At sunrise we reached Nandgaun, whence I went on towards Ellora in a tonga, the Indian post-chaise, with two wheels and a wide awning1 so low and so far forward that the traveller must stoop to look out at the landscape. A rosy2 haze3 still hung over the country, rent in places and revealing transparent4 blue hills beyond the fields of crude green barley5 and rice. The road was hedged with mimosa, cassia, and a flowering thorny6 shrub7, looking like a sort of honeysuckle with yellow blossoms, and smelling strongly of ginger8.
We met a strange caravan9; a small party of men surrounding more than a hundred women wrapped in dark robes, and bearing on their veiled heads heavy bales sewn up in matting, and large copper10 pots. A little blind boy led the way, singing a monotonous11 chant of three high notes. He came up to my tonga, and to thank me for the small coin I gave him he said, "Salaam12, Sahib," and then repeated the same words again and again to his[Pg 37] tune13, dancing a little step of his own invention till the whole caravan was hidden from me in a cloud of dust.
In a copse, women, surrounded by naked children, were breaking stones, which men carried to the road. The women screamed, hitting the hard pebbles14 with a too small pick, the children fought, the men squabbled and scolded, and amid all this hubbub15 three Parsees, sitting at a table under the shade of a tamarind tree, were adding up lines of figures on papers fluttering in the wind. There was not a dwelling16 in sight, no sign of an encampment, nothing but these labouring folk and the bureaucracy out in the open air, under the beating sun.
Next came a long file of carts, conveying cases of goods "made in Manchester," or loaded, in unstable17 equilibrium18, with dry yellow fodder19 like couch grass, eaten by the horses here; and they struggled along the road which, crossing the limitless plain, appeared to lead nowhere.
When we stopped to change horses, two or three mud-huts under the shade of a few palm trees would emit an escort of little native boys, who followed the fresh team, staring at the carriage and the "Inglis Sahib" with a gaze of rapturous stupefaction.
[Pg 38]
Flocks of almost tame partridges and wood-pigeons occupying the road did not fly till they were almost under the horses' feet, and all the way as we went, we saw, scampering21 from tree to tree, the scared little squirrels, grey with black stripes and straight-up bushy tails.
At the frontier of the Nizam's territory, a man-at-arms, draped in white, and mounted on a horse that looked like silver in the sunshine, sat with a lance in rest against his stirrup. He gazed passively at the distance, not appearing to see us, not even bowing.
Towards evening Ellora came in sight, the sacred hill crowned with temples, in a blaze of glory at first from the crimson22 sunset, and then vaguely23 blue, wiped out, vanishing in the opalescent24 mist.
At Roza, the plateau above the Hindoo sanctuaries26, above a dozen of Moslem27 mausoleums are to be seen under the spreading banyans that shelter them beneath their shade, and sometimes hide them completely; the white objects are in a whimsical style of architecture, hewn into strange shapes, which in the doubtful starlight might be taken for ruins.
One of these mausoleums served us for a bungalow28. The distance was visible from the window openings, which were fringed with cuscus blinds[Pg 39] that would be pulled down at night: the spreading dark plain, broken by gleaming pools, and dotted with the lamps in the temples to Vishnu, of which the cones29 were visible in silhouette30, cutting the clear horizon.
The almost imperceptible hum of a bagpipe31 came up from below; in a white mosque32 of open colonnades33 enclosing a paved court, and in front of the little lamps that burned above the holy of holies sheltering the Koran, figures in light garments were prostrate34 in prayer; their murmurs35 came up to us in sighs, mingling36 with the slow and tender notes of the music.
Rising from the highest point of the hill the huge tomb of Aurungzeeb the Great—more huge in the darkness—stood out clearly, a black mass, its bulbous dome37 against the sky. Flocks of goats and sheep came clambering along the ridge20 to shelter for the night in the recesses38 of its walls. Then, one by one, the lights died out. Infinite calm brooded over the scene; a very subtle fragrance39, as of rose and verbena, seemed to rise from the ground and scent25 the still air; and over the motionless earth swept enormous black bats in silent flight, with slow, regularly-beating wings.
[Pg 40]
At the first ray of sunrise I went down to the temples, hewn out of the side of the hill and extending for above a mile and a quarter. Gigantic stairs are cut in the rock, and lead to caves enshrining immense altars, on which Buddha40 or other idols42 of enormous size are enthroned. Hall after hall is upheld by carved pillars. Bas-reliefs on the walls represent the beatitudes of Krishna surrounded by women, or the vengeance43 of Vishnu the terrible, or the marriage of Siva and Parvati; while on the flat roof, on the panels and architraves—all part of the solid rock—there is an endless procession of Krishnas and Vishnus, on a rather smaller scale, producing utter weariness of their unvaried attitudes and beatific44 or infuriated grimacing45.
One temple to Buddha only, on an elongated46 plan, ends in a vault47 forming a bulb-shaped cupola supported on massive columns, quite Byzantine in character and wholly unexpected. The dim light, coming in only through a low door and two small windows filled in with pierced carving48, enhances the impression of being in some ancient European fane, and the Buddha on the high altar has a look of suffering and emaciation49 that suggests a work of the fourteenth century.
More temples, each more stupendous than the[Pg 41] last, and more halls hewn in the rifts50 of the hills, and over them monks51' cells perched on little columns, which at such a height look no thicker than threads.
And there, under the open sky, stands the crowning marvel52 of Ellora, the temple or Kailas, enclosed within a wall thirty metres high, pierced with panels, balconies, and covered arcades53, and resting on lions and elephants of titanic54 proportions. This temple is hewn out of a single rock, isolated55 from the hill, and is divided into halls ornamented56 in high relief. Covered verandahs run all round the irregular mass in two storeys, reminding us, in their elaborate design, of the Chinese balls of carved ivory with other balls inside them. Nothing has been added or built on. The complicated architecture—all in one piece, without cement or the smallest applied57 ornament—makes one dizzy at the thought of such a miracle of perseverance58 and patience.
The external decoration is broken by broad flat panels, incised in places so delicately that the patterns look like faded fresco59, scarcely showing against the gold-coloured ground of yellow stone. In front of the Kailas stand two tall obelisks60, carved from top to bottom with an extraordinary feeling for proportion which makes them seem taller still, and two gigantic elephants, guardians61 of the sanctuary,[Pg 42] heavy, massive images of stone, worm-eaten by time into tiny holes and a myriad62 wrinkles, producing a perfect appearance of the coarse skin of the living beast.
In the twilight63 of the great galleries the gods are assembled in groups, standing64 or sitting, rigid65 or contorted into epileptic attitudes, and thin bodies of human aspect end in legs or arms resembling serpents or huge fins66, rather than natural limbs: Kali, the eight-armed goddess, leaping in the midst of daggers67, performing a straddling dance while she holds up a tiny corpse68 on the point of the short sword she brandishes69; impassible Sivas wearing a tall mitre; Krishna playing the flute70 to the thousand virgins71 who are in love with him, and who fade into perspective on the panel. And every divinity has eyes of jade72, or of white plaster, hideously73 visible against the pale grey stone softly polished by time.
Amid hanging swathes of creepers, in a fold of the hill stands another temple, of red stone, very gloomy; and, in its depths, a rigid white Buddha, with purple shadows over his eyes of glittering crystal. And so on to temples innumerable, so much alike that, seeing each for the first time, I fancied that I was retracing74 my steps; and endless little shrine-like recesses, sheltering each its Buddha, make blots[Pg 43] of shadow on the bright ochre-coloured stone of the cliffs. For centuries, in the rainy season, thousands of pilgrims have come, year after year, to take up their abode75 in these cells, spending the cold weather in prayer and then going off to beg their living and coming back for the next wet season.
The Viharas, monasteries76 of cells hollowed out in the hillside, extend for more than half a mile; briars and creepers screen the entrances leading to these little retreats, a tangle77 of flowers and carvings78.
As the sun sank, a magical light of lilac fading into pink fell on the mountain temples, on the rock partly blackened by ages or scorched79 to pale yellow, almost white; it shed an amethystine80 glow, transfiguring the carved stone to lacework with light showing through. A wheeling flock of noisy parrakeets filled the air with short, unmeaning cries, intolerable in this rose and lavender stillness, where no sound could be endurable but the notes of an organ. A ray of fiery81 gold shot straight into the red temple, falling on the marble Buddha. For a moment the idol41 seemed to be on fire, surrounded by a halo of burning copper.
Under the cool shade of evening, the softening[Pg 44] touch of twilight, all this sculptured magnificence assumes an air of supreme82 grandeur83, and calls up a world of legends and beliefs till the temples seem to recede84, fading into the vapour of the blue night.
While I spent the hot hours of the day in the bungalow, a flock of birds came in through the open doors, and quietly picked up the crumbs85 on the floor. They were followed by grey squirrels, which at first crouched86 in the corners, but presently, growing bolder, ended by climbing on to the table, with peering eyes, in hope of nuts or bread-crusts.
We were off by break of day. Among hanging creepers, shrubs87, and trees, temples, gilded88 by the rising sun, gleamed dimly through the rosy mist, and faded gradually behind a veil of white dust raised by the flocks coming down from Roza, or melted into the dazzling blaze of light over the distance.
At Jané the pagodas89 are of red stone. The largest, conical in shape, covers with its ponderous90 roof, overloaded91 with sculptured figures of gods and animals, a very small passage, at the end of which two lights burning hardly reveal a white idol standing amid a perfect carpet of flowers. Round the sacred tank that lies at the base of the[Pg 45] temple, full of stagnant92 greenish-white water, are flights of steps in purple-hued stone; at the angles, twelve little conical kiosks, also of red stone and highly decorated, shelter twelve similar idols, but black. And between the temples, among the few huts that compose the village of Jané, stand Moslem mausoleums and tombs. Verses from the Koran are carved on the stones, now scarcelyl visible amid the spreading briars and garlands of creepers hanging from the tall trees that are pushing their roots between the flagstones that cover the dead.
Before us the road lay pink in colour, with purple lines where the pebbles were as yet un-crushed; it was hedged with blossoming thorn-bushes, and among the yellow and violet flowers parrots were flitting, and screaming minahs, large black birds with russet-brown wings, gleaming in the sun like burnished93 metal.
The post-chaise was a tonga, escorted by a mounted sowar, armed with a naked sword. He rode ahead at a rattling94 trot95, but the clatter96 was drowned by the shouts of the driver and of the sais, who scrambled97 up on the steps and urged the steeds on with excited flogging.
At a stopping-place a flock of sheep huddled98 together in terror, hens scuttered about clucking anxiously, the stable dogs crouched and slunk; high overhead a large eagle was slowly wheeling in the air.
Round a village well, enclosed by walls with heavy doors that are always shut at night, a perfect flower-bed of young women had gathered, slender figures wrapped in robes of bright, light colours, drawing water in copper jars. The sunbeams, dropping between the leaves of a baobab tree that spread its immense expanse of boughs99 over the well, sparkled on their trinkets and the copper pots, dappling the gaudy100 hues101 of their raiment with flickering102 gold.
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1
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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2
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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3
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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4
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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5
barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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7
shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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8
ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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10
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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11
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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salaam
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| n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼 | |
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13
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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14
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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15
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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16
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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17
unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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18
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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19
fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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20
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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21
scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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22
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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23
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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24
opalescent
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| adj.乳色的，乳白的 | |
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25
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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sanctuaries
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| n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所 | |
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27
Moslem
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| n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的 | |
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28
bungalow
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| n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房 | |
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29
cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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30
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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31
bagpipe
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| n.风笛 | |
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32
mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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colonnades
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| n.石柱廊( colonnade的名词复数 ) | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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36
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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38
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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39
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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40
Buddha
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| n.佛；佛像；佛陀 | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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42
idols
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| 偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像 | |
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43
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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44
beatific
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| adj.快乐的，有福的 | |
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45
grimacing
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 ) | |
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46
elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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48
carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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49
emaciation
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| n.消瘦，憔悴，衰弱 | |
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50
rifts
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| n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和 | |
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51
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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52
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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53
arcades
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| n.商场( arcade的名词复数 )；拱形走道（两旁有商店或娱乐设施）；连拱廊；拱形建筑物 | |
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54
titanic
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| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
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55
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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56
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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58
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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59
fresco
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| n.壁画；vt.作壁画于 | |
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60
obelisks
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| n.方尖石塔，短剑号，疑问记号( obelisk的名词复数 ) | |
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61
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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62
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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63
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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64
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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65
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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66
fins
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| [医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌 | |
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67
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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68
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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69
brandishes
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| v.挥舞( brandish的第三人称单数 )；炫耀 | |
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70
flute
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| n.长笛；v.吹笛 | |
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71
virgins
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| 处女，童男( virgin的名词复数 )； 童贞玛利亚（耶稣之母） | |
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72
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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73
hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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74
retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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75
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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76
monasteries
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| 修道院( monastery的名词复数 ) | |
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77
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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78
carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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79
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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80
amethystine
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| adj.紫水晶质的，紫色的；紫晶 | |
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81
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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82
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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83
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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84
recede
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| vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进 | |
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85
crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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86
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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87
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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88
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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89
pagodas
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| 塔，宝塔( pagoda的名词复数 ) | |
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90
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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91
overloaded
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| a.超载的，超负荷的 | |
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92
stagnant
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| adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的 | |
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93
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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94
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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95
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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96
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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97
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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98
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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99
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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100
gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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101
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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102
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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