The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c21.17

c21.17

tecture of the middle period of the Hindu decadence which was shortly before Mahmûd of Ghaznî's raids. They were probably built, together with a number of magnificent reservoirs formed by building great embankments of masonry across the valley of Bundelkhand, in the course of the century beginning with A.D. 950, when the Chandêlas, who had for a long time been petty feudatory Râjas, became powerful independent sovereigns who played a considerable part in the attempt to repel the Muhammadan invasions. The temples of their capital, now a deserted place lying about 150 miles south-east of Gwalior, escaped entire destruction, and about thirty of them still remain more or less intact. Though the sectarian dedication of them differs, some being Jain, others Saivaite and Vaishnavaite, they are nearly all of the Vishnu type of design, but elaborated with extraordinary richness.