Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 7, Part 2.djvu/121

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1838.]
Journal of a Tour in Orissa.
681

started a ssinset, having made preiious arrangements for proceeding on to Cuttack after examining the stone; I reached the spot after an inite deal of trouble and annoyance, for I could not get a single villager to tell me where it was; all denied there being any at all, such ii the provoking insolence and knavery of most Ooreyahs. At 8 s’. as. my bearers having got hold (by good luck) of the head-man of the village, heledmet.otheapot which was suchaa described; the stone is abbut three feet shove the ground and of semicircular shape, having cue face fiat about one foot wide on which are the remains of a short inscription and a piece of rude sculpture (vide plate XXXVIII. fig. 1). 1 was assured that tfie stone was sunk very deep in the ground, in thot that it reached “patal” (the regions below). Having sketched the stone I procecded on my jourtey to Cuttack, where I arrived at noon the foflowing day. I remained two days at Cuuack and then proceeded to Kandrak to see the famous temple known by the name of “the black pagoda.” Owing to the bad bearers I had had for the two last stages, I did not reach Kaadrak till one o’clock the following day, instead of at sunrise as I had expected, added to which I had such a bad headache when I arrived, from exposure to the sun and want of food, that I was quite unable to dá any thing further than examine the noble ruin. The temple has been originally very similar in general design to that of .Iaganndtli at Pooree; the great tower fell to the ground many centuries ago; but one corner is still standing to the height of 80 or 100 feet and has (at a distance) the appearance of a crooked column. Such is the extent and minuteness of the sculpture on the pyramidal building (the anti-chamber) now remaining, that it would require a sheet of paper almost of the size of the original to give all the minutim of sculpture. The largest figures (which are mostly highly obscene) are about four feet high: there is one row of them however round the dome (if it may be so termed) which are neatly executed and well worth removing to the museum: they represent musicians in dancing attitudes, ploying on drums, trumpets, &c. &c. &c. The whole edifice is of a reddish stone found in the neighbourhOod, which appears to be a kind of mottled breccia with a great projortion of quartz and lithomarge. The only black stones in: the building, are those with which the three doorways to the north, east and south are lined: they are huge slabs of chlorite richly carved.

The Kurda rja has demolished all three entrances and is removing the stones to Pooree; the masons pick out the figures and throw them down to take their chance of being broken to pieces, (which most of 42