230 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
accommodation to the spectators of the religious pro- 
cessions which parade the sunken road. 
The temples are numerous, but I am not aware that 
there are any of particular celebrity. That represented 
in the little vignette of this volume stands upon 
the Ganges bank in front of the madrissa, or 
ancient college ; I was induced to sketch it, not 
only for the sake of its picturesque position, but 
also on account of the peculiar style of its pointed 
roof, which I believe to he perfectly unique. I 
have never seen its like, or any thing resembling its 
form, in India, and am somewhat at a loss to under- 
stand how the roof is supported, there being no jambs 
or buttresses to resist the lateral pressure, which, it is 
evident, from its concave form, must be very great. 
It is constructed entirely of very small bricks, plas- 
tered over with white stucco, and ornamented with 
mouldings and cornices of red sandstone. It has appa- 
rently been a structure of i$uch importance, but has 
fallen into neglect and consequent decay : though an 
image of Krishna is still within, I believe, it is seldom 
or never used for devotional purposes. The lower 
chamber is encumbered with rubbish, and over-grown 
with rank moss, being, without doubt, a very favourite 
haunt of the families of snakes, and lurking scorpions ; 
while the upper apartment, to which access is gained 
by a flight of decayed steps in the rear, has become 
the privileged resort of bats and noisome vampires. 
The platform round this room has once been fenced 
