28 



Account of Mamallaipur. 



[No. 30, 



On the summit of the most southern eminence of the 

 mountain is a small ruined temple of sculptured stone (No. 18) 

 22 feet in length, 1 6 feet in breadth, and 1 6 in height. Its 

 foundation which is of brick, measures 30 feet by 26. There 

 is no regular access to it : the roof has fallen in, and the 

 temple is partially covered by an old banyan tree. There 

 is a fine open view of the surrounding country from the top 

 of its walls. 



Directly beneath, and cut into the same rock on which this 

 little fane is built, is an excavated temple (No. 19) 33 feet 

 long, 13 feet high and 17 feet deep. In front are four columns, 

 (one of which is broken), and pilasters at each end. The ex- 

 cavation contains three niches, of which the centre one is the 

 principal ; it has a sort of portal before it, and contains a 

 group of figures representing Mahadeva, Parvati, their infant 

 son Subrahmanya, five other figures and a bull, (Nandi). 

 The bull is in front of the principal figures, and on its back 

 rests one of the feet of Mahadeva, and one of those of Parvati. 

 In the floor of this principal niche is a circular trench, 4 feet 

 6 inches in diameter, and about 3 inches deep, in the centre 

 of which is a circular hole 1 6 inches in diameter, intended 

 probably for the reception of a lingam. The other niches con- 

 tain no sculptures. The portal before the centre niche pro- 

 jects from the back wall 8 feet 6 inches, and has a frontage of 

 11 feet. The front of this is sustained by two sculptured 

 columns, and it has pilasters where it joins the wall. 



This excavation however is chiefly remarkable for the sculp- 

 tures executed on its side walls. These represent, the one, 

 one of Vishnu's states of existence, and the other a celebrated 

 conflict between Durga and Mahishasura. 



I shall first speak of that on the south-western side repre- 

 senting Vishnu. Previously however it will be necessary to 

 observe that considerable uncertainty attaches to Narayana, or 



