I 



THE SEVEN PAGODAS. 183 



excavated shrine seems to have obtained the name of "The 

 Cave " par excellence. 



35-a. The back wall of the shrine-cell or sanctuary is occupied 

 by the carved representation of the Yaraha Avatara of Vishnu, 

 very much the same as it is represented on the north end wall of 

 the VarahasvamI Mandapa (No. 25) and the sculptured slab at 

 Manimangalam. The excess of ornament shown in this plate is 

 perhaps due to the fact of the sculpture having been painted (see 

 Carr, page 211). The Adisesha is shown differently from that 

 in the corresponding bas-relief in No. 2 5 A, and the other figures 

 there shown (Carr, plate V) are here wanting. The lotus flower 

 on which the right-foot of the goddess rests is here very promi- 

 nent, in the other it has disappeared. If rightly delineated 

 here, I should suppose this sculpture to be considerably more 

 recent than that. 



Returning now to examine the sculptures on the walls of the 

 main chamber ; they are eight in number without counting the 

 subordinate figures. 



To begin with the westernmost on the north end wall. 



35-b. The first is a recessed niche 3 feet wide, 6 feet 6 inches 

 high, and 1 foot deep, containing a (?) four-armed single figure 

 standing. The left upper arm is not seen nor any emblems or 

 weapons. The head wears a tall topi of the usual pattern, 

 and a little figure floats in the upper left hand corner of the 

 niche with hands joined. Perhaps this is the figure called Sri 

 Rama by Kavali Lakshmayya (Carr, page 211) with Anjaneya 

 (Hanuman) praising him. The principal figure is draped below 

 the waist, wears a cord over the left shoulder and under right 

 arm, and has a girdle of bands with snake-fashioned ends (?) 

 standing out from the right hip. A necklace, armlet, wristlet and 

 anklet may be seen, but the earrings, if any, are not large. 



35-c. The next niche to this is nearly 5 feet wide and contains 

 a group of 3 figures. 



The central figure is two-armed, seated on a chair or bench of 

 which the two ornamental feet are clearly seen. His hat or tall 

 topi is not so high as that (in 35-b) last mentioned, but otherwise 

 he is clad in much the same way as that, with similar cord and 



