It spelt in the Archæological Reports, and in spite of the fact that Vehera and Vihara are given identical meanings in a Cingalese dictionary, "Vehera " is used of a dagaba and not a temple, for instance, Et Vehera Kande at Mihintale is so spelt, see p. 152, and in the present instance the principal building was once a dagaba. The path is a little swampy, but supplied with stepping-stones. goes direct to a cottage, from which point it is necessary to break away to the right before seeing rather a shapeless brick mass in open ground. Near these are the remains of a vihara. The central ruin is quite unlike anything yet seen. On the west side are cut deep recesses, and there are flat slabs at the cardinal points on three sides, possibly floral altars. Very little is known about this vehera, which does not follow the usual type at all. To the north-west, about two minutes' walk away, is another vihara, worth seeing, because the guard-stones are very finely carved, and, like those at the King's Palace, display a sculptured torana. After this, returning to the Outer Circular Road and following it, we pass on the left, just before reaching Abhayagiri dagaba, the headquarters of one of the few communities of Buddhist monks, here, who do not belong to the Siamese fraternity. The so-called Abhayagiriya is spoilt by the hideous brick erection built on the summit to replace the old one which fell into ruins, but otherwise it has great charm. Now that Ruanweli has been vulgarised and Jetawanarama shorn of its glory, the unspoiled beauty of Abhayagiriya makes it the most attractive of the three great dagabas, at any rate to those who have an eye for beauty. The worn, broken steps, the feathery shrubs growing from the red pavement slabs, the orange tinge of the altars, and the tope rising, thickly clothed in jasmine and lantana, show pictures at every turn. Here and there are fine remains of carving, one, a perfect slab, with a seven-headed cobra which caught the light of the sun and shone out from a dark background, positively cried aloud for reproduction. It is 3 feet 10 inches in height, and the minuteness of the work shows the very scales. The naga's throat is encircled by a jewelled collar. In the eastern chapel, or altar, remains of painting and gilding can be traced; the northern one has been reset. The height to the top of the drum is at present 150 feet 6 inches. Opposite each of the four altars outside the platform is a mandapaya, or guardhouse, making a most effective entrance, the worn pillars and graceful vases being overshadowed by spreading trees. It has often been said that the Cingalese architects built their dagabas on insufficient foundations, but this aspersion has recently been proved untrue. A shaft was sunk at Abhayagiriya which revealed brick to a depth of 26 feet, and that was founded on a bed of concrete. As a matter of fact these solid erections with their tremendous weight could never have stood through the march of time as they have done had they not been "well and truly laid," with foundations extended to resist the lateral as well as the direct vertical thrust. It is possible to ascend to the summit of this great tope by a path, which, though steep, presents no difficulty to any ordinarily active person. The height of the dagaba (Jetawanarama), as given in the Mahawansa, was originally 160 cubits; a Ceylon builder's cubit is reckoned by Mr. Parker,' after careful comparisons, to be equal to 2 feet. The present height, exclusive of the brick-work crown, or platform, is about 230 feet. In an interesting diagram Mr. Parker shows that the apex of the third pyramid at Gizeh would fall within the spire of Abhayagiriya and its base angles coincide with the base from altar to altar, but the bowl-shaped dagaba does not give nearly so great an impression of size as the angular pyramid. The view from the summit is good, but not striking. It consists of acres and acres of richly green tree-tops, broken here and there by the spires of the great sister dagabas which rise from the living sea. The dagaba was begun by King Maha Sena (A.D. 275-292), the same king who pulled down the Maha Vihara, or Brazen Palace, and used the stones for enlarging other religious buildings elsewhere. He never lived to complete the work, which was carried on by his son and successor. Leaving the dagaba and passing on by the road, which runs around it in a great curve, we soon see ruins on every side, remnants of the monasteries which clustered round the mighty dagaba. the left, under a tree, is an unusually fine specimen of a Yantra-gala, cut into twenty-five square compartments on the surface like the 1 Ancient Ceylon. (Luzac, 1909.) On |