Photo 212/7(16)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Close view of one of the triple-shrined Shiva temples on Hemakuta Hill. Another copy of this print at Photo 1000 (3154). Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of Southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '506 - This Photograph gives a more detailed view of the temples whose position is described in 505. This one is double, a Vimana at each end of the central porch, but from the absence of all figure-sculpture of an important kind, it is now impossible to say to whom it was dedicated. There is nothing whatever to make it worth while to descend the hill on which these temples stand. The modern temple is of the most ordinary kind, and the village of the poorest and dirtiest description. The traveller will therefore do well to return by the same road to his temporary abode, and starting the following morning, leave the enclosure round the bungalow by its principal entrance, and crossing the Humpee road, continue straight on, till at a short distance another good road is met on the left. Following this for about two miles, an indifferent cross-road is again found to the left, and passing numberless porches on every side, the wall of the city is at last reached.'