DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0135
113
CHAPTER VI.
RATHAS, MAHAVALLIPUR.
The five principal Rathas, which are by far the most interesting
objects here, are situated close together on the sandy beach, at
some little distance to the southward of the hill in which the caves
are excavated. They bear names borrowed from the heroes of the
Mahabharata, but these are quite modern appellations applied from
the popular belief that everything rock-cut, as in fact whose origin
is mysterious, was executed by the Pandavas during their exile. In
consequence of this the most southern of the Raths is called that of
Dharmaraja, the next that of Bhima, the third that of Arjuna, and
the fourth that of Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandavas. These
four are situated in one line, extending about 160 feet north and
south, but whether cut out of a continuous ridge, and only sepa-
rated by art, or whether each was a separate boulder, cannot now be
ascertained. My impression is that it originally was a single ridge
rising to a height of about 40 feet at its southern end, and sinking
to about half that height at its northern extremity, probably with
fissures between each block now formed into a Rath, but hardly
separated otherwise, from each other. The fifth, called after the
twins Sahadeva and JSTakula, is situated a little to the westward of
the other four, and quite detached.
The sixth, the Ganesa Rathx is situated near the northern end
of the rocky ridge at a distance of three-fourths of a mile from the
southern group, and near it are the remaining three, but they are
merely commenced, and so incompletely blocked out, that their in-
tended form can hardly be ascertained, and all that need be said of
them is that they are in the same style, and evidently of the same
age as the other six.
1 Sometimes, but improperly, called Arjunas rath, a mistake first, I believe, made by
««. Graham, but especially to be avoided, as another Rath bears that name, aud the
confusion is quite sufficient already without this additional complication.
Y 132.
H
CHAPTER VI.
RATHAS, MAHAVALLIPUR.
The five principal Rathas, which are by far the most interesting
objects here, are situated close together on the sandy beach, at
some little distance to the southward of the hill in which the caves
are excavated. They bear names borrowed from the heroes of the
Mahabharata, but these are quite modern appellations applied from
the popular belief that everything rock-cut, as in fact whose origin
is mysterious, was executed by the Pandavas during their exile. In
consequence of this the most southern of the Raths is called that of
Dharmaraja, the next that of Bhima, the third that of Arjuna, and
the fourth that of Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandavas. These
four are situated in one line, extending about 160 feet north and
south, but whether cut out of a continuous ridge, and only sepa-
rated by art, or whether each was a separate boulder, cannot now be
ascertained. My impression is that it originally was a single ridge
rising to a height of about 40 feet at its southern end, and sinking
to about half that height at its northern extremity, probably with
fissures between each block now formed into a Rath, but hardly
separated otherwise, from each other. The fifth, called after the
twins Sahadeva and JSTakula, is situated a little to the westward of
the other four, and quite detached.
The sixth, the Ganesa Rathx is situated near the northern end
of the rocky ridge at a distance of three-fourths of a mile from the
southern group, and near it are the remaining three, but they are
merely commenced, and so incompletely blocked out, that their in-
tended form can hardly be ascertained, and all that need be said of
them is that they are in the same style, and evidently of the same
age as the other six.
1 Sometimes, but improperly, called Arjunas rath, a mistake first, I believe, made by
««. Graham, but especially to be avoided, as another Rath bears that name, aud the
confusion is quite sufficient already without this additional complication.
Y 132.
H