I V. ACCOUNT OF THE CAVES IN SALSETTE, ILLUSTRATED WITH DRAWINGS OF THE PRINCIPAL FIGURES AND CAVES. SIR, By HENRY SALT, Esq. (now Consul General in Egypt). Read 25th August, 1806. Suez, 13th February, 1806. REQUEST that you will do me the honour of laying before the Society the accompanying account of the caves on the island of Salsette. I am extremely sorry that my journey into Abyssinia and other avocations have prevented the possibility of my completing it in the manner I could have wished: I could only have been induced to send it in its present state, from the delay which would necessarily ensue before I could forward it by any conveyance from England. I am indebted to Major Atkins, of the Bombay establishment, for the geometrical plan of the hill, and for the ground-plan and sections of the great cave at Kenery; the other drawings are from my own sketches on the spot, which I hope the Society will do me the honour of accepting. I beg leave to repeat, that I shall have great pleasure in executing in London any orders from the Society. I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant, An Account of the Caves on the Island of Salsette. JOGHEYSEER CAVES. About eight miles to the northward of Mahim* is the village of Ambollee, from whence the Jogheyseer caves lie nearly two miles distant in a * A small town at the N. W. point of the island of Bombay, whence there is a ferry to the island of Salsette. G north-easterly direction. Over the sloping path that leads to the western entrance is a natural arch formed by the branches of a banyan-tree, which stretching across the path have taken root on the opposite side, giving a very picturesque appearance to the entrance: a descent of eight steps then conducts to a small ante-room (vide A, in the ground-plan), which is divided into three compartments by two pillars and two pilasters on each side; the figures carved around the walls of this chamber have nearly disappeared from decay, but the frame and cornice of the door through which you pass from it to the great cave have still the appearance of having been once finished with a variety of sculpture neatly executed; and over the door are groups of small figures, amongst which may be observed two tolerably perfect, in the attitudes in which Ramah and Seta are often represented. The great cave into which you now enter is about one hundred and twenty feet square; at about eighteen feet inwards are twenty pillars of the same order as those at Elephanta, forming an inner square, within which again is a chamber about twenty-four feet square, with doors answering to each other on the four sides. This is evidently a temple dedicated to Mahadeo, as on a pedestal in the centre is the lingam covered with holy red paint, and over it a small bell on a wooden frame decorated with flowers, to which our Gentoo attendants paid the customary homage. The walls of this temple were externally adorned with sculptured figures, the only vestiges of which remaining are on the eastern side, representing dwarfs, which from their situation seem to have supported larger figures as at Elephanta. Though it is now usual to go on the western side, yet it appears to me that the eastern was formerly the principal entrance, as greater attention seems to have been paid to the decorations of this side than of the other; and the various representations of the deity are such as were likely to impress his votaries with more suitable awe-a circumstance seldom unattended to by the Bramins. The eastern side is more open to the air, to which may in some measure be attributed the better preservation of the figures, which I shall proceed to describe. Over the first door-way (marked in the ground-plan C) is a figure with five heads and twelve or more hands, supporting a throne on in which is seated a male with four hands; on his left is a female looking up to him, and on his right a figure kneeling: the attendants are numerous, and some of fantastic forms;-amongst the gods the figure of Ganesa is chiefly conspicuous. I imagine this to represent Ramah and Seta supported by Rawan, (for this design vide No. 1, drawing No. 4). The whole of this curious design is comprised under an arch vomited forth by a monster with the mouth of an hippopotamos, the trunk of an elephant, and the body ending in a dragon's tail. In the first vestibule (marked d in the ground-plan), which is divided by two rows of pillars, is a large figure of Ganesa covered with red paint; the other compartments were originally filled with gigantic figures, but they are now crumbled to dust. Between the first and second vestibule is a small space open to the sky (marked e in the ground-plan); and above the door of the second is a small cave, which was never completed. This second vestibule (marked f in the ground-plan) is about thirty feet square, and intersected by four pillars and two pilasters on each side: at its western end are three doorways opening into the large cave; over the centre one is a stately figure seated on a cushion, in the attitude in which Boudha is often represented; he holds a string of beads in his right hand and a lotus in his left, and seems listening with devout attention to an aged munee kneeling beside him (vide No. 2, drawing No. 5.). On each side of the centre doorway are other groups: one of these is a hero leaning on a dwarf, who grasps in his hands two enormous snakes that are closely entwined round his body (vide No. 3, drawing No. 5.). Over this is the design (No. 4, drawing No. 5.), which may be intended for Parbuttee with the bull Nundee—it is curious to observe how complete a caduceus is formed by the snake twisting round a sceptre in the right hand of the hero of this piece. From hence crossing to the south side of the great cave, we find a verandah extending the whole length of the cave, (vide g g in the groundplan); the rock forming the roof is supported by ten massive pillars of the same order as those in the inside (for which vide No. 2, drawing No. 4.), which order is, as far as I had an opportunity of seeing, invariably used in all flat-roofed excavations. There are three doors and two windows |