The Age of the Imperial Guptas c8.78

c8.78

The temple of Mundesvari, discovered by the late Dr. T. Bloch in 1905-6, has not drawn that amount of attention, which it deserves. It was actually in existence in the Harṣa year 30 = 635-6 A.D. The only person who has mentioned it in the history of architecture is Coomarswamy; but even he has omitted to publish its photograph at the time of its discovery. Bloch discovered fragments of a votive inscription one section of which was discovered by the late Mr. P. C. Mukharji as early as 1891. This inscription was inscribed on a separate pillar and records a donation by a noble named Bhāgudalana in the reign of a minor prince named Udayasena, who held the titles of *Mahāsāmanta*, *Mahāpratīhāra*, and *Mahārāja* and who was evidently a subordinate chief under Harṣa. This inscription mentions the erection of a temple (*Maṭha*) close to the temple of Vinīteśvara and certain donations to a temple of Viṣṇu called Maṇḍaleśvara. The present name Muṇḍeśvarī is evidently a corruption of the ancient Maṇḍaleśvara.¹ This temple underwent considerable changes during the Pāla period (800–1200 A.D.) when many additions and alterations were carried out. Though the *Sikhara* has disappeared and in the place of the large smooth ashlar work the Public Works Department of the British Government has crowned it with a low parapet of undressed or roughly dressed masonry, sufficient indications remain to prove that this building is a Post-Gupta structure. The most noticeable feature in the Mundeśvarī temple is its plan; it is neither square nor circular, but hexagonal. Temples with such plans are extremely rare in India. The decorations consists of a broad round moulding at the base of the plinth of the same type as that at Bhumra and the stone-work of the earliest main shrine at Sarnath, near Benares. The plinth is further decorated with *Kīrttimukhas*, with garlands hanging as loops from their mouths, and tassels at the junctions of the loops. The carvings of the great stone door-frame consists of bands of arabesque work, superimposed panels containing single or double human figures, and other well recognised Gupta decorative motifs. The carvings of the pillars and pilasters of the windows, bearing neat *Chaitya-windows* on them, all proclaim the Mundeśvarī temple to be a direct descendant of Gupta temples proper, yet not very far removed from the age of the Early Guptas. As at Nachna Kuthara and Bhumra, as well as Aihole and Pattadkal, pierced stone-frames admit light into the interior and even the bottoms of the jambs of such window-frames bear the figures of the river goddesses, Gaṅgā and Yamunā. Fragments of bas-reliefs discovered by Mr. J. C. French, I.C.S., exhibit the general decadence of Post-Gupta plastic art.