I gazed in awe at the smooth shafts, marvelling at their rich carved bases and tops. These are composite pillars, meaning that each individual pillar is made up of multiple parts: a thick load-bearing central column surrounded by a cluster of slim stone colonettes. I saw sets of two and four columns, as well as tightly packed groups of 10 and 14. The slender pillars varied in shape and design: some were circular, while others were hexagonal, square and octagonal. Some were adorned with sculptures of musicians and dancers.
