DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0446
424 DRAHMAXICAL CAVE-TEMPLES.
Bhrine inside is about 6 feet 9 inches square, and contains a figure
of Vishnu, cut from the rock in situ, and very much decayed.
Higher up on the scarp are three or four cells and small shrines.
Then we come to a cave varying in width from 25| feet in front to
431 at the back, about 30^ feet deep and 8| feet high. It has two
pillars, with rough pilasters in front—two pillars in the second row,
and four in the back one. The shrine, about 8 feet by 7, is in the
back wall, there being no pradaksliina, and contains an oblong altar
in which is placed a modern linga of hard stone. Still to the north
are two cells, the second with Ganesa carved on the south wall, and
Mahishasuri, the slayer of the buffalo-demon.
On the ascent of the hill, in front of Mahadeva's cave and the
two-storeyed one, are seven or eight very small monolithic temples,
mostly ruined.
Bound the north end of the hill are upwards of forty very small
shrines, some with facades cut on the rock over them, and dedicated
•—some to the linga, and others to Vishnu.
The extreme simplicity of the carving in these caves might
incline us to think they were early. This however may arise from
the nature of the rock in which they are excavated, and these sculp-
tures are, at all events, sufficient to show that they were made before
the rise of the Lingayats. They are probably, as just mentioned,
of about the same age as those at Badami described above.
Nine miles north from Karusa, and as far east of Awsa, is a
solitary hill near the village of Hasagahw. In the east side of it
were two large caves ; but, owing to disintegration of the rock',
they are worn almost to the appearance of natural caverns. On ^e
west side is another, 49 feet deep by 41 wide, with a p-aiahhup
round the shrines. It had some sculpture right and left of the
shrine door, but they are much decayed. This cave had probabij
twelve columns, in three rows across, but no trace whatever is ie
of the two immediately in front of the shrine door.
Bhrine inside is about 6 feet 9 inches square, and contains a figure
of Vishnu, cut from the rock in situ, and very much decayed.
Higher up on the scarp are three or four cells and small shrines.
Then we come to a cave varying in width from 25| feet in front to
431 at the back, about 30^ feet deep and 8| feet high. It has two
pillars, with rough pilasters in front—two pillars in the second row,
and four in the back one. The shrine, about 8 feet by 7, is in the
back wall, there being no pradaksliina, and contains an oblong altar
in which is placed a modern linga of hard stone. Still to the north
are two cells, the second with Ganesa carved on the south wall, and
Mahishasuri, the slayer of the buffalo-demon.
On the ascent of the hill, in front of Mahadeva's cave and the
two-storeyed one, are seven or eight very small monolithic temples,
mostly ruined.
Bound the north end of the hill are upwards of forty very small
shrines, some with facades cut on the rock over them, and dedicated
•—some to the linga, and others to Vishnu.
The extreme simplicity of the carving in these caves might
incline us to think they were early. This however may arise from
the nature of the rock in which they are excavated, and these sculp-
tures are, at all events, sufficient to show that they were made before
the rise of the Lingayats. They are probably, as just mentioned,
of about the same age as those at Badami described above.
Nine miles north from Karusa, and as far east of Awsa, is a
solitary hill near the village of Hasagahw. In the east side of it
were two large caves ; but, owing to disintegration of the rock',
they are worn almost to the appearance of natural caverns. On ^e
west side is another, 49 feet deep by 41 wide, with a p-aiahhup
round the shrines. It had some sculpture right and left of the
shrine door, but they are much decayed. This cave had probabij
twelve columns, in three rows across, but no trace whatever is ie
of the two immediately in front of the shrine door.