8. But there is still one more convincing proof that the gateways are of later date than the railing. In the plan of the Tope, in Plate VIII., the old railing on which the more ancient inscriptions are carved, is shaded lightly, and the additional railing and gateway pillars, on which the less ancient inscriptions are found, are made quite black. By this it will be seen that a half pillar of the more recent railing is made to abut against the third pillar of the older railing. Now, as most of the old pillars were inscribed, it seemed probable that one inscription at least would be found hidden by the half pillar of the less ancient railing. And such, indeed, is the fact at the northern entrance, where a long hidden inscription on the pillar of the old railing is now revealed by the separation of the two pillars of different ages.

9. The different dates of the Tope, of its colonnades and of its gateways, have been satisfactorily settled within certain limits; but the destination or object of the building is more difficult to be ascertained. From the non-discovery of relics, I infer that this great chaitya was dedicated to the Supreme Buddha. This conjecture is strengthened by the existence of statues of the four mortal Buddhas at the entrances. For it is the practice of the modern Buddhists of Népal, when they dedicate a Chaitya to Adi Buddha, to place four statues of the Dhyani Buddhas at its base. Vairochana (or light), the first of the Pancha Dhyáni Buddhas, is supposed to occupy the centre of the building. It seems quite possible, however, that this

T

Tope contained some relics of Sákya; but if, as I believe, the relics of the holy teacher were always kept in some easily accessible place, for the purpose of being shown to the people on stated festivals, it seems probable that they would have been carried off by the monks, on the general break-up of the Buddhist monastic establishments throughout India.

CHAPTER XVIII.

NO. 2 TOPE.-SÁNCHI.

1. In 1819, when Captain Fell visited Sánchi, this Tope was "in perfect repair, not a stone having fallen;" but in 1822 it was half destroyed by the same amateur antiquaries who ruined the larger Tope. It stands half way down the slope of the hill, about 400 yards from the great Tope, from which it bears 1091 west. The hill has been carefully levelled, and the western side built up to form a court 100 feet square, in the midst of which stands the Tope surrounded by the usual Buddhist railing.

2. The Tope is a solid hemisphere (built of rough stones, without mortar) 39 feet in diameter, springing from a cylindrical plinth of the same diameter, and 3 feet in height. The basement is 6 feet in height, with a projection of 5 feet 4 inches, which forms a terrace for the perambulation of worshippers. The terrace is reached on the eastern side by a double flight of steps (now in ruins) 5 feet 2

* Prinsep's Journal, iii. 494.

inches wide, which meet at a landing-place, 7 feet

6 inches square.

3. The hemisphere was flattened at top to form a terrace; which, when measured in its perfect state by Captain Fell, was 19 feet in diameter. This was

most probably enclosed by a coping, or cornice, similar to that which is represented around the terrace of No. 1 Tope at Andher. In the centre stood a square pedestal, surrounded by a square Buddhist railing of small dimensions, its whole height being only 4 feet. The fragments of this railing, which I measured, were :-pillars, 3 feet 1 height, with a section of 74 inches by 5 rails, 10 inches long by 84 inches broad, at intervals of 2 inches. The pedestal was of course originally surmounted by a chatta, but of this no trace now remains.

inch in

inches ;

4. The whole is surrounded by a Buddhist railing 7 feet 6 inches in height, with four entrances towards the four sides of the square court. The pillars are 5 feet 11 inches in height, with a section of 15 inches by 11 inches. The rails are 18 inches broad, with a thickness of 5 inches in the middle. The inter-columniation varies from 17 to 18 inches; and, as in the great Tope, seems to be equal to the depth of rail. The coping is

21 inches in height, and 14 inches thick, and is connected to the pillars in the same way as in the large Tope. This railing, like that of the great

• Prinsep's Journal, iii. 494.

Tope, is elliptical, the longer diameter from east to west being 74 feet, and the shorter diameter from north to south only 69 feet. By this ellipticity of form, a clear breadth of more than 8 feet is preserved all round the base of the building.*

5. The pillars of the Buddhist railing which have already been described, are perfectly plain; but these are ornamented by medallions containing a variety of flowers, and numerous animals, both known and fabulous. The medallions are circular in the middle of the pillar, and semi-circular at its head and base. The semi-circular medallions are nearly all filled with flowers; but the full medallions have men and women, horses, bulls, lions and elephants, centaurs, winged horses, and winged bulls. Many of the flower ornaments are pretty, but the figures of men and animals are generally coarse and clumsy.

6. The pillars of the entrances are covered with basreliefs, all of the same inferior style of art, save a few remarkable exceptions at the eastern entrance, one of which is much superior, even to the best bas-reliefs of the great Tope. This represents a female standing in a doorway, with her right hand resting on her hip, and in her left hand a lotus flower. Her hair is parted on the right side. She is naked to the waist, from which a single piece of drapery is drawn over the left thigh. The graceful proportions and easy attitude of this figure place its sculptor almost in the same rank with the carver of the beautiful lions of the

* See Plate XX. for a plan and view of this monument.