DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0361
318
supposition be correct, the mosque, with its terrace,
exhibits a singular architectural anomaly; and, further-
more, points to no fewer than four religious communities,
namely, Buddhist, Jaina, Hindu, and Mohammedan.
The square terrace pillars, with their cruciform capitals,
are so simple in structure, that, compared with the
highly carved and decorated pillars of mediaeval and
later Buddhist times, they almost belong to another
style, which might be called early Buddhist or Hindu,
accordingly as one or other of these communities is sup-
posed to have invented it. It is not our object to discuss
the interesting and important topic, who were the first
Indian sculptors and builders of permanent edifices ;
yet it is one that, by and by,—when materials have been
sufficiently accumulated, which they have not been at
present,—must be thoroughly investigated. After such
investigation, the antiquity and, possibly, the origin of
these terrace-pillars may be definitely ascertained.
ANCIENT REMAINS, No. X.
Ad-Bisheswar Temple and neighbouring Mosque.
Ad-Bisheswar is the name of a lofty temple situated a
short distance from Aurungzeb's mosque just referred to,
and in sight of it; and it is held, by some persons,
to be the most ancient temple of this deity. Only a
doubtful interpretation of its name may bear out this
supposition; for the temple itself, from the pinnacle to
the base, has nothing really ancient about it. On the
eastern side of the enclosure, the ground takes a sud-
den rise of eighteen feet, forming a terrace manifestly
supposition be correct, the mosque, with its terrace,
exhibits a singular architectural anomaly; and, further-
more, points to no fewer than four religious communities,
namely, Buddhist, Jaina, Hindu, and Mohammedan.
The square terrace pillars, with their cruciform capitals,
are so simple in structure, that, compared with the
highly carved and decorated pillars of mediaeval and
later Buddhist times, they almost belong to another
style, which might be called early Buddhist or Hindu,
accordingly as one or other of these communities is sup-
posed to have invented it. It is not our object to discuss
the interesting and important topic, who were the first
Indian sculptors and builders of permanent edifices ;
yet it is one that, by and by,—when materials have been
sufficiently accumulated, which they have not been at
present,—must be thoroughly investigated. After such
investigation, the antiquity and, possibly, the origin of
these terrace-pillars may be definitely ascertained.
ANCIENT REMAINS, No. X.
Ad-Bisheswar Temple and neighbouring Mosque.
Ad-Bisheswar is the name of a lofty temple situated a
short distance from Aurungzeb's mosque just referred to,
and in sight of it; and it is held, by some persons,
to be the most ancient temple of this deity. Only a
doubtful interpretation of its name may bear out this
supposition; for the temple itself, from the pinnacle to
the base, has nothing really ancient about it. On the
eastern side of the enclosure, the ground takes a sud-
den rise of eighteen feet, forming a terrace manifestly