Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-28
Hindu and Mohammadan Architec'
Harper for JULY

tnaIpei loi JuiJ'l
The vast populations of East India,
numbering in all some two hundred and
fifty million souls, arc at the present
day chiefly adherents to one form or
another of Brahmanism. comprehended
under the general term of lllndus, or
they are Mussulmans. Of these
latter there are probably about thirty
millions in India. 1t is mis-
take to suppose that there are still
any Buddhist communities in the coun-
try, if we except the island of Ceylon
and the extreme northern territory OF
Nepaul. The Buddhist movement arose
about five hundred years before Christ,
and expired, in all probability, IN the
fourth century of our era. NeVerthe'
less. as far as we can judge, the
Buddhists were the first builders and
hewers of stone of whose work any
traces remain, and to them is COM
monty attributed the foundation Of
the Indian school of architecture.
With its ultimate origin we have
nothing to do, but for those who
are unfamiliar with the subject 1t
is sufficient to say that the first speci-
mems Of Indian building bear a strong
reser. blance to the Egyptian. The arch
is unknown. and the massive archltraye
still holds its place, supported by stout
pillars and square doOr-posts. The
material in use, being more easily
worked bv the chiSel than the
granite of the Egyptians, has been
everywhere adorned with an amazing
wealth of carving, chiefly represent
ing, in Hindu places of worship, gods
and goddesses, animals of all descrip-
tions, real and mythical, and battle
scenes. or, in the remains OF Buddhist
temples, figuring endless professions OF
Buddhas, pagOdas, men, and animals,
with elaborate and highly-ornamented
SYMBOLS, such as wheels, trees,
daqops or domes, and the like.
There are the deep porticoes, the
broad colonnades, and the gloomy inner
shrines that continually remind the ob-
server of Egypt. Under the religious
denomination of the Buddhistic monas'
terry system, and during the subsequent
period which saw the revival OF the
Brahmanic power, this style Of build
ing grew to its massive perfection, and
its main points are found in every sort
| of edifice, or ruin Of an editice, dating
from those times.
But India has in all ages been ex'
posed to the rapacious inroads o
northern nations, more warlike, NOR
masculine, and more fierce than her
self. The Turks and the Tartars, tn
Afghans and the Persians, have al
oyerrun Northern India since the tenth
century. Mahmoud, Mohammad o
Ghor, Tamerlane, and Nadir Shah, TIN
Persian conqueror of the last century
have successfully conquered the Pan
lab, plundered it, and gone their ways
The power Of the Mussulman faith j
the East has been second only to tn
power of the Mussulman arms, and !
the successive expeditions Of the Mus
lin conquerors, often ending in th
foundation Of new cities in place
those destroyed, millions Of Hindu
were converted TO the belief in on
God from their belief in several hur
dreds of gods. The dominating fat
destroyed the sanctuaries Of BrahmaI
ism and the remains of Buddhism, an
, its theological offspring, Jsinisn, IN
built mosques and holy places in the
; stead. Hence the introduction Of Il
: M0hsmmadsn architecture, which b