Fergusson, James: A history of architecture in all countries, from the earliest times to the present day: in five volumes (Band 3) (London, 1899)

302

ARCHITECTURE IN THE HIMALAYAS. Book III.

the religion of Siva is a northern Tartar superstition, which, when
introduced into India, was softened and modified to suit the milder
genius of the people; but among the hill tribes, with northern
affinities, it was practised with all the Tantric devil - worshipping
peculiarities that characterise its original birthplace. So far, too, as
the architecture of the Saiva temples in Nepal is concerned, it seems
to indicate that the worship came into the valley from the north,
and not from the plains of Bengal. The architecture of the temples
of Vishnu, on the contrary, seems evidently to be an offshoot of the
art of the plains.

Stupas or Chaityas.

The two oldest and most important Buddhist monuments in the
valley of Nepal are those of Swayambunath and Bouddbama :1 the
former, beautifully situated on a gentle eminence about a mile from
Kbatmandu, the latter at Kasachiel, at some distance off.

170. Temple of Swayambunath, Nepal. (From a Drawing in the Hodgeon Collection.)

1 A view of this temple from the frontispiece of Buchanan Hamilton's volume.