CHAPTER XXIV.

TOPES OF SATDHÁRA.

1. The group of Topes known as the Satdhára Topes are situated on the left bank of the Besali River just below the junction of the Ghora-pachár River.* Sat-dhára means literally the "hundred streams,' and the place most probably received its name from the number of streams which meet at this point. The hill on which the Topes stand here forms a perpendicular cliff, beneath which flows the Besali River through a deep rocky glen. The view up the river is one of the most beautiful I have seen in India. Above are the Topes, those mysterious piles which have baffled the great destroyer Time for upwards of two thousand years. Beneath are the clear emerald waters of the Besali; on one side darkly shadowed by the overhanging trees and frowning cliffs; on the other side sparkling bright in the noon-day sun. The selection of this lovely spot shows that the Buddhist Bhikshu was not without a lively appreciation of the

*See Plates I. and V.

beauties of that nature which he worshipped under the name of Dharma.

2. The Topes are situated about two miles to the W.S.W. of the small village of Firozpur, and about three miles from the village of Sonári. The largest of the Topes is now a vast ruinous mound of brickwork that has once been faced with stone like the great Tope at Sánchi, which it almost rivals in size.* The base of the dome is 101 feet in diameter; but its present height is only 30 feet. The terrace is 9 feet wide with a height of 12 feet above the ground. The total height therefore is 42 feet as it now stands; but as the hemisphere was an essential part of every Tope, the height could not have been less than the radius, or 50 feet; and was most probably somewhat more. The Tope was crowned by a Buddhist railing, of which several pillars still remain lying together upon the terrace. Some pillars of the square pedestal also remain; and there can be no doubt that this Tope was once completed with the chatta pinnacle, which has already been described in the account of the Sánchi Topes.

3. The circular railing which surrounded the top consisted of pillars 2 feet 4 inches in height with a section of 9 inches face, and 7 inches side. There were only two rails, each 10 inches deep, and 3 inches thick. The whole was surmounted by an architrave or coping, 10 inches high and 9 inches thick. The square railing of the pedestal had pillars of the * See Plate XXV., fig. 3.

Y

same section; but as there were three rails the pillars were 3 feet 5 inches in height. They were ornamented with the usual medallions of full and half lotus flowers.

4. A perpendicular shaft was sunk to a depth of 10 feet, but without any discovery. As the great brick Tope at Sánchi had not yielded any relics, and as we were pressed for time, we gave up the farther opening of this Tope. My own opinion regarding these large Topes is that the relics were always placed near the top so as to be readily accessible for the purpose of showing them to the people on stated festivals. Now as the great Satdhára Tope has certainly lost at least ten feet of its height, and probably more, it seemed to me very unlikely that any relics would be found in it: but, had time permitted, I should have carried down the shaft to the level of the ground.

5. Around this Tope there are three of those remarkable solid masses of building, of which one has already been described in my account of the Great Tope at Sonari. The first, which is half engaged in the northern wall of the court-yard, is 55 feet long from east to west, and 48 feet broad, with an average height of from 16 to 18 feet. The second, which is immediately outside the western wall of the courtyard, is 80 feet long from north to south, and nearly 60 feet broad. The third is in a more perfect state. It stands due west from the second, and on the very edge of the cliff overhanging the river; the wall on

this side being built up to a considerable height. This building is about 98 feet long and 55 feet broad, with an average height of 16 feet above the ground. It is pierced on the eastern side with a doorway leading into an open passage, from which a flight of steps, 44 feet wide, ascends towards the north to the top of the platform. All of these buildings were most probably temples, of which nothing but the raised basements now remain. The people know them by the common name of Siddh-ka-makán, or "saints' houses." the term Siddha, the "perfected," or "finished," was a common title of the Bodhisatwas, it is probable that these places are only the remains of their residences.

As

NO. 2 TOPE.-SATDHÁRA.

6. This ruined Tope stands at a distance of 230 feet to the N.N.W. of the great Tope. It is 24 feet in diameter, but only 8 feet in height, and has a trace of a small raised terrace.* A shaft was sunk in it to a depth of 6 feet, when some stones falling in, two small steatite caskets were seen lying at the bottom. The stones were loose; there was no trace of any chamber; and the caskets were both much discoloured on the upper surface. It is evident therefore that the Tope had been opened before by the villagers; who, finding nothing but a few calcined bones, had replaced

* See Plate XXV., fig. 2.

the relic-caskets, and filled up the holes again with loose stones.

7. These caskets are of a pale mottled steatite, each three inches in diameter, and two inches in height. They are inscribed inside the lids, the one with Sáriputasa "(Relics) of SÁRIPUTRA," and the other with Maha-Mogalúnasa "(Relics) of MAHA MOGALÁNA.” See Plate XXV., figs. 4, 5. The history of these two holy men, the right and left hand disciples of Buddha, has already been given in my account of the opening of No. 3 Tope at Sánchi. The only real difference between the alphabetical characters of the Sánchi and Satdhára inscriptions, is in the position of the vowel o, which, in the Sánchi legend, is attached to the top of the m, whereas in the Satdhára legend it is attached to the middle of the letter. This variety may have been only a mere matter of taste with the engraver; but as it is also possible that it may be the result of a difference of date, it is worthy of remark.

NO 7 TOPE.-SATDHÁRA.

8. This Tope is similar in all respects to that which has just been described, but somewhat more perfect.* The diameter of the hemisphere is 24 feet; the terrace is 2 feet broad; and the whole height at present is 9 feet. A shaft was sunk down to the centre to a depth of 4 feet, when a large irregularshaped slab, 8 inches thick, was reached. On this * See Plate XXV., fig. 1.