History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c13.53

v1.c13.53

According to the same authority the next cave in the chronological order is the Anantagumphā on the top of the Khandagiri hill, which lies by the side of Udayagiri. This is a single-storeyed cave on the same plan as the Mañchapuri. The carvings in the verandah show the polish of the Maurya caves of the Barābar and Nāgārjuni hills. There are four doorways in the rear wall of the verandah leading to the chambers in the interior. These doors are ornamented with a Persepolitan pilaster on each side, supporting a round arch which bears on it human and animal figures. A three-headed snake rises from each end of each arch. In addition to these carvings the space under each arch is covered with a bas-relief; in one there is *Kamale-Kāminī* or *Śrī* or *Gaja-lakshmī*. consisting of the figure of the goddess Lakshmi standing on a lotus surrounded by a number of elephants who are pouring water over her head from vases held in their trunks. In a second, we find the chariot of the Sun-god with four horses instead of seven. On a third, we find a chief of a herd of elephants and, in a fourth, a sacred tree the base of which is surrounded by a railing of the ancient type. Over these arches is a band bearing on it another railing of the same type as in the Svargapuri and the Mañchapuri caves.