1872.] E. S. Growse — The Tirthas of Yrindd-vcina and Gohnla. 317 
There must originally have been seven towers, ono over the central 
dome, one at the end of each transept, and the other four covering respec- 
tively the choir, sacrarium and two chapels. The sacrarium has been utter- 
ly razed to the ground, and the other six towers levelled with the roof of the 
nave. Their loss has terribly marred the effect of the exterior, which must 
have been extremely majestic when the west front with its lofty triplet was 
supported on either side by the pyramidal mass of the transepts and backed 
by the still more towering height that crowned the central dome. The 
choir tower was of slighter elevation ; occupying the same relative position 
as the spirelet over the sanctus bell in Western ecclesiology. The ponderous 
walls, albeit none too massive to resist the enormous thrust once brought to 
bear upon them, now, however much relieved by exuberant decoration, ap- 
pear out of all proportion to the comparatively low superstructure. As a 
further disfigurement, a plain masonry wall has been run along the top of 
the centre dome. It is generally believed that this was built by Aurangzib 
for the purpose of desecrating the temple ; though it is also said to have 
been put by the Hindus themselves to assist in some grand illumination. 
In either case it is an ugly modern excrescence, and steps should be at once 
taken for its removal. 
Under one of the niches at the west end of the nave is a tablet with a 
long Sanskrit inscription. This has unfortunately been much mutilated, 
but enough remains as record of the fact that the temple was built in Barn- 
hat 1617, i. e., A. D. 1590, under the direction of the two Gurus Kupa and 
Sanatana. The founder, Baja Man Sinha, was a Kachhwaha Thakur, son of 
Raja Bhagawan Das of Amber, founder of the temple at Gobardhan, and an 
ancestor of the present Raja of Jaypur. He was appointed by Akbar suc- 
cessively Governor of the districts along the Indus, of Kabul, and of Bihar. 
By his exertions, the whole of Orisa and Eastern Bengal were reannexed ; 
and so highly were his merits appreciated at court, that though a Hindu, he 
was raised to a higher rank than any other officer in the realm. He married 
a sister of Lakshmi Narayan, Raja of Koch Bihar, and at the time of his 
decease, which was in the 9tli year of the reign of Jahangir, he had living one 
son, Bhao Sihha, who succeeded him upon the throne of Amber, and died in 
1621, A. D. # There is a tradition to the effect that Akbar at the last, jea- 
lous of his powerful vassal, and desirous to rid himself of him, had a confec- 
tion prepared, part of which contained poison ; but caught in his own snare 
he presented the innoxious portion to the Raj a and ate that drugged with 
death himself. The unworthy deed is explained by Man Sinha’s design 
which apparently had reached the Emperor’s ears, to alter the succession in 
favour of Khusrau, his nephew, instead of Sali'm.f 
* Vide Professor Blochmann’s Ain i Akbari, p. 34.1. 
t The above tradition is quoted from Tod’s Rajasthan. 
