THE SEVEN PAGODAS. 



93 



half carved to represent a griffin or lion, but want the tabular 

 abacus between capital and bracket. 



25. Varahasvami (Vishnu) Mandapa, or Ulagalanda. — 

 From Kamaraja's or the Ganesa temple, by going 40 yards along 

 the path that leads up to the south-south-west by a defile in the 

 rocks No. 25 is reached. This is a handsome little excavation 

 facing west-north-west, and consisting of a portico or verandah 22 

 feet long, 1 1 feet deep, and 1 0£ feet high, with a shrine-cell, now 

 vacant, behind two octagonal lion-based pillars and two square 

 pilasters, under a prominent cornice surmounted by a neatly 

 finished row of oblong cell ornaments. The ends and back wall 

 of the portico are sculptured in bas-relief tableaux. 



25A. The first, that on the north end wall, represents the 

 Varaha Avatara : Vishnu, boar- headed, standing, with the nude 

 figure of a woman seated on his right knee, raised by having 

 placed the foot on the head of a naga (wearing a five-headed 

 serpent hood) rising out of a bed or pool of (?) lotuses. 



25B. The next scene represents the Gaja Lakshml. — Lakshmi 

 on her lotus throne, with four nude female attendants bearing 

 water-pots which two elephants empty over her head. 



250. The corresponding tableau on the back wall south of the 

 shrine cell represents a goddess (four-armed) standing on a stool 

 under an umbrella with quasi-lion and unicorn supporters, and 

 attended by dwarfish guards and human (?) worshippers. 



25D. The panel on the south end wall of the portico contains 

 a representation of the Vamana (or dwarf) avatara of Vishnu, 

 Trivikrama (the " three stepper ") or Ulagalandon — " World mea- 

 surer." The god is eight-armed, displaying his emblems and 

 weapons, standing on his right foot, with the left stretched up 

 to heaven by an impossible distortion. 



The roof of this excavation is painted, and the pillars have the 

 fine square tabular abacus between capital and bracket, noted as 

 wanting in No. 24. 



26. On the west face of some of the highest rocks to the south 

 of the Varahasvami Mandapa (No. 25) a number of little niches 

 may be seen in rows, as if intended for lamps to be placed in 



