THE SEVEN PAGODAS, 



187 



been built up and partly concealed whilst the grants were con- 

 sidered important records. 



There is such a general resemblance of the sculptured tableaux 

 here to those in the Varahasvami Mandapa No. 25, as well as to 

 some of the other carvings, such for instance as those in the 

 Kapalisvara or Nandagopalpalaiyam No. 21 that I am inclined to 

 attribute the original excavation and tableaux to a very early date, 

 and the additions to the same date as those of No. 15, the Krishna 

 Mandapa. 



It was intended to make a complete outer enclosure by a 

 brick wall and a small gopuram or gateway tower, but they are 

 incomplete. 



Midway between the Mandapa and this unfinished gateway 

 stand the two usual altars, which in this instance have a snake's 

 head erect between them facing the temple. There is also here 

 a short pillar apparently devoid of all ornament, perhaps intended 

 for the usual lamp post (dipastambha). 



Koneri Mandapa South. 



52. This is a fine excavation on the west-north- west side of 

 the main group of rocks, but it is unfinished. 



It consists of a double verandah or portico of five bays or 

 openings under a cornice, between 4 plain bracketed pillars, 7 or 

 8 diameters high, and 2 pilasters. In the outer row the pillars 

 have no capitals, but the under sides and ends of the brackets are 

 indented or beaded, in the prevailing style of the locality, both 

 in the monoliths and the excavations. The pillars are octagonal 

 in the middle. The outer aisle or verandah is 36' 6" long and 

 7 feet wide. The inner row pillars are sixteen-sided, with a 

 neck and squashed capital, in the prevalent style, only without 

 the lion or griffin bases. They have two ornamental bands 

 round the shafts. The back wall behind the inner aisle or 

 verandah is pierced by five doorways under a narrow ornamental 

 cornice, each flanked by a couple of dwarapal warders. Except 

 two of them, these warders are unusually plain, representing 

 ordinary men, decently clad, and weaponless but holding up an 

 extended forefinger each, as if enforcing caution. One pair of 



