DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0079
KATAK CAVES. 57
able to ascertain for certainty whether the foundations still to be
seen there are either ancient or in the form of a dagoba.
. These caves were first noticed and partially described by Stirling
in his admirable account of Cuttack, in the 15th volume of the
Asiatic Researches published in 1824, and that was the only authority
existing when I visited them in 1836. At that time, however, all
the more important caves were occupied by Fakirs and Bairagis
who violently resented intrusion on their premises, and besides my
time was too limited for any elaborate examination of the whole.
In 1838 they were visited by Lieut. Kittoe, and his account, with
the drawings that accompanied it, published in the seventh volume
of Prinsep's Journal for 1838, still remains the best account of these
caves yet given to the world. His visit, however, like mine, was too
hurried to enable him to make plans and draw details, while in his
time, as in mine, the caves were still inhabited; otherwise with more
leisure and better opportunities he would have left little to be done
by his successors. Since then the caves have been photographed by
Col. Dixon, Mr. Murray, and others, but without descriptions or
plans, so that they are of very little use for our present purposes.1
1 Some 10 years ago an opportunity occurred, which had it been availed of, would
have gone far to remedy the deficiency of former explorers, and to supply an exhaustive
account of these caves. In 1868-69 Babu Eajendralala Mitra conducted an expedition
for that purpose, accompanied by a staff of draughtsmen and students in the school of art
at Calcutta, who were to be employed in making drawings and casts of the sculptures.
Their labours, however, were almost exclusively directed to the temples at Bhuva-
aeswar, he himself making only personal notes of the caves. In consequence of this,
nainly, if not wholly, in consequence of reclamations, made by me on the subject, a second
expedition was sent down by the Bengal Government in the cold weather of 1870-71.
This was conducted by Mr. C. C. Locke of the Government school of art, and resulted
in his bringing back plans of all the principal caves and casts of all the more impor-
tant sculptures. These were placed in Babu Rajendralala's hands for publication,
which, however, he has not yet found it convenient to carry into effect, but meanwhile
I have received photographs from the casts, and plans of the caves from Mr. Locke,
and these form the basis of all our real knowledge of the subject, and what is most
relied upon in the following descriptions. (Two of the plans were published in my
History of Indian Architecture, woodcuts 70 and 72, and five of the casts in my Tree
and Serpent Worship, Plate C, published in 1873).
Through the kindness of his friend, Mr. Arthur Grote, late B.C.S., I have been
permitted to see the corrected proofs of the first 56 pages of the 2nd volume of Babu
Eajendras' Antiquities of Orissa, which contains his account of these caves, with the ac-
companying illustrations, but under a pledge that I would not make any quotations from
them, as it is possible the Babu may yet see fit to cancel them, or at all events modify
able to ascertain for certainty whether the foundations still to be
seen there are either ancient or in the form of a dagoba.
. These caves were first noticed and partially described by Stirling
in his admirable account of Cuttack, in the 15th volume of the
Asiatic Researches published in 1824, and that was the only authority
existing when I visited them in 1836. At that time, however, all
the more important caves were occupied by Fakirs and Bairagis
who violently resented intrusion on their premises, and besides my
time was too limited for any elaborate examination of the whole.
In 1838 they were visited by Lieut. Kittoe, and his account, with
the drawings that accompanied it, published in the seventh volume
of Prinsep's Journal for 1838, still remains the best account of these
caves yet given to the world. His visit, however, like mine, was too
hurried to enable him to make plans and draw details, while in his
time, as in mine, the caves were still inhabited; otherwise with more
leisure and better opportunities he would have left little to be done
by his successors. Since then the caves have been photographed by
Col. Dixon, Mr. Murray, and others, but without descriptions or
plans, so that they are of very little use for our present purposes.1
1 Some 10 years ago an opportunity occurred, which had it been availed of, would
have gone far to remedy the deficiency of former explorers, and to supply an exhaustive
account of these caves. In 1868-69 Babu Eajendralala Mitra conducted an expedition
for that purpose, accompanied by a staff of draughtsmen and students in the school of art
at Calcutta, who were to be employed in making drawings and casts of the sculptures.
Their labours, however, were almost exclusively directed to the temples at Bhuva-
aeswar, he himself making only personal notes of the caves. In consequence of this,
nainly, if not wholly, in consequence of reclamations, made by me on the subject, a second
expedition was sent down by the Bengal Government in the cold weather of 1870-71.
This was conducted by Mr. C. C. Locke of the Government school of art, and resulted
in his bringing back plans of all the principal caves and casts of all the more impor-
tant sculptures. These were placed in Babu Rajendralala's hands for publication,
which, however, he has not yet found it convenient to carry into effect, but meanwhile
I have received photographs from the casts, and plans of the caves from Mr. Locke,
and these form the basis of all our real knowledge of the subject, and what is most
relied upon in the following descriptions. (Two of the plans were published in my
History of Indian Architecture, woodcuts 70 and 72, and five of the casts in my Tree
and Serpent Worship, Plate C, published in 1873).
Through the kindness of his friend, Mr. Arthur Grote, late B.C.S., I have been
permitted to see the corrected proofs of the first 56 pages of the 2nd volume of Babu
Eajendras' Antiquities of Orissa, which contains his account of these caves, with the ac-
companying illustrations, but under a pledge that I would not make any quotations from
them, as it is possible the Babu may yet see fit to cancel them, or at all events modify