DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0110
Chap. IV.
RAIL AT BHARHCT.
87
Bharhut, which, taking it all in all, is perhaps the must interesting
monument— certainly in a historical point of view—known to exist
in India. The tope itself, which seems to have been (58 ft. in
diameter, has entirely disappeared, having been utilised by the natives
to build their villages; but about one-half of the rail, which was
partly thrown down and buried in the rubbish, still remains.
Originally it was SS ft. in diameter, and consequently some 27"> ft.
in length. It was divided into four quadrants by the four entrances,
each of which was guarded by statues 4i ft. high, carved in relief
in the corner pillars of Yakshas and Yakshinis, and Xaga llajas—
the representatives, in fact, of those peoples who afterwards became
Buddhists. The eastern gateway only seems to have been adorned
with a Toran—or, as the Chinese would call it, a " Pailoo"—like
those at Sanchi. One pillar of it is shown in the following woodcut,
(No. 27), and sufficient fragments were found in the excavations to
enable General Cunningham to restore it with almost absolute cer-
tainty. From his restoration it appears to have been 22 ft. li in. in
height from the ground to the top of the chakra, or wheel, which
was the central emblem on the top of all, supported by a honeysuckle
ornament of great beauty. The beams had no human figures on
them, like those at Sanchi. The lower had a procession of elephants,
bringing offerings to a tree; the middle beam, of lions similarly em-
ployed ; the upper beam has not been recovered, but the beam-ends
Jire ornamented with conventional crocodiles, and show elevations of
buildings so correctly drawn as to enable us to recognise all their
features in the rock-cut edifices now existing.
The toran, most like this one, is that which surmounted the
southern entrance at Sanchi. which, for reasons given elsewhere,1 I
believe to be not only the oldest of the four found there, but to have
been erected in the first quarter of the 1st century of our era (a.i>. 10
to 28). This one, however, is so much more wooden than even that
and constructively so inferior, tliat I would, on architectural grounds
•alone, be inclined to affirm that it was at least a century older, and
see no reason win- it should not be two centuries more ancient. The
■age of the rail, however, does not depend on this determination, as
the toran may have been added afterwards.
The rail was apparently !t ft. in height, including the coping,
and had three discs on intermediate rails. The inner side of the
upper rail was ornamented by a continuous series of bas-reliefs,
divided from each other by a beautiful flowing scroll. The inside
also of the discs was similarly ornamented, and some of the pillars
had bas-reliefs in three storeys on three of their sides. Altogether,
I fancy not less than one hundred separate bas-reliefs have been
J 'Tree and Serpent Worship,' \>. 99, ttteqq.
RAIL AT BHARHCT.
87
Bharhut, which, taking it all in all, is perhaps the must interesting
monument— certainly in a historical point of view—known to exist
in India. The tope itself, which seems to have been (58 ft. in
diameter, has entirely disappeared, having been utilised by the natives
to build their villages; but about one-half of the rail, which was
partly thrown down and buried in the rubbish, still remains.
Originally it was SS ft. in diameter, and consequently some 27"> ft.
in length. It was divided into four quadrants by the four entrances,
each of which was guarded by statues 4i ft. high, carved in relief
in the corner pillars of Yakshas and Yakshinis, and Xaga llajas—
the representatives, in fact, of those peoples who afterwards became
Buddhists. The eastern gateway only seems to have been adorned
with a Toran—or, as the Chinese would call it, a " Pailoo"—like
those at Sanchi. One pillar of it is shown in the following woodcut,
(No. 27), and sufficient fragments were found in the excavations to
enable General Cunningham to restore it with almost absolute cer-
tainty. From his restoration it appears to have been 22 ft. li in. in
height from the ground to the top of the chakra, or wheel, which
was the central emblem on the top of all, supported by a honeysuckle
ornament of great beauty. The beams had no human figures on
them, like those at Sanchi. The lower had a procession of elephants,
bringing offerings to a tree; the middle beam, of lions similarly em-
ployed ; the upper beam has not been recovered, but the beam-ends
Jire ornamented with conventional crocodiles, and show elevations of
buildings so correctly drawn as to enable us to recognise all their
features in the rock-cut edifices now existing.
The toran, most like this one, is that which surmounted the
southern entrance at Sanchi. which, for reasons given elsewhere,1 I
believe to be not only the oldest of the four found there, but to have
been erected in the first quarter of the 1st century of our era (a.i>. 10
to 28). This one, however, is so much more wooden than even that
and constructively so inferior, tliat I would, on architectural grounds
•alone, be inclined to affirm that it was at least a century older, and
see no reason win- it should not be two centuries more ancient. The
■age of the rail, however, does not depend on this determination, as
the toran may have been added afterwards.
The rail was apparently !t ft. in height, including the coping,
and had three discs on intermediate rails. The inner side of the
upper rail was ornamented by a continuous series of bas-reliefs,
divided from each other by a beautiful flowing scroll. The inside
also of the discs was similarly ornamented, and some of the pillars
had bas-reliefs in three storeys on three of their sides. Altogether,
I fancy not less than one hundred separate bas-reliefs have been
J 'Tree and Serpent Worship,' \>. 99, ttteqq.