THE SEVEN PAGODAS. 



179 



The ends, or north and south faces of the portico projection, 

 contain each a shallow recess between square half pilasters, of 

 the same style as the centre pieces of the north, east and south 

 sides of the temple. That on the north face contains a bas-relief 

 of a man (or god) trampling on a giant. That to the south a 

 shock-headed boy with a thin staff (?). He stands on the left 

 leg with the right across in front of it, and resting on the toe. 

 The left arm is across his breast and the left hand raised, whilst 

 the right is seen about the middle of the waist with palm open. 



The central panel between the square half pilasters on the south 

 side of the main block of the temple contains a somewhat similar 

 figure to the last mentioned (that in the panel at south end of the 

 portico projection) ; only in this instance he is seated nude on a 

 seat or bank under a tree (?) with the right leghanging down aslant 

 and the left drawn up, with the (left) foot resting on the right 

 thigh, and a cord tying the bent leg to the waist. The features of 

 the face and the shock of hair parted in the centre are much like 

 the figure of a shock-headed boy on the southernmost monolith 

 (Ratha) No. 48. He may represent some Eishi or ascetic, as 

 there are no traces visible of extra pairs of arms to indicate 

 godhood. The more common meditative position of the pro- 

 fessional ascetic is to have both legs drawn up and confined by a 

 band round the waist. The features of the face and head are 

 wonderfully well preserved, considering how much the rest of the 

 sculptures, especially on the east or seaward-facing portions, have 

 been obliterated by weathering. 



The architrave surmounting the centre-piece panels is highly 

 ornamented by very florid scrolls, somewhat flying-dragon fashion, 

 and a little like the niche-and door-surmounting scrolls of the 

 Draupadi (or Sakti) monolith No. 37, with a dwarf (?) in the 

 middle. The two narrow corniced or hooded projecting niches on 

 the south side contain single tall-capped figures, possibly warders, 

 standing at ease. 



The centre piece on the east side represents a ten-armed god, 

 half sitting, with spread eagle legs, and wearing a tall topi or 

 cap. The whole of this side is very indistinct from weathering, 

 and the sculptures cannot be made out at all clearly. The chief 

 left arm seems to be stretched up as if supporting the roof. 



