The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c18.3

c18.3

Archæologists have been undecided as to the age of this temple, but I am convinced that both Fergusson and Dr. Burgess are very much at fault in attributing it, from evidence of "style," to the eighth or beginning of the ninth century of our era.¹ It is certainly more than a century earlier than Chaitya-house XXVI at Ajantâ, which they date *circa* A.D. 600—but that date is probably a century too early. I think it would be safe to assume that the great sculpture of the Trimûrti had been completed a century before Harsha of Thanesar celebrated the feast of the Indian Trinity on the sands at Prayâga, which Hiuen Tsang attended in A.D. 644. It was probably known in the seventh century as a famous masterpiece throughout Western India, so that the artist of Ajantâ had it in his mind when he painted the wonderful An empty page (blank).