The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c16.109.1

v2.c16.109.1

**Hathi Gumpha** :—To the north-west, and a few feet above the level of the top of the Vaikuṇṭhapura Gumphā, there is a large cave of irregular shape, which bears the name of Hāthi Gumphā or ‘Elephant cave’. It appears like a natural cavern extended by art, but without any order or plan. The forms of the plinths, seats and pillars, as also the chisel-marks on the sides, walls and roof, leave no doubt as to the extension being due to art, but the entrance is so irregular, that it may well pass for a natural cave.¹⁷ Two rough-hewn blocks along the middle divide the area of the cave longitudinally into two ranges, and three compartments behind, the front being left to form a verandah of one opening with a very irregular outline. There is no demarcation between the side walls, and the roof, and the appearance everywhere is that of natural cave. A portion of the northern end has the floor raised about two feet from the level of the rest of the ground. On the two sides of the entrance which faces the south-west, there are two small caves carefully cut in the shape of cubes of 4 feet a side, with a doorway scarcely large enough to admit a small sized man crawling in. In no part of the large cave is there anything like architectural ornament or artistic finish, and the cave would have deserved no notice, but for a magnificent inscription in the most ancient *Lāṭ* character, incised on the scarped rock over its entrance.