The caves of Udyagiri and Khandagiri 'about 20 miles from Cuttack and five from Boban Eswaia, are next in antiquity to those of Behar. They are built on the bills of Udyagiri and Khandagiri ; the former are Buddhist and the older, the latter probably Jaina. Many of the inscriptions are in the Lath character, and this gives their age as anterior to the Christian era. The frieze sculpture in the Ganesgompha is superior to any in India, and resembles that of the Sanchi tope at Bhilsa. In it there are no gods, no figures of different sizes, nor any extra vagance. In the Buddhist caves here, there are no figures of Buddha, nor any images. In a Jaina cave near, on Khandagiri, the 24 thir tankara with their female energies are sculptured.
The Ajunta are the most complete series of Buddhist caves in India, without any mixture of Brahmanism, and contain types of all the rest. They are in a ravine or narrow valley in the ghat south of the Tapti.
At Baug, in a ravine or small valley in the ghat on the north side of the valley of the Tapti, are three ancient Buddhist caves.
The Karli eaves are close to the high road from Poona to Bombay, about half-way down on the right-hand side of the valley as you proceed towards the sea. They are not so extensive as those of Ajunta, but they are purely Buddhist. The largest and most splendid chaitya cave temple in India which could be selected for reproduction by art, is the principal excavation at Karli, and it is also interesting as the oldest Indian work of the kind known to exist. Karli has numerous inscriptions in the caves in the Pali language.
The Salsette or Kenheri caves, in the island of Salsette, are purely Buddhist, but inferior to those of Ajunta or Karli. They are excavated in a hill in the midst of an immense tract of forest country, and Mr. Fergusson supposes their date to be about the 9th or 10th century of the Christian era.
Dhumnar, about 40 miles S.E. from Nemuch, but close to Chundivassa, contains Buddhist caves, with a Brahmanical rock temple behind. Those of Dhumnar, like the caves of Ellora, contain a strong admixture of Brahmanism.
The Ellora caves are excavated in a porphy ritic greenstone, and are largely Brahmanical. They are in the face of the mountain overlooking the valley of the Godavery, close to Roza, the burial-place of Dowlatabad, and where Aurangzeb, Alamgir is interred.
Those of Elephanta are entirely Brahmanical, though perhaps of the same age as those of Ellora. The caves of Elephanta overlook the harbour of Bombay. They are cut in a harder rock than those at Ellora. These caves are in the island of Gharipuri, called by Europeans Elephanta, an island in Bombay harbour. Among the hundreds of figures there sculptured, every principal deity is found. Buddha is evidently, from his size and situation, a principal personage there.
Mahabalipurani, or the Seven Pagodas, between Covelong and Sadras, south of Madras, has been described by Dr. Babbington in vol. ii. Trans. R. A. S., p. 258 ; and by Messrs. Chambers and Goldingham in A. R. vol. i. p. 145, and v. p. 69 ; and by Mr. Charles Gubbins in Bengal As. Soc. Journal. The Mahabalipur eaves are entirely Brahmanical, and have been excavated after alt the other series were formed (Fergusson's Rock cut Temples of India).
The inscriptions of king Asoka, consist of edicts and proclamations. King Asoka carved his edicts on the rocks at Dhauli in Cuttack, also at Girnar in Gujerat, at Kapurdagiri, near Pesha wur, and on pillars erected in different parts of the country. In the thirteenth edict of the rock cut inscriptions, he mentions having, about B.C. 25•, formed treaties of alliance with Ptolemy Philadelphos, Antiochus Theca, Antigonus Gon atm, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander, the king of Epirus and Macedonia, mentioned by Justin, for the protection or aid of his co-religionists in their dominions. They have been deciphered successively by J. Prinsep, Norris, Dowson ; and elucidated by the works of Burned, Laasen, Wilson, Kern, Buhler, General A. Cunningham, Corpus Inscriptionum, and E. Senart in Journal Asiatiqne.