Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c18.15

c18.15

spaces between have been filled in with masonry to provide seclusion for worship. Such an alteration shut out the light, so that the perforated windows became necessary. The seating arrangements, being no longer required in the main hall of the temple, were omitted, but were retained in the portico, as a concession to the public, like those in a church porch. It seems not improbable that this rather distinctive type of stone bench, or podium, the relics of which enclose the portico, was continued right round the mote-hall for the use of the members of the assembly while its sloping back, acting at the same time as a seat-rest, formed a dwarf wall to keep out animal intruders. But the most difficult problem was to decide on a suitable place in the scheme for the "holy of holies", which was solved by the simple expedient of inserting it as an additional interior chamber against the end wall. (Plate XLIV).