The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-01-25

Of the ancient days carved this, th.
most unparalleled temple for heather
worship that the eye of mankind eveI
beheld. The temple is two stories high
and its basement is supported upon q
frieze of life size elephants.
At the entrance of the COURTYARD, from
wall to wall, is panelled fence, OF
stone partition, 11s feet long, Is tee,
high, and two feet thick. We enter the
courtyard through an elaborately dec.
Grated arched gateway, passing bet ween
two life-size stone elephants, facing each
other, that seem to stand as guards. We
go into the temple by passing under
meath huge acknowledgements, enter
ing room filled with richest carving of
almost every conceivable thing. Pass
ing out Of the place under a carved
gallery of solid stone, we ascend the
broad stairway to the second story, or
upper temple, and going on from room
to room, each one SURPRISING the other
If possible, we reach the main hall OF
worship.
This hall is 81 feet square, and 80 feet
high, sculptured far beyond my powers
OF description or understanding.
On the outside of the main hall is an
uncovered yeranda 26 feet wide, upon
which is built five beautiful shrines OF
miniature temples containing an altar
for the burning of sacrifices and pools
for the catching of the blood. This un-
paralleled temple with it's forest of pil-
lars and pilasters, its balconied porches
and double pavilions, are all carved
with different details of sculpture.
every thing from the dome to the floor
of the courtyard going to prove that this
temple was the grandest attempt to
rival all others before it, and perhaps
will till the end of time.
We will now go down out of ssKailos"
into the courtyard again, and, ON the
right hand side of the court, we pass
under great balcony of overhanging
rock, caused by an excavation having
been made in the perpendicular side of
The mountain wall or scarp. This pro-
ecting balcony was made by the noun
ain wall having being cut away 80 feet
high from the floor of the courtyard, and
% feet back under the mountain. The
projection extends all the way around
he court without any support. When
Tou go back under the 25 feet of project
ng rock you will come to fight Of five
teps which brings you on to o veranda
which is still farther sunk back under
he mountain rock some IS feet. This |
'eranda is supported by many carved |
'illars and the sides and ceiling are very |
ichly decorated, being sunk back under
he mountain 43 feet, IS of them
Without support, IS feet supported by
dllars. Two of these verandas are 118 /
eet long, and one 80 feet long, forming
hree sides of the courtyard.
Go back to the courtyard again. but
yer to the left hand side, ascend few
tops and we stand in rock cut vesti-
uie 30 feet long, 90 feet wide, IL to Is
BET high. This, like all the other cave
ooms, is decorated with idols. From this
estibule we ascend bya spiral stairway
, cave temple called Lank-es-bara.
his cave is one of marvellous beauty.
% feet long, by 60 feet wide. The cell
~ is supported by 81 massive pillars
nd corresponding pilasters, all richly
srved; the floor of the central hall is
Used above the surrounding aisles
Tree steps high; the ceiling above is
milarly elevated by double archi-
ave surrounding it; the pillars stand
g on the outer edge of the elevation
I'D each having bold capitals and
jackets beautifully carved upon them.
one end of this cave temple is very
rye idol of Brahma seated upon a
rome, and at the other end in a con-
we vestibule is a sacred bull. There
as once bridge of stone connecting
is cave with the great Kailos which
ands % feet away, but it has ages ago
lien. From $4,000 to 90, 900 worshipers
lght assemble in the temple caves,
rridors and courts of the Kailos at one Z,
ne, and every one of them could find !
I'm where they stood something of
grafton for their darkened minds. l