DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0218
196 EAKLY BUDDHIST CAVE-TEMPLES.
These caves also seem to belong to an early date. But on the east
side of the court are two cells, each with a small verandah in front,
and the commencement of a third—which seem to have been an
after-thought, and the rock in which it was attempted to cut them
was too low to allow of their execution without lowering their floors
below the level of the court outside, which would have rendered
them damp. In the court just in front of these is the base (a) of a
square stone pillar, and beside it was found a loose slab, bearing
part of a Kshatrapa inscription on its edge. Unfortunately it was
of soft calcareous sandstone, and many of the letters indistinct. It
belongs to the time of Swami Jayadaman's grandson—probably
Eudrasinha, the son of Rudradaman, whose inscription is on the back
of the rock, bearing the inscriptions of Asoka ; and from the occurrence
of the word Kevalijndna, in what is left of it, Dr. Biihler conjectures
that it is Jaina ; and it may be, that these princes did favour Jainism
and bestow on that sect this old Buddhist monastery. Outside this
court to the south is a cave with a small sunk area in front
(J, Plate II.). The cave consists of a verandah and two cells (K).
On the doors are some roughly executed carvings, and over one of
them is the swastika, and other Buddhist symbols (Figs. 1 and 2,
Plate III.). These are certainly the rudest sculptures that have yet
been found in any cave in India, and though it is hardly safe to com-
pare things so far apart, we would probably be justified in assuming
that they are consequently earlier than anything now existing in
Orissa. If this is so, the first series of caves here (A to D) being cer-
tainly older must be carried back at least to the time of Asoka, and
this group (F to L) is the earliest complete Buddhist establishment
we have, and most probably was excavated during the existence of
the Mauryan dynasty. The emblems above the doorway (Fig-1>
Plate III.) shows that it was strictly Buddhist, though of a very
primitive type.
Next to this is another small cave with a bench round the small
outer court. The door has a sort of arch traced over it, and the cell
inside, though partially filled up with earth, is considerably lower m
the floor than outside.
The third line of caves begins at the back of this, and runs west-
north-west, but are noways interesting, being perfectly plain, tue
only peculiarity being that in the second and largest of them (0, ™a e
II.) there is a single octagon pillar in the centre of the floor suppor •
These caves also seem to belong to an early date. But on the east
side of the court are two cells, each with a small verandah in front,
and the commencement of a third—which seem to have been an
after-thought, and the rock in which it was attempted to cut them
was too low to allow of their execution without lowering their floors
below the level of the court outside, which would have rendered
them damp. In the court just in front of these is the base (a) of a
square stone pillar, and beside it was found a loose slab, bearing
part of a Kshatrapa inscription on its edge. Unfortunately it was
of soft calcareous sandstone, and many of the letters indistinct. It
belongs to the time of Swami Jayadaman's grandson—probably
Eudrasinha, the son of Rudradaman, whose inscription is on the back
of the rock, bearing the inscriptions of Asoka ; and from the occurrence
of the word Kevalijndna, in what is left of it, Dr. Biihler conjectures
that it is Jaina ; and it may be, that these princes did favour Jainism
and bestow on that sect this old Buddhist monastery. Outside this
court to the south is a cave with a small sunk area in front
(J, Plate II.). The cave consists of a verandah and two cells (K).
On the doors are some roughly executed carvings, and over one of
them is the swastika, and other Buddhist symbols (Figs. 1 and 2,
Plate III.). These are certainly the rudest sculptures that have yet
been found in any cave in India, and though it is hardly safe to com-
pare things so far apart, we would probably be justified in assuming
that they are consequently earlier than anything now existing in
Orissa. If this is so, the first series of caves here (A to D) being cer-
tainly older must be carried back at least to the time of Asoka, and
this group (F to L) is the earliest complete Buddhist establishment
we have, and most probably was excavated during the existence of
the Mauryan dynasty. The emblems above the doorway (Fig-1>
Plate III.) shows that it was strictly Buddhist, though of a very
primitive type.
Next to this is another small cave with a bench round the small
outer court. The door has a sort of arch traced over it, and the cell
inside, though partially filled up with earth, is considerably lower m
the floor than outside.
The third line of caves begins at the back of this, and runs west-
north-west, but are noways interesting, being perfectly plain, tue
only peculiarity being that in the second and largest of them (0, ™a e
II.) there is a single octagon pillar in the centre of the floor suppor •