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.
