A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c13.s5.t1.54

c13.s5.t1.54

The Margasahayar temple at Virinchipuram in the North Arcot District, 7½ miles to the west of Vellore, is believed to have been erected late in the fifteenth century, while the district was included in the dominions of Vijayanagar. One of the columns offers a good example of the *yālī*, or conventional rampant lion, an effective, bold form of decoration very fashionable and characteristic of the country in both S. India and Ceylon during mediaeval times. The lion, about 5½ feet in height, is designed and executed with spirit (Fig. 167).