Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/324

280 ARCHITECTURE IN THE HIMALAYAS. BOOK II. Nepalese are those possessing many storeys divided with sloping roofs. They are un- like anything found in Bengal, and all their affinities seem with those in Burma or China. Usually, they seem to be dedicated either to Vaishnava or to Saiva worship, but in the temple of Maha- buddha at Patan, Sakyamuni occupies the basal floor, Ami- tdbha the second storey, a small stone chaitya the third, a Dharmadhatu Man- dala or relic shrine the fourth, and a Vajra-dhatu Mandala the fifth or apex of the building, which externally consists of a small chudamani, or jewel-headed chaitya. This temple is perhaps the most elaborately carved in the valley. It is about 75 feet high, and of unusual shape in Nepal. It was built about the close of the i6th century, by a Buddhist Newar, named Abhaya-raja, who in the reign of Amara Malla had gone on pilgrimage to Bodh-Gaya, and brought back plans or a model of the Mahabodhi temple, and, with his family, began to construct this model of it. 1 One of the most elegant of the sloping roofed class is the Bhawani temple at Bhatgaon, represented in the woodcut (No. 157). It was built in 1703 by Bhupatindra Malla to enshrine a secret Tantric goddess, which to this day is not allowed to be seen. It is five storeys in height, but stands particularly well on a pyramid of five steps, which gives it a greater dignity than many of its congeners. 2 Another at Patan, 156. Nepalese Kosthakar. No scale. 1 Wright ' History of Nepal,' p. 204 ; Oldfield, 'Sketches from Nepal,' vol. i. , plate at p. 272, and vol. ii. p. 269. 2 The stair up these five stages is guarded by pairs of colossal figures ; below are two athletes, above them two elephants, then two lions, two tigers, and at the top the goddesses or demons Singhini and VySghrini. The temple itself is mostly of wood.