VERANDAH OF CAVE No. 11.—AJUNTA.
INTERNALLY the roof of the verandah has been painted, though probably at an age subsequent to the excavation, and is now very much obliterated. Its paintings, however, possess no historical interest, as they consist only of architectural patterns and borders, exhibiting what might be called a mixture of Classic and Assyrian designs.
The doorway leading to the interior is simple, and the steps are adorned with two lions' heads of good design, and well executed.
On either side is a large square window, separated into three lights by two pillars standing on the cills. These are square for the greater part of their height, but change into octagons and then into figures of sixteen sides, returning to the square form just below the capitals. This being to a greater or less extent the mode of decoration adopted for all pillars, not only at Ajunta, but in every part of India, so long as anything like a pure Hindoo style prevailed.
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