The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c43.2

c43.2

At Aihole, where the fine old temples are which are described in the beginning of this volume, there were, a few years ago, upon the top of the hill, upwards of twenty dolmens scattered about over the rocky plateau on the east side of the temple of Mēguṭi (Plate CLII). These generally consist of three great slabs set up on edge, forming three sides of a square, with a much larger flat slab laid over these to form a roof. In some cases, and, perhaps, originally in all, there was another upright slab closing up the front, wholly or partly. Where it completely closed the front, it had a circular hole cut through it large enough for a person to crawl through. Since they stand upon the rock it is not likely they were put up as sepulchral cells: it is more likely they were erected as huts to live in, and, perhaps, by the stone workers engaged upon the building of Mēguṭi. As the sandstone rocks here are stratified, it was easy enough for them, with a wedge or two, to detach the necessary slabs from the hill top just where they wished to put them up; and it would have been less trouble to them, as stone workers, to do this than to hunt about for other material and fetch it up the hill. On the side of one of the largest, and nearest to the temple, are three or four letters, traced in the old character found on some of the older temples—possibly the door-plate of the owner or a “Beware of the dog” warning. They face all directions.