful. In 

 this form he is called Balakrishna, and is said to have amused 

 himself t by piping to the swains and damsels of Goverdhen. 

 This figure of Krishna is small and might be overlooked ; it is 

 sitTuated over the hinder part of the cow and calf just mention- 

 ed. At the north end of this sculpture, raised 5 or 6 feet 

 from the floor, is a well executed figure of a brahmany bull 

 in full relief ; and at the south end are several figures of 

 beasts apparently intended for lions : one of them however 

 resembles the Sphynx,* having a human face with a body of a 

 quadruped. 



Krishna's Choultry extends in front 47 feet ; is 26 feet deep 

 and 12 feet high. The roof is made of hewn stone, which is par- 

 tially covered with earth ; and is supported by three rows of 

 columns, 4 in each. The bases of those in the front row 

 consist of grotesque figures of a non-descript animal, sitting 

 on its haunches, having curved horns, and a long tail which 

 is curled upon its back like the figure 8. 



On the hill above this Choultry is the foundation of a rec- 

 tangular building (No 14) measuring 66 feet in length, and 

 42 in breadth. In the middle of this is a gateway 12 feet 



• A similar figure ia met with at Ellora. M. 



