DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0211
170 BENARES, PAST AND PRESENT.
elephants, and the next, in succession, with lions, each
of which stands on two small elephants. The lions
have very spare bodies, and, in this and other respects,
are grotesquely made; showing that the sculptors had
no living model before them, and drew liberally on
their own imaginations. The three upper rows exhibit
divers figures of deities, incarnations, and other sacred
objects. The three goddesses of the Ganges, the Jumna,
and the Saraswati have, each, a separate niche. Krishna,
too, has his place • but he is not alone, for two of his
favourite gopis or milk-maids are close by. Indra (the
king of the gods), Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva or
S'iva (the three deities of the Hindu triad), Kuber
(the god of wealth), Bhairo (the Divine Magistrate of
Benares), the hero Bam and his wife Sita, Hanuman
(the monkey-god), Ganes, Baldeo (brother of Krishna),
etc., are, each, honoured with a statue. Here, too, is
Vayu, or the wind; Surya, or the sun; Agni, or fire;
and Chandrama, or the moon; the latter having rays
of glory darting from her head, and being seated in a
carriage drawn by two deer. A number of sacred per-
sonages, Bishis, are also represented, such as Narad
and Gajendramoksh, and, likewise, the thousand-armed
Arjuna or Kartavfrya, whom Barasurama fought and
killed. In the centre of the uppermost row, on the
south side, is a figure of the goddess Durga, wife of
Mahadeva; and, in a similar position, on the east
side, is a figure of the bloody goddess Mahakali, who
thirsts continually for human victims. In a niche on
the north side a strange feat of Krishna is depicted.
This versatile deity, it is said, on one occasion diverted
elephants, and the next, in succession, with lions, each
of which stands on two small elephants. The lions
have very spare bodies, and, in this and other respects,
are grotesquely made; showing that the sculptors had
no living model before them, and drew liberally on
their own imaginations. The three upper rows exhibit
divers figures of deities, incarnations, and other sacred
objects. The three goddesses of the Ganges, the Jumna,
and the Saraswati have, each, a separate niche. Krishna,
too, has his place • but he is not alone, for two of his
favourite gopis or milk-maids are close by. Indra (the
king of the gods), Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva or
S'iva (the three deities of the Hindu triad), Kuber
(the god of wealth), Bhairo (the Divine Magistrate of
Benares), the hero Bam and his wife Sita, Hanuman
(the monkey-god), Ganes, Baldeo (brother of Krishna),
etc., are, each, honoured with a statue. Here, too, is
Vayu, or the wind; Surya, or the sun; Agni, or fire;
and Chandrama, or the moon; the latter having rays
of glory darting from her head, and being seated in a
carriage drawn by two deer. A number of sacred per-
sonages, Bishis, are also represented, such as Narad
and Gajendramoksh, and, likewise, the thousand-armed
Arjuna or Kartavfrya, whom Barasurama fought and
killed. In the centre of the uppermost row, on the
south side, is a figure of the goddess Durga, wife of
Mahadeva; and, in a similar position, on the east
side, is a figure of the bloody goddess Mahakali, who
thirsts continually for human victims. In a niche on
the north side a strange feat of Krishna is depicted.
This versatile deity, it is said, on one occasion diverted