DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0441
KARUSA CAVES. 419
hall, which seems to have been a very rude imitation of a Buddhist
Chaitya-cave. It was evidently intended to have four square pil-
lars on each side with aisles behind, but the left aisle ran into the
other half of the cave, and spoilt the plan. The nave has a low
arch with ribs across it, and the aisles are much lower. The shrine
is in the back wall, but the figures are so decayed as to be nearly
undistinguishable ; they were probably Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva—
the Hindu Triad, as in the other shrine.
At each end of the front, and in the block of rock left between
these halls, is a small linga shrine.
A stair in the left wall of the north hall leads up to the apart-
ments above. The north one, in which it lands, is somewhat in the
style of the hall just described. It has three pillars on each side,
with a low arched roof having a ridge pole along the centre, and
rough ribs running up to it. The side aisles are narrow and low.
At the hack is a shrine with a larger square pillar left in front on
each side and carved each with a dwdrpdla. Behind this are two
other similar blocks or pillars, each with divarpalas on the front and
back. Between these last stands a large lihga nearly 4 feet in
diameter at the base and 3 feet 2 inches at the top. In front of it is
a sort of trough in the floor.
A door in the wall leads into the south hall, about 30 feet wide
"J 54 feet from the front to the back wall. It has four pillars
a'ong each wall, but the roof is flat, and slopes upwards towards
the back. There is a pradahshina round the shrine, the rock in the
south-east corner of which has been broken through from above,
ajW this corner is now filled with debris. Three figures in the
wrine are about 5£ feet high, were probably Vishnu, Siva, and
Brahma,~but all are much defaced.
A°ove the north end of the facade of this cave are some sculp-
tU?1,but so worn tnat little can be made of them.
joining the upper floor on its north side are a number of
§war apartments with a good deal of rude Saiva sculpture.
Mahadeva's Cave.
W eetnorta °^ tne larg'e cave is another, known as Mahadeva's,
fttonf aU extreme width of 60 feet by 64 feet in depth, with a
a small square mandapa in froat for the Nandi or bull
dd 2
hall, which seems to have been a very rude imitation of a Buddhist
Chaitya-cave. It was evidently intended to have four square pil-
lars on each side with aisles behind, but the left aisle ran into the
other half of the cave, and spoilt the plan. The nave has a low
arch with ribs across it, and the aisles are much lower. The shrine
is in the back wall, but the figures are so decayed as to be nearly
undistinguishable ; they were probably Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva—
the Hindu Triad, as in the other shrine.
At each end of the front, and in the block of rock left between
these halls, is a small linga shrine.
A stair in the left wall of the north hall leads up to the apart-
ments above. The north one, in which it lands, is somewhat in the
style of the hall just described. It has three pillars on each side,
with a low arched roof having a ridge pole along the centre, and
rough ribs running up to it. The side aisles are narrow and low.
At the hack is a shrine with a larger square pillar left in front on
each side and carved each with a dwdrpdla. Behind this are two
other similar blocks or pillars, each with divarpalas on the front and
back. Between these last stands a large lihga nearly 4 feet in
diameter at the base and 3 feet 2 inches at the top. In front of it is
a sort of trough in the floor.
A door in the wall leads into the south hall, about 30 feet wide
"J 54 feet from the front to the back wall. It has four pillars
a'ong each wall, but the roof is flat, and slopes upwards towards
the back. There is a pradahshina round the shrine, the rock in the
south-east corner of which has been broken through from above,
ajW this corner is now filled with debris. Three figures in the
wrine are about 5£ feet high, were probably Vishnu, Siva, and
Brahma,~but all are much defaced.
A°ove the north end of the facade of this cave are some sculp-
tU?1,but so worn tnat little can be made of them.
joining the upper floor on its north side are a number of
§war apartments with a good deal of rude Saiva sculpture.
Mahadeva's Cave.
W eetnorta °^ tne larg'e cave is another, known as Mahadeva's,
fttonf aU extreme width of 60 feet by 64 feet in depth, with a
a small square mandapa in froat for the Nandi or bull
dd 2