162 



DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS ON 



the Yaraapuri front pillars, where, however, they exaggerate the 

 attenuated shape they already have. In the Eamanuja pillars 

 there is neither abacus nor block, but the top of the bulging 

 cushion of the capital almost supports the bracket without any 

 intermediate block at all. 



Above the architrave there is a narrow frieze surmounted by 

 a bold projecting convex cornice ornamented by half-a-dozen erect 

 horse-shoe facets, the ornamental carving in which is not clear 

 enough to describe ; if faces ever existed they have been dished. 

 Above and behind the cornice there is a row of three oblong 

 (waggon -roofed) cell ornaments, with two horns, two kalaSams and 

 a spiked horse-shoe dormer to each. Between these cells and a 

 little beyond them at each end a simulated vaulted corridor runs 

 the whole length of the excavation, the parts between the cells 

 being ornamented by two spiked dormers and a kalasam. The 

 base of the cells and corridor has been carved to represent the 

 usual railing or balustrade. The ornaments do not look like the 

 usual pattern of griffins' heads. 



The (nine) horse-shoe dormers on the cells and corridor have 

 the usual curved projecting hood-like block in their centre under 

 an arched niche, which seems here intended to canopy the tall nar- 

 row panel cut out of the usual plain shaft or projecting pier 

 which forms so conspicuous a feature under the roof dormers of 

 southernmost (Dharmaraja's Eatha, No. 43). It would seem that 

 it was intended that this plain tall block or projecting pillar 

 should eventually be formed into a tall narrow panel or shallow 

 niche containing a figure carved in bas-relief, as has been done 

 in two domical cells on the left (south) centre of the Panca 

 Pandava mandapa (No. 16), and in the more elaborate dormer- 

 capped niches on the great waggon-roofed monolith of Bhima 

 (No. 42). One other marked architectural feature is noticeable 

 here, namely, the row of little projecting blocks immediately 

 under the eaves of the cell and corridor roof. Something of the 

 kind may be seen in the Eamanuja Mandapa, but it is not com- 

 mon here. The ceiling of the verandah of this cave is still 

 ornamented with the remains of painted figures. Five of them 

 circular rosettes or wheel patterns and two diamond-shaped 



