Here are gigantic
figures in every position; some measure more than eighteen feet, and
nearly reach to the roof of the temple, which is about twenty-four
feet high. The walls of the temples and verandahs are full of idols
and statues of good and evil spirits. In one of the temples, a
battle of giants is represented. The figures are above life size,
and the whole of the figures, columns, verandahs and gateways, are
cut out of the solid rock. The enormous number and remarkable
beauty of the sculptures and reliefs on the columns, capitals,
friezes, gateways, and even on the roof of the temples, is indeed
most astonishing; the variety in the designs and devices is
inexhaustible. It appears incredible that human hands should have
been able to execute such masterly and gigantic works. The Brahmins
do, indeed, ascribe their origin to supernatural agencies, and
affirm that the era of their creation cannot be ascertained.
Remains of paintings are found on the walls, ceiling, and pillars,
the colours of which are brighter and fresher than those of many
modern works of art.
The second class of temples have an oval form, and have majestic
lofty portals leading immediately into the interior; they are called
chaitya. The largest of these temples has on each side a colonnade
of nineteen pillars - the smallest, one of eight; in these there are
no verandahs, no priest's cells, and no sanctuaries. Instead of the
latter, a high monument stands at the extremity of the temple. Upon
one of these monuments an upright figure of the deity Buddha is
sculptured in a standing position. On the walls of the larger
temple gigantic figures are hewn out of the solid rock, and under
these a sleeping Buddha, twenty-one feet in length.
After I had wandered about here for some hours, and had seen enough
of each of the temples, I was led back to one of them, and saw there
a small table well covered with eatables and drinkables, inviting me
to a welcome meal. Captain Gill had been so kind as to send after
me a choice tiffen, together with table and chairs, into this
wilderness. Thus refreshed and invigorated, I did not find the
return fatiguing. The house in which Captain Gill lives at Adjunta
is very remarkably situated: a pleasant little garden, with flowers
and shrubs, surrounds the front, which commands a view of a fine
plain, while the back stands upon the edge of a most fearful
precipice, over which the dizzy glance loses itself among steep
crags and terrible gorges and chasms.
As Captain Gill had learnt that I wished to visit the famous
fortress of Dowlutabad, he told me that no one was admitted without
the permission of the commander of Auranjabad; but, to spare my
going out of my way (as the fortress lies on this side of
Auranjabad), he offered to send a courier there immediately, and
order him to bring the card of admission to me at Elora. The
courier had to travel altogether a distance of 140 miles - 70 there
and as many back. I looked upon all these attentions as the more
obliging, as they were shown to me - a German woman, without
distinction or attractions - by English people.
4th March. At 4 o'clock in the morning, the good captain joined me
at the breakfast table; half an hour later, I was seated in my
waggon and travelling towards the village of Bongeloda, which I
reached the same day.
5th March. Roja is one of the most ancient towns of India. It has
a gloomy aspect; the houses are one story high, and built of large
square stones, blackened by age; the doors and windows are few in
number and irregularly situated.
Outside the town lay a handsome bungalow with two rooms; but, as I
was informed that it was occupied by Europeans, I decided upon not
going there, and took up my quarters for the night under the eaves
of a house.
The country between this and Adjunta is a flat plain; the parched
heaths and poor jungles are interspersed with beautiful plantations.
The land near Pulmary was especially well cultivated.
6th March. Early in the morning, I mounted a horse for the purpose
of visiting the equally-renowned rock temples of Elora (ten miles
from Roja). But, as it frequently happens in life that the proverb,
"man proposes and God disposes," proves true, such was the case in
the present instance - instead of the temples, I saw a tiger-hunt.
I had scarcely left the gates of the town behind, when I perceived a
number of Europeans seated upon elephants, coming from the bungalow.
On meeting each other, we pulled up, and commenced a conversation.
The gentlemen were on the road to search for a tiger-lair, of which
they had received intimation, and invited me, if such a sport would
not frighten me too much, to take part in it. I was greatly
delighted to receive the invitation, and was soon seated on one of
the elephants, in a howdah about two feet high, in which there were
already two gentlemen and a native - the latter had been brought to
load the guns. They gave me a large knife to defend myself with, in
case the animal should spring too high and reach the side of the
howdah.
Thus prepared, we approached the chain of hills, and, after a few
hours, were already pretty near the lair of the tigers, when our
servants cried out quite softly, "Bach, bach!" and pointed with
their fingers to some brushwood. I had scarcely perceived the
flaming eyes which glared out of one of the bushes before shots were
fired.
