Journal of the Gujarat Research Society April 1949

The first of these is a palace on the western tip of the plateau (behind an ancient tank) with a wonderful view on the amazing gorge in the centre of the western slope of Pawagadh and far over the plains below : The Naulakhl Kothirs. [...] On the one hand there are number of archaic features : The relative simplicity of the organisation of the exterior facades the plain socle the grouping of the reliefs without much differentiation in size or depth the prevalence of big compositions visavis Surasundari or attendant figures further the gavaksha-network of the gikhrara reduced almost to a band ornament ( a Pratihara innovation) [...] The Hindu element is very strong also in the balconies round the central dome in the ceiling slabs and especially in the mihrabs but in the beautiful pavilion of the central etrance the Muslim motifs predominate. [...] Though we know hardly anything of the history of these4nosques the Lila Gombaz may be ascribed to the beginning of the 16th century the Kevada Masjid to the end of its first decade the Nagina Masjid to the second decade. [...] East of the Mahoti Gate the cliffs have approximately the height mentioned - in the historical records and the escaladers could easily reach the upper Mahoti Gate from the back.' In the ensuing panic probably not only the intermediatdefence line was evacuated but also the Sadan Shah.