History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v1.c19.s12.26

v1.c19.s12.26

The temple itself is a nearly regular rectangle, two of its sides measuring 720 ft. and 729 ft., the other two 834 ft. and 852 ft. It possessed four gopurams of the first class (I. II. III. IV.), and six smaller ones (VI. to XI.) ; a very beautiful tank (L), surrounded by arcades; and a hall of 1000 columns (Q), whose sculptures surpass those of any other hall of its class I am acquainted with. There is a small shrine (J), dedicated to the god Sabhâpati, which occupies the space of fifteen columns, so the real number is only 985; but it is not their number but their marvellous elaboration that makes it the wonder of the place, and renders it, in some respects, more remarkable than the chaultri about which so much has been said and written. I do not feel sure that this hall alone is not a greater work than the chaultri; taken in conjunction with the other buildings of the temple, it certainly forms a far more imposing group.