118 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[vol. vu. 
The sandstones of the various groups included in the Mahadeva series have been largely 
used; the members of the lower groups are, however, in many cases either too friable or 
contain too much iron to be lasting when exposed to the atmosphere. 
In the Bagra group, a sub-division of the Mahadevas, there are sandstones applicable 
to building purposes, and which have been used to some extent locally. The Tawa viaduct is 
built of these sandstones. 
Some of the beds of sandstone in the Jabalpur group yield an useful building material. 
A very dense indurated variety, which occurs in the station of Jabalpur, has been quarried to 
a considerable extent for local purposes.* * * § The viaduct over the Narbada below Jabalpur 
furnishes the most important example of the applicability of the sandstones of this group 
to building purposes. 
Close to Katak (Cuttack) there are some sandstones which Mr. B1 an ford considers to be 
younger than the Mahadevas, but the exact age of which is, from the absence of fossil remains, 
still uncertain. These sandstones were used in the construction of temples at Bobaneswar, 
and to some extent for various building purposes in Katak; but laterite and gneiss seem 
to have been more largely employed. Some ancient caves at Kundageree have been exca" 
vated in these rocks.t 
The intertrappean rocks of the Eajmehal series, whose contained fossil plants present a 
markedly jurassic facies, consist of sandstones, flag beds, and shales. The two former are 
occasionally employed for local building purposes, but cannot be considered to be of much 
importance. 
The compact sandstones of this series at Conjeveram and several other places offer, 
according to Mr. Foote, a very easily dressed and moderately durable building stone. 
In reference to the jurassic rocks of Kach, Mr. Wynne says: “ The finer grained 
slightly calcareous yellow sandstones of the lower jurassic group form tolerable building 
stone ; and some of the close, hard silicious grit bands, though difficult to trim or dress fine, 
would afford a very lasting material for rough work.” 
Several other sandstones are locally used. Mr. Wynne gives a list of the different 
building stones used in Bhuj, as furnished to him by His Highness the Eao of Kach. 
Rocks of this age are found in the Rajmehal Hills, U'tatur (Ootatoor), and at various 
places on the east coast between Trichinopoli and the Godaveri and in Kach.J 
The Bagh beds, which belong, it is considered, to the cretaceous period, contain some 
good sandstones suited to building purposes. Mr. Blanford, in his report on Western India, 
says: “ The massive sandstone of the Deva and those which occur throughout the country 
to the south of Allirajpur and Bagh would furnish excellent material. The gritty calcareous 
bed at the top, where it is not too cherty, would be well adapted for construction and could be 
easily worked.§ 
* Medlicott, Records, Geological Survey, V, p. 77. 
t References. 
Building materials of the district of Cuttack, Jour. As. Soc., Bengal, XI, p. 836. 
Memoirs, Geological Survey, I, pp. 250 and 277. 
Records, Geological Survey, V, p. 59. 
X References. 
Oldham, Jour. As. Soc., Bengal, and Pal. Ind. 
Foote, on the Geology of Madras, Mem. Geol. Surv., India, Vol. X, p. 132. 
Wynne, Geology of Kach, Mem. Geol. Surv., India, Vol. IX, p. 93. 
§ Blanford, Western Iudia, Mem. Geol. Surv., India, VI, p. 380. 
