Hindu Temples: What Happened to Them v2.c19.s1.69

v2.c19.s1.69

The open area in front of the prayer hall of the masjid with shabby pavement where shrubs and trees were growing and debris had accumulated and which was not used for prayer, was excavated for laying out a garden. While excavating for garden in the eastern part of open courtyard in front of the prayer hall, the sculpture of an elephant and remains of a temple were found. The ornamented plinth of this temple shows from bottom upwards *jaDaMba* decorated with bold lotus-scroll, *karNika*, *kapota* decorated with *kuDus* and *grasapaTti* (Pl. XIII). The plinth shows that the temple above it was *pañcharatha* in plan. An underground passage below the plinth of this temple (Period-II) also came to light. Well polished stones have been used for the construction of this underground passage. Besides the sculptures of the elephant mentioned above, a human figure and lotus designs were also found by the side of the beautifully carved plinth of the temple. This temple found during excavation for gardening operation is perhaps of the time of Mularaja (Period-II).⁴⁵