The Cave Temples of India

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In the year 1843 I read a paper to the Royal Asiatic Society on the Rock-Cut Temples of India, in which I embodied the results obtained during several journeys I had undertaken between the years 1836 and 1842 for the purpose of investigating their history and forms, together with those of the other architectural antiquities of India. It was the first attempt that had then been made to treat the subject as a whole. Many monographs of individual temples or of groups, had from time to time appeared, but no general descrip tion, pointing out the characteristic features of cave architecture had then been attempted, nor was it indeed possible to do so, before the completion of the first seven volumes of "Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal" in 1838. The marvellous ingenuity which their editor James Prinsep displayed, in these volumes, in deciphering the inscriptions of Asoka and other hitherto unread documents, and the ability with which Turnour, Kittoe, and others who were inspired by his zeal, hastened to aid in his researches, revolutionised the whole character of Indian archaeology. The history of Buddha and of early Buddhism, which before had been mythical and hazy in the extreme, now became clear and intelligible and based on recognized facts. The relation, too. of Brahmanism and the other Hindu religions to Buddhism and to each other were now for the first time settled, on a basis that was easily understood and admitted of a logical superstructure raised upon it.

When all this was done the remaining task was easy. It only required that some one should visit the various localities where the caves were situated, and apply, the knowledge so amassed, to their classification. For this purpose I visited the eastern caves at Katak and Mahavallipur, as well as those of Ajanta, Eluri, Karlé, Kanheri, Elephants, and others in the west, and found no difficulty in seeing at a glance, to what religion each was dedicated, and as little in ascertaining their relative ages among themselves. A great deal has been done since by new discoveries and further investigations to fill up the cartoon I then ventured to sketch in, but the correct ness of its main outlines have never been challenged and remain undisturbed.

One of the first works to appear after mine was the "Historical Researches" of Dr. Bird, published in Bombay in 1847." but which from various causes-more especially the imperfection of the illus trations-was most disappointing. Though this has been almost the only other work going over the same ground, the interest excited on the subject, led to the formation of a Cave Commission in Bombay in 1848 for the purpose of investigating the history of the caves and taking measures for their preservation. One of the first fruits of their labour was the production, in August 1850, of a Memoir on the subject by the late Dr. Wilson, in the introductory paragraph to which he made the following statement, which briefly summarises what was then proposed to be done:

"The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland having, on the suggestion of James Fergusson, Esq., to whom we are so much indebted for the artistic and critical illustration of the architectural antiquities of India, represented to the Court of Directors of the East India Company the propriety of taking steps for the preservation, as far as possible, of the Cave Temples and other ancient religious memorials of this country, and for their fall delineation and description, before the work of their decay and destruction.

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