BENAKES, PAST AND PRESENT. 165

The porch stands upon twelve elaborately-carved pillars,
the designs of which are fantastic, yet not without taste.
All the pillars are similarly carved. Their base rests
upon a floor raised about four feet from the ground;
and they are surmounted by a dome, with cupolas at
each corner, connected together by a breast-work. The
inner part of the dome is embellished with a variety
of colours; but the painting, in several places, has suf-
fered injury. From the centre of the dome a large bell
is suspended, which, it is reported, was presented to the
temple, by a European magistrate of Mirzapore, about
forty years ago. This tale, incredible as its sounds, and
the truth of which I am not prepared to vouch for, is
commonly believed by the people.

The temple is built after the orthodox model of Hindu
temples, but not with that excessive display of minute
carving and sculpture, representing monstrous and inde-
cent figures, which may be seen on many Hindu edifices
of more modern times. Tet its carving is not scanty.
The cornices, indeed, of the doors, situated on each of the
four sides, are so covered with carving, as to be liable,
to some extent, to the remark just applied to more re-
cent buildings. But the upper part of the temple, not-
withstanding the multitude of small cupolas surrounding
the steeple and rising up to its very apex, exhibits a
simplicity of design which every one must behold with
pleasure and admiration. Each cupola terminates in a
gilded point; and the steeple has a gilded trident crown-
ing its summit. The cornices of the doors above spoken
of have the peculiarity of a double arch,—an inner and
an outer. Over the outer arch are figures of men, in