Identifier: handbooktravelle00john Title: A handbook for travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon . Year: 1911 (1910s) Authors: John Murray (Firm) Subjects: India -- Guidebooks Burma -- Guidebooks Sri Lanka -- Guidebooks Publisher: London : J. Murray Calcutta : Thacker, Spink, & Co. Contributing Library: University of California Libraries Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Text Appearing Before Image: heir elegance ofdesign and exquisite carving.^ Thereare numerous inscriptions at thetemples, one of which has the dateShaka 790 = 868 A.D. Lakkandi (anciently Lokkikandi)is about 8 m. S.E. of Gadag, andabout half that distance from Harla-pur station. The place is full ofancient temples. 1 Colonel M. Taylor says; It is im-possible to describe the exquisite finish ofthe pillars of the interior of this temple,which are of black hornblende, or to esti-mate how they were completed in theirpresent condition, unless they were turnedm a lathe ; yet there can be little doubt thatthey were set up originally as rough massesof rock, and afterwards carved into theirpresent forms. The carving on some of thepillars and of the lintels and architraves ofthe doors is quite beyond description. Nochased work in silver or gold could possibly befiner, and the patterns to this day are copiedby goldsmiths, who take casts and mouldsfrom them, but fail in representing the shaxp-ness and finish of the original.

Text Appearing After Image: [To face p. 373. ROUTE 27. OLD TEMPLES—DHARWAR 373 The fa9ade of the Kashi Vishwa-nath Temple has been supported byfour pillars, of which that to the N.has gone. The doorways are elabo-rately carved, and though the roofis ruined, the temple is by far thehandsomest in Lakkandi, and wellworth seeing; but being built ofcoarse granite, the carving is not soclear and sharply defined as in thecase of other famous temples. To the W., on the opposite sideof the road, is a Temple to Nandesh-war, or Shiva, Lord of the BullNandi. There is a Kanarese in-scription on the ledge of the W.division of the roof, between the fourpillars. It stands on the N. side ofa tank, which it overlooks. The Temple of Iskwara, the roofof which has fallen in, is very old;the exterior is handsomely carved,and is said to be the work of Jakana-charya, the great sculptor (p. 390). A narrow path, thickly shadedfor about 100 yds., leads from it toa Baoli, or well, the sides of whichare faced with stone. There areflights

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