The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.s1.200

v2.c17.s1.200

**Gateways.** There is a large gateway on each side of the enclosure, that on the east being the most magnificent. It is a square building with pyramidal roof as Orissa propylons usually are, and loaded with sculptures, some of the statues being of life-size. The door-frames are of black chlorite and most profusely carved in bands of rich design. The doors are of *sāl* wood and coarse make. They are evidently of a much later date than the masonry. On each side of the entrance there is a colossal crouching lion of the usual Orissan make, with a crown on the head. The two animals are of imposing appearance, and serve as guards at the doorway, and from them the doorway has derived its name of Siṁhadvāra or the 'lion gate'. On the side pilasters of the door there are a couple of statues of human beings,—stout athletes.—Jayā and Vijayā by name, who occupy the same position in Indian romance which Gog and Magog do in European story-books. The other gates, though formed on the same plan and style, are not quite so rich in sculpture. The northern one had two elephants for guards, and thence its name Hastidvāra or 'elephant gate'. The animals are about five feet high and mounted by *mahuts* on the neck. Their carving is good and creditable to the artist. One of them was somehow injured while *in situ*, probably by a cart, and the road before the gate on this side not being particularly broad and running flush by the wall, it was deemed expedient to remove the statues from their original position to an out-of-the-way place near the inner gate on that side. The southern gate had to horses, whence its name Aśvadvāra. Some time ago the statues were removed from this gate to the north-eastern doorway of the inner enclosure, whence they have since been lost. The western gate had no special guardians, and it owes its specific name Khānjādvāra to the fact of trays full of offerings from certain ladies being brought in through it.