THE SEVEN PAGODAS. 



Ill 



CHAPTER II. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE ANCIENT REMAINS. 



The ancient remains at " The Seven Pagodas "consist of 

 several varieties : — 



I. Monolithic temples, or shrines called Rathas. 

 II. Rock excavations, or artificial cave-temples. 



III. Scenic and figure sculptures on the rock, or on 



the temples. 



IV. Inscriptions on the monoliths, caves, or open rocks. 

 V. Structural temples built of hewn stone. 



VI. Miscellaneous figures and objects carved in the 

 rock, &c. 



The Monolithic Shrines (I) are beautiful and very 

 interesting, as being unique specimens, presumably copies 

 or models, of ancient forms of buildings that must have 

 been common once, but having been constructed in wood or 

 other perishable materials have entirely disappeared. They 

 are small and only suited for single image shrines. Similar 

 remains to these have rarely been met with elsewhere 

 in India. The nearest approach to them would seem to be 

 the Brahmanical (and ? Jaina) rock temples at Elura near 

 Bombay, and at Kalugumalai in the Tinnevelly District 

 of Madras and doubtless at other places but little known. 



The Rock-hewn Caves (II) here are all small and only 

 suited for individual worship of enshrined images. Archi- 

 tecturally they belong to the same style as the small model 

 temples with which they are associated. Outside they are 

 fashioned to represent the vihdra or pillared hall with its 

 cell-bearing roof terrace. Inside they contain a mere portico 

 or verandah with one or more small shrine cells, or image 

 niches, quite unsuited for collective worship. 



