96 



DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS ON 



pilasters ; originally the back wall was excavated for three shrine 

 cells under an interior prominent cornice, but these have been 

 completely demolished, and the centre part cut out so as to form 

 but one irregular chamber. The back of the central shrine cell 

 and the ends of the portico or verandah had sculptured tableaux 

 on them, but all three have been carefully but roughly dished, as 

 also have, the dvarapal warders that originally flanked the exca- 

 vation. There is an inscription on the floor which is said to be 

 identical in matter with part of the older Saiva inscriptions ; 

 but the conch and.cakra cut on the end walls of the terrace in 

 front of the excavation seem to show that Vaishnavas must have 

 destroyed the old Saiva designs, and apparently have wished to 

 convert the cave to their own uses. An open colonnade of six 

 plain rough-hewn squared pillars, 12 feet high and about 8 feet 

 apart, has been intended to enclose an outer verandah or portico, 

 as has been done in the case of the Krishna Mandapa (No. 15) 

 and the Varahasvami temple (No. 35), but the architraves alone 

 have been added to the piers, and no roof has been even begun. 



Ramanujacarya, the great Vaishnava reformer after whom 

 this work is now called, is said to have flourished in the eleventh 

 century. 



49. Stone Couch. — This is a plain pillowed bed to the left 

 front of No. 48 and below; it somewhat resembles No. 31 in 

 shape and position, but is not ornamented like No. 28, the Sim- 

 hasana or Dharmaraja's throne. 



47. The Velugoti Singama Nayudu Mandapa. — This is a com- 

 mon roughly built plain mandapa, with a flat roof and open to 

 the south. It is on the ridge of the rocks j list above the Eama- 

 nuja Mandapa (No. 48), and is hardly worth a visit unless it be 

 in search of a foil to the rest. One Singama Nayudu, of the 

 Velugotivaru race, is dated about the year 1600 A.D. 



46. An excavation merely begun, may be seen close to the 

 path, west side, 160 yards south of No. 48. 



45. Arjuna's Penance (2nd Edition). — Descending again to 

 the path below No. 48, the next work of art to visit (No. 45) 

 lies about 160 yards to the south-south-east. 



