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Of these we must, of course, confine ourselves to suchparts as are calculated to convey a general idea of theirarchitecture; with this view, we have selected for engravings(see Plates I. and II.) the ground-plan of Kylas, the entranceand section of Biskurma, the elegant entrance to the cave ofJugnath Suhba, the temple of Indur Subba, and a singularly-beautiful piece of sculpture at the door of Jun Wassa. Weshall also give the description and dimensions of the Kylasand the Biskurma.
Kylas, alias Paradise, (aspect, west.)—This wonderfulplace is approached more handsomely than any of the fore-going, and exhibits a very fine front in an area cut throughthe rock. On the right-hand side of the entrance is a cisternof very fine water. On each side of the gateway there is aprojection reaching to the first story, with much sculpture andhandsome battlements, which, however, have suffered muchfrom the corroding hand of time. The gateway is veryspacious and fine, furnished with apartments on each side,that are now usually added to the dewries of the easternpalaces. Over the gate is a balcony, which seems intendedfor the Nobut Khanneh. On the outside of the upper storyof the gateway, are pillars that have much the appearance ofa Grecian order. The passage through the gateway belowis richly adorned with sculpture, in which appear BouanneeUshtbooza on the right, and Gunnes on the left. From thegateway you enter a vast area, cut down through the solidrock of the mountain, to make room for an immense templeof the complex pyramidal form, whose wonderful structure,variety, profusion, and minuteness of ornament, are too elabo-rate for description. This temple, which is excavated fromthe upper region of the rocks, and appears like a grandbuilding, is connected with the gateway by a bridge left outof the rock as the mass of the mountain was excavated.Beneath this bridge, at the end opposite the entrance, there isa figure of Bouannee sitting on a lotus, and two elephantswith their trunks joined, as though fighting, over her head.On each side of the passage under the bridge, is an elephantmarked (a) in the plan, one of which has lost its head, theother its trunk, and both are much shortened of their heightby earth. There are likewise ranges of apartments on eachside behind the elephants, of which those on the left are muchthe finest, being handsomely decorated with figures. Ad-vanced in the area, beyond the elephants, are two obelisks(o) of a square form, handsomely graduated to the commence-ment ol the capitals, which seem to have been crowned withornaments, but they are not extant, though, from the remainsof the letuhand one, I judge them to have been a single lionon each.
To preserve some order, and thereby render easier thedescription of this great and complex work, we shall, after; mentioning, that on each side of the gateway within there isan abundance of sculpture, all damaged by time, proceed todescribe the parts of the centre structure ; and then, return-I ing to the right side, enumerate its parts ; when, taking the, left hand, we shall terminate the whole in a description of the; end of the area opposite the gateway, and behind the grandi temple, exemplifying the whole by reference to the annexedplan.
Centre below. —Passing through the gateway (1) below,you enter the area (2), and, proceeding under a small bridge,pass a solid square mass (3), which supports the hull Nundeestationed above ; the sides of this recess are profusely sculp-tured with pillars and figures of various forms. Havingpassed it, you come to the passage under another small bridge,beneath which there is, on one side, a gigantic figure of theRajah Bhoj, surrounded by a group of other figures, oppositeto which is a gigantic figure of Guttordhuj, with his ten
hands. At each end of this short passage commences thebody of the grand temple (4), the excavation of which is inthe upper story, that is here ascended by flights of steps oneach side (5).
Right and left-hand sides of the temple below. —The right-hand side is adorned with a very full and complex sculptureof the battle of Ram and Rouon, in which Hunomaun makesa very conspicuous figure. Proceeding from this field ofbattle, the heads of elephants, lions, and some imaginaryanimals, are projected, as though supporting the temple, tillyou come to a projection (6), in the side of which, sunk inthe rock, is a large group of figures, but much mutilated.This projection was connected with the apartments on theright hand side of the area by a bridge (7), which has givenway, and the ruins of it now fill up the sides of the area.
It is said to be upwards of a hundred years since it fell.
Passing the projection of the main body of the temple, itlessens for a few paces, then again projects (8) ; and after avery small space on a line of the body of the temple, thelength of this wonderful structure, if what is fabricateddownwards out of a solid mass can be so called, terminates ina smaller degree of projection than the former. The wholelength is supported in the manner above mentioned, by figuresof elephants, lions, &c., projecting from the bases, to give, itshould seem, the whole vast mass the appearance of mova-bility by those mighty animals. The hindmost, or easternextremity of the temple, is composed of three distinct temples,elaborately adorned with sculpture, and supported, like thesides, by elephants, &c., many of which are mutilated. Theleft-hand side (from the entrance) differs so little from theright, that it is unnecessary to be particular in mentioninganything, except, that, opposite the description of the battleof Ram and Rouon, is that of Keyso Pando, in which thewarriors consist of footmen, and others mounted on elephants,and cars drawn by horses, though none are mounted onhorses. The principal weapon seems the bow, though macesand straight swords are discoverable.
Centre above. —The gateway consists of three centre rooms(9), and one on each side (9). From the centre rooms, cross-ing the bridge (10), the ascent is by seven steps (11) into asquare room (12), in which is the bull Nundee. This roomhas two doors and two windows. Opposite the windows arethe obelisks ( b ) before mentioned.
From the station of Nundee we cross over the secondbridge (13), and ascend by three steps (14) into a handsomeopen portico (15), supported by two pillars (above each ofwhich, on the outside, is the figure of a lion, that, though muti-lated, has the remains of great beauty; and, on the inside,two figures resembling sphinxes) towards the bridge, and twopilasters that join it to the body of the temple, the grandapartments of which (16) are entered from the portico byfour handsome steps and a doorway, on each side of whichare gigantic figures. Advancing a few paces into the temple,which is supported by two rows of pillars, besides the wallsthat are decorated with pilasters, there is an intermission ofone pillar on each side, leading to the right and left to anopen portico (17), projecting from the body of the temple;from the right-hand one of which, the bridge, already men-tioned as broken, connected the main temple with the sideapartments, to which there is now no visible access but byputting a ladder for the purpose ; though I was told there isa hole in the mountain above, that leads to it, which I hadnot time nor strength to explore. The aceess from the oppo-site is by stairs from below. The recess (18) of the Ling(19) of Mahdew, to which there is an ascent of five step-,forms the termination of this fine saloon, on each side of thedoor of which is a profusion of sculpture. The whole of the