Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872-73.djvu/185

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IN THE BENGAL PROVINCES, 1872-73
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BHATBINOR.

Three miles east of this is the small village of Bhatbinor; here are the ruins of large Saivic temples of cut stone, but probably plain, as I saw but few sculptured stones.

ALWARA.

At Alwara, a short distance to the north-east, are the ruins of a large Buddhist temple; part of the architrave and door jambs exist, and on the former is sculptured Buddha seated; it is a draped figure; the place is now known as Mahadevasthan, and a small rounded stone partially buried is the object of worship.

There are along the banks of the river between Alwara and Chechgaongarh a few mounds, evidently the ruins of temples.

Annual fairs are held at Bilonja, at Alwara, and at Chechgaongarh, on the full moon of Vaisakha, on the Sangkranta of Chait, and on the Barani festival, respectively.

DARIKA.

Three miles south-west of the ruins at Chechgaongarh is the village of Darika, or Dandika, with several tanks and a few ruins: the principal ruin there is outside the village on a small mound; it is that of a large temple; the cell is still entire internally, but the roof has long ago gone, as also the mouldings outside; the architrave over the entrance is a plain roughish slab, and is apparently not the original one; the door jambs are ornamented with plain, but deep, lines; the ruins of the mahamandapa lie scattered in front. Among the fragments of sculpture is a four-armed goddess, with a high head-dress, holding a sword and trident in two hands, two others being mutilated; she has large earrings. There is also the fragment of a lion, which appears to have projected out into the air from the tower roof, as in the temples at Barâkar.

The tower roof of the temple was surmounted by an urn, the fragment of one of the minor pinnacles shews this: the temple was built of cut stone without any cement, the stones carefully set so as to break joint; the ornamentation consisted exclusively of plain square, or angular mouldings, as there is not a single curved moulding in the ruins: the

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