Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c39.14

c39.14

This capital bears no little resemblance to that known as the Doric order of the Romans Here it should be noted that in the Gandhara architecture another and equally distinctive type of Graeco-Roman capital called the Corinthian was invariably used, other examples of the classical orders being extremely rare Therefore the quasi-Doric capital found in the Kashmir temples could not, on this account, have been a contribution from Gandhara. On the other hand there are records that Lalitāditya's conquests carried his influence far and wide—for a period his power was absolute over a very extensive region in High Asia. Is it not possible, therefore, that some distant descendants of the Graeco-Roman schools, Asiatics no doubt, but still maintaining in their building practice reminiscences of the Hellenic-Latin traditions, brought to Kashmir certain architectural principles and precedents drawn from what remained at the fountain-head ? In their evident feeling for size, combined with breadth of treatment, and perfection of execution, the early mediaeval monuments of this country bring to mind, although indistinctly, recollections of some older architectural experiences, suggesting the final infiltration, towards the east, of the Graeco-Roman ideal.