DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0174
110
NOBTHERN HINDU ARCHITECTURE.
Book II.
It is no longer a pyramid in outline, and consisting of a definite
number of stories, crowned by a dome or dagoba ; tbe outline bere is
always curvilinear, tbe divisions vertical, and no trace of stories exists
in any example I am acquainted witb, mucb less of tbe cells wbicb
give so distinct a peculiarity to tbe soutbern temples. Tbe mode, too,
of crowning tbe summit, tbougb sligbtly domical in appearance, can
never bave been by a dome of construction, nor derived from tbe same
original as tbose tbat crown tbe temples in tbe soutb. Possibly it is
taken from tbe Buddbist umbrella ornament, tbe original, as we bave
seen, of tbe spire or tee. Possibly it came in tbe first instance from
some projecting form of wooden or metallic roofing. Nor can tbe
otber cbaracteristics of tliis style of arcbitecture be traced witb any
certainty to tbeir origin. Wbatever it was, all tbe transformations
were gone tbrougb, and tbe style was as complete as it now is, when
tbe great temple of Bobaneswar was built, no cbange baving taken
place since tben, except in detail; and we must, tberefore, look eitber
for some earlier example, or some cognate style, if we would attempt
to trace it to its source.
Some of tbese towers—sucb for instance as tbe great one at
Bobaneswar; that of tbe Temple of Juggernatb, built 1198, and tbe
now ruined one of tbe Black Pagoda, erected in 1241—reacbed tbe
beigbt of 170 to 180 ft. At Bobaneswar alone more tban 100 of tbese
temples still exist, ranging from 50 or 60 ft. to 150 ft.—tbeir propor-
tions beiug very similar to tbose of tbe temple repiesented in tbe last
woodcut (No. 70).
Tbe porches of tbe great temples are nearly all similar to tbat of
tbe Black Pagoda, at once tbe ricbest and tbe only one easily accessiblc
to Europeans. It is a square building, about 60 ft. from angle to
angle, and tbe perpendicular part about tbe same in beigbt. On eacb
face is a projecting doorway very richly omamented, and tbe wbole
walls are covered witb sculpture of an elaborate minuteness, only
rivalled by tbat of Boro Buddor, tbougb singularly different in
character; tbis being, as far as the human figures are concemed.
obscene in tbe extreme—wbile not tbe remotest trace of anything of
tbe sort can be detected in any Buddbist or J aina sculpture. Above
the perpendicnlar part rises a roof in tliree stages, consisting of five or
six projecting ledges of stone, tlie facets of wbicli are all most elabo-
rately carved witb processions, or scenes from tlie chace or agricultural
life. Between eacb series is a range of caryatides, but not a trace of
cells, nor of tbe peculiar omaments of tbe south. Tbe wbole is
crowned by an inverted lotus-like dome-formed termination of singular
grace and beauty. Internally it is a plain square apartment, measuring
ratber more tban 40 ft. eacb way; tlie roof being formed of projecting
stones to about tbe beigbt of tbe first series of ledges; bere wrougbt-
iron beams about 8 in. square were placed across. On tliem a
false ceiling of immense stones laid from side to side, and above tbis
anotber similar ceiling exists at tbe next level. It seems also tbat a
lower one onoe existed, at least tlie floor is encumbered by a mass of
ruins that could not have come from tbc lower eeiling, which has
NOBTHERN HINDU ARCHITECTURE.
Book II.
It is no longer a pyramid in outline, and consisting of a definite
number of stories, crowned by a dome or dagoba ; tbe outline bere is
always curvilinear, tbe divisions vertical, and no trace of stories exists
in any example I am acquainted witb, mucb less of tbe cells wbicb
give so distinct a peculiarity to tbe soutbern temples. Tbe mode, too,
of crowning tbe summit, tbougb sligbtly domical in appearance, can
never bave been by a dome of construction, nor derived from tbe same
original as tbose tbat crown tbe temples in tbe soutb. Possibly it is
taken from tbe Buddbist umbrella ornament, tbe original, as we bave
seen, of tbe spire or tee. Possibly it came in tbe first instance from
some projecting form of wooden or metallic roofing. Nor can tbe
otber cbaracteristics of tliis style of arcbitecture be traced witb any
certainty to tbeir origin. Wbatever it was, all tbe transformations
were gone tbrougb, and tbe style was as complete as it now is, when
tbe great temple of Bobaneswar was built, no cbange baving taken
place since tben, except in detail; and we must, tberefore, look eitber
for some earlier example, or some cognate style, if we would attempt
to trace it to its source.
Some of tbese towers—sucb for instance as tbe great one at
Bobaneswar; that of tbe Temple of Juggernatb, built 1198, and tbe
now ruined one of tbe Black Pagoda, erected in 1241—reacbed tbe
beigbt of 170 to 180 ft. At Bobaneswar alone more tban 100 of tbese
temples still exist, ranging from 50 or 60 ft. to 150 ft.—tbeir propor-
tions beiug very similar to tbose of tbe temple repiesented in tbe last
woodcut (No. 70).
Tbe porches of tbe great temples are nearly all similar to tbat of
tbe Black Pagoda, at once tbe ricbest and tbe only one easily accessiblc
to Europeans. It is a square building, about 60 ft. from angle to
angle, and tbe perpendicular part about tbe same in beigbt. On eacb
face is a projecting doorway very richly omamented, and tbe wbole
walls are covered witb sculpture of an elaborate minuteness, only
rivalled by tbat of Boro Buddor, tbougb singularly different in
character; tbis being, as far as the human figures are concemed.
obscene in tbe extreme—wbile not tbe remotest trace of anything of
tbe sort can be detected in any Buddbist or J aina sculpture. Above
the perpendicnlar part rises a roof in tliree stages, consisting of five or
six projecting ledges of stone, tlie facets of wbicli are all most elabo-
rately carved witb processions, or scenes from tlie chace or agricultural
life. Between eacb series is a range of caryatides, but not a trace of
cells, nor of tbe peculiar omaments of tbe south. Tbe wbole is
crowned by an inverted lotus-like dome-formed termination of singular
grace and beauty. Internally it is a plain square apartment, measuring
ratber more tban 40 ft. eacb way; tlie roof being formed of projecting
stones to about tbe beigbt of tbe first series of ledges; bere wrougbt-
iron beams about 8 in. square were placed across. On tliem a
false ceiling of immense stones laid from side to side, and above tbis
anotber similar ceiling exists at tbe next level. It seems also tbat a
lower one onoe existed, at least tlie floor is encumbered by a mass of
ruins that could not have come from tbc lower eeiling, which has