THE SEVEN PAGODAS, 



L31 



more or less in the same style and intended for the same 

 purpose, the worship of Siva under the symbol of the ling a. 



They are flat-roofed caves, consisting of a mandapa or 

 portico open on one side, and forming a covered verandah or 

 vestibule to the shrine cell or cells which have been exca- 

 vated out of the rock behind the back wall. They may be 

 divided into two or three classes. 



A. The first or simplest having a very plain exterior 



and plain square wooden-pattern piers and brac- 

 kets, with nothing but the corners cut off for 

 ornament (?), and without any imitation roof 

 facade on the rock above them outside. To this 

 class belong the Dharmaraja's Mandapa No. 44, 

 the Kotikal No. 50, the Atiranacanda No. 58, 

 and perhaps also the anonymous and unfinished 

 excavation No. 46. The interior of these man- 

 dapas is more ornamental than the outside, the 

 walls being divided into sculptured panels with 

 pilasters between and beside the cell doorways, 

 above a moulded plinth, and below a prominent 

 cornice, which, with the contents of the shrine 

 (the ling a with Siva tableau), affiliate them to the 

 Baths and the other caves. There are many 

 caves of this sort in the neighbourhood or adjacent 

 district. 



B. The second class consists of the more sculptured 



excavations which have an elaborate facade out- 

 side as well as in, with the representation of a 

 cell-bearing terrace roof above them, and orna- 

 mentally carved pillars. To this class belong all 

 the principal excavations with the sculptured 

 tableaux Nos. 25, 32, 48, 16, 51, 52, and perhaps 

 No. 35 also. 



G. A third class of excavations consists of those that 

 have no mandapa or porch, but merely the facade 



