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The most interesting monument at Pawagadh is the fine Siva temple at the eastern foot of the cliffs bearing Mataji temple. It has been erected on a peninsula protruding into the tank; but most of the garbhagriha and Sikhara seem to have been blown up and have fallen in to the tank. The temple is not big, only 7.4 ms. long, but it is a masterpiece of architecture and sculpture. The mandapa consists of a quadrangular hall with the entrance porch-once supported on two columns-on one, the antarala on the other end, and a recessed image niche on either side. Eight columns with beautiful Kicaka figures support an octagonal ceiling drum, on which a beautiful ceiling slab is set, carved with a fine, lotuslike psedo-dome. The antarala has two smaller niches and a similar but much smaller ceiling. Above the Mandapa entrance there is the figure of Lakulisa, whereas the original lintel of the cella entrance has been replaced by a clumsy relief group, possibly on the occassion of a never completed repair in Akbar's reign, where as the interior of the Mandapa is spoiled by white wash. The Nandi in front of the temple corroborates its Saiva character. The socle is rather simple almost plain, above two round mouldings there rises a frieze of monumental relief panels, generally three on each prominent section of the facade. Above 193. Baroda Archaeological Department '38 p. 6 para 12. 194. Archaeology in Baroda p. 15. Pit. Vedic Index Also Struggle for Empire Pit. XXV.

Structural Temples of the Caulukyan Period 167 four other horizontal mouldings the roof begains, most of which has been completely destroyed. 195 From an art-historic point of view, this (Chauhana) (Here Fig. 112) temple does not belong to Solanki or Vaghela style traditions. On the one hand, there are number of archaic features. The relative simplicity of the organisation of the exterior facades, the plain socle, the grouping of the reliefs without much differentiation in size or depth, the prevalence of big compositions of Surasundari or attendant figures, the gavaksa, network of the Sikhara reduced almost to a band ornament (a pratihara innovation), the undercut flat ornament bands, the comparatively simple columns and pilaster bases, and finally the niche arches which, in one type, still have gavaksas of discernible size, in other the low arches crowned by a Kirtimukha head as at Elora place the temple altogether in a different style. Also the inconographic types are archaic. A mighty Natarala (PI II. Fig. 4 Journal of the Gujarat Research society Vol. XI. 2 P. 53 in northern India rare after 10 th cent.), Siva Lakulisa (Journal of the Gujarat Research society Vol. XI. 2 pl. I. fig. 3 Here Fig. 113; four armed right upper hand with Trisula or staff right lower hand touching left upper hand with a book (?) left lower hand with a staff) attended by Brhama and Visnu and surrounded by gods and rsisa, Ambika on lion (Journal of the Gujarat Research society, XI. 2. Plt II. fig. 5), are very much like on the Gupta coins. On the other hand is an early date likewise impossible. The roofs show the fully developed high-mediaval type, especially the fragments of mandapa roof exclude any date earlier than the late 11 th if not 12 th century. The circular lotus ceilings, with their rich flatings, remind of Kiradu or even 195. Dr. H. Goetz 'Pawagadh-Champaner' Journal of the Gujarat Research society Vol. xi no. 2 p. 53; plts 1 Fig 1, 2, 3; II Fig. 4, 5. Dr. H. Goetz has described this Siva temple as a Chauhan temple on the basis that it retains most the characteristics of the last phase of Chauhan art, a local art tradition developed by Chauhan dynasty. (For details see Journal of the Gujarat Research society Vol XI. No. 2 p. 53 ff.) However, Shri Meter A. Dhaky places this temple in the latter half of the eleventh century on the style of sculptures and others details (The Chronology of Solanki Temples of Gujarat p. 41 f. n. 78).

168 The Structural Temples of Gujarat Delwada. The niche arches, despite their archaic details, come in their general conception very near to those of late Solanki art, especially those at the later sections of the sun temple at Modhera, and the same is true of part of the plinth decoration. Certain circular creeper ornaments are likewise common in late Solanki and especially Vaghela architecture. The figural sculpture reveals a perfect mastery of the human body and has the elongated proportions which prevailed 12 th Century Gujarat. Nevertheless is the physique of a heavier and more substantial type than that found in Gujarat. Most of these characterstics fit on the very little which we know so far of Chauhana art. Unfortunately Chauhana art, as a special local style, has not yet been studied, and thus it can be compared only with such monuments which like those at Visalpur temple near Deoli, the Morkhan temple near Bikaner, Sculptures in Ajmer and Bikaner museums and near the Kutubminar, at Mandor, Osia, Gwalior, Surwaya etc. The heavier phisique of the figures, the decorative archaism, the Ambika and Nataraja images, can in fact be traced, in almost completely similarity, in these monuments. The wedding of Siva and Parvati is likewise archaic, and the sitting Brhama appears hardly ever in Solanki art. Lakulisa on the other hand, may well have been a radiation of the cult of Karvan. But the Pawagadh temple is more ornate than the above mentioned monuments. Thus we may be entitled to regard it as a so far unique example of the last phase of Chauhan art, erected probably at the end of the 12 th cent. by the founder of local Chauhan Kingdom. 196 The