128 



DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS ON 



from the sculptured figures within and around it, it appears 

 to have been devoted. The Gramadevatas or tutelary village 

 deities are all (with one exception) females. 



This form of roof for a shrine is not altogether singular, 

 for several of the celebrated ' Sabhd ' halls at Chidambaram 

 are of this shape, and the square domical cells at the angles 

 of the Dravidian temple roof terraces are much in the same 

 style, and the quadrangular domes of the Nayaks (in 

 Tan j ore and Madura) are not far removed from it. 



Next to the thatched hut style of temple, we see the pyra- 

 midal or Dravidian style of temple tower. This is supposed to 

 be derived from the form of the Buddhist Yiharas or monas- 

 tic colleges, which were a succession of pillared halls in 

 several floors or stories, one above the other, decreasing in 

 size to the summit, which is crowned with a quadrangular 

 or polygonal dome. Each step or terrace of the roof is 

 furnished with a row of simulated cells, supposed to represent 

 the Buddhist monks' dormitory or meditation cells. They 

 are oblong, with a vaulted or waggon roof, except at the 

 angles, where they are square and domed, and a simulated 

 vaulted corridor or covered passage runs round each roof- 

 terrace like a parapet wall, joining all the cells together. 

 This cell ornament became universally adopted in the Dravi- 

 dian style of temple tower and elsewhere. At the Shore 

 temple No. 6, the screen wall is furnished with an ornamental 

 coping of this cell pattern. Another feature the Dravidian 

 style has inherited from the Buddhist is the horse- shoe orna- 

 ment seen so commonly on the eaves of the domical roofs 

 and carved cornice projections with which each terrace or flat 

 roof is edged. 



There are five of these pyramidal dome-capped monolithic 

 shrines or Rathas at Seven Pagodas ; four of three storeys and 

 one of four storeys (Nos. 2, 3, 4, 39 and 43). All these have, 

 or were intended to have, a projecting portico on one side 

 forming a vestibule or verandah leading to a chamber or 



