The whole of these ruins are supposed to have belonged to the temple of Siva, and the vulgar allege that they are work of the Kol, but the priest says that he knows nothing of the Kol, and that the temple was built by Raja Bairu Indra, but the priest knows nothing of what country he governed, where he dwelt, to what caste he belonged, nor when he lived. I am inclined to think that the temple is of very modern date, as so much of the plaster by which it was encrusted remains entire that it cannot well be above four or five centuries old. It further seems to me to have been built on the ruins of a former temple."

Short accounts of the ruins were given by Kittoe in 1847 and by Peppe in 1865, when he had taken photographs of the main temple. Later Beglar and Cunningham have furnished very detailed accounts of the ruins.

The main object of interest at Konch is the Shaiva temple of Koncheshwar Mahadeva, which, it appears, was in good condition in the time of Buchanan. From its photograph taken by Peppe in 1865 and published by Cunningham (ASI Report XVI) it appears to have suffered some damage before 1865 and, as stated by the Bengal List, it was already partly dilapidated around 1896, though it was still then, in worship.

To be continued...