DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27191#0236
200
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE.
Book I.
described by Portuguese visitors of the 16th century and by
numerous travellers during the 18th.1 Daniell’s assistants made
a large number of drawings for him in 1795-1796, that were
never published. Careful measured drawings were made of
all of them by the brothers West in 1853-1859; but except
the inscriptions and an account of excavations at cave 12,
scarcely any of their work was published.2
A plan of one has already been given (Woodcut No. 101).
It is a two-storeyed vihara, and one of the finest here, though
it would not be considered remarkable anywhere else. Another,
of which a representation is given in my ‘ Illustrations of the
Rock-cut Temples/ plate 14, represents Avalokite^wara with
eleven heads—the only instance I know of in India, though
it is common in Tibet in modern times.3 The others are
generally cells, though a monograph of these caves would be
a most valuable addition to our stock of knowledge of the
development of Mahayana mythology, which is largely illus-
trated in their sculptures. Traces of painting have also been
found in some of them.
Dhamnar and Kholvi.
There are no viharas at either of these places, which can
at all compare, either in dimensions or in interest, with those
already described. The largest, at Dhamnar, is that already
given in combination with the chaitya, Woodcut No. 86, p. 165,
and, though important, is evidently transitional to another state
of matters. Next to this is one called the ‘ Great Kacheri ’; but
it is only a six-celled vihara, with a hall about 25 ft. square,
encumbered by four pillars on its floor; and near the chaitya
above alluded to is a similar hall, but smaller and without
cells. At Kholvi4 there is nothing that can correctly be called
a vihara at all. There is, indeed, one large hall, called ‘ Bhim’s
house,’ measuring 42 ft. by 22 ft.; but it has no cells, and is much
more like what would be called a 5aD at Bagh than a vihara.
The others are mere cells, of no architectural importance.5
1 Niebuhr, ‘Voyage en Arabie et
d’autres pays circonvoisins,’ 1776-1780.
Most of the plates referring to these
caves were reproduced by Langles in his
‘ Monuments d’Hindostan,’ vol. ii. plates
77, et seqq.
2 Plates 53 and 54 in the volume upon
the ‘ Cave Temples ’ are from this collec-
tion, which is now in the editor’s posses-
sion, and might be published. For some
account of the caves, see ‘ Cave Temples,’
pp. 348-360, and plates ; also ‘ Archseo-
logical Survey of Western India,’ vol. iv.
pp. 70, 71, and plates 42, 43.
* ‘ Cave Temples,’ plate 55, fig. 2,
and p. 357; Schlagentweit, 1 Buddh-
ismus in Thibet,’ plate 3 ; Grtinwedel,
‘ Mythologie des Buddhism in Tibet u.
Mongolei,’ S. 65.
4 The Kholvi group is situated more
than 60 miles north of Ujjain, that of
Dhamnar about 22 further north, and
deeper into the Central Indian jungles.
6 Plans of these caves, with descrip-
tions and some architectural details, will
be found in Gen. Cunningham’s 1 Archseo-
logical Reports,’ vol. ii. pp. 270-288,
plates 77-84. But till those of Kholvi are
photographed we shall not be able to
speak positively regarding them; the
General’s drawings are on too small a
scale for that purpose.
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE.
Book I.
described by Portuguese visitors of the 16th century and by
numerous travellers during the 18th.1 Daniell’s assistants made
a large number of drawings for him in 1795-1796, that were
never published. Careful measured drawings were made of
all of them by the brothers West in 1853-1859; but except
the inscriptions and an account of excavations at cave 12,
scarcely any of their work was published.2
A plan of one has already been given (Woodcut No. 101).
It is a two-storeyed vihara, and one of the finest here, though
it would not be considered remarkable anywhere else. Another,
of which a representation is given in my ‘ Illustrations of the
Rock-cut Temples/ plate 14, represents Avalokite^wara with
eleven heads—the only instance I know of in India, though
it is common in Tibet in modern times.3 The others are
generally cells, though a monograph of these caves would be
a most valuable addition to our stock of knowledge of the
development of Mahayana mythology, which is largely illus-
trated in their sculptures. Traces of painting have also been
found in some of them.
Dhamnar and Kholvi.
There are no viharas at either of these places, which can
at all compare, either in dimensions or in interest, with those
already described. The largest, at Dhamnar, is that already
given in combination with the chaitya, Woodcut No. 86, p. 165,
and, though important, is evidently transitional to another state
of matters. Next to this is one called the ‘ Great Kacheri ’; but
it is only a six-celled vihara, with a hall about 25 ft. square,
encumbered by four pillars on its floor; and near the chaitya
above alluded to is a similar hall, but smaller and without
cells. At Kholvi4 there is nothing that can correctly be called
a vihara at all. There is, indeed, one large hall, called ‘ Bhim’s
house,’ measuring 42 ft. by 22 ft.; but it has no cells, and is much
more like what would be called a 5aD at Bagh than a vihara.
The others are mere cells, of no architectural importance.5
1 Niebuhr, ‘Voyage en Arabie et
d’autres pays circonvoisins,’ 1776-1780.
Most of the plates referring to these
caves were reproduced by Langles in his
‘ Monuments d’Hindostan,’ vol. ii. plates
77, et seqq.
2 Plates 53 and 54 in the volume upon
the ‘ Cave Temples ’ are from this collec-
tion, which is now in the editor’s posses-
sion, and might be published. For some
account of the caves, see ‘ Cave Temples,’
pp. 348-360, and plates ; also ‘ Archseo-
logical Survey of Western India,’ vol. iv.
pp. 70, 71, and plates 42, 43.
* ‘ Cave Temples,’ plate 55, fig. 2,
and p. 357; Schlagentweit, 1 Buddh-
ismus in Thibet,’ plate 3 ; Grtinwedel,
‘ Mythologie des Buddhism in Tibet u.
Mongolei,’ S. 65.
4 The Kholvi group is situated more
than 60 miles north of Ujjain, that of
Dhamnar about 22 further north, and
deeper into the Central Indian jungles.
6 Plans of these caves, with descrip-
tions and some architectural details, will
be found in Gen. Cunningham’s 1 Archseo-
logical Reports,’ vol. ii. pp. 270-288,
plates 77-84. But till those of Kholvi are
photographed we shall not be able to
speak positively regarding them; the
General’s drawings are on too small a
scale for that purpose.