Photo 1009/2(1400)

Inscription: Titled and numbered in the negative.

General view of sculptures arranged in the gardens among the potted plants: 'At Narsinghpur, collected together in the public gardens, are a great number of interesting sculptures brought, chiefly, from Barehta-Nonea by a former Deputy Commissioner of that district. The principal object among them is a very fine carved temple doorway from a temple which was dedicated to Vishnu...With the exception of the dedicatory block, [it] is in perfect preservation. There are also portions of columns, beams, parapet slabs, bracket capitals, and miscellaneous sculpture. Among the latter are a few good figures, notably one of Bhairava, partly damaged, and one of a standing female figure. The latter is from a Jaina temple, and there are several seated crosslegged Jinas among the figures grouped about...These sculptures at present are exposed very much to the weather, and I would strongly recommend their removal to the interior or verandah of the Town Hall, which stands in the garden, where they might be set up as to be an ornament to the building...These sculptures were both drawn and photographed. Four drawings were made, three negatives were taken...' (Henry Cousens, 'Progress Report of the Archaeological Survey of Western India, for the months May 1893 to April 1894', p. 4). See also Cousens, 'Central Provinces list', p. 43: 'In the public garden...there are some very interesting sculptures which were collected by Colonel Bloomfield from various parts of the district. Most of them were brought from Barehta. They shew that there once existed in this district a high class of old temples...The sculptures in the garden consist of pillars, doorways, portions of the same, beams, and figures, together with some old guns. Most interesting of all, perhaps, is a very complete and elaborately carved doorway which is set up across a pathway [seen in background of this print], and is, with the exception of the dedicatory block upon the lintel, in a thorough good state of preservation....' Another copy of this print at Photo 1002 (1253).