IV.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE

SCULPTURES AT MAHABALIPOORUM;

Ufually called the Seven Pagodas.

By J. GOLDINGHAM, Esq.

THESE curious remains of antiquity, fituate near the fea, are about thirty-eight English miles foutherly from Madras. A diftant view prefents merely a rock, which, on a near approach, is found deferving of particular examination. The attention paffing over the fmaller objects, is firft arrefted by a Hindu pagoda, covered with sculpture, and hewn from fingle mafs of rock; being about twenty-fix feet in height, nearly as long, and about half as broad. Within is the lingam, and a long infcription on the wall, in characters unknown.

Near this ftructure, the furface of the rock, about ninety feet in extent, and thirty in height, is covered with figures in bas-relief. A gigantic figure of the god CRISHNA is the most confpicuous, with ARJoon, his favourite, in the Hindu attitude of prayer; but fo void of flesh, as to prefent more the appearance of a skeleton than the reprefentation of a living person. Below is a venerable figure, faid to be the father of ARJOON; both figures proving the fculptor poffeffed no inconfiderable skill. Here are the representations of feveral animals, and of one which the Bráhmens name fingam, or lion; but by no means a likeness of that animal, wanting the peculiar characteristic, E 3

the

the mane. Something' intended to reprefent this is, indeed, vifible, which has more the effect of fpots. It appears evident, the fculptor was by no means fo well acquainted with the figure of the lion as with that of the elephant and monkey, both being well represented in this group. This fcene, I understand, is taken from the Mahabarat, and exhibits the principal perfons whofe actions are celebrated in that work.

Oppofite, and furrounded by, a wall of stone, are pagodas of brick, faid to be of great antiquity. Adjoining is an excavation in the rock, the maffy roof feemingly fupported by columns, not unlike those in the celebrated cavern in the Island of Elephanta, but have been left unfinished. This was probably intended as a place of worship. A few paces onward is another, and a more spacious, excavation, now used, and I fuppose originally intended, as a shelter for travellers. A fcene of fculpture fronts the entrance, faid to reprefent CRISHNA attending the herds of ANANDA. Öne of the group reprefents a man diverting an infant, by playing on a flute, and holding the inftrument as we do. A gigantic figure of the god, with the gopis, and feveral good reprefentations of nature, are obferved. The columns fupporting the roof are of different orders, the bafe of one is the figure of a Sphynx. On the pavement is an infcription. (See Infcript.) Near is the almoft deferted village, which ftill retains the ancient name Mahabalipoorum. The few remaining Bráhmens vifit the traveller, and conduct him over the rock.

In the way up the rock a prodigious circular ftone is paffed under, fo placed by nature, on a fmooth and floping furface, that you are in dread of its crushing you before you clear it. The diameter of this ftone is twenty-feven feet. The top of the rock is ftrewed with fragments of bricks, the remains, as you are informed, of a palace anciently standing on this lite. A rectangular

polished

polished flab, about ten feet in length, the figure of a fingam couchant, at the south end, is fhewn you as the couch of the DHERMA Rajah. A fhort way further, the bath used by the females of the palace is pointed out. A tale I fufpect fabricated by the Bráhmens to amuse the traveller. That fome of their own caft had chofen this spot, retired among rocks difficult of accefs to refide in, and that the bath, as it is called, which is only a rough ftone hollowed, was their refervoir for water, would have an air of probability. The couch seems to have been cut from a ftone accidentally placed in its prefent fituation, and never to have made a part of the internal furniture of a building. The fingam, if intended as a lion, is equally imperfect with the figures of the fame animal before-mentioned.

Descending over immenfe beds of ftone, you arrive at a fpacious excavation; a temple dedicated to Siva, who is reprefented, in the middle compartment, of a large ftature, and with four arms; the left foot rests on a bull couchant; a fmall figure of BRAHMA on the right hand; another of VISHNU on the left; where alfo the figure of his goddess PARVATI' is obferved. At one end of the temple is a gigantic figure of VISHNU, fleeping on an enormous Cobra de Capella, with feveral heads, and fo difpofed as to form a canopy over the head of the god. At the oppofite end is the goddefs Si'va, with eight arms, mounted on a fingam. Oppofed to her is a gigantic figure, with a buffalo's head and human body. Between thefe is a human figure, fufpended with the head downwards. The goddefs is represented with feveral warlike weapons, and fome armed dwarf attendants; while the monster is armed with a club. In the character of DURGA, or protector of the virtuous, the goddess is refcuing from the YEM Rajah (the figure with the buffalo's head) the fufpended figure fallen improperly into his hands. The figure and action of the goddefs are executed in a mafterly and fpirited style.

Over this temple,at a confiderable elevation,is a smaller, wrought from a fingle mafs of ftone. Here is feen a flab fimilar to the DHERMA Rajah's couch. Adjoining is a temple in the rough, and a large mass of rock, the upper part roughly fashioned for a pagoda. If a conclufion may be drawn from these unfinished works, an uncommon and aftonishing perfeverance was exerted in finishing the ftructures here; and the more fo, from the ftone being a species of granite, and extremely hard.

The village contains but few houses, moftly inhabited by Bráhmens; the number of whom has, however, decreased of late, owing to a want of the means of fubfifting. The remains of feveral ftone edifices. are seen here; and a large tank, lined, with steps of ftone. A canopy for the pagod attracts the attention, as by no means wanting in magnificence or elegance. It is fupported by four columns, with bafe and capital, about twenty-feven feet in height, the fhaft tapering regularly upwards; is compofed of a fingle ftone, though not round, but fixteen fided; measuring at bottom about five and a half feet.

East of the village, and washed by the fea, which, perhaps, would have entirely demolifhed it before now, but for a defence of large ftones in front, is a pagoda of ftone, containing the lingam, and was dedicated to SIVA. Befides the ufual figures within, one of a gigantic ftature is observed ftretched out on the ground, and reprefented as fecured in that pofition. This the Bráhmens tell you was defigned for a Rajah who was thus fecured by VISHNU; probably alluding to a prince of the VISHNU caft having conquered the country, and taken its prince. The furf here breaks far out over, as the Brahmens inform you, the ruins of the city, which was incredibly large and magnificent. Many of the maffes of ftone near the fhore appear to have been wrought. A Bráhmen, about fifty years of age, a native of the place, whom I have had an

opportunity