DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0196
155
lias a pedestal round its base, somewhat similar to that
of the peepul tree just described; but, in this case,
a small shrine is attached to the pedestal. Near it is
an old figure of G-anes. In Kewal Gali a swing is
hung up in what, at first sight, appears to be a shop.
Beyond the swing, by the opposite wall, sits the ten-
armed goddess Durga, with a crown on her head,
decorated with gay clothing, and set off by a nimbus
painted on the wall behind; her priest having intended
her to look, not like a mere queen of earth, but like
the queen of heaven. By the swing sits the priest,
who, when so disposed, places in it some of the idols
of the shrine, but not Durga herself, and gratifies
them with a swing.
The idols and fanes in the Bengali Tola, and, in-
deed, in this neighbourhood generally, are exceedingly
numerous. All the latter, with, perhaps, one exception,
and most of the former, are of comparatively recent
date. In regard to the temples, it is possible that
part of the Tilubhandeswar temple may be old. The
priest told me, that, at the back of one of the small
shrines at the entrance to the temple, was an inscrip-
tion, which stated that the temple was erected by a
Baja upwards of four hundred and sixty years ago.
He rubbed off part of the whitewash, in order that I
might see a portion of if. The horizontal lines of the
inscription, however, were intercepted by the idol in
the shrine; and, therefore, it was impossible to in-
terpret what was written. It would he interesting to
have the entire inscription copied; for, if the temple
is really of the date traditionally assigned to it, this
lias a pedestal round its base, somewhat similar to that
of the peepul tree just described; but, in this case,
a small shrine is attached to the pedestal. Near it is
an old figure of G-anes. In Kewal Gali a swing is
hung up in what, at first sight, appears to be a shop.
Beyond the swing, by the opposite wall, sits the ten-
armed goddess Durga, with a crown on her head,
decorated with gay clothing, and set off by a nimbus
painted on the wall behind; her priest having intended
her to look, not like a mere queen of earth, but like
the queen of heaven. By the swing sits the priest,
who, when so disposed, places in it some of the idols
of the shrine, but not Durga herself, and gratifies
them with a swing.
The idols and fanes in the Bengali Tola, and, in-
deed, in this neighbourhood generally, are exceedingly
numerous. All the latter, with, perhaps, one exception,
and most of the former, are of comparatively recent
date. In regard to the temples, it is possible that
part of the Tilubhandeswar temple may be old. The
priest told me, that, at the back of one of the small
shrines at the entrance to the temple, was an inscrip-
tion, which stated that the temple was erected by a
Baja upwards of four hundred and sixty years ago.
He rubbed off part of the whitewash, in order that I
might see a portion of if. The horizontal lines of the
inscription, however, were intercepted by the idol in
the shrine; and, therefore, it was impossible to in-
terpret what was written. It would he interesting to
have the entire inscription copied; for, if the temple
is really of the date traditionally assigned to it, this