GOVERN?IIENT O.

F INDIA
ARCH, EOLOGICAL SURVEY OP INDIA
ARCHJEOLOGICAL
LIBRARY r
_ _
CALL ':\o}/'3.05/f-2/ q-IUY
--
REMAINS OF THE BHARHUT STUP A
IN THE INDIAN MUSEUM - P- t 1_
913. o5Lr2t
~ e . ~
PART I
6 6 . 1 ~ 1
By
ARABINDA OHOSH
INDIAN MUSEUM
CALCUTTA
-----
e
l'IDIAI'o MUSI!UM
1971
I :\f Monugr.aph No. 'I
Fmt E!d:IUOD 1971
Ra. 7()o()O
Publ&ab<d by tho Pubhcatloa Ol6ott on bcbal( or oho Dormor. lodoan MUJCum.
77 Nebna Road, Calcucta-16 1.Dd printed 11 Nl'fiDa Pt1n11n1 WC'rU
Prlnoo Llmoud. 47 GaDCOh CbaDdcr A .. nuo, Calcuua-13
Dedicated
to
The August Memor;
of
Aoanda Kentish Coomaraswamy
I11e Great Pioneer
in the field of
Studies on
Indian Art
J
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Foreword bY Or. Nibarranjan Roy
Preface
Cbapter I - Oeoeral Description of the Vedlkft (Raillna)
Chapter 11 - Tbe Decorative Relicft
Chapter Ill - Oetenptioo of Plates
Biblloarapby
Index
::s "
il
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20
S7
82
87
FOREWORD
The Bharbut Gallery is nt once the pride and 1 "oodrous introductory chapter
of the rich nrt and nrchneologicol collection of the sprawlina multipurpose lndi.ln
Mu1eum In Colculla ; this is the gaUery that welcomes aod leads the visitor to the ritb
treasures of the Mu.s.:um.
By the time Cunnu>pam discovered tbe ruina of the Bharbut stDpo in 1873-74
little bad renuincd of it c.tccpt on its south-cast face, but wbatecr did Cunoiogbam
rcco>cred and removed to tbe Indian MD.kum. This u in 187S. Some stray pieces
,.hicb still lay buried there were also recovered later and rctDO>ed eveotu.ally to the
same Mu.eum But quite a few. rceovered still later and from time to rime. round
their way to a few other museUIDS io India and abroad. The fact remains, ho'lll'ever,
that if one bu to form an Idea of ..-battbe stDpo "" like with ots eLaborate
and nillinv. oae mu.t so to tbe Indian Museum 11occ notbioa r.main any more at
tbc villaae of Bharbut Qcept perhaps tbe thousands of bri<ks that bad zone to the
buildina of about two hundred ond odd l!ructures of the villaac.
The basic tul io reanrd to tbc remains of the Bharhut stnpo. its ptc, railings
and tbc rich array of relief sculpture, is still tho volumonous descriptive report of
Cunninahom' Since tben these remains have been studied In p.uts, aspects and sea
ments by several scholars, tbe reliefs and tbe abort votive and label ioscrlptioos cops
ins. >cry leaitimatcly, much more attention, relatively speakina. Naniaopal Majumdar
who wu at ooe lime lll cbarae of the Archaeoloaical Section of the lndiao MUJCum.
made a &ood tbouJh modest contribution io Ibis reaard', for inllancc. But much
more detailed and meaolllg(ul ork n done by Benimadhab B.arua
1

The prtttnt mooograpb. io ""o parts, by Arabinda Ob01b, Deputy Keeper or
the Arcbatoloakal Section of the Afuscom, iJ a cootii!Dition of tbe wod: ioitiated by
Cuoninaham aod carried forward by scbolan Joke S.rua, MtJUmdar and others. lt
was aomewbatonevitable perhaps tbat Obotb &bould bae takCA ad .. otaae or lll!twork
or bit predto:csso" aod trodden paru or the same around, but, by and larcc. be hu
dbc:uucd and anal)sed aspeeu and theme. which were not &iveo adequate attcotiOft
hcn:lo(orc. And this be bas done methodically and syJiematicaiJy, wbicb bu enabled
I . Cunalnaham. Alander. TM of London, U79
2.. Majumdar I .o .. G.tu '" tlw I If ,., /..1111 Pan ' catc:utu. 19J7.
J. 11.\rao, B. M., .. ,,,, 1.11 .t: W, a.)4.J7,
c "'' )
him to throw new li&ht oo many a point. He has also brought to bear upon his
Jladies. in a modest but stralgbtfor'lrd manDer, a wider recoJIDilion or historical and
ideational backsround or the motifs. symbob and l<gends oo which 11udeou of Indian
art and iconography are now somewhat better informed.
I fetl the author bas boen able to carry forward and bring uptodace our know
ledge or this 1rnt monument of early Buddhism and of early Buddhist art and icono-
arapby.
New Delhi
NIBARRANJAN RAY
I JU1le, 1978.
( .m )
PREf'ACE
Tbe remain; of the Railing 1111d Onteway of the Bbarbut Stijpa form one of the
most important eahlbitt nf the Indian Mu>cum, Calcutt3. The sculptures and inscrlp
tlon engrD\td on the<e remains contthute ome of the main sources for the reeonstruc-
hoo of the political. oncilll, economic and cultural history of India during the second
first cearuries B.C , ben thu m011ument wu erected. The ... bich aurae!
the alleotion of the vi., tors at tbe fl11t &lance for their unsophisticated but lyrical
loveliness, appealina. a> they do, directly to the popular sco .. of the buutiful and the
divine, arc of inestimable value ; they form the main evidence for an evaluation of the
artistic acbievementt of the Indian people during the period of theor eaecution.
It should, howe\cr, be borne m mind that the Bbarhut Stupa is a monument
rai .. d for the alorification of Buddhism. As such, it forms one of the greatest
evidence for the reconstruction of the bitory of Boddbitm durin& the period of ill
construction. Alltntooa of scbo!Jars has naturally been devoted to a peat otrnt to the
elucidation and identification of those <culptures which depicted ccnes from Buddhiu
lea<nd and history. CoiUiderablc \\Ork in this respect bao been done by Cuaninaham'
nnd Barua ' Due mere ldeatifiction of the 5<:cne with leaenda and traditions preserved
In Buddhist scriptures, which attained the shape in ""bich we 6nd them much later
than the monument or Bbarbut was erected, doe> not help 111 much in aetlina an idea
of BuddhWn n stood durina the second6.nt centuries B. C. As a matter of fact ,
B.a.rua' attempt to Interpret all the Bbarhut aculptureo by reference to the Buddbl!t
lcaeods preserved in the Kriptures has beco tcvcrely criticized by Llldera' .
Buddhism bepn as a wa)' of life and tbou@.ht rcc&led to the Buddha for the
attainment of salvation. In its pristine form this way of life and thought was in voaue
amonast a few foUo,.en of the Teacher !sal/M), who "10andered away into home-
and ultimately fortDed a monkih order {.ra,;g.loD). But as the ..-ay to lva
toon revealed to and promulpted by the Buddha v;as meant alto for the betldit of tbe
people ot wge, h dui not and could not remaan for Ions limited eo a sdccl fnr bo
wolked after the Soon a number of lay devotees (wp,JmkiU) pthcred around
Cunltinabam. A. rr BltGrlu.t , loa .So a. 1119.
2. 8lln1.1. B. \1 , &r4t, Bookollll, Colcuuo. t9J.4.:17,
) . Luckrt. H,. Blt.tllllt aJ Utntu. pp. I l9 . .. ,,., lurl/11131, CI.Jtltfll
VoL Jf, f'.art If. OOUntna.Dd, 196J. pp. as d 11o
( Is )
lbe Lord aod Master (bhogaJU) and his who heard lbeir w:rmoos and venera-
ted tbem. Tbc presuce of lht.e fty WOrshippers fed tO D JUllt Change in lbe dOCtrine>
and practJces of Buddhism which may be as popular Buddhism" in
contradislincllon to "monllib Buddhim"' current in the ihtirar and raitharo/1WJ of
the bhik.!lrur aoverned by lbe Joctrines of lbe law nod lbe rule1 of discipline u codified
in the Dhommavfnaya promulgated by the Master.
The stupas of Bbarbul, Sancbi, Amaravati etc. Bre, in reo lily, monuments rai5ed
for the atorification of this "popular Buddhism"" current durina the centuries imroedi
atcly preccdina and suceeedins the Cbrbtian era. Much of popular behef and trodition
about tbe sacred and the divine bad to be rncorporated into tbc prutrne BuddbUm of
early days to male it attractive and intellaaible to the people at larae. Tbta lbe ration-
al doctnoes promulgated by the aa\e way to and got mixed up "ith a reliaion
of devotion (bhakti) and belief in the supra mundane (lokottaru) nature of the Lord
(bltatarot) and hi> immediAte diciplu. Many of the popular aoda aod goddesses bad
to be alloted a place In this "popular Buddhi4m" as belief In them Will ingrained in lbe
ways and mores of the people at larae, and could not be dispenJed altogether.
The popular affiliation of much of the Bhnhul >culpture is by a larae
number or reliefs "hich depacttbe myth> and legends current among lbe common
people or lbe tilliC. These sculpture harken back to a world of thought and belief
which i \ef)' disimilar from those we find in the earliest of the Buddhist scriptures.
They in rulity form the iconoarapb) of a primithe stratum or popular religion and
mytboloiY hicb may be d..ianated "Water Cosmolof!Y". Comparathe studies in
reliaion have that ""Water Cosmology". that is a belief in the otigio or the
Universe (Comos) from the primeval "Biers, WIS current amona many of the peoples
of the ancient world, includioa India , This belief was so firm in the popular miod lbat
lt could not be dispented with, and the Buddhists had 10 succumb 10 this popular
impact.
In the foffD'Ioiog paces an allempt bs been made 10 dCKribe and elucidate the
sianrlic:ance of l<lme of lbe mouf and symbols of Lbc icoooarapby of ""Wate:r Cosmo-
Jon" as they occurred oo lbe Bbarbut R.liliog and Gateway prcsetcd in lbe Indian
Museum Pronecr "'ork in this filed has beco done by the late A K. Coomaraswamy,
and the author hm. foRawed In his footsteps If this small volume may render a liUie
help to scholars and Sludeots In thctr understandos or the so-called "decorative" reliefs
of Bbarbut, the author wUI find his eiTorur amply rewarded.
The prueot work wn bcaun 11 a dacnplive cataloauc of the lculptures diJ.
played In the Bbarbut Gallery of the lodillD Museum. But 111000 dawned oo me that
description of lbo JCUiptures would w:n-e no oseful purrosc. What la much more
oecw.ry Is an ioterprctathe dctcripuon hic.b ould male lbe reader understand tbc
siplficaoce of the sculptures to the bnt advantage. Tbi led me to COillemplate a
( lt )
work on Bhorhur in rwo pans. of whicb tbc present one (P11rt I) deals wrtb 1be se>-
called "decorative" relief la 1 furore monoarapb ( Part 11) I propose to deal .. itb
tbe sculptures dcpictins a<:enes from Buddbi1t lcaend and hrsrory and the inscnprions.
Wbllc publlsblna the monograph I avail myself of the opportunity lo express my
deep aratirude llDd cevcreace to my teebcr Or Niharronjan Ray. form..rly
Professor of Fine Arts and Head of lhc Oepat1men1 of ..\ncient Indian Hi1tory and
Culture, Calcuua Uoiveraity, who bu been kind cnouah to ao through rhe monoarapb,
suaaut corrections and improvemcnrs and also 10 wrire rhe Forewud introducina th!.
insianlficaot worl to tbe readen I al<o remain beholden 10 Sbri S. M Bbattacbaryya
Honorary Secretary to the Board Of Trusree of tbe aod to Dr. S. C Ray,
Oireeror, IndiAn museum, for lbe interest they have taken towards rhe preporarion
nod publiCAtion of tbe book.
1t is a pleasant duty 10 aeknowled&e my debt to those of my coUeoaue. who
have helped me by tbeu labour. and odvicc in lhe preparation of tbe moooaraph.
Miss Jaya.rl Lahirl, M. Se . Guide Lecrurer (Bolany), has helped me In auamenrioa my
meaare bowical lrno .. ledse by her explanahoos and in ,ctllna tbe drainp or
bolanical speeimeos illurrated m tbe monoarapb prepared. Shri Rarbin Ray, artul,
ba1 prepared oil tbe llnc drawinas on Fias. I, 2, and 3 nnd also rhe covu de,ign.
Pbotosraphs or IC:Ulptures lllusrraled in tbe Places are the work of Shri Benu Seo,
PbOIOJrapbcr, aod his colleasues Sarvuhti Kbirod Roy. Subbu Cbakranrti aad
Swapan Kumar Biswu. (IJD deeply boholdcn to all or tbcm for rbeir unJrud&ioa
to-operarion and quick tervlec.
Lasr. bur nor tbe leur. are my lbonkJ due 10 Dr. Amal Sarkar. Publlcalioo
Oftlcer of tbe Museum. who hu coodueled the book rhrouab rbe Pren
Indian Museum,
lit July, 1978
( lli )
Arabloda Ohosb

ftG I
NORTH.
wsn.
EAST,
SOUT>f,
.. F ... t
CHAPTER I
GF.NERAL DHSCRIPTION OF THE RAlLING AND GATEWAY
As the visitor enters the lndhtn Museum by the Main Gate and then toms to
the dgbt, he finds himself in front of the Bbarhut Gallery. ln this Gallery are housed
the massive Gateway and part of the Railing of the Bbarhut Slllpa. These remains
arc> in the dark red sandstone of CentrAl lndia, quarried from the Kaimur Hills. Our
first acqunintnnce with the material is mnde nt the entrance of the Bharhut Room,
where at ench side of the door there is a rniling pillar bearing life-size figures carved
in bas-relief. If in order to fonn on idea of the Early Indian ClaMicni art at its
zenith ooe must go to Sanehi and look at tile sculptures on the four Gateways of the
Great Stiipa, one must also come to the Indian Museum and gaze at the reliefs of the
Bharhut Railing and Gateway to form an Idea of the initial stages of that very artittic
movement ; for Early Indian Classical art passes slowly, but surely, from Bbarbut
through Bodhgayn to Sonchi.
Bbnrbut is n $mall village in the Nogod Tahil of the Satoa district In Madhya
Prndesh. Jt il situated siJC miles to th< north-si of Uoebbera and nine miles to the
south of the Saroa llnilway Station of the Central Railway. lt eao be reached from
the small Raflway station of Lagargawan between Satoa and Uochbera.
flere, in 187J.74, Cunniogham discovered the remains of a Buddhist Stiipa,
which wa.s made of brick and finished with I COlt Of pluter OD the OUI:!Iidt. Jl WU
situated on a low eminence at tbe foot of a bill, called Ul Piihiir, about balf a mile to
the nortb of the village of Bharhut. Although it.l major part bad already beeo
destroyed by the neighbouring villagers' quarrying for bricks and stoo<, Cuoniogbam
was able to recover portions of the great stone railing (vtdika) and also the Eutem
Gateway (rormJil), wbieb be removed to the lodiao Museum in 1875
1
, as present from
the Raja of Nagod. Some of the stray pieces tbat still remained at the site were in
years removed to the Residency Garden at Satna from where they were
acquired for tbe Museum nod brought down to Calculln in 1926.
ia(orm.s us that the preuuu vWate or 8hubut, c:on.Jinlna ot upword.t of 200
boutu, is bu.llt enural)' or tbc briW from l.be Stupa, (cf. CUnnlDiham. Srnp. tJ{
BbrAur, London, lll9, pp.. J).
t.oven or hsdi.art a.ntJqu.ltJea mu.Jt note wltb a.ntitude that C'Unoinabam wat opj)Ofed to the
ShiftiDI or the tcaaiM or the Rallins l.lSd GaW<11Y of tbe 8hath111 Su'ipa to Loodou {cf.
ConoJnsbam, StrlpiJ of Blttlrlrld, t.A>ndoo, tll9. pp. VlVU).
RDIANS Of DIIAIUJUT IN me INDIAN .IUSBUM
Cuoningham the sole remainlna portion or the Swpa, on the eoutb
east face, wbich meuur<d 1.83 m. in height by about 3.05 m. in lenath at bottom. lt
was entirely cover<d ,.itb a coat or plaster on the outside. Tbis was no doubt a
fragment or the oylindrlcnl base or drum (mrt/hl) or the Stopn. The lower half of this
member was quite plain, but the upper half was ornamented with a series or triangular-
shaped recesses, 0.34 m. broad at top and 0.1 I m. at bottom, and 0.22 m. to 0.23 m.
apart. These were intend< for lam). The sides of each recess were for mod
In two steps, so that Cllch would bold llve Jigbu in three rows. As there would hnvc
been 120 reces= in tbe whole ci"'umfttence or 64.89 m., each row or recesses would
haYe held 600 lamps in three lines of illumination.
Although only a fragment of about three meters in lenatb now remains of the
Stiipa itself, we know from the pavement that ots shape was circular. From his invcsti
sations Cunningbam was able to ascertain the following dimensions of the Srupa and
its Railina (Fig. 'J).
(I) The diameter of the Stups at its bue, that is, at the base of its drum
(nrtdh/) was 2065 m.
(2} Tit" interior diameter of tbe stone Railios wu 26.95 m.
(3) The width or tbe pradDk<ltJtt4paJho around the Stupa (between the base or
the Stupa and the Railing) was 3.15 m.
(4) Th" bricks of which the original Stupa was made were square in shape,
measuring 30.5 cm. 30.S cm. 9 cm.
In the ob$Cllt:e ot the suptOrslrocture . the dome, ltarmikii etc.) one bas to
v!sualiu the form or the Stupo from representations ot the same on the Rollina
(PI. xvm, d) and the Gateway (PI. 1). all or wblcb present the snmc common features.
They show a hemipherical dome (av /4) raiJcd on a cylindriC\! base or drum (mtdnl).
The lower portion or the drum is decorated with o series of mouldinas and dccorollvo
de!igos, and on its top stands the railing wbicb surrounds the baJC of the dome. Tbo
body of lbe dom" is decoralod all ocr with Ooral motifs and ocroll-work. On the top
or the dome there is a squ.ue platform surrounded by11. railina contaioina the
luumikd. which from rcprtOSCntation, appears to be a sort of structure wtth a barrel-
vaulted roof, crowned by o corbellcd member from which rises the shofi (rasnjhl)
be:trin1 umbrelbs (tltMtr,ra/i).
THE R41LI'C
The SHopa wns urrounded by arcat Rolling romposcd or a series or
stone post$ or pillara (tlroblta-stamhlw). reetanaular in Retioo. joiood toaethcr by three
po.rallel acts or leotlcalar c:rou-ban (slfclrfl mortlled into th" pillan oo euhcr side, aod
capPed by a bug" copios (.uhulsltal. ruundod at the top (FrontiJJCCC). frotll
2
tlf.SClt!PrJON 01 'rHt JtAtUNO ANI) GATEWAY
Cunningbam's t1 appears thal this Rnilioa stood on a terraced Ooorina at
a dislllJlce or J.IS m. from the base or the cylindrical drum (mtdhi) of the Stiipa. and
at such it possibly formed the lower or around bahmradc of the Stupa. h bad four
openinas for entrance, euch about 2.60 m. wide, on the four c:ardinal points. The Railin&
"'"' thus divided into four quadrants. ea<b or which consisted of sixteen pillars. or
these sixteen pillars two were terminuspollars of tho quodrant and the others, inter-
mediate pillars. Each openioa <tOO<! bel'ttn one of the termmus-pillaro of two adJicaot
quadrants. From the right-band terminus-pillar, viewed from the outer side, of each
quadnant the Railina wos extended outwardo at right aoaJes for two pillarJces >0 01
to form an L-shaped fence (1lso called a Rel1llll railio&) to conr direct appronch to
the Stupa, so that a visitor dcsirina to enter the prodak<hitapatha by the East Gate
bad rully to approach from the north, one entcrin& by the South Gate had to walk
from the cost, one entering by the West Ontc bad to come from tbc south, aod one
enteric& by the Norlb Oatc bad to proceed from the west. The naht-baod tcrmonu>-
piltar of each quadront thus becomes a corner-pillar (Cunoinabam's pillPr of inner
cOtncr) from which the Rc1uro railin& (Lsbapc:d fence) ori&inated. Tbe Rttlk'1l
consisted of four more pillars of which one formed a comcl"pilfar (Cunniogham's
pillar of outer corner) and another terminus-pillar of tbc Return. the rcmaioioa two
being intcrmedoate pillar>. The Railina thus consi$tcd of twenty pillars io each
quadrant or ciahty pllfot5 In the whole circle includwa the Returns at each
entrance.
The pillars oftbc Roilona arc monoliths. They are 2.16 m. '" hcoabt, with a
section of O.S3 to 0.56 m. face far '"ulpturc. by 0.30 to 0.33 m. oide for or
the crossbttr$. The cornerpillau (both Inner-corner of the quadraol and outer
corner of the Return) at tbc cotranc.:s arc 0.56 m. square io o;cction The cd&es of all
the pillar., CJlccpt the corner ones, ore slightly bevelled on both face> , and they are
ornamcotcd by a round bou or full modallioo in the middle. and by half modalltons at
the top and the bottom. All these medallion 11 well u the beclled cdacs or tbc
pillars arc Oiled with elaborate sculpture. 1\ltoacthcr thirtyfic pillao, mo>rc or less
perfect, re fo11nd on the lire of the Stupa. a Iona with numerous fraaments of
others. Fourteen others have been diJCOvcred at tbe nciahbourina villzcs of Pathora
and Batanmara, toU.lo& a total or fottyoioe. coD.Iidtnlbly more than hall of the
oriJinal number of eiahty.
Tbc left tcrmiouspillar of e.tch quadrant iewed from the outsi<k, can be
distingui1hcd from the others by the foct that it bat mortices for three crol\ban or
the quadraot ooly oo ill inocr (r riabt-band) side. and spac. for aculpturc on its
outer side and inoer and outer facca. Eacb or these three apac:es iJ filled with a life-
llaurc of Yakshll. Yalcshont, Nap or Ocvall
The right terminus-pillar of a quadrant, that iJ the pillar at right ooalc formed
by tbe quadrant and CO<RSpoodiog Retunl, has mortiCeS oo tit 100cr lefl-lwtd)
3
REMAINS OF 8RAIUiUT IN Till! INDIAN MUSEUM
side and outer face for cross-bars of the quadrant and Return lt has
spaces for 5CUipture oa its outer side and lllQer face.
The remaiailla plllars of a quadrant may be termed u intermediate pillars.
Tbey have mortices for the qlllldrant crossbar5 on their two sides, end SJl'ICeS for
sculpuue on their inner and outer faces. Some of these intermediate piUan bear
life-size fiaures of Yaklhas, Vaklbinis, etc. on their either face. Tbc ed&es of all tbeoe
intermediate pillars, e.ccpt those bearing lifesize figures, ore sligblly bevelled on both
races ; and they arc ornamented by o round boss or full medallion in lbc middle, aod
by half medallions at the top and tbc bouom. All these medallions as well 11 tbe
bevelled edges or the pillars are filled witb elaborate sculpture.
The terminuspillar of u Return, like the left terminus-pillar of a quadrant, has
mortices for the Return on its loner side, and spaces for sculpture on
its outer side and lnoer and outer faces. J!ach oftbese spaces is &enerally divided by
scolptured railing ill to three square panels, eacb of which is filled witb a scene from
the Jdtakas, from the Buddha's life.
The outer coroerpillar of a Return, that is, the pillar at right-angle formed by
!WO idea or the Return, bas mortic..s for the Return CIONbatS OD liS iaaer face and
iaaer side, and spaces for sculpture on its outer face and outer side. l!acb of these
spaces, as in tbc cue of a Return terminus-pillar, is divided by sculptured railings
into tbree square panels similarly filled witb Jdlaka-sceoes or scenes from the Buddha's
life. Tbis Retmo pillar corresponds in some respect to the right terminus-pillar of a
qnadtaot.
The rcmtllnina two pillan of a Return are intermediate pillars like those of a
quadrant and are Similarly oroameoted.
Tbc stone cross-bars or rails (.riiclri) are lenticular io se:tioa. Tbey are appro-
priately called such/ or 'needle' in the inscriptions aa they performed the duty of
oeedlina together t he pillars by being fitted into their mortices or eyelet holes The
cross-bars of tbc quadrants measure 0.60 to 0.62 m. ia length by O.S7 m. io breadth
with a thickness of 0.16 m. Compared with tbc cross-bars of the pound balustrade of
Saachl Stupa I, the Bhubut ones have leiser thickness which make their cuned
surfac..s very much natter. Tbese cross-bars have circular bosses or medallion
oa each face which are seulptured with aubjeets limilar to those of the p1Jiars
medallioos.
The cross-ban of the L-shaped Return. owing to the wider intercoluminotioo of
thei r pillars, are much larger t han those of the quadrant railina. meuuring 0.75 and
1.02 m. long by 0 57 m. hl&h with a lbictoeoa of 0.16 m Most of th= cross-bars,
lik:e those of tbc qudrant Raiho&. are embosKd with a round medallion OD each face
containiaa lloral dcsians and o ther decorative motifs. Only OD two or these loaaer
rail bars there ore oblong panels on e:tcb focc inscoad of round m<dallions These
pnel contain repreoentatiOI>i of scenos from the J.,ra/uu and life ectocs of the
Buddha.
There .. ere 228 crou-bars in the complete Railina lm:ludins the Retullll. or
theu about eighty bave been recovered. ia beinJ found at Onthhera. Aa they "ei&h
about 75 kilograms each, tbelr removal was vel')/ usy.
The coping or cootinuous architrave (11Shvt<ll4), "bith crowned the circle of
pillars, iJ formed of mauive blocks of stone. rounded at the top, each tpannins two
intercolumlnotions. The blocks arc upwards of 2.14 m. in length, with n bd!lht of
0.51 m., and o thickness of O.S I m. They arc -ured firmly to uch other by long tenons
fittinc into conespoodang monke:., and to the tops of tbe pillan by a JIOut tenon on
each, wbJcb fats a socket on the undcraidc of the coplns scone. Each block is aliahlly
curved to suit the circumference of the c:ircle This curvature added considerably to
the sll!bility of the Railina for at cacb set of three tenons fonned 1 trianJie, cath
coping stone became nn efficient lac to koep the three piUars on which it "lU ocl in
their places. The totallcnph of tho coping. ancludinatbe Rccorns atlbe four entrances
wu 100.65 m. The wbole of this coping ,.as most elaborately caned, both on the
inside ond on the oucsidc. Cunniogham found anly one copina stone In siru, resting
on three piiiAirs of the sonth-euc quadrant abuuing on the Ease<rn Gateway But no
less than fife= others have been found tn the eacavaraons, out of an ori@inal total
or forty.
Between the Railing and the Stupa there.,. ... a dear space, 3.15 m. >ride, for the
perambulation (pradalWIIIJfl) or the pilpiau round the sacred monument. The ,.hole
of this space wu covered with a chick ftoorioa of lime plaster, which had lasted well
to the cbyt of the eacavatloos by Cuooinpam The outer edae of the ftoonn
1
was
finasbed by a line of curved kCJb stones, cut exactly to the circumference of the inner
circle of the Railina. The pallan of tbc Railin& were set aaainll the kerb atones which
jiJSt couched the diameter of cbe lower half medallions. The foot of each pillar, hith
wu quite rou&h, rested on a square biD< I< laid directly on the earth.
Cuonlnaham's excavations also brou&Jttco li&ht the remains of a -ood raillnc
or much smaller dimensions. Only two piDan, eacb havin& a bdabt of 0 64 m. and a
breadth of 0.17 m. and containing standing fiaure; four pieces of curbed kerb stonCJ
in whith the pill4rs were set and ten pieces of curbed coplna or tbit raiJJoa wue found.
As the ten pieces of copiaa bnc been dug out from positions outside tbe line of tbe
great Railina. Cuooanpam presumed that thit raihna mwt have ronned an outer
enclosure erected at a later date. Ho,.ovcr, the >tyle of execution of the ti&urcs on the
two pallan o e ~ not sUQC:>t 1 mucb later date for them u postulated by Cunnantham.
Both N. G. Majumdar and D. Mura, therefore, suaaesc that the pacces formed
MaJW'!ld.ar, N. G., G1dtk to tlw S.: .Jpttrs I tW I-'' v.,..,.._ hn I (1917). p 2.
t-hu.a., Dcbala. /llllltiJJt .\/......,.,. 41,711, p. 93.
5
1\!MAl""S 01 OIIARIHIT IN TilE INDIAN MUSWM
pan or a balustrade encircling an upper prOstiooal path . Berm balustrade)
around the spring or the dome, .. 11 the greal Sl'opn I at Sancbi, to WhiCh aca:ss .....
JOt by I IIODC slairtnse or which a rrogmeol, 0.9-l m, wide and ba.;ng fCen steps of
2S.S cm. eaob, was round loose io tbe excavations.
At each entrance, almo!l on a line witb I he lcrminuspillars of the quadrants and
covered by lhe Lboped (cores there arose high above 1be Roilina a mugni
6een1 Gauway Only the Eastern {PI I) hu urvived tbe ravages of
time and come down to us 1o be 10 tbe Bbarhut Gallery. It has a total
height of 6.86 m. and is comi'O'ed of two curiously shaped pillars and an ornamental
arch, the former supporting the Jotter. The bai ts of the pillnn ore 42 cm. square in
section upto a height of 46 c:m. ((halurasru pada.11/rina); above tbu the shafts are
c:bdC!Ied to form a group of four octagons (UJiwu ra sramblra) joined together to
represent a duSter or four column. Eaeb of these four octagons if crowned by.
dlttinctlotiform (padmab1rndha) bell-cnpitol surmounted by a smaller cylindrical plinth
or rather circular abacus adorned oil over with lotus-petal designs. These four bell-
capitals with thdr absc:i are roered by a sioalc square ab3cu on "bic:h rests a larae
massive member showina four animab, two on each face 5eatcd back to back. and two
ftoral motifs, consistioa of half Jotu .. s surmounted by the so-called 'honey-rock le' on
the sidcs. Oo the outer the eastern) face or the northern pillar these animal$ ue
two linos v.ith leonine faces (the face of one lion is broken away) ; oo the inner (I.e.,
the westcro) fa of the .ame pillar, two lions with bumao faces. The southern pillar
has, oo the outer (eastern) face, two bulls (face of both broken away) . and on the inner
(wcstero) face, two lions one of them having tbc face of a bird, the face of the
olber beioa mutila.ted.
The pillars of the Gatew-ay, u measured by Cunningbam, arc 42 cm. thick, and
2.93 m. bi&h ; the four-arouped capitols with their abnci arc each 34 cm. bigb, while
the height of the surmounting figures is 57 cm. Tbu.s the total heiJbt of each pillar
iJ l.SS m. lt is on the four consecuhvc faccs of two octaaons of the aouthern pillar
that the famous dcctic:atory inscription or King Obanabhlib iJ Inscribed.
Tbe animal capitals support the superstructure or arches or the lota
1
a proper.
This coAiistJ of three massie arcbllravcs, placed one abo the other by means or
5quare blocb of stone and a larF number of tmall balluters aod JtatliO-pillars. The
arcbitravcs curnform wnh volute ends, that is, their middle portion, betwcen the
two supportln& pillars, is slightly curved, and theJr projecting cods arc shaped into
spirah to reacmble the of an Jooiao capital. The lowermost arcbitrae is placed
dtn:d on the quadruple anmal capilli> of tbe two opportio1 pillars. Tbe middle aod
topmost arcbittavcsaro separated from the ooe immedullely below it by means of 5quare
6
GEmllAL OF TR! RAIUI'oO AND OATI!WAY
blocks or dadDJ placed between them in line with the upporting pillars below. The
empty spnces between tbc central curved pam of the arc filled with eleven
small baluSters and statu .. pillarl placed alternately. or the topmost architrave nothing
but the volute ends could be discovered. Its middle portion has, therefore. beeo
reconnructed in cement plaster without any ornament. The auperstrueturc of the
t<HaiJil wn surmounted by a huae pinnacle eon.istin& or a nine-petalled 'honey-suckle'
arising out of a hatr-iotus. 1t has been found In fragment$ from which its shape has
been reconstructed with certainty.
One of the pillara of the GBteway (the southern ono). along with h csowning
CApital. was found still standioa In situ on the <autb side of the ea.Sl entrance : and the
ecsvations broualu to li&ht the other one, in four fraamenu, the Jowermoot fraarnent
still in its original position Members of the superstructure of the Gateway, vi:., the
two remoining arcbiuavcs, tJod,, belu.ters, pinnacle, etc. "'""' found in fragments
in the excavatioOJ and from the neighbouring villages. or these, the central curbed
portion of the middle architrave wa found built into the all or the castle or
Batanmara, from where it bu been recovered by Cunningham throuab the courtesy of
the then Thalcur of Balanmara.
lt has become a commonplace belief among stude.nts of early Indian architecture
tbat the conception and execution or tbe Railing and Gat..,ay suggest their being
copied from wooden prototypes, u the tcc:hniquc followed in their cre<>tion is thot
of tbc JOiner Instead of that of the mason There could have been no doubt that
the l'lilio&s and rateways around tr.pos ..... ori!Pnally all made or wood , and it
ai>O appears corrCClt, u has been suggCJoted by lrwin, that the only reuoo for the
change over from wood to stone as lutinancss. But rcliaiolll aad ritual conu-
tinns demanded that only the r<Jikli type or railina and the cype of pteQy
should IUrtOUnd a nr.pn. Jn I ,.dJk1 type Of raillna, Where rail-bars have tO be fitted
on to the posu void spaces bet,. em them, mortisinJ the ba..- into the po!lts
is always the easiest and most efficient process or' construction. This would apply
iNeJpoetive of ,.bother the building material be wooden beams or blocb or stone, as
this way or construction, "bateer be the material, imparts durability to the structure.
Even in ashlar muoory clarnpin& the labs of 11one with one another matte tbem more
secure in their places than if th<) \\ere in cement mortar. Tbc type of llrucrore that
they are, the rtdikM are best constructed by the JOiner's method, even when tbooc of
the mason are .. en in VOJW' and the construction of the Bhorbut itself sbows
that the mason' art was ... n n advance in that period. The rcdikn type of railing
around many of the Government buildin& at New Dclbj ,.hkh arc constructed by
'1rwfn, John. u PiU art : I R"'MJOUmeat or I he nldtnce--111 : C.pf1111J;' &D 1hc:
IIIOI1M 'ohr:J Vol. 117, 0<1 .. lll7S. p. 6)o.
7
OF aRAJUtUT IN ntE INDIAN WU5ruW
the mortice-and-tenon technique in this age of reinforced concrctc muonry will prove
lbc eracity of our runark.
The Raillna and the Gateway were profusely decorated with <CUiptures in has-
relief. These bat-tdi<fs not only beautified the monument, but also sened a biaher
and transcendental purpOse by InSPiring n deep rcli,Pous feeling, through illustrations
of scenes from popular mythology and Buddhist l<gcnd and bitory in the minds
of the pilarms who circumambulated the Smpa. On the Railing hardly nny space is
left vacant : but in contrnst with tbiJ tbe shafts of the Gateway pillars arc ten ,.,erely
plain, altbougb the portion starting from the capual upward is again richly embellih
ed with reliefs.
1t may be mentioned here that in tbc matter of ornamentation, the Bbarhut
Railing and Gateway pretcnt great contrast wltb those of the Sancbl Stnpa I, which is
a contemporary monument and almo.t similar to the Bbarhut one in plan and design.
The great Railing . the ground balustrade) of Snnchi Stnpn 1 is severely plnin ; In
contrast its four aatcways including the pi11Bro (wbicb are square In section in con-
ttadininctioo with the curiously formed Bharbut Gateway pillan) and architraves re
very proful<lly sculptured both inside and out.
SatlpltlrH 011 the
The projecung ends of the architra- of the Eastern Oateway, unlike those of
the Sanchi Stiipa I which are straight, are sloped to form spirals wherein arc shown
open-mouthed crocodiles (PI. 1). Their curled tails 6t finely into the spir.ak
of the volute ends, the gapioa mouths remaining facing the pillars. The squore
parts of each beam, between the volute ends and the curved centre, are decorated witb
a temple or maoioo (PI. I) on one side and a st"<po (PI. I) on the other.
Accordioz to Barua, the mansion, which has a hlgb arched doorway nod contains a
cubical jewel-scat (BodhimDtol/D) canopied by an umbrella, is a symbolical representation
of the BodhtSatta's Descent from the Tusbita Heaven, while the tnpo on the other
side symbolically represents the Master's Decea.te
The coned central portion (between the two supporting pillars) of the lower
most architrave shows the same sculptural representation on its two faces (PI. I).
In tbe centre'''" aee a.llodJumD ID (a rectanzular altar oo a low plinth) under a tree.
wbich aocordiog to CuoDLngbam, is the baoyao or vo(a but according to Barua, tbc
aswn1/uJ, the Bodhi Tree of Buddha On either side or the llodlrlntllt$
there is a human worshipper paying homage to the IAAihimat"fa with joined bands held
the chest in an altitude of rupee!. Tbe wonbippcr oa the right (inner face)
wean a tong tbiclc co2t (r.Jich)a-) over his body and a over tbo coat. Tbe
otber Wllnhipper on the lefi weal) the scarf o>cr b1s bare body. BarllB thinb that the
wonbippcr oo tbe rigbi is iateodcd to rcprcscat Kina Obaoabbuti, the donor of lbc
8
Of:'EJlAl DEScaJPTIO!< Ot' THE ltAILINO AND GATliWAY
Toraw and that on the left, one or bu attendants. Behind the human wonhipJ"'rl is
shown proces>ion of wild elephanll brinaing Dower-offerings to the Bodhi Tree. In
the right half or the inner race two bigger elephants are carryina eaeb a bunch of lotus-
bad, keeping in front a small youna dopbant that &ently walks on 1owards the
Bodlrimavtln under the tree. The left half also shows three elephants; the young
elephant on this side i partially mutilated, a.od the two larger ones carry lotus
buds and fto"ns in uplifted trunks. A similar of worship of the Bodhi
Tree and the Throne is depleted on the outer face, where instead of lix we ace four
elephants, the younaer elophanll beioa disl"'used with, &Dd the position of the two
human worhipJ"'n is reveracd.
Barua thinks that the scene symbolically represenll the Enlightenment
(.<llmbad/rl) of the Buddha at Bodhpya on which occasion the animals bave come to
pay homoae to him. Thcllrtist thinks that like men the animals too must show their
reverence to the Master I In the depi<tioo of the sceoe the arfut bu cunningly taken
the opportuniry to introduce the figure of Dbanabbuti, the donor of t he Tora()D,
as one of !he worshippers.
The curved centre of the middle architrave presenu only one sculptured face,
which shows a procession of four leonine animals, two o.n cacb side. brin&inaloiDS
doweu towards the Bodhimat>tla under a tree (PI. 1). The tree 11ppcars to be a
creeping plant or busby growth and may represent a clump of bambooo, u sugested
by Cunninaham. The &xllrlmt1T)t/a, no doubt. represenu the Buddha him101f, and tbc
clump of bamboos perhap' indicates hb august presence at the Veouvana (Bamboo
Grove) at Riijagriha, where the Buddha for some time. The OD the
utremc riaJ!t bu a human head and that on the estreme left a bird's bead ; but the
two in the middle are true lions with buae Opctl mouths.
The dodos or square blocu of stone. placed between the architrave In line with
rhe supporling pillars below, have been found io many fraamentJ'. As rccoDstrUcted
by Cuonioabam, they used to how on each three Penepolitaa pillan staadina on
a railing, with larac lotus llov.ers in the spaces between the pillar1.
1
ft lt IJ'paronr that \lthi1e bcina uaed 11 a buUdiaa material. tbo JJ..Ont beam b.ad bun tptit
IODJitud..iaali.J la to ltrO p.:r.nt throu&h the middle Wbieb &Cc:oa.AU for lhe aon of its Olhc:r
KUipulnd (ICe.
'At rct:OD.IItUcted In lb.e tndlan Mt.tJtlliD ale tl.tltn luve been abown fltta. u tlte fraameou
the- ascauuofts W'ttt lOO tma.ll 10 wna uy vdLitc:ct11:t'aJ Tllet u.-e.
ttlereJore, bee-a reconnnacted Jlla.ia ua ua:eo1 ptut.n.
2
REMAINS Of BHARIIVT IN THF INDIAN MUSt'UM
In lbe long space ber\\een the central curved parll of lbe archilraves were
inserted eleen small balullen and staroe-plUan plaeed alternately' Tbe &tatue-
piiiDrs arc square in cross-section. while lbe balu:uers arc invariably OClllgons with
pedestals and eaplta.ls resembling those of lbe PerscpoUto.n pillars. The square abacus
of eaeb balusler supports the figure of two ordmary deer, sittioa side by side and back
10 back. Among tbe suniving statue-pilllars \\e come acrOP tv.'O ot.andin& male and
two staodrns female figuros.
These little balusters and pUI<Irstatucs are of considerable impottllnce, as they
often bear on their bases and capitals sinaJe Kharo.hllr!lotto" 11 masons' marks. From
the occurrence of these KharoJ/rllri letters it bas been inferred that tbe Gateway was
made by artists hailing from the nortbwe.r, that is, from the Gandhura re@ion. lt,
howev.,r, APP"'r< from a consideration of the pillar-statues that the ani,tt who made
the Gateway belonged to tbe Mathura atelier.
Crowning the Gate., ay is a huge pinnacle consisting of n nine-petalled 'honey
suckle' arisina out of a bolf-lotus ond surmounted by n dharma<hllkra or Wheel of Law
(PI. 1). Thi1 has been renored -..ilb certalnty from rraaments round in lbe
excavation.
or the Toraoa
Con>idered in relation to tbe arehitttves ,.ith their sculptures and the support in&
pil'au, the Turava symbolieally repr<Knts a parapeted bridge over the river of Lire
with hungry crocodiles lying in ombuth on eilber bank. This bridge is lbe tllrurmnsr/11
(the Law) made by the Buddha ror the salvation of mankind. It restJ high on two
pillan formed of the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold
Way The two &atev. ay pillars are. lberefore, made to represent a
cluster of four poru, symbolbiog the Four Noble Truths each
or which is on octagon (aj!haiogikD). The Buddha's Descent (ukrama1}a). represented
by maotion. and bh Decease (parbJirr.,;JQ). by the stlipa, on cilber
&ide or lbc architraves are lbe beJinnina and tbe end or Ibis prosresive palbv.ay.
This pathway gradually rises to a climax by lbe Buddho'a Enlightenment
(SambodJr/, in the lowcrmost architrave) and Prenching ot the Law (at the
middle architrave), whi.:b mul the stages or the greatest triumph atlained by the
tn the re<:Oilstruct:ioa or the .E.UlCim OauewaJ Jn the la.dlan Moeum h hu only been
polliblo tO fill in t.bc paco bctweea tho middle and lawen:nOJt orc:hitravu whh baluuen
1ad mtue-plUa.a: and &bcte.,. Yi,;. .. tofn bal.lutert and four oat be: tluc-d
aller:a .. ateb. u lhcy tlaoeld be. bu.& have been IDH-tled ._, the1 &u.ed tb C'otTflPOild.IDI
monica. Tbe cpau bctwcea the middle and upperroou archurau.s bu been lelt neant
owlD&tO of rcquhilt namhtt of bahuten nd ttatot-j:tiJian.
10
GtM'UL Df.>CIIIPllON 01 Tl16 .AIUNG ANO GATbWAY
Muter in his endeavour 10 lift him>elf and mankind obovc the normal level of rehpo-
sity (dltar111Qiii). Thi palh\\ay, poits and parapell of the t!Jwrmastru, represenJed in
the Toraun by I be architraves, 1uppor1ins pillars and balusten respectively, sene to
prevent tbo'" who walk by 1t from falling into the abyss of damnation to be devoured
by 1hc croeodile, (Mm) who in reality, representi Miira the embodiment of mundane
passions and delusion. Thi1 crocodile, the embodiment of Evil (1\fara). accordt08 to
Buddbisttraduioa, pursl!W the Buddha from his Birth to his O<ecue, wapn& the
eternal strusgle between the good nnd the evil, for whJcb the dllarmasc/11 had been
so th31 mankind may subvert his machinations.
RL\IAL"''S Of' THf RAJLJNO I' Tlll. l'DIAN \iUY.t,;\1
Be1ides lhc Gateway tTc>raQD), of which an account has been given above, lhe
Mu1eum posseses 29 pillars, more or leu in t1ct, frnsmeot of 21 more pillan, 66
crou-bars and 32 pieces of coping of lhe around baluurade of tbc Stupa. Of thC>C,
sixteen pillan, filled with Grossblltl and eopmg, have been erected, six on either 1idc of
the Toraoa and four in front. 10 sive the viitor aa idea of part of the Railins and lhe
Lbaped Retumu u originally stood at Bharhut (Frontispiece). The si rillus to the
north and the same number to lho outb of the Toraun describe about a half respee
lively of the oorth..,ut aad the south-east Quadnnt of the Railina. Of tbc.e, the ooe
abuttin& on the oorlh pillar of lhe Toraua is the lefthund terminuspllar of tbc
north-east Quadrant hnviog mortices only on its inner side for tbc Quadrant c:rouban.
and spaces for $Clllpture on Its lhrce remain101 fa.,.. and ude. All these spaces are filled
witb lifesize 6gure1 of Yaksha. ud YohhlOJS, that on the inner face being a Oaure
of Kubera, the guardillo of lhe North. Similarly, the Quadrant pillar abullin& on lhe
soutb pillar of the Toraoa lhe rigbthlllld tcrminuopillar of the soulh-CIII Quadrant
from which the L-ahoped Return issues out. 1t has mort !eel oo ltJ inner 11de for lho
cross-bars of the Quadrant and &160 on its outer f.oa: for lh- of lhe Return and
spaces for sculpture on itJ ouu:r side and inner face. In the dedicatoty iotcription this
pillar has been desctibed as the fmt pillar (pulhama thabho), tbe gifl of CW.padev, wife
of RevaiUDJtra of \'idbL The rema1oing pillars of tbe two Quadrants are niCrliiCdoate
pillara, havina morticeo for tbc Quadrant croo.sban on their two sidu aad apaceo for
sculpture on thdr two fac:es.
The four pillars in front or Jbo Tor1111 desc:nbe tbe two arms of the J...sbaped
fence or Return. I ts coroerpillar (Cuoninabam's pillar of outer corner) bat mortica
for crouban of tbe two arms of lhe L OD 111 inuer ucle and inner face aod paces for
fOolpturc on ill outer fac:c and outer aide. Each of these spaces a divided by represen
talion of ralhnss 1ato three "'u;uc pae4 sbo.,.ia& acenes from Buddhist and
'for a a of the Dbarhut Toraua. ace 8a.ru. B M .. S.rbt, Book f (1.9)4, P 10.
11
kEMAll<S OF IN Tllli INDIAN NUSEUW
hittory. From rbe fact thar one of the panels (rbc IO\\ermoSI one) on ill outer side
contains a repreten!Jitioo of IGog visit ro the Buddha, this pillar has been
disigoared as the Ajat.aiatru Pillar.
Tbe terminuJoopUiar of the Relllrn as erected in rhe Bharbut Gallery in front of
the Torao3 bu morlicn for the Return cross-bars on its inner side only and spaces for
sculpture on rts two faces and oo the outer side. In this pillar rhe three spaces bear
life-siu figures of Yaksbu and Nligas, the one on the ourer side being that of V>ru-
dbab Yaksba. I be guardian of tbc Sourb.
The two remaining pillars of the Return ore intermediate pillars like those of
rhc quadrancs. The cross-bars of the Return arc soruewbat longer than rbose of rbe
quadran!J, chose of the sothero arm being 0. 7S m. and chose or the eastern arm
1.04 m. Iona.
llsbould be mentioned here that aooe of these pillars and otber members of
the Railina and the Rerum, except the ones mentioned below, were found in positions
alloued to them in their present set up in the Museum. Only the right-band tenninus-
pillar of the South-East Quadrant (Chiipade' First Pillar) and the two intermediate
pillars immediately 10 lbe south of this Fim pllar, aiODJ with their coucspood&Dg
cross-bars and covered wilb a coping. were found standma In .ritu wben Cunningham
bepn his excnatlons. to lbe recon.slruction in the Museum, these: have been erected
as they should be by lbe aoutlt pillar of the Torava 10 form tbe inlital part of lbe
Soulb-l!ast Quadrant. Tbe other pillars, members and ftaamcnts have been dug out
from various places and deplbs or lbe excavations or otherwise recovered from the
neigbbourina vllloaes. Tbc more or less well preserved members among these have
been used In tbc reconstruction or the Railing and Return complete witb cross-bars
and coplna.
Ten other pillars, fitted with cross-bars, but not covered wilb copmg, have been
erected in three groups io various places or lbc Gallery to form fragments of Railiag
and Rcwrn. Some other pillrs have been exhibited sinaJy, ,,.'0 or them, both corner
ones, being plaocd on enber side of lbc entrance to the O:lllery. Some fragments
beario1 interatina scalpturu have been e-xhibited on lbe .. ..,stern wall
From their an:bitecwral pecoliarities as well as from tbe tculptures and inscrip-
tiooa eas.raved oo them. and also from tbe loeanon from which lbey have been dug
out by Cunaiogham, the position of some of the pillars In the original Railina as it
Jlood at Bbarhul may be determined. Tbus, on the lcfthlnd terminus-pillar of lbc
Nortb-Ean Quadrant, abutting OD lbe north pillar or the llJutern Oateway llS erected
in the Museum, we find on the inner face lbe Baure of Kubera, the auardiao of the
North As cb!s pillar bas paces for sculpture on Its Inner and outer f11oes and also on
tbc outer side and mortices for cross-bars only on its inner side, u can be oothina but
ll
a leR-ba11d tenninus-pillor of a Quadrant Bat iu prest:nt politioa in lhe Museum
D(lf lbe Eanero entrance would make lbc guardJan of the East. This anomaly
can only be removed if this pillar is made to form tb( left-baod terminus-pillar of the
North-West Quadrant abutting on Northern Gateway.
Another pillar wbich, as erected in the Museum, forms the terminus-pillar of
tbc Return Roiling in front of the Eastern Gateway, its outer face the figure
of Vtrudhaka Yaksha, !be au:udian of the South. The position of the Yaksha in lbe
Return Railinc does not appear to BeeauK, the corner-and tet11linu.>-
pillars of Rerum railings at Bbarbut were aeoerally dJvided into panels cootainina
sc:coes from the Bnddha 's lie f. "bercaJ the pillar under dJscu .. ton bears figures
of Yaksbas sod Naga on 1ts two faces and oo lbe ourer side and morticn for cross-bars
on us inner side. These are peeuliariucs of lbe Jefr-hand rermlnUipillar of a Quadranl
Railina ; aod so this pillar can only be the left-band tcrminulpillar of the Soutb.East
Quadrant nbuttiog llle Southern Gateway, wbicb will place Virudhaka, lbe guardian
of tbe South in his proper place.
From his durina the Cuno10pm concluded rhat tbc
Pillar, for mina the c:orner-p;Uar or the Return Railin& in front of lhe
Eastern Oateway at the Museum, wu oril!inally the Western Gate Return corner-pillar
at Bharhut. Similarly, the Praseoajit and Brabmadeva Pillars, erccted in the Musenm
al lhc terminus and CO[tlctpillllrs of the S&JnC fragmentary return railinJ OD the nOrth
eastero lide or the Bharhut Room, were oriJinally the South Gate Return tetmiDUI
and Nonb Gate Return corner-pillars respecti.,:ly at Bbarhut.
of tile IWIIoa
AI reaards lbe ornamentation of the Railing, eertaln acneral featutes may
oollced at lbc outset.
(a) Coping- It has already mentioned lb.tt tho whole of the Cop1ng 11
mo.t elaborately and minutely carved. both on the int.ide and lbe outside. At the end
or the c:opin& over the L-Wped fence, JU>t above tbc terminw.-pillar or the Retuto, there
it IICCO a boldly carved lioo sitlin& on its Tbit has found only in
fragmentS. Nut to the lion, on both lbe inner and outer faces oflbe Return eopina.
there 11 o kneeling elephant (PI. IV, b). The coping stone rraameotary.lbe kneel in&
elcpbant on thll outer race iJ missioa. From the elephant's mouth a Iona uo-
dulatloa creeper wbieb continues to the jUJJctloo of the Returo Coping with
that over tbe South-Eastern Quadrant of the Circular RailinJ. Then on either race of
the Copin& over lbe Quadrant RailinJ there apin attun a kncclioa elq)bant issui.aa
from bb mo11th lbe same uodulauoa creepu (Pl . IV. a) bicb c:ontioues to the end of
the Quadrant. There are thtoJ tWO separate ro: the Cte<pet-desip (i<uakarma),
one ia tbe Quadraot CopJIIJ and ooe ia the Return. How tbU cnepct-dellp
13
llDfAll<5 01 &IIAIUIUT IN T11E INDIAN lliUSEUN
wu finished in the left end of each Quadrant Coping is not kool"o to us. ll may
be, aJ Barua lbousbr. that on the left >Ode the creeper i rcpreaented as issuing
fonh from (or rather entering or being thru.l into) the mouth of a simtlarly kn<eling
elephant But the copirlg SIOOe spanninathe termirlus and the two adjacent piOars
of the North-East Quadrant as erected in the Museum, appear& from its peculiArities
to be II.SClf a tctminus coping piece nod io it the kneeling elephant is missing from
either face, on iB inner face the creeper, producing forth a bunch of sarlands from
its leaf, is 1bown almost touching the border ; on !be outer face the border is
mutilated, but here also the cr<eper appear. to bave touched the border of the coping
and tbe kneeling elephant is mb$ina. 1t $bould also be noted tbat the kneclio&
elephant oo ctther fncc of tbe South-Eastern Quadrant Copinr is a wild animlll
(Pi. IV, a), wbtlc tbe remaioina one on the inner face of the Return Coping is
represented os a tame one, fully capari1ooed ond more prostrate (PI. IV, b) tban those
on the Quadruot Coping. If the Quadrant and the Return had origutally made a
sin&Je whole. the creeper-design on the coping over both would have been continuous,
that is, the l<neeling elepbaot on the outer face of the Quadrant Coping would have
been dispensed with, and the fiaures of the animals would ha been carved alike on
!be Return and Quadnlnt (inner face) Coptn&S- This fact possibly proves that tbe
Returns "ere added at a later date.
This undulating creeper (latdkarmol in reality represents the kolpalari; or
ICJI/pqra/11. The lcalparr11/i is the Wisb-Ful611iog creeper or heavenly origin. 11 falfils
all human desires by produc:iog from ill tendrilJ all that mortal men and wom<n want
for their happiness and well being, 1/:., costly apparel ond ornaments, drirlks and
eatables, etc. On tbc Bbnrhut Coping the kalpavoJII has been reprucnted as a lotus
rhizome issuing out of an elephant't mouth. As we shall see later on both !be lotus
and the elephant symbolically reprcsnt the waters, the primordial source or all euation.
This indieates tbat to the artists or Bbarbut the lcalpaWIIII formed an element of Water
CosmolnJY.
Tbe /wlptnO/h by its meanderinp dtvides tbe faces of the Coping into a number
of semicircular panels. each of whtcb is filled with sculpture (PI. H). On the outer
face ail these panels are filled with repetitions of !be same elaborate representation of
a fullblown lotUJ flower. On the inner face some of the panels have flowers and
fruits, necklaces, ear-ringll and other personal ornam.eot.s, othera arc filled with figures
of linos, elephants and other ammllls end ttrnnge fabulous creatures having the body
of a lion and the bead of a man or bird, wbile the rest are occupied wilb scenes
from lbc Jalaluu and olber stories (PI. 11). These ICCOCS and animals on the one
baod and lbc bunches of fruits and tlo,.ers and ornaments oo the other generally
alternate ,.itb C3tb other, tbc former (/.A!'., the story-telling scene and animals) filling
the uppeT and tbe lau.er (/.4!., the llotrers, fruiu and omamattl)tbc under panels. In
exccptioaal they overlap. In moot ClUe$ lhe scroe in one panel repracnu a
14
GI!NilRAL DESCRIPTION OF TR& RAiliNG AND OAIEWAY
complell! Birth-story (Jatoka) ; and io 3 few, one story is disltlbuted ioto two or more
successive upper pn11el. In one cxeeptiooal ease four successive upper and lower
panels of the Return Coping are shown to contain .secncs which. according to Baroa,
depict a Buddhi!.t version or the sinners' sofferiogs in bell. This nlJ1Uigement was
evidently due to want or space. Jtsbauld also be noted that oll the fabulous animals
occur only oo the Quadrant Coping. The bunches of Dowers, fruits and omameo\3
show similarity but no identity of form and design. Among tbc fruits arc to be seen the
mango (amra ahokiJro) (PI. V I, a), custard opplo (Beognli iit/l. Hind! sarifa) (PL Vil, d),
jock-fruit (ptJna.ra) (PI. VU, c), and another fruit resembling the date palm. V. S.
Agrownln that the jack-fruit and the mango in tctality represent containers, the
former technically known as ponasa, both being shaped afrer the fruit5 they resemble,
the former for storing wine and the llltlcr for the loo-dye (lakslliJraga) to paint the
feet of young ladies. These two fruits "have been specinlly selected, because the strong
odour of ripe jack-fruit resembles tbat of wino nod the ju.ice of the mango fruit is lilce
14/rsfrar(jga." '
Tbe ornaments include ear-rings of trirama-design (PL Vr, c), ear-peodan\3 of
pritlrara-1'11pra-A'lll.lt/l>la type (PI. Vl, d), collars (PI. VI, d). necklaces (114ro, PI. VU, o),
girdles (meklralli), wristlets (valoya, PI. Vl, a). armlets (kqllra). 6nger-rings (ai1guriya,
PI. VI, d), spiral anklets (pMa-voloya) etc. The clothes and appor<'l are represented
by scarves and .f<lris omamented with embroidered ftoral designs. Besides these, the
trirntna-symbol, the &x/himO(f/a and the Bodhi-Tree Anatrha are present in of
the pancls.
This broad line of bas-reliefs is finished on both faces by two elegant borders.
The upper border consistS of a continuous line of bonlements (prJk/lro-vapra) or
stopped 'merlons' resembling the Babyloniao :fggurats, nlterooting with 'blue lotuses'
(utptJ/a1) in vertical position which are nlso treated in the West Asiatic (Egyptian) style.
The lower border consists of a row of bells hnoyng from the ends of a continuous net
supported by poles (?). On the outer face the meshes of the oet are interwoven of
ordinary linen tbrcad, while on the loner face they appear to be jewelled. The net on
the inner face KernS to truly represent wb11t is called the rama-killkini1iJ/a.
(b) Pillnrs-Below the Coping are the stone pos13 or pillars
nambha) of the RJuling Most of the lntermcdlnlc pillars, u has already been said,
are divided io1o three sections by o. round boss or full medallion at the middle and
hnlf medallions at the top and tbe bottOm. All these medallions are fiUcd with
elaborate sculpture, chiefly lotus Dowers and other floral But there are
alJo several showing nnimllls ; and a considerable number shows scenes taken from
Buddhist legend (I e., the Jiitaka stories) and bi!tory (f.,., episodes of tbc last mundane
11
Aeral01lla, V. S .. IIIIIU.a Art IlK!). p. 142.
IS
lt.UIAINS OP llRARHlJT IN 'rHJ! INDIAII MUl!UM
uistence of Buddha A few of the pillus besr slacle llfe-&iz.c figures of
Yaksbas, Yakshinls, Oevatiis and Naarnjas, etc. The bevellod edges of the mcdalhon
bearing pillars are abo decorated, cbie8y with flowers are fruits, with human figures,
male and female. otandiog on the Oowers with their bands eithor in ID attitude of
devotion or rachin& up .. 'Uds to the fruits and 8onrs (Pis. D, XXIII & XXIV) On
some pillars these flours bear elepbants (Pis. Ill, a & VJll, c:), winged bOr!Se$ monkeys
or peacocks (PI. XXII. b), while pauots (PI. XXII. c) and squirrels (PI. XXII, d)
bang from the brahes and nibble at the fruits.
The omamentalioo of tbe termioal and corner-pillan of the Quadrants
Return is different from that or the other pillars. Tbe plllan of the toner corners
JCneraJiy bear life-sfz.c figures of mounted IUindardbeArers, both male <lnd female,
(PL D1. d), while tbc left-band terminal of the Quadrants have Yaksbas,
Yakshints, OevaliiS, ud Nigarjas etc. On the outer corner and abo on tbe
terminal pillars of the Returns, the faces and sides are JCOerally dinded into a
number (&enerally three) of square panels by horizontal bonds or railings depicting
Jittako stories, and lier-sc.,oes or the Buddha On a rather elaborate scale. Several
of tbese scenes arc very intereslin& u tbe inscriptions attached to them enable UJ to
identify the different se>ene5 with certAinty.
(c) CrOis-hars-The stone cros&-bar5 (3Qdrl) of the Quadranll nod mon or
those of the Returo have circular bossesor medallions on each face, which uedecorated
with various subjects Similar to those of the pillar medaJIIoos. Amongst them,
however. there arc very few Jata/uu, but they present UJ with severaJ humoroUJ S<>COCS
and a great variety of Ooml ornaments of aingular beauty. A few or the cross-bar
medallions arc decorated with geometrical paucrn (PI. XVI, c & d).
Some of the of the R"turn Railioa contain oblong panels on eacb face
d"Pieting scenes from tbc life or the Buddha. Only one of these croubus, fitted io
the Return Rallins erected in the north-eastern side or tbe Bbarhut Oallery is in the
Indian MuKwn. The other cross-bar, of which the two faces have been split apart,
bad been lyina in a Ma\ha 1.1 Unchhcra' , from wbcre it bad been acquired about
1938
11
by the F"'er Oallery, U.S.A.
Due ol doe ll.aliJ.a ud die C.Uway
The evidmtt for determioin& the date of the Raihna (udi.ta) and Gateway
(tora!.a) of the Bbarhut Stfipa consists of the contents and palaeosrapby of the Bnbml
lnscriptloos found therew. These will be discussed in detail in our chapt on the
inscriptions. Su:ftic:e it to say here that aa:ordina to the dedicatory inscription on one
'OO>noiaa.balll. n. St- cf MI, fRopriat. Varsllbi, 196JI. p. 12.
'Coomaratwamy. A.K . Two rrom .Bharbac io tbc Freer JISOA. Vol VJ.
( 19]8), p. l ot$!.
16
OENUAL DE$CJUl'TJO.N OF 'nil! RAJLINO At(D OATI!WAY
of 115 supponing piUors, the gateway (torD(ID) was caused to be erecll!d (ki:irlta) by (Jdng)
Dbaoabbuti "during the rctgn (or in tbe dominions) of the Suigu'' (Sugana,;l raje).
Founded by the general (Sellijpati) Pusbyamitra wbo supplanted the Maury .. , the
Suilgas referred to in this inscription formed a dynasty tbot ruled over portions of
northern and central India between 187 and 72 B. C.
There ore also o lnrae number of votive inscriptions engrnved on the Railing
wbicb s"rve as labels to the reliefs catVcd on it and record the names of the donors who
provided funds for the connruction of the different pnrlll. The l1111guagc of the
Gateway and Railing inscription5 is a form of Pru!Qit that differs from the Prkrit of
the inscriptions of Aooka. Paleographic:ally, the Railing inM!riptions fall into two
groups. The majority belong to o date prior to that of the Gateway inscriptioas,
while there ore n few that appear to be contemporaneous wilh 1bem.
The characters of lhe form"r group of Railing Inscriptions a:e vc,y similar to
those of the Besnognr Garut)a Ptllar inscriplion of Heliodoros, ditrering only in having
a straigbl ra. Heliodoros, as we learn from his rNord, was an envoy (yonn-dnta) of
the lndo-Greek king Antialcidas (AJlllalikiro) who is generally supposed to rule io the
Taxi la region during the middle of the cen1u,y B. C. On palaeographic and
other grounds the Heliodoros inscription is assigned to circa 125 B. C., which also
appears to be the dote of the majority of the Railing inscriptions at Bbar.hut.
The Railing, therefore, appears to have b!<eo erected during the third quartu of tbo
second century B. C. {IS0-125 B. C.).
The letter-forms of the Tomua imeriptlon of Dhanabhliti shows 10me definite
development when compared to th0$C of the majority group oo the Rsilina. A period
of three to five decades has to be allowed for this development. Tbe Tom.o.a, therefore.
appears to have been erected about 75 B. C., towards the fag end of tbo rule of the
Suilgas in central India. To about this period (80-50 B. C.) are also 10 be assigned
the few inscriptions on some of 1he pillars and crou-bars which owe the.ir exlsll!nee to
repair and ceplacemenl of the older memben of the ltailing.
RLIEFS OF THE BHARHUT RAILING
On thematic coosiderolions the reliefs on the Railing may be divided into two
main categoriet, vi;.,
ta) R"liefs illustrating aubjceu of popular interest and mythology ; and
(b) Reliefs illustratina Buddhin leacnd and history.
Group (a) rclil<fs may again be divided into two sub-groups, viz .
(I} Tbe socalled 'Decorative reliefJ'. These bea: no labels, and
a.ccordlog to most scholar consist of a upertoiu of forms nnd design, ftoral, animl
17
3
IDCAII'o"S OF PHAllBUT IN THE L"DIAN WUSUM
and seometric, used mainly for the beaoti6catoon of the Railina. As we shall see in
our upoilion in the following pages, mo51 of lbcse forms and dulgns (or motifs) bear
a deep symbolical meanina. e&SIIy undentoocl by the people at larae. formina tbe
icoooarapby of the popular failbs, which may be designated as 'Water Comtoloar'.
These reliefs eJtbale an aroma or the common people about them. Suffused with
inherent beauty and preananl wilb apparent symboloay. they required no dac:riplive
label5, but diteetly appealed to the popular sense of the beautiful and the dhine. Tbis
aecounll for their profuse occurrence on lbe Ralliog.
(ii) Life->Oze firurea or popular gods and goddesses. Most of these life-size
6gures bear labels announcing lbeir names. These labels are, therefore. sure auides
to their identificalioo. From these we lenro that most of these 6gures for
popul.lr deities, like Y abbu, Y al<hioiS. Nliaao and Devatis, aods and aoddes'>CI of
fertility and prosperity, in some way or olber connected with water Cosmology". As
these deities owe lbeir exitteoce to popular inspiration ingrained in popular mores ond
beliefs. they cannot be ditpensed with ; o, the artist of Bharbut have requisitioned
their presence and service as devotees and of the great Master to convince the people
of the superiority or the Lord (b/togavil) and his Faith (Dhomma) over those of lbe
demiaods who offered homage to him.
Group (b) reliefs may be divided into three sub-croups ; ri:.,
(I) Re.liefs illustratioalbe presence of the Former Buddhas by the Bodhitrees
peculiar to lbem
(li) Reliefs illustrating the J!'ltakas, that is, stories of the previous existences
or births of lbc Buddlq, before be was born aa dk}amunl.
(iii) Reliefs depictin& tcenes from the life of the historical Buddha in his latt
mundane exbtence as !Jnlqamun/.
Most or the reliefs or Group (b) (ilto (iii) bear dc<eripthe l.lbds, "'hieh hdp us
in idcntlryioathc various K1'nes and llories. From a study of their illustrations on the
Railing we learn that by the middle of the second century B. C., wben the IUillna was
erected, the Buddbi't myth aod lo:aends h3vc already condensed onto a formable shape,
though they not Yl't JOI their final sbape as codified in lbe scriptures (Tnpllaka)
and other reliaious books.
So longtbe attention of rcholars bat mainly bo devoted 10 the elucidation
and identification or lbe various Buddhitt scenes shown in lbe Railing, B. M. Baruas
monument.al work oo Bharbut in three volumes'" appears to be the 6nal word on the
subject, and deserves careful readinJ. Scant &llention has been bestowed on lbe JO
"lluua. B. '""' Books Hll. duriaa t9l4 to 1931, b1 the IDdi&n Rc<urcb
lnl1i&ute. Calcutt.l.
18
called decol'lltive" reliefs. If the Bbarhut Railing in the l ndtan Museum is uuly
famous, it is for its "decorative" relief and the life-size tiaures, both or which are
popular by affiliation. What at once catches the eye and lhe imaaination of a viilor
when be first gazes at the Railina arc tbe array of fioral desian and fabulous animals,
the beautiful damsels on the chumf<red edg01 of the pillars and llfctize YalclbllS and
YaktbiQtS, who by their lyricallovcllne.s at once draw auention, and not 10 much the
scenes of Buddhist legend ond history which deserve minute study from close quarters.
Durinr his twenty years' service in the Indian Museum the present author bus many
timt5 been ked by foreip ititors to Clplain as to why so many lotusc.s are there on
lhe Railina and the import or the fabuloiH animals on the Copina The Indian
visitor, ,.ho by his upbrinaina hu not yet forgollco all his traditional henll!!". outo-
undentands the impon of aome, though not of all, of theac motifs, like the
Gaja-Lnbhml, etc.
or all scholars, it is Coomaraswamy I. who bas seriously tried 10 elucidate the
meonina of these "decorative" motifs. His pioneer work on tho subject even now
remains the 'bible' on "decorative" motifs in Indian art. In the pruent author's
position or the "decorative art" of Bborhut, Coomaraswamy bill diWDyl remained ..
the 'pbilo>opher and guide'. I n m'"ny places the autbor could do no boner
than summarlzt the great pioneer's ideas, and only in a few rare tn>laDCC> he hu been
able to amphfy, wpplement and upon his ideas. This Part I on the remains
or Bhathut wbtth mainly de.tls with the art" and popular deities appcarina
on lhe Railing ha., therefore, been dedicated as a mark of the author's gratitude to the
auautl memory of the great AnandA KcntiJh CoornaraJ"-11my.
:u(A)oaur .. ,.., ... ,, A. K.. Yd:allu. Pans I and U (R.epriated bJ \taaob.aJiat,
lt71)
19
CHAPTER n
THE DECORATIVE RELIEFS
A large number of the reliefs, showing o remarkable vlltlcty or paucrn, and
designs, are mainly decorative in character. They generally occur on the :mielrcular
panels of the copina and on tbc full and half medallions of the pillars and cros5-
bars. 1t is oflen found that the same desisn occurs on both races of the
cross-bar.
lt should be noted at the nut<et that Indian "deeorotivc an" is not 1 mere
rl!ptrtolrl of forms and desians 11$ed only for the purpo5c of oroamcntotioo with no or
little sisni6cance attached to them. On the contrary, the designs or Indian "deco-
mthc an are always explicitly significant aad form a definite iconoarapby. On the
basis of its chief compoo<nLS the "decorative art" of Bbarbut omy be di,;dcd onto
tb"'c categories, 1:., the Plant Style, the Animal Style and the Geometric Style. In
most cues, the Plant Style and the Animal Style are aS$0dntcd with each other and
human fiaures. botb male and ftmale, occur alooa with thtm. It will be apparent
from our uposition in the following pas that the Plant Style and most or the motifs
or the Animal Style conuitute the iconography or "Wator Cosmology,"
Every society or the ancieat world bad its own eosmogonical myths. These
myths were, no doubt, ioOuenccd to a areat ut<nt by the physiograpbical, ecoloaical
and cultural environment in which the societiet on queuion grew and develop!. But
wben the earliest cosmogooical myths or these various societies are taken into consider-
ation and compared with eacb other, there emerges a pall<rn which may be
de>iaoatcd as Water CosmoloJY", tbat is, a body or ideas and beliefs in the origin or
the Unlver>e (cosmos) from the waters.
\\ATER COSYOI.OCY
The entliell references to Indian Ideas about "Water Cosmology" are found in
tbe l!if"Ja and other Vcdic tuu, wberc they occur tide by side and milcd up with
other more pbil01opbical o:o.mogoaic concepll. ,., .. origin from Punuba '. In tbe
later Vedoc tau, particularly in the UpaQishads, all these 1peculations ultimat<iy
culminated in the conception or Brahman (Absolute) 35 the IOUrce or all Crtalloo.
(ltc-<4. X. so, 116. PDrutlla .. aUa}.
TlfE DECORATI\E anrm
The ramaes in the Vedie liLetatnre which form our eYideoce in this respect are.
hoe er, Yery much inohed in meaniof and ianifJCance : and 10, it is difficult to
set a clear and coherent pktun of the cosmoaonic idas contained in them. For
tbu purpose " hae to collate all the Vedic of Creation and interpret them in
the light of similar 1deas held by other peoples of the ancient "odd. Considerable
work in th11 re<pect bu been done by scholars like Norman Brown, Koipcr and
lno.in'. The present author is greatly indebted to these 'cholnrs for his exposition of
the process or Creation enYisaged in the myths or "Water co.mology'' wbleh may be
summed up os follows :-
(I) In the be&innioa there was only water, conceived as an all pcrvadlna
Ocean. which symboll:r.c:d the element of Chaos. Yet, paradoxically, this Ocean of
Chaos was supposed mystically to contain within tbe aerm', that is, the poten-
tiality', of the origin of the Universe and all life contained therein. "Water Cos-
Norm.aa Brown, W., '"The Creatio.o Myth of the {tia\eda. JfNII'MI 11( tM AtWrlaut Orlttlll
Si<TJI, Vol. 6lltM21, pp.
Kuipcr, F .B..J .. (I) ''Tbe Stride:t of Villuao"', llt!lltJl41tic-l ff{ Cl '. 1\"iH""'
Amtrican Otic.at.a.l S;tele.tJ, pp. lJ7'1: dh ""The BHu of Aau, llfiiD.hlllllll
;.,..,,..,, Lcodon. Vol . VIII 119641, pp. 11111 "Coomoaooy aod Coacoplioa: a Q<lcn",
J""rul 11/ tlwll/IIOJ711{ lftlllioos, Uruvenily of Cbio:&IO. Vol. 10 1"101, pp. 911JS; (.v) "Tbc
S.01c Concop1 or I be Vcdic Rdilioa. ibid., Vol. IS (19751, Pr tOHO.
trwta. J.

Pi1lafl: reuseument of the Evidence-Part tv: SymboU.Jm'' TM
BwrllttO Martlnt, Vol. 118, (November, 1976!, pp. 7)4-7$1.
XI.1.6.1-
11
Vcril7. l.n the bcJlnnina thtt (unh-ene) wu water. nolhlna
but .. Joa or water ..
At!Mn'tNtJG, XII I. a-rbat cuth which rormotl) waa water UpOn tho ocean ......
In tho (.'11141the umc ldc:.J b Implied la X. 129. 1; and In tho r .. ..,,, ... here tbe Watc:u are
Invoked 11 tho Morhers, X. 12.. S.
tn the 8rt4ud ''tat4 U,..J.Jvul, V. S. I. the order of Croateon u ttate-d Jn the follow
il'lJ toquenco : ''la the bt:ain.nloa Lhi1 (world) wu water: water produced lllc: real {HtF"'
..... tbll c .. J,I); a.ad the real {J"O/,t'aM} 11 Brahman ; Bnhmaa producc.d Prajlpati: rrom
Pra)*pad tbo Dcut".
-That tbc pnme,al 1tate or a6in be rote Creadoa bcaaa u aUpe:nadi.al Clta.<n it roaad ia
QI,...U, '\:. 129. ).
X.IL waten. the, recehed that aorm pnme .. al hettiA tile aod-1
re 11 toltt.ber: ruacd apOD the Uabora' ant:J..- : and X. l!J. 7-Wllat umo
mlah1y water ea &De. Ja&aiaia.l tbe utuunal ltnD. ......
'h'ICJtd. x. 129. 1. all tU that the primeal chaow: coadhlon ncttber c,ht.cAC oor aoa
tJo:llttiU". that It. there wu at one lime 1uch n lnih,Uact 1tatc bea uotbntl chd acusally
uht aad thtrdore h wu not an 'entity'. but at h coa111nod ln HYtr the lJ:tcat potecuiality
or cxhttnte. lt wa nol aiiO a non ... ntily". Wh11 tnantrt tn tbb dc.crtptioa is that tbc
prJmeval condhlon or eh aM a ad conCuJton, tholiJh it btfflt.! all comprobeo.Uon. '*U tuppoted
by che compotaf or cbe hymn 10 po'Ue.JJ lbe pateadalil)' O( C:te.lliOD Of tbe uaivene..
21
UloiAINS OF BHARIIUT IN THE INDIAN loiUSEUM
molosy'' thus "conceives of the waters as <OOtaioiD8 certain pov.en Of abundance
that direct, or at least symbolize or reprc.eot, the operations or the life-force as it
wells upward from its sources in the waters.
{2) From the bottom or this chaotic Cosmic Ocean there arose 1 lump of solid
matter. described in most or these myths 8J clod or enrth ' which noated restlessly
on the surface or this oceon. This clod or eanh aradlllllly eapaoded and became the
Primordial Hill, wbith ultimately de> eloped into tbi Univeru. Thi> is the 6rst naae
in the creation of the Universe, when the Primordial Hill .. as still "unfixed" and
floated wothout foundations in the Primordial Ocean. At this suge, heaven and eartb,
and all other dualiti01, like day and niabt and the male and female principles remained
compacted and undifferentiated with on this Pnmordial Hill, and c:onequcutly, there
was DO Jifc,
(3) 1n the nell state of Creation tbc Primordial Hill bc.:amc "lhed" in its
foundations in the Primordial Ocean. Simultaneously with this "stabilization" of the
Primordial Hill several ocher things took pla<'O. The most important of these was
the separation of lbe heaven and earth by tbe agency of the Primordial Hill. Wblle
separatin& the heaven and ellrlb, the Primordial Hill al<o released the sun from the
Cosmic Waters ; nnd the sun nol only brought light into lbi< world. but by its diurnal
cour5e or rising in the east and setlina In the wen ln1roduced the element of Time into
Ibis Universe. Thus,. .. created the daahly of Day and Nl&ht in the train of which
all other doalities, like I he mole and female principles appared, and I be cycle of tbe
life process in this world was set in mo1ioo. According to the myths, in this 1econd
mac there also arose out or tbe Primordial Hill the Tree of Life from which originated
lbe gods and men and beam and :tJl oth life.
U.lavedic tradition attributes all these demiurglc actions, 1=., the ''pegging" or
the Primordial Hill to the boltom of tbe Primordial Ocean, >cpar&tion or tbe b<aven
Coom.aru&mf. A.K.. Yd' Put 0 Repua1 edo .. 191l t. p, U.
Ono of &he 1Usvec.lu:: myths u.t thlt the clod WJ.J rahtd from the bouom of 1he
CotmiC Octa..n by Pnji;atl, ho dl\<CIJ, into the Watcu In the form or. boar. IQ. Kufztcr.
"CoUDOIOQJ IUid CoaccptloD: a Qo.ery J.-, . 11[ m lloey 11[ hllrl Vol IO (19701, p . 102, for
a dlKuwoa. or this 811Jth).
We need net bolher if 1omo p.a.rtiallr funcafon in the ptocus of Crelltlon eavila1ed lo
water COtmoloay aometimot atuibuted 10 some p.arllcular aod la the: myth,._ Tbh Imply
JhoWI the MptriJDpoJUMJD of la tar ld.Cil OD I be Or.iltaal tn::ac.l Of tbe lll)'lh.
22
THE DE COllA T1VI lEI.IIn
lllld earlh, and 1be rrl<ase of lhe suo from lho Cosmic Walcrs, to lodra
1 1
This
limply shol's 1ha1 10 th< Vedic mylh-m.tktr lbe Primordoal Holl, ,.hicb .. as coouidcred
to be tho World Axis, .. -.s identical ith tho zod lndra. Tbis is also proed b) the
of 1he Arllmnrrrda
1
' hicb .. y tbal SlamMa is lndra, and lndra is
Skambha. Modom "'holars are puulcd by tho obscurity of !hose hymns ; but, a
has beon pointed by lr,.tn
1
, the obscurily "vanihcs once ooe recognizes lhat in
ancient India lndra -.u worshipped in I he form of I he lndra-pill>r," (Jndra-dlrraja},
.,.hich wu 1be .a me thing as the Skmnbha of the Atbaf'l>cdio hymns and Slood for
tbo Primnrdlal Hill os the Axis of the World. "The Important point Is that the lndra
pillar WM ne\tr n mere symbol of the god ; the pillar was ao actual m11111{estarlon of
the god lrlmstlf". It 1hould also be remembered lhat one of the synonyms for the
lodra-<lh,aja is lnrlra-krla. As the word klla means "ooil" or "pea", this desi,nation
for the World Aais not only refen to lndm's dcmiursic act of "pcuing" the Primordial
Hill to the boltom of the Ocean, but alo to the idonlifocation of lndra with the
Primordial Hill "'hich got itself "pegged" to tho bottom of tho Counic: Ocean, thus
establi$binathe around for the creation of the Univone
(4) Tbe Primordial Hill which soparated the bol\-.:n and earth is qriou>ly
c:onc:oived in 1be different m)'lhs as a monntain (girl , adrl, or p.unrla) a tree (anaspall).
or a pillar (skambha, mvrrMa). As bas been pointed out by lr .. inu, ' 'these images
are oOoo used interchanaeably and stand for tbe same metaphyical concept of the
World Axis or A tls murrdi". The point where the Axis touchcd the oartb is known u
the "Navel of the Earth" (Greolc omphalos, Hebrew tabor, Vedic bJuir1111<U)a nablri}J, Slt.
etc.). Scholars in Hellenic studiet at tlm esplained tbe omphalos
as a tomb (the tholn.r araves or the early inhabitants of Greoce) wbleb wu considered
to be the womb of Mother Earth where all morloll return after deolh. Modem
scholars after analysins the Greek mythl about the omphalos hae, however. come to
1l{t1.,ttl4. \'11.23. 3 hen be had tl&in rcthtJett fot.men tl., .. Vfltra). (orc.ed .ritb
mi1bt tbe to orld b.ah {'" beavea and cars Is\ 1t under ...
The .almullaocuy of Jndra*t tile .Prlmord1al Hill to tbe bottom or the COIIIlic
Ocft.a aad hit scpanuoa or the heana aad e-artb '' u11phed ID lJ 122.-... Ba bo
lud (ut a ad 6re tbc eart.ll &Jtat and let at rctt tlat aaatale4 moaot.aia.a: wllo
medllrcd out the air" de mlddlc: and P'"t 111 -.u, tn aupPort. He mco. n lad.ra".
The dmutuacny ol Jadra"t te-parstloa of tbe hH1t..D ud cartll aad bl rclcau o( the na ia
uapbcd la f.i.-14. VIII. 3.6.-"Wotb mlabt btb Jndra prud oat buua aad ntth, itb
poor bath Jodra llabted up tile Still-. aad In {llltuw. Ill. 32-J-Mur are lodra' eoblr
wrouJ,hl l(hlnemctntt.--ht bearftltllp lhjs c..Jtth aDd h .. '"ea. lad doer or muvcl.&. be
beaot 11 Sua and MorDin1.
X. 7 and a.
U(nrfn. J., A-okan PHian : a ReUJC:Simcot or I Srmboullll, Tlw .,..
1/.,r Mfatlot. Vol. tit {NOV<mbu, 19'6). p. 7*1, (o.14.
"trwln, J., lb/11., p. 7-10. fn. 24.
"lrwln, J, 1/>111, P. '1311.
atMAINS Of 8HAIUIUT 1!1 Tll8 INDIAN loiUSJnlN
tbe conclusion that the NaV<!I of the Earth in reality "dnianated the mythinll spot at
whlch heaven and earth "ere separated" by the Primordial Hill or Ax.is mundi-''in
other words, the spot at whkb our uoiveru: WDI lirerally 'born' ."
10
To the ancient peoples who fashioned myths creation of this world wa1
not an event which happened in the modem biJtorkal sense of time and space, once
and for all. "lt happened in sacred time, llfbich wu cyclic. ll was therefore a reeurr-
mg event ; nnd if the Universe was not to slip back from Order to Chaos, the Creation
bad to be wheneoer the overthrow of <Stablished order "as threatened or
even feared"." Tbis is uampli6ed. amonpt others. by the Pau"'oik myth or
which tells us how ar'ter a period of divine creation the Supreme
Deity sl<pt on tbe cotls of the serpent Aonnta In the midst of the Cosmic Ocean to be
awakeoed, aner an interval, to a renewed pato>ym of Creation when tbe Universe was
threatened to deSitllction by the depredations of tbe forces of Evil, represented by the
demoru Madhu and thus illostratina the cosmoaonic theory of the cyclic
crreation and rc-absorbtion or tbc Universe by the Deity,
A pin, as the ideas contained in these myths are mystical in nature, the concept
or space in our ICilSC of euct geoa:aphicallocation may be diJpeosed witb, and ''there
could be any number of Navels or tbe Earth witboutloaical ioconsistency."
11
As ha1 beeo pointed out by lrwln, ancient mllll's ob.cssloo witb how the world
bellUI was ao-.rned not by our own ideas about such mallen, but "t.y his desire 10
act into riaht relation>hip with the sacred world as the source of cosmic order and as
the key to tbc perpetuation of life."" To him, therefore, the Navel or tbc Enrlh witb
tbc World Axis placed on 11 was the supreme link between tbe human 1nd the celestial
-the channel lhrouab "hich Cosmic Order .,. . ., imposed on this world of ours. 8y a
metaphysico.l extension of this logic 1oy spot where man b1d been in communion with
celestial or supcroatoral powers may be considered as a Navel of the Earth located at
the base of the ASls or tbe Universe. Thi apphes to any shrine or temple where the
devotee comes in contact with the Divine, or to 111y spot consecrated by the divine
revelation ( . JJ!rf) or a IIIDL Thus in Buddhi" literature the bod/rimJJ ul(l or 'Kljr!MPtD
under the Bodhi Tree where Buddha SJio;yamuni received bi Eolighrenment (11U1fhodhf)
or any other similar sear of a former Buddha has been described as sited on the Navel
or the Earth '
0
, and wonhipped as uch
We have already mentioned that in the Veda.s Water Comolol)'" is found
mixed up wltb, and in fact, plays a subordinate role to other more philosophic c:osmo-
"lrwia. J., tblL p. 378.
"fnria. J.,. tbltl ... p. 7)9.
UJrwia. J .lbltL. p. 1ll.
"lrwtn, J, Ibid .. p. 7J9.
"Baru.a, B. M., Borbl, Book 11 (t9J4),
24
T1111 OECORA.TIVI1 IW.DlFS
gooie concept!. The Vedic appears to bnve inherited these Ideas in the form of
an old popular mythology, a legacy from the olden times, whiob persisted and bad to
be dovetailed with the philosophic ideas of the Vedic Aryans. The reason for this
appears to be that the original Vedic Aryans being a mainly pllltoral people wCie more
concerned with their herds of animals thiUI being fully conversant of the operations of
the powers of vegetative growth.
On the other hand, eosmogonic conceptions of origin in the waters
were prevalent amongst many of lho bronze age civiliztttlons of the Nile", the
Euphrates", and possibly also oJ the Indus Valley, to whom water, in the form of
perennial riven, was the prerequhite of vegetative growth and communal welfare and
happiness.
From the above discussion it will be apparent that Cosmology" was
originally the popular cosmogonic belief of the settled populations of the riverinc civili
utions, and that the Vedio Aryans inherited Ibis conception through their contact with
the original population of tile ID.nd where they settled.
For a proper understanding of the "PliU!t Style" of dceorotlon on the Bhnrhut
Railing the main points of "Water CO$lllology" may be &ummed up 11$ foUows. From
the Primeval Waters arose the Plant which !J the Tree or Ufe, and from the Plant all
other things, gods, men and beasu. Water, as raJa, exists everywhere, os up in the
trees, as clouds in the heavens, as rivers and oceans in this terrestrial en.nh, as semen in
men and nnimals, and as salivn in the mouth, each of which can 5erve as a sourc.o of the
Tree of Ufc. This Tree of Life, or World Tree, as ills sometimes called, is an undying
Aivattbs (Pipal, ficw religiasa) or Nyagrodha (Banyao, }i<ll3 lndlca} according to the
various myths preserved In the literature. But in the Plant Style of decoratloo at
Bbarbut (and later in the l'aurioilc myth of the Birth of Brabmn) it iJ always the lotUJ
plant. ln the art of Bbarbut the Tree of Life, reprcsemed by the lotus plant, symboll
zing the actual aot of creation, is shown to come out either of the mouth or navel or
a Primal MJllc, or from a Full Vase, or from the Mo.kl1r1l's mouth-all of which repre-
sent the waters.
PLA'IT STYLE
Jn tbe PliU!t Style of decoration at Bborhut the lotus fiower play the most
predominant part. To the Indians the lotus has always been the fairest of Dowers, the
emblem and embod.imeot of beauty and purity.
Except the mednllioOJ showing the upper surfac.o of 11 slogle full -blown Dower",
it is the whole lotus plant that u generally repRSCoted on the Ralling. This plant
"HutinJJ, 1, (cd.), EqclOpotdio of RI/Wo 4 Et lofts, VoliV (1911), :p. 144 (.
"Hutlnp. J. (ed.), Eltq<lt>pG<dia of IUI/poo o11d 1lrla, Vol. IV (1911), p. 128 t.
q. (eauallotUJ ia Pis. IXX.l.
4
REMAINS OF 811Aaii\TT IN THE INDIAN MUSl!UM
consisll of n rhizome, with nodes at rcgular intervtls, each node &ivin& rise to nomu-
ous independent stems contninio& leaves nod flowers and buds. The idea of a creepina
submeraed rootlike Jlcm which throws olf the blossoms is thus always preseot. This is
al.-11y1tbe cue whether the plnnt rises from the Vue of Plenty (PI. XI, b), or issues
from the mouth (PI XVU, 6) or novel (PI. XVII, a) of the squouina Yaksba, or windt
its meandering course along the Coping (PI. U) or the medaUion (PI. X. a; xn, d;
XV . ., ). The iJ thus always there tbnt this plant which, nccordin& to the
tenets of "Water Cosmoloay", Is the Troc or Life, the ource of all creation, bclona>
to water.
That the Tree of Life belonaed to and originated in the .. -.ten appear to be
more directly suuested by two of the crossbar relief nt Ob.,.hut. The former (PI.
XU, a) m actuality depicts a lotUJ-pond (padma-.rar4Sl) teeming with a multitude of
lotuses, both padmaJ and utpaltu, together with leavu aod buds. The other (PI, xn, b)
thows a lotus plant, no doubt, the Tt of Life, aruiog, not from the Va5e of Plenty
(Pilrtl4ghota) or from the Yal<sha's mouth or navel, but from the npex of a triangle.
Tbi.> triangle, no doubt, ropr_,ts a tubmerced bill, lile the Main:ika of
later Pnutntlik mytholoS)I, thus tndicnting tho Tree of Life's aquauc associations.
Howeer, in Pa.uriioik mythology, the Main.k Mountain a never described as the
source of the Tree of Life , and as the decorative art of Bharbnt depicts a more primi
tie and archaic stratum of the Creation Mytht, it iJ more probable that tbe triangle in
reality represents the Primordial lhll of the cadiest lndo-Ary110 tradition (girl, adri or
parrata), which was believed to have arisen in the first tlllge nf Creation from the
bouom of the Cosmic Ocean, and from btcb ag:tun the Tree of Life or the World
Tree grew in the second staae of Creation". The Bharbut relief, therefore, not only
tndiates the lotUJ plant's IWOCiatioaJ with the waters, but depleting. it does, one
of the earliest cosmogonie legends of the lodians, it also refera to the tr<e of Life's
tDCtapbyical origins from tbe very fuodamcots of the cosmos beneath the oceans.
But what is more important to note is that the lotus is not only supposed to be
with water, or tbe plaot to repreoenttbe Tree of Life. but that there uisted
a continuous tradition according to wbith it symbolically rcprescntt the waters; and
so. the plant itself may be tal<ea to be the source of all Creation in llili Univer<e; and
secondarily, tbe earth wbicb, like the lotus-Boer, r .. ts on the water. Thus, a passaae
la the ,f;mapttrN:r Bt!Yrwtarlll
11
P)l, "The lotus means the waters; and this eanh
leaf thereof; cHn as the lows leo1f here lies sprnd on the waters, so this earth
lka spread on the wateu".
The botanical structure of the plant is also tuuestivc of iu appropriateness to
serve as a reproductive life-symbol. AI represented at BbatllUt, In nature also, the
s.o .,.,, . p. 22.
.. ........... vu. 4. 1.&.
26
FiG .2
111 DECOIA11VJI Ut IUS
plant consists of a rootlike tern or rhizome which creeps along the bortom or the
pool, producin1 nodes at intervals. Each node bursu into fre>h rootleu which J<t
embedded into the bottom of the pool. From eacb JUnction of the roatlcts with the
node comes out more stems. ,.hicb then rise uparately to the surface of the water, on
which the Dowen, leaves and buds blossom. Thus, the habit of aro .. th of the lotus
plant serve "u a perfect imase of the continuous perpetuation of life originntins in
tbc watersutt.
In tbis connection, mention may be made of the "lotus simile", found in a
number of pauaaes in the Buddhist eanon" in whic:b the Buddha iJ blened to a lotus
Oo .. er which, thouah born in 'IO'lller, remains undrcncbed and unsullicd. no mauu bow
impure may be the water of the pool, u been the Buddlul who being born
in this earth full of II.S4ras (imperfections) rose obQve thorn and remained
and pure. The conception or the as a aupramundanc Clo4ull/lto) Bcina
cmcrJCd cry early in Buddhism, and the Bhuhut artists might have in the lot,..
a device to represent tbis aspect of the "Buddha conception".
In way the Buddh"ta may mterpret 1t, there is. bo'IOCver, no doubt that
to the Indians the lotus bas nlwaya mainly remained o lymbol for life and creation.
The Plant Style of decoration con1bts or the following motifs :-
(1) Full-blown Lotus Dour (Pis. IX-XI and Fis. 2. Goo(/}- These occur in
profusion on tbe medallioos or the pillars 3nd c:roosban and alto on the outer face of
the Coping. For this reason the Railina is called the PuJmawutJ VtJtkll , In the full
mednllions the nower Is shown in its entirety (Pis. IX-XIl ; In the half medallions
only a ball' of the desian c:nn be accommodated In their semicircular compass (PI. XX.
a. b). The Dowers are all Indian lotuses (pct/mll) or which the bounic:al name iJ
Ntlumbi1JITf Ntluinbo fbU:i/tra (Fig. :!, o). They are depcted u if mow a
from the top. In tbe CCJJirC ia tbe circular pericarp (hlrOJih) itb the ends or tbe
aeedc:apsules (carpels) in position. The pericorp is turroundcd by c:irclc of thread
like stameo.s. These In turn ttre encircled by the spreading petala. The ftowera are
aenerally of the hundred-petalled (lutuJalapad1711J) variety. The petall of the front row
are abown in their entirety placed i.Je by side .,ound the circle or stamens. The
tipt of those the back rows are mown pecpins tbrouJh the upper eods of tbe ftoot row.
In the majority of cllltJ, the petals are tbo'll spread in sucb a Wlf tbat their tipt point
outwards, tbat it, towards the circumference of the medallion ..... y fr,om the pericarp.
But in a few examples (2J, 58, 65, 152), they ore 1hown to droop and double back over
the cirele of slllmens with their tips inwards towards the inner peric:arp
"lf'la.J . "'AIOI..u'Pillan : a raa .. uuncat or IIIo Put Ill : ClpiW.-, Tit<
IJrll..,toalt-v. Vol. ll710ct.. 19'5), p. 640.
"llhyo Davitb. Dl<l/.,.-. o/tM /JMJJJw, Vol.ll, p. l2.
21
REMAINS OP IIIIARIIUT ma INDIAN loiUSElJM
(Pis. IX, b, c). Great variety has thus been produced within the type, so that no lotus
appears to be an exact ropy of !be other.
A sub-variety wilbln the motif consisll of those medallions that contain a human
bust, eithe< male or female, within a full-blown lotus Oower (PI$. XW-XV). In these
rcUefs the human bust takes the place of the perlenrp ond the spreading petals and
11amens seoe as border aroWid tt. Most of these busts are decked ,.fib rieh attire and
ornaments. Variety within !be type is produced by such expedients as when a man
(Pis. X Ill, d; XIV, d) or a ,.oman (PI. Xlll. c) carries a lotus or 110mc other Bower.
or a woman IS engaged in her toilet holding o mirror in her hand (PI. XIV, a).
Geoerally the cro .. -ban of the middle row of the Railin& contain the bust-bearln&
medallions. All the five middle row cross-bars of the South-Eastern Qnadront contain
sucb hulllllo. both male and female, busts oo the medallions of the inner face, ooe of
them being that of a lady engaged in her toilet holding a mirror in her left band
(PI. XIV, a), known in Indian icono&raphic luts as It is interesting to note
thllt in this puticulnr representation, the lady is shown wearing an altkuia-shaped
tatoo-mark on the left cheek just below !be left eye. Anothu mednllion (67) on a pillar
hu a lotus containlns a male bun witb a arotcsque face drrorated all over with tatoo-
marb. a snub na.e with broad nostrils and long conical asinine ears (PI. XV, b).
This may rcsprescnt a Yaksba, whose image has been shaped after the contemporary
type of aborialnal tribal people of Iodin
Some scholars arc Inclined to think that busts repres<:nt some sort of
divinities. Takina the stamens, wblcb surround !be face In place of !be pericarp,
10 be the ruys of rbe sun, some of them tentatively identified tbe male figures
as Siirya. Majumdar. however, appears to have binttd li the correct Uoc of invcstlga
lion when be says that . the btats) petbaps represent the eont<'mporary eype
or wealthy citiz.en or member or the aristocratic family'""
From his own inveatisalions !be present aulbor has come to the conclusion !bat
!be busts on the pillar medallions may represent some sort of divinities, pouibly
Yabhas and Yaksbls or some deities associated with "Wat CosmoloS)'". For
e.amplc, the bust juJt rcfcned to (Pl XV, b) appears to be no olber !ban
that of a Yaksba. Similarly, the lady shol'n upto tbe waist inside a toWidel in medal-
lion No. 219 (PI. XV, c) is perhaps no other !ban a Yaksbt, personification of !be
reproductive spirit residing within the lotus plantlTrec of Life) bold by the Yabba
sqwallilll below. But those on the cross-bar medaUioos appear in reality to be the
porUlits of the donors "bo dedicated them. All tbew bust-bearina uossbara cootaia
dedicatory inseriptioos rccordina the names of the donors wbo made that particular
81ft. lt is foWid from these records that, ucept in two cases l96, PI. XIU, b and 102,
PI. XIII, a), !be cro.s-bar that bean a male butt is tbe lift of a sentlemao, and !bat
"Ma)IUDd.ar, N. G., Col>h to IM !ko/pJMru I tlv lltlll N s.wa, Part I (19)7), p. 17.
28
which hu a f<male bust Is lbe gift of a lady. Tv.o or lbe erosa-bars bear male bu11J
on botb faets. 1:., 138 (PI. xrv, c) and 147 on a cross-bar or the South&st Quadrant
and 193 and 200 (PI. XIV, d) on one of the Return in front or the Gateway. ln both
these CIIRJ the lWO bUStS On either face Of a particulAr croso-b.tr Arc Completely
identical and appear to po&SC$! the qme individual featurca, as hould be in the cue
of a portrait. One of the cross-bars . aift of a "Dtlemao I:Soa. bears a male bu>t
on one face (120, PI. Xtn, d) and a female bat oo the other (16S, PI. XllJ. t). The
male bun, no doubt, it that of the donor : and tbe female bust appears to
repr<ll<'nt his wife, wbo might have accompanied hr bUJband n his pilsrim&l' end
token part in bls act or pi<ty. 1t lhould be noted in this connection that the DIHJrma
1-tJifll.l enjoin the wife as sohDilharmll]l, to participate in the religious acts (dlwrnw
lcar-> and the acu of piety (daMA:Drma) of the husband.
Generally, tbe fullblowo IOitUes of both tbe sub-arouPf are placed v.itbin a
circular border which may be a plain or omamented 6at mouldina (Pis. IX, a, d ; XI ,
b. d), a twisted rope (PI. X, o, b, c), a row of beads (Pis. IX. b ; XI, c), or bead-and
reel (PI. X, d) or a border or wreatbJ. Beyond this border there arc other Omlm<nu.
Ooral, animal and geometric, forming on OUt<r-rinaaround the Rower, <.g,. row or
win&cd lions (PI. XI, c). or elephanu carryina lottUes in their trunks ( PL XT. d), or
pecking seesc and swana IPI. XI. o), an array or serpents' beads (PI. XX, d), a mnder-
ina lotus with full-blown lotusea (jiGdlruJ) and/or 'blue lonnes" (rdpc/Q) and
buds (Pis. X. a XII, d)-in ooe instance the mcanderina Is Jbon iMuiDI
out of a pot (PI. XI, b)- a meanderio1 vme c:re<pcr -itb leac and buodttl of &raJ'CI
(PI. X, b). various sortt of Oorel dcsisns (Pis. IX, a : X. c) and soroll .. ork (PI. IX, b).
and geometrical patterns like batched chevrons (PI. XIII, c, d) etc. These outer
borders, particularly those or tbc animals and meandering aive an illusion or
perpetual movement around tbc li.lity of the full-blown lotus llo"cr in tbe ceotrc. In
tome instan= tbe border or mouldioa. rope desico etc.. between the central lotus and
the outer rin& of orooment is misoina, and tbc full-blown lottU is dcr..:tly ltlrTounded
by an outer row of lotus petals (PI. IX, c). Medallion No. 162 (PI XII . cj on tbe outer
face or a pillar dc>crves particular notice. Her< there is DO inner border around the
lotus. nor any outer rina of Coral, animal or scomeltlc ornament as is usuol cn the
majority o ...... A larac full-blown lotus covers the entire Geld, with row 11f!cr row
or petals (actually ICVeD roWS), one beyond the Other, Clcb row peopin& throuab the
iotenpaces of tbe row below, Ollllcina a ripple desiJu of much beauty and ooclly
aro1111d tbc lint row or pews.
AltoSCtlln 11 ruD-blcrtm Iota-medallions aod ll bu.tbearin&
arc displayed io the Bbarhut Gallery. Of 101 fullbJo,.n lotW and I J bu.t
bearinalotuscs are contained in 64 crnwbafl : and 13 rull-blo,.n lotuses and 2 bust
bearlos lotuses arc OD the roll medallions of 11 pillars, All the bustbeariDJ medallions
of tbe cross-bars belona to the middle row.
REMAINS 01' BIIAiliiUT IN TliB IIH>IAN ltUSBUM
Bbides lhe lotus medallion just rd"ured to, showing lhe top surface of a
si ogle fullblo" o flower, there are some other represenuuions, bolh i11 medallions
the whole plant is to be seen ond on the chamfered edges of lhe pilltl!S where
tbcy serve u pedt11als (pfjha) for the human ond animal Bgures, .,.hicb bow the
Dowers in pecoliar stylized rendering<. Her<. like lhe blue lotuses" (uJpala), tbe
Bowers are sbowo in the profile. and two nrietics of representations may be
discerned. Some show a fuU-blown Dower lhat bas just blo.somed being In lhe prime
of its youth and beauty wllh lhe tips of tbo petals pointing upwurds (PI. VI n. c ; Fig.
2, d). The olhers, and these form the majority, show a Bower which ;. not only full
blo,.n. but appears to be just before fading out, witb all the petals droop-
ing down touching the stem below, completely th1> peric:arp and the sbmcns
{PI. Vlll, r, Fig. 2, r). In some of the reprcsentatlons of this variety, the Jlower is
bean-shaped (PL Vlll, r) ; in olhers, 1t assume' lhe form of a rimiest &lobular pot
(I !rata) covered "ith a lar,e lid (PI. XV, d).
Coomaraswamy held thot the ao-called "bells" of the capital$ derived
their origin from some prototype resembling stylized lotuses of the second variety just
referred to. He thoupt lht lhe "belt", "cable-mouldina" and abecus of these
capitals corre<pood to the droopins petals, stamen and periCArb of a 1tylized lotuo or
thi type," wbicb mutt have inspired the artists in inveotioa lbe capitals. lrwin, how
ever, think lhot Coomaraswamy's proposition is "loo weak to coovinoe anybody but
tbe already
Thete appcsrs to be mucb eoovincins araum.,nt in lrwio's contention that
the A>okan capitals derived their peculiar shape and form from the tcchnir.litics
in lhe manufacture of ponable dhajaJ (some of which arc depicted
on lhe Bbarbut Railina cf. PI m, d) which, being in tbe aesthetic lineage of the
monumental pl!lan, miUt hue served as !heir prototypeS.
11
These portable tllrrajas
bad !heir 1hllftJ made of wood and their emblem or copper. In lhe of these
atandards (dhajax) the copper emblem must have been fitted to the top of lhe wooden
pole by means of a metetlic tennon or dowel. oimilar lo the one which fixed tbe Ram
purva Lion Capital to tbe correspondins shaft. Tht. "'ould have nettUitated drlllina a
hole io lhe top surface or the 110le ; and to tbc tendency of lhe wooden pole
to split. Clpeciatly as the metallic emblem must been hcovy in relation to lhe tight
ooden shaft, the ObUidc of tbe tOp ponino of the pole \\Ould have to be bound with
cord in several windin.... Sueb bori.tontal binding. interrupting lhe upward Bow of
the eye to the crowoinaemblcm. "'ould inevitably have spoilt lhe arti.tic clfeet of lhe
whole composition ; and to counteract this, the horiz.ontal blndins would have to be
A- K . otipo o( the l.oLG.J (so-called Bell.) Capicah'", lllllialt HJJio,ltlll
Qautulr, Vol. 611930!, pp.J7Z"-
J., TilE S.'llttatOII V.lliGlJtU, Vol. IJ7. p. tall.
"lrwiD, J.,lbltl., pp. 6)t-)9.
covrred by hanging drapery. This ,.ould ha,e imparted a slight bulge to the top
ponion of the 1hftf1 where the binding was done, jun below the emblem ; and this
eJpl;Jin.s the "'wllins con10ur of the "bells". Thus, according to Trwio, tbe
A;oLan "bell" is "a fossilizauon in stone of a deice .. bicb oriainaled in cord and
fabric" as the solution of a practical problem. ConequenUy, he rcf""". 10 aclnow
led,ge the "bell" to be a true lotiform, and thinks that Coomaraswamy based his theory
on some "un1yp1cal dctails of lotus treatment in tbc lloncrcliefs at Bharhut"" whlth
are a century later than A;oh.
11 should, ho,.cer, be notcd thftl the variety of lotus tr<alrMnl (Fia.
2, r ; PI. VIII, r) which, according to Coomaraswami, lcd the arti>n to ia.e111
the A'oken "bell", is 001 untypical at Bbarhut. On the othcr b111d, lotuus
depleted in Ibis manner of treatment far ouiOumber the other varicly (Fig. 2, d; PI.
VIII, t/), indicating n long!landing tradition of rcprcentlng tbc lotuspedcstal (patfma.
pl!ha) in this wy. The Bhu.rhut evidence al.;o le11ves no room for doubt tbst, hke the
"bells" of capital, tbe lotu, particularly in the pe<ulir 11ylizalion found
at Bbarbut, was thought a fit pede>lll (pl!hal for fipres of cods, mea 111d animal.
Moreov, some of tbe lotuses of this .. riety fouod on tbe Bharbut Railing (PI. XXII,
o ; Fig 2, b) ber 'ery close rescmblanee to lbe bulalng profile of lbe A;okan "bells" ;
nnd so, the A' okon ''belb" muy be thought IO represent, if not 10 have ori&inated
after, 8 prototype of Ibis variety Of the lotus.
Most lake the A:ow "bell" to represent an invencd lotus, lrwill,
.. ho rufcsc:s 10 aeccpt the loliform a.ture of tbe "bell", thinks tbat lbc arlisiJ
of lndla could not hove depicted their moll sacred of tlowen witb so lilllc
regard or feelina for its true ftoral character. We, on our part, do not th1nk
that the A,jokon "bell" rcprcseniJ the lotus. Lilce tbc Bharhut specimens
we ore denlina with, the "bell", acco.rdiog to us, ill reatity represents tbe ftoer
in a particular au,c of its blossoming when all the petals bave drooped do'llia
with their tips poinlinl do,.11wards completely cxpooin& the pericarp. That this nn<ly
of the lotus found favour with the Indian arlisiJ u a fit pedestal for the JOds is allcstcd
by the socalled doubl .. petallcd lotus" (viharadma) "bleb is found 10 form the seat
(pllhn) for many " bron:te and stone image of deities la later timet, in which the upper
row of petals arc shown with their tips pointina upward "'bile those of I he lo"er row
bne their tip pointed d010oards In some lnsllnces, the upper row of pctah ia
miuiog and only the lov.er row rcmaia. aposina. as at Bbarbut, tbe pcricarp on bleb
the god is ..,a led. We, therefore. find no obtruclion in Ukins the A;olwl "bella" to
be tylil!ed lotues depicted on lhc Bharhut RAotlina. Moreover, u the Ais of the
World. tbe A;ukan pillar may very well be thouJhl to represent the Tree of Life
(rana.rpatl), someumcs tbonabt o!Jo to be a lotus plant ; and as sutb, might very "ell
be JunuoUIItcd b) a lotus Bower bicb symbohu both tbe ael of act.-! Creation and
.. Jrwi.D. J. lbltl .. p. 6) ...
31
also the eanb that serve u the r<:$ting ground for all things. In whatever way they
mi&bt originated, there seem> to be no doubt that the makers or the capitals took
the "bells" to be padnropl{hat, and tried to give them the shape or lotUJcs, however
stylized they might have been.
To this connection. reference should be made to tbe over-blown lotus on the
""ntnal upriabt stem or the plant crowing out of a triangular emlnenee depleted in PI.
Xll. b. Tbis llo .. <r has a bulginJ profile which is very similar to that of the one
depleted In PI. XXII. a. The tips or tbe droopina petals in both the iJIUJtrarions Dare
outwards. This has impaned to them a profile which closely resembles that of the
A:obn "bells". As a matter of fact, the stralptabaft of the stem depicted to PI.
XJI, b, surmounted, as it is, by an overblown lotus of that particular style of rendering
simalucs the appearance of an A pillar. Had the slender sbaO of the stem been
tapering and proportionate In its &irth to the surmount in& toto' (in the illunratian
undtr consideration the lotus is too large and heavy for the slender sttm supporlina it),
there would bave beea DO difficulty in taking it IS a representation o( ID
column. Tn our opinion, this particular depiction of a blossoming lotus plant fully
substaatiatcs Cooii!Araswamy's coateodon that the A:Okaa "bells" oriJinated aner
ome prototype of tbis style of the lotus rrnderina. lt also appears to iodkate that
the column symbolizing, as it was, the Tree or Life, was considered by
tbe Indians to stand for a lotus plant origloatlng from the fuodoments or tbc
univer5e.
114
(2) "Blue Lotus" (Urpa/a) (Pis. X, a; XX, b and fig. 2, /-}}-Besides the
JndiJn lotus (padma. trUdftra), another variety of the ftower, baviag a tall,
tumbler-like. gradually flaring profile, is also seen oo tho Rallina. To the boob on
Indian iconoaraphy tbil variety of the Oower u known as the "Jlluo Lotus" or utpa/JJ,
tbc emblem of the Buddhist aoddess These occur mainly on a b&nd of
decoration formlna tbe upper border to the mcanderina creeper (kalpava/Jr) on tbe
Coping (PI Jt) and alio on similar borders alona the half-medallions of the piUan
(P 1. XX. b). In eitber ease, they occur in vertical position alona with tbe "stepped
merlons", filling up tbc space between two adj:tcent merlons, in whieb their trianaular
proftle fitted Oncly. They are also 10metimes shown as coming out or tbe same plant
bearing stylized rcpresentationJ of tbe Indian lotus {PI. XII, d) ; and in pillar-medallion
No. 23 (Pl xn. al. which accordina to our interpretation, depicts a lotuspond (.podma-
sartl.JI), botl\ the varieties, P<JJmtl and urpala, are 'hown arowina in the same pool.
--;;; lrwiD rea:LUl. bJle c:rhic:lslnt Coomaruamys 'lew.s about the ori.Jio of the
""btU" c:apual (</. lrwta. J . IMJ ... p, 631}. Knona daal Coomaru.-am,. bep.a ltbarcer u
bOtaniJI one iJ tempted to tee it aatho special pludlnl or chc eu1whlto botanl1c rtdlnt bls
bobb,.b.ouo !. eppoean to as to be uarouod.ed a ad coo ttroo for that arut an blttoriaa.
Cooma.r:uwuay aucbt lu:e bcpa lll1 carur at a bola.D(It; IMU by llh 1adu1UJ and perM-
Yoranc:e he acquired dee:p and pcnttraliol lui1-ht into l.ndlan an which .tcned at a btac:oa
U.bt ia Uluaai.Pa.tina many obiCll.ft cb1pte.rs or tbe history of'-" In our couacry.
32
TilE DECORATIVE llEI.ITFS
This shows that to the nrtisll of Bharhut both padma and ulpola appur<d to be
basic11ly the nme, and symbolized the same thina. rl:., the primordial waters. The
"blue lotu." thu. formed aD intearal element in the icooopaphy of "Wter Cos
moiO&Y ... and tbis accounts for o4 prCkocc on 1be Raihng.
Majumdar opines that their t.rutment "aomewhnt in tbt Aasyrion ltyle"" poinll
to Western Asia u the source from where this mol if entered the domain of Indian
au.u Majumdnr appears to be rlaht In his b:uic contention. In amplifu:adon of bit
opinion it may be alated tbal the blue lolus" at Bharbut iJ really a copy of the
ltylizcd representation of the EJypuan lotus, knov.n to botan"ll 11 the NJmp/wNJ
ntllaJaH (Fia. 2,/). A compari.on of tbe ftowen u represented ou EB)'prillo aod
Mesopoblmian (Astyrian) monuments and on the Bbarhut Railins (Fia. 2, gJ) will
convince the reader of the pertinacity of our contcntoon. 1t sbouhl, bowcver, be noted
tbat the Nymplraa lttllata is not native in l\.lc>opotamia and the l.c'llnt ; and 10,
the West AIIAIII the Babylooians. As>)rian, Green of Asi.t !\rmor and tbe
Iranians) were DOt acquinted with tbe Bo .. er at fint hand. The Jpecies paws in tbc
wild Stale in the marshes of the Nole, and its reprcaentation occun on mouy of the urly
monument& of the Egyptians. The West Asiaoa, therefore, mull ba>e borrowed this
motif from tbe EB)'ptians. Egyptian inftuente came to Western Atla in two separate
ways, ri:., (I) direct from Evpt after oonquest by Camb)- In 525 9. C. wbeo
E&YPtian eraftmen broupt to Iran ; and (2) rltJ the art> of the Levant and Alia
Minor where El)'ptian inDuenc:es hd been auimtlted from a much earhrr periOd.
I!IYPtiall art ...:m to ha uertcd 1ts most format tnftuence in Western Asia in
the IStb and 14th centuries B. C. coineidina with the military expeditions of the
Pharaohs in Paleatine and Syria
l t b doffieult to determine how and ,.ben this foreian mouf entered India
Tbe oecurrenee, u we ball - of the huaunbeoded bull, winaed lion and the
ttepped merlon oo the Bbarhut Railina. all of whleb are to be found on the
moouments of the Achaemeoians, appear to poont to Acbaemenlan lno u the imme
diale tource of in6ueoce. There is no doubt, .. will be apparent from. atudy or the
reliefs, parlicularly the so-called "honcy1U<kle" motif, on the capitals of tbe A;okao
pillars, that much of this foreian influence entered Iadia durina MaiUJUI and pro
Maurym times from Acbaemenid Inn. But tbe contribudoas o( the S.ku, ho
durins tbeir aojoam in Rcllenntic Bacuia and Arsacid Parthia and Eut<TII lraa
Imbibed much of these cultures, dlould al.o be taken into consideration. From a lludy
UMajumd.ar. N (j, Glih to 11ttt 111 tM Mlfiallt, Part. 1 (1911), p. 16.
"Mijlilm.da.r, :-. G ,IWtl . 9 11.
All Y&rietin or lotiiMI eomc uadet the bou.Aiol CJ.mllJ 'i C!IIUc. 1t aeta.cta amon,
h acncra and "r,.._.. 10 whtch r .. pecdrcl.J bcloaa tlt.e ladaaa aod .a1ptiae
tptdC"L
33
s
of early Matbura art it appean that mony foreian motifs aod conventions of ort were
reintroducod in lodua durina the centuries immediately prCtcding and followio&tbe
Chrisuau era when the :;.kas and the Kusbiivas ere the masters of Nortbwestern
India with Matbura as one of the cent m of their domination. Some of the foreign
mour, may, therefore, come to Bharbut from Eutern Iran rfo Matbura durins
postMaurynn limes.
11 hould mo be noted here that the N;mplraM sJLIIJua, lmo10o variously as
kumuda, ;pi and ldluk, is also onuve in lndta, growina profusely in various parts of
the country ; in some parts or Q5lern India it Is more common lhan the lotus (Ntlumbo
IDI.-ifrra) and groh in 1he same pool along th lbe Jailer as dcpic1ed io Bbarhut
medallion No. 2l {PI. XU, a), its edible llem forming a delicacy to many of the peoples
of the .astern regions Tbc poulbiUty of an indep:ndeot orialn of the ''utpala" motif
in lnd111o art from a naturalitllc of !be Dower by tbe lndiaDJ tbemsel\'es
cannot, therefore, be discarded aliogctber. So far as the author's knolcdgc COC$. no
doubt bas yet been expr.ssed regudina tbe iodisenous origin of the lotus (padmo) motif
in Indian art. Similar Dl.l)' also be the case itb the "wpala" motif, as the lodians
mU>t bnve been acquainted with both the O.owcrs from very early times
.
A tcrauny of the ut palM depieled on the Bharbut RailinJ us to
two styles of rendering for thi O.ower. Those on the Coping (PI. XX, b) appear 10 be
more tylUcd, their longish lumblerlike profile adherina more closely to their Wen
Asiatic prototypes ; hile those on some or tbc medallions (PI X, a ; Xll, a) arc less
stylized and more naturalistic. These arc more l<jUatty and their profile iJ more fbrioa
l.hao those depicted on tbc CopinJ. A glance will convince anyone of this diiTerenc-e,
and abo of the fact that the utpaltu oo the medallions are sulfU>Cd with a warmth of
naluralnC$1 that those on !he Copina lack. Are we to account for this diiTerencc in
the spirit of reodcnnJ by the theory of two separate oriains for this motif in lodian art,
one indi,enous, the other fomp 7 The weJabt of tbe evidence at present amiable 10
DJ on the subject, as well o.s the blJtory of the SOcalted "boneysuckle" aod other
foreip motifs in early Indian art, bo,.ever, ioelioes us to hold thal the "utpaiJI" motif
wu origio&Jiy introduced into India from Western Asia ; bat in tbe coarse of iiS
adaptation in India, the Indian artlsl&, wbo ,.ere acquainted witb the !lower from the
beaioaina. endowed 11 witb a wanoth of natotalnC$1 thuls peculiarly Indian.
(3) H.cy-suckle (Fia. 3}-ln a few of lbd crouba.r medallions (Pis. XVI. D, b),
and on the o.ides of the quadruple animal capitals rurmounllna tbe Tora,
1
a pillars, as
..-dlas on the pinnacle cro'll'lling tbe Qaleway (PI. 1; Ft .. 3,/) appear a lloral motif
bleb bu been deslanalcd by cbolars er the 'honey.suclde". Tbis.moltf is also round
on lbe abad of some of the Aloba eapiliiJ, those found at Slllkisa, Allahabad,
Rampurn (Bull) and Sanchi. The occurrence or tbil motif 0t1 the Indian mooumcau
, JO.-, ...,. ""'"_, ... "'"' ...... ,
''"-'
( 'I ,..,J,., ... ,..,,.,,;(,tu.
, ... ,. . .. ,1!_ .... ........ ''1'11.1, :
ft:l "'-''' .,., ... ,.,,, .. ,
"4,_-. -.- , u..i_, f, , .. ,.,.., ' t
( J J II'J .. t
., . ..,,., - t.,. .. r
'"''"""'"""'b-f'
/ , .,,,. f "" r;,,._,'
t,o.J, .. .,..,c IJf '- C
... ,., (t<Vit -. -v .. J
l'tttllflllf'fl ,IIIIJff'" 1 11/I'I.J,
'""""'' '

''' 1 r
ff J 11 ,_. .,.
tlrt .. t ro,..tlt, url_y
"' r
DOCOIIATJVE JU:LIUS
has been claimed by many as evidence of Helfeni>tfe in8uencc reachina India from the
empire of tbe Seleucids ud their aucccuors in Bactria aod Eastcm Iran.
lrwio, ho,.e,er, has clearly pointed out that the tttm ''boney .. ucLle" was a
mi>nomer, beina applied by modern Hellenic Kbolan of Western Europe to 3 Greek
decorative motif which the Grecka themseh-es called the anthemion", from tu1tlrol, a
flower", and therefore, simply meant a floral desian. The onthemioo, however, i a
portkular type of llorol oc:roll-work which was used by the Greeks atriclly for ornllOlen-
IAiion of the cymo tectll mollldin&l of cornices and p1llara In the A' o)kan capilah thia
ornament was uocd 10 decorate the Hmcal faas of the abaci Here the indiidual
ftowen mrc connected by a continuou >tcm which reocmbles the lotu rhizome. AI
Bharhut the Bowers are howo ingl) lti>ing DUI or lotuacs.
The evidence at our disposal showt tbat the Iranians, and possibly also
the lodi.o.tu, alike borrowed tbe oothemion from Western Asia. partic:ulorly the rraion
that atretchcd from Mesopoi&JDio through the want to AnuoUa. The motif, hon:ver,
did not originate in Western Asia, but wu iotroduo:cd into tbi5 rcJioo by the gyptianJ,
possibly durio& the peric>d of milltary expeditiout of the Pharaohs of the 18th and 19th
dyooslics in Syria and Palestine durlna the 15th >Dd 14th cen11lries B. C. 8e<au5e, as bus
been 1hown by lrwin
11
, the ultimate source of the onthemion wnathe Earptian lotus
(NymplrMD m/lata) and the Egyptian Uly or L1ly of the South" as atylized in
El)'ptillll atL
We have alreody slated bow the \lylized represcn11110ns of the E,yptian lotuo
{N)mplrtwl sit/lata) on the monumentJ of E&)'ploerved as tbe ullhrote prototype for
the 'blue lotuoes" (ut{J<Jia) on the Bharbut Railina Fl1 l will show bow along with the
lotus (Nymp}IJJ<a strlluta) the Euplian "lily of the South" lliJO played iiJ part in tbe
formation of the anthemion. In the rcnderinp of lbl$ motif on A.,yniD, Greek and
Acbacmcnicl monumenu thelotua and the lily are placed altenaately, oil comina out of
1 continuous ttem (FiJ. 3, b, c). On tbe aMcllJ of the Rampurva Bull capital abo
the two Oowera appear as altemotely placed (Fig. 3, n, 1//), oU eom1111 out of 1 rhizome.
Oo the Sankissa and Allababad abaci, however, the rhizome Is misslna and the Oowen
arc shown to ri!IC directly on the aslraplus border (FiJ. 3, 11, I, 11). In itJ litytl.ted
reoderinp on the El)'ptiao monumcnll tbe petals of the "Lily of tbe South" are lbown
arraapd Uke a sprcadinl fu (F& 2, e) nu appean to Krve u the prot otype (no
doabl tbroa&h Acbacmeaid and Greek rendcnap or the aome as ilh .. tralod in FiJ. J,
b, c) for t he fao-likc orranJellleDt of the petals or a ftowcr which altcmoltl with another
bavlaa petals raemblina serpoota' hoods in tbe abacl of the Aookan capitAls (FI&-l. a.
I, 11, iil). lo tbc Bharhut pinnacle (Fia 3, /)also the tip of eacb poll lis Hen to droop
tttrwua.J .... "Asola PillatJ; 1 reatMUIDC.At of &ke Ewldeace: Pan Ill Caplteb ... Tlw
.. ,11.,_ M-.zi,.., Vol 117 IOotobet, 19711. pp ......
"trwla, 161#1., pp. 6.41..

ltOIAISS OF BIIARHIIT IN nl8 INDIAN MUSEUM
over the body or the same, thus givina the appearance of serpent's hood to the indivi-
dual petals. Though rar removed from the stylized renderings or the l!gyplilln lotus
(N}.,p/ta on the Eayptian (Fig 2, g), Greek (Fig. 3, b) and Acbaemenid (Fig.
3,c) mooumenls, there could have been no doubt that these ftowers on the Asokan abaci
and the one forming the pinnacle ornament over tbe Bbarhut ...:present the
atylizcd Indian version of the Nymphota Jltllata, tbo Indian nrtists making tbo indivi-
dual petals wrn inwards thus impanin& them the semblance of serpents' hoods (Fia. 3,
a and/) instead of makina them flan: outwards like their Acbaemenid and Greek
predecessot5 (Fig. J,b and c). If we are in aearch of parallels for them outside India, the
closest similarity for the Bbarhut pionoclc ornament (and for that mnuor for the similar
Bowers on the A;okoo abaci) an: to be found in the decorative anthemia on the Doric
entablature or tbe ibymele (rlrolos sanctuary) inside the temple or Adclepius at
I!pidaurus (now In the l!pidaurus Museum) built about 330 B.C. (Fia. 3, dJ" ond in
similar decorations oo plluter capitals tn the temple of Apollo (known as the
Didymeum) at Didyma built about 310 B. C. (Fig 3, )
11
As a mauer of faet. the
Didyma decorations resemble aimilar decorations on tbe A;okan abaci and the Bbarbut
plnoacle ornament more closely than those on the entablature of the Thymclc at
Epidaurus. We, therefore, bold that the so-called "boney.sucklc" (anthemion) motif
as found oo the A:ow aba<i and in the pinnacle ornament of the Bbarbut
owes more lO eonlllcl with the Hcllcnittic W01t after the conquest of Alexander the
Great thau to inftuences comina from the empire of tbe Achaemcnids.
A comparison of tbe anthemioo motif as found on the Or celc, Iranian and
Indian monuments wiU show that tbouah derived from the same common source, tn tbe
process of noturoliz.atioo in the countries of their adoption, it bad become so much
lrallsformed and so peculiarly adapted to the wt .. and Jroius of the people "bo adop-
ted iltbat the common inhe.-itaoce is obscured to a gn:at .. tnll. Thus the Greelc
reoderio& is symmetrical ttnd orderly ; tbe Aehaemenid, stilT and urictly decorative ;
white tbe Indian is ftamboyant aod naturalistic and lranScending the bounds of the
purely decorative is Infused "''th a vividne:u that comes from a deep uodcnWidin& of
tbe symboUsm.
h wiU be apparent from tbe above diaCUSiioo that the so-called "boneysucklc"
(anlheroion) in realny ...:presented two Gowers, the lotus and the lily, both of wbicb
symbohzed the waters and also the Tree of Life oriaiootina ao al. h is doubtful if the
Greclcs, Iranians and Indians were aware tbalthc anthemion represented tbe lotus. We
.. Claarboaa_ca.u.. J . Martio, R, a ad Villard, P, Otudc.l Cirft! Art. {Tb.ame.t a. KulbDa, 19721.
PI. 6:! on p. 62. Epidaurus u a city la AraoiiJ In the PcJopOIUI<tus ID maifttood OteeGo.
"Cb&rbonouu, J Martin, R . arad VUlard, F., Hdlnllllc Art, ITbamu and HudiOD, 1973).
PIL U aod 26"" pp lO ud ll reapecuvely. D!d)'llla 11 a tow a U mile -tll or Matotlll la
........
36
THE DfCOIATIVE AWUS
hl\e already noEed that the West A.ians (I e., the people or tho Levant and Mqopo-
tamia), who served u inlcrmediariel in the migration or thil mour, ... re not themstlvcs
with the lotus at flrn lwld. However, lhe West Asians, Grecb, !Jaaian
and lndiam alike possibly saw in the anthemion a aeneral symbol of fecundity and
prosperily, which accounts for iiJ odoplioo by these people. In the proceu or tranJ
plantatioo and acclimatiution in India, where the lotus (padma) was symbolic or
limilar qualities, the aolbcmlon ("honey-suckleu) appean to have absorbed some or the
l}lmbolic attributes or the lotus (padnra). They miabt have become cquinlent to eacb
other. Tbis appcan to account for the super-imposition of the "honey-suckle" over a
lotus or at Bbarhul, whereby this foreao mottl M<:amc a patt of "Water
Cosmoloc".
In medallions Nos. 89 (PI. XVI, a) and 131 (PI. XVI, b) ond also on the sides of
the quadruple animal capital a peculiar motif b to be sn which il also lllken to be a
11ylized form of the so-called "honey-suckle". In reality, however, it appears to repre
sent a "palmetto". The date-palm wu a sacred tree amona the BabylonianJ ond
Anyrians of Mesopotamia : !he 11yllzed represenlalton of the leaves of that tree,
known u the "p&lmette" was abo considered to be a sacred ymbol. Tbis pointJ to
Mesopotamia as tbc ceotre of orisin of this motif from wbere it wu disJcmi1111ted to
\'lrlow countries, incladinJ lodia.
On medallion 131 (PI. XVI, 6) the central part of the moufcertainly represcnu
some sort of palm leaf. pouibly the Indian bctel-11ut (gul'!ka) palm. Tbc lide !cues
btlvins serrated cdaes abo appear to represent some other variety of palm lcaes,
po .. ibly the datcpnlm. In !his rcpreuntetlon of the "palmcnc", two v.inaed horses
(WJI,Jmkaalva), one on eltbcr side or the central leaf. arc seen to dart out to oppoaile
directions. Tbc to bunches or no .. en Or fruiL>, llanklna the central gllfd/r4 leaf on
either side, possibly rcprescot bunches or fruit-bcarina Oocn or the ume tree {zum4a-
Malljatt).
In medallion 89 (PI. XVI, a) also the side lea vu, .. bich arc ttrratcd as ia 131
(PI. XVI, 6). appear to be oothina bat lcavet of tbc date-palm tree; and lotus-r-ues
are ahown in the dDpty spaces between the individual lcae. Tbe central upriabt
branch, havinatentacle-like arowtbs alons either side or lt lenath, appears to reprcocnt
the rhachis (mail}ari-daQ/.,), blouomfns into youna shoou and ;pikCJ or the
date.palm (Airurjuranavamu'l}arl). Tbe bud-like growth tlankina the motif ponibly
represent bunches or date-palm fruits.
(4) Pt.. --. - of a MaJ. fJpn (PI. XVII, a, /i)-
Some ol the medltllioas .bow a ftowerina plarlt coaUPJ out movth CPl. XVII, 6)
or 1be !111ft:l (PI. XVTJ, 11) of a aq!JIItlln& male fiJDr<. A vaoaat of tbh motil' appean u
a border to a ro1111dcl .JIOWIOJ a female liiUre upto the nist (possibly a Yablli) in
37
JtDIAI'-"S OF IIHAitBUT IN nil! INDIAN MV.. \8UM
medallion No. 219 (PI. XV, c). This sbows a squallins male fisure holding io bis
bands eitber end of a ftoweriog plant which by its meanders encirclea lbe rouudel.
In Jbi' coone.:tion, mCDtioo may be made of a JcrmcotUJ sealing found at
Harappa bicb sbow a lloering plant coming out of the acnelals of a reclining fcmolc
ligon:... 11 appears likely that the Harappa aealina represents the prototype of an
aspect of the Grcat Goddess (Den), known in later literature as kambbari, "thc hcrb-
bearins lady"'. In the Devi-Militmyu" section of the Mlltka(l/eyJ Put1QD the goddw
herself aoys how life-sustaining vegetables shall grow out of her own body (atmadiuua
muJb/l(tfafh) durina Jbe rainy season, and thereby, she should be known on earth as

11
There could hnvc been no doubt tbat in the "Devi mllh!llmya" passnge
the Great Goddess (D<ri) idcntifics bemlf wilb Mot.her l!anh, who as 1bc do}'n of lbe
fertility cult, aivcs birth to alllbc plants and herbs of the world actually from ber own
body.
In the Bharbut relicfs. however, the llo .. erina plant is aho .. o comiog out of a
male, and not a female, fiaure. Tbe significance and symboloay of tbe Bbarbut reliefs,
lbereforc, appur to be completely diJTerent from lbO>C of tbe flaure on the Barappa
aeolios, and can best be brou&ht out, as bas been done by Coomaraswamy'' by reference
to a numbcrorVcdic passages accordiogto wbkb, "'actual crtlltioo takes lbe formoflbe
otisination or a tree from tbc navel of a Primeval Male. wbo rt>u upon the waters."
Tbis Primeval Male appears origioally to be a Yak.sba, and in early Vcdic texts was
idcncilied wilb Varuua, originally lbe gttl.ICSt or the Vcdic aods. In later sectarian
literature btt function was usurped by Visbuu as Padman11bha in the myth or Ananta
oayin Vhbuu.
Tbe sianificance of the navel (nilbhl) as the seat of the lifc-foroc is act forth in
some of the later Vcdic passaaes. Thus, in the lJarapathiJ Br
1
JrmaQa
1
the sacrificcr
(}ajam/Jna) banp a aoldcn dislt round his neck so that it rests upon his navel ; and the
tat uplaioJ, "Wby over tbe na>"el (Because) lbe navel is the seed, lbe power of
procreation, and lbe aold cllik rcprCSCDts viUJI cocrl)' and ,iaour." Again. in lbe
frva,yradill GriltJ"O Slltta" the navel it described as tbe centre or lifc-brealbs"
(pra(l<161' .
uvau.. M. S., ' H.u,,.. VoL 11. PL XOU, J0r&
""Jrt..-,o ""'""" CUtooiJ.9J
"Coomaruwamy, A. K., YabAiu, Part 0 {lt.epruu Na., 19111, pp..%4 26 ..
.lt,,./Aa v. 7. 1.9
"HINtfiYahito Grflrya S"Otro, I, 6,
"flor the slaaifteancc or the NntJ oft he Earth, RI a.IIU. pp. lllA. The creative Jl.lnificance
Of the n.nel lppcau aho la A"VeJUID mytboiOI)' in c.oanecllon 'llflttb Ap.u'n Nap;J. tbe "lOft or
the watett .. , lhe ord ai.Jo munina u.avel or the watcra, In chh cono"don. refcteoco
may also be md 10 tbe Grce:k m)'tbJ llbOUl the omplllllfU or "JIJIU:I or the: eatt.b\ whkb
wu wonhtpptd rertilily l)'mbol ..
38
THE DECORATl\P UUU3
Accordina to PawiQik mythotozy, BrahmA. the Cmltor, was born from the
lotus that fPtlnl from Vihou's navel, \\hicb rcpreM:nted the cen11e of onerl)l of tbe
Universe, wbon the aroat god (alto eatted Nuroyaon, "he \\ho moves on the waters",
from to mo\"e). intent on creation. wu reclinina oo the wate:rsu.
ThiS tradition, however, appeared much urlier in a ounabcr of Vcdic puugcs. Thu<,
in the 1/igmi.J' ', it is said that " Pnor to the sky, prior to Ibis earth, prior to the
Asuras and gods, the waters held that germ primeval in which ell the &odJ existed : on
tbe navel of the l.inhom llood that on wbicb all beinp stood." Again, In the
YDjufuda'", Vi.;vakarman (Praj pati) is horn from tbe oavd of tbe Uoboro ill ,..ten.
'Uoborn" i. one or the early dnipatioo of tbe ''WorldJfOUJJd before it de\Cioped
into tbe Cosmos", later identified with Purusha, Prajnpau, Brabman ; and with the
developo1cnt of tbelsm, Viab1u as the comic aod Nuriiyaoa appropriated the
formula.
11 bould, hO,.e\er, be noted that io tbe 1/iJuda", it was Vamu "ho ,..,
described as the root of the Tree of Life, the ource of all Creation, ood also u the
Unborn ; wbDe In the Athana-'"doto, we road, "That one is ea lied a great Yaklha
rcclinina in meditation upoo the back or the Waters. and the Tree (or Ufe) spriop
from hi.s navel."
Tbc references quoted a hove ucsuffieient to prO\C that there e1i1ted an ancient
and continuous tradition of World Origill (Gtn,.b) in whi<b are the Waren, a
Primordial Mak, tbe Navel and a llocrin& Plaot (the Tree of Ufe) . Tbe fact tbllt the
Atlrana-rtda passa,c just referred to described the Pnmeval Male from bom the
Trot of Life oriiPnated u Yakoha appcan to be of interCll lodoloJhll are senerally
unanimous in holdlna that "the Athorra-rtda eontaiDJ many clcmen!J incorporated
from the pre.cxiJiin& aboriginal aon-Aryaa soun:es. ''
11
The ucription or the primary
proc:reatie function to a Yatsha, therefore, appean to be doe to the 1nlluence of non-
Aryan ideas and beliefs oo the tncomiog AryaoJ. lt is aliO interestinato note that in
the Bbarhut reliefs the sqllllttina males are depicted as potbcllied (tr"'llla) "bleb is a
peeuliarity of tbe accordins to later iconographic tells.
From tbe above diaeuuion it appcan tbAt the idea of the YaktbA, ho was
orisinRIIy a popular &od of the pre-vedic lnhabiunts of India and ns intimately
U.J4ta/ hrJu, XU'<.
"Ql....,., X. G.. J-6.
._. IV. 6.2..
U{N,.,..U. r, 24.l-.. \'ar\tl)ll. KiDt,. of tu11oe4 miJhl. 'ut.alnalb e-rtclthe r, ..... a lA the
bateleu rtaion ..
UAt411r,..-.. 7.JI.-.. .UJ.M/ Y4.l:J...,_ Ab"....,. IIJIIIIIJ.l ltlq
l'fl.., .. : T....t rUr.,att (llquu) 7 kt <* lftJ oriblooqd lfWrll ha
uu, ....
UCoocnaruwamr. A. x. .. YA:..Wr. "" n flteprint eta.. 197IJ. p. n..
39
ai.KAINS OP IIJLUR\1T IN Tllf INDIAN loltlSEIJII
connected with the Waters, belnathe source of all vegetative Ufo is o very old Indian
belief, which was accepted by the Vedic Aryans from their contact with the orlainal
peoples of the land. In the earlier Vedic textl n the functions of tho Yak&ba "as
attributed to Varuoa. then the greatest of the Vedle gods. With the decline of
Varuoa's position io the Vedtc pantheon, the Yaksba's auributes were successively
assumed by VH,vakarman, Purusbu, Pr8Japatl, Brahman, and ulumately, by tbe cosmic
god Nlltayaoa (Vishoa) who retains it to thiS day.
That the lotuS rhizome has been allowed to come out of the navel points to the
jmportancc attached by popular' imagination to thls member of the body as a seat of
the vital force {prii'Ja). Wbeo, h011oever, the plant i5 shown u eomina out of the
mouth of the Yaksba (PI. XVII, b), it appears, as has been suaested by Coomara
swamytl, that the mouth, bcina the of the main life-breath (mukhya pr4tta), moy
be eoolidered as the soun:c of tbc life-forc:oo ; or more probably, that beioa full of
uliva (ra.ra), has been rcaarded, hle tbe Pnrua-kumbha, as full of tbe lifc-aiviog
waters, and hence a source of tho Tree of Life.
(S) PliruaP.I (PI. xvm, a)-Full of water, whtch according to Vedic Olytho-
lo&Y, cootoins the germ or all creation, and wilh a !lowering plant, symboliziDJ tbe
act of creation ia palpable reality, eomiDJ out of its mouth, the Plll'fJIJJha!a, 'Vase
or Plenty" or Mangala..,ha!a, or AII.Spiciousness", IS it is variously called, i5 one
or the mon typical iymbols of tbe mysterious force that reveals Itself in creation. it
Is aho the "emblem p.u all<nce of fi1!Jless aod prosperity". aod for this reason
auspiciollStlesS attaches to it. Its ritual value aod 1ymbolism is so drep-rooted iD
the miod of tbe lndlaos even IOdoy that oo ceremony can be performed in an
Indian bouso without the iostallalion of thiS "Auspicious Pot" (Malga/aofhala).
Bdnathe container or water, lt ,ymbohzes water itself, and all the creative aod
clfusivc qualities iupposed to reside In that primary elemenL Tbis accounts for its
formioaa part io the icooogropbJ of Water Cosmolon at Bharbut.
As a decorative motif tbe Puroashota occurred io Indian art from very
early limes, and proliferated io various forms and modifications throughout tbe
Iona hiotory or that art. In the Bbubut RallioJ it occurs seven times , thrice ioaJy
(101, 215, 249; PI. XVIII, a), where the device is shown as an ornamented alobular pot
from whose mouth comes out the branches of a plant bearing full blown lotuses, both
ptJdtn.u and utPQlas, and in some instances birds in the attitude or pcdrlna are sbown
"Ill"'""' r. :1.4. 1.
UCoom,aruw&JDft A. K. r.bAI!u. Pan 11, p. 2.4, ra. 1.
"The aymbolltm and alaoificanco or tho l'llf111JJhRio hu beon oxpOuodod b:y many u:holar>.
<f. Coomaruwamy, A. K., Yok""' Part 11, pp. 61-(,4; Aara .. la, V. S., Kumbha ar
'tbo Fllll Vuo' Vot XXU, l'o. I, pp. Ull; Aarawala, P. K., T1w
Llllt1111, V1raa.at:i, t96S.
niB DECIOitATIVII ULIJl'S
seated on these Oowera : thrice with Lahhml or acated or staodoa 011
loru eomna out or the pot (113, 177, 208; PI. XVIII, b, <); and once the border
of a bar lotus-medallion sbo.,ina a lotus rhizome isniog out of ao
inverted pot (90 ; XI . b).
(Pis. XVIII, b, c; XXlV, dj)-Some of the Cull-medallions (73,
113. 177, 208) . (PI. XVIII. b, <),show a lady, cilber seared or standina o.o a full-blo"o
lotus Tbe lotuHeal (p&/masana) rises. oot directly from the field of the medllion,
but from a Vase of Plenty which represents the waters. A lotus
spri.op from n spray, this al110 comioa out or the Full Vase, on either side or the lady,
and an clephaDI standina on eoeb lotus pours water over her head from !averted jars
held by rbe trunk. In 73, 177 and 20S' (PI. XVW, c) the lady is een touebina. nuher
preuina. bet breasts, in 113 (Pl XVIII, b) her bands are folded la the a-'}all pose.
These figures, known as OajaLabbm' or Abbisbeka-lahbmi, are a well koown art
motif; and frequently O<:curs in .. rly Indian coins and stooc rellefs, r.g., coios
or Azillses", Sanchl Slllpa I Gateway'". Bodbgaya railloa etc.
Some other relief> on the chamfered edges or pillafJ also show a female standioa
oo lotus and toucbioa her breasts. There are otheu, also on tbc ebam!ered edr,es,
whieb sbow a woman holding a lotus bud that banp down from a stem emergina from
the side or the half-medallion overhead (PI. XXIX, d). Two other chamfer reliefs
(PI, XXIV, and f) show the woman tondina under a Oowerinf lotus-pl&nt (thoull,b
the stem of the plant 11 like tbe trunk of a tree, rberc i> no doubl that they represent
the lotusrlontl boldina a bou&h ocrbead on the dolluJJ attitude ooe lef eocirclina
the 110.11 k ),
All these figure appear to represenuomc form of aaoddess of Abundance whose
primnry uoelatio.os aro with the lotus and who, in rhc developed Indian pantheon,
came to be known aJ Labbmt, also called gri, the c:oruort of VisbQU and goddeu par
xcrllrttct of Abundance and Ptospenly.
In the !Ug.eda both the wordslrf and fakshml denoted abstruet qualities ; the
former meant "thal which is beautiful, rbat is, pleasloa to the eye", the llluer "auJpi-
clous", pleasant". is first persoolriCd io the /;ntaplltlrD Br-lluna!lll. u where she
appun as a heavenly "oman. ln tloe &f Sulrra and Labhml are ooe aod tbe
same (hence fo"'ard u11 to-day the two words are ynonym001), ho is
associated with tbe lotut, paJme srhrol, "1hc 1\<bo nands on the lotuJ". This assoe
lion of Srll..akshml wilh the lotus penuts throu&bout ber history from her first
"Wbltcb .. cl, R. 8, Ct.J- ofO>totlotw hft/.t. .v.--. IAitNr, Vol. I !O&fo .. !, 1914'.
PI. XIII. No. lll-
"Maula&ll, J., arul Foucbu, A. Tw M--1111 I S.o<lll, Vol. 11 (ad). Ph. XXV, XU,
XLV, LVI.
n.r.,.,,., BrJ!J., XI. 4, J, 1.
41
6
appearance as a goddw to this day. to the Epic' abe appears u a concrete goddess of
Fortune. Her special conne<:lloo with Vlshou (Nuruyava) as !he latter' consort (la/a/)
also begins in !he Epics. According to mylhology, was produc
ed at the Churning of the Oecau (lanruJramllll1hanD) by the aod and Asuras when
ahe came out, wl of all, with the lluk of ne.:ur in her band. Thit
leaeod cl=rly briop out her connection wuh the primordial waten and ,.;th !be up
of life (riUO=amrlla). In medieval literature her conception as a &oddess of Fortune
persists. Her eoonectlon with lbc ocean, with lotus and elephant, all of which repreaenl
the primordial woters, the aourcc of all creation, is clearly dcmooolraled in the "Kamale
Kiimlna" of the Karya of medieval Bengal, which relates bow
Obaoapati Sadugar on bls voyage lo Ceylon, saw a heavenly damsel, no olher than
seated on a lotus (padm.Jsan.t), lotus in band (padmahmta), in a lotus
(oral (/ctJJNZ/arQ1111, ka11101olaJii). alternately sv.:tllowing and 'omllliog a white
elephant.
From lbe literary sources cited above, we sec that :;riLabbml is a zoddeu of
Water Cosmology Her 1pecial associations ore primMily with the lo1115 (padma)
and wilh the elephant, both of which stand for the waters.
In the Bharhut reliefs :jrlLakshml is associated wilh the lotus In three ways :
(I) as padmll/tasta, "holding !he lotus flower in band" (PI. XXIV. d) This. howuer,
is not very dl5tinctive, human bcioat, bolh male snd female, also carries tbe
lotus for pleasure and for worship (GIJIIJa) (11 at paJnril3an4, "seated on
an upaoded lotus" Thil is the case wilh all the represent:ltions of Gaju-Lakshml
(PI. XVHI, b, c) at Dharhut. Moreover, In these rcpmcntations she it also as,;ociate<l
with the elephant, another element of her iconoaraphy. (3) 11 padmaIUlnl or kamalll
laya, where sbe is surrounded by !he nowerlng stems and leaves of the lotus plant,
establishina her environment. The Gaja-Laksbmi 6gures referred to abo\'C aod the
chamfer retids on cilher side of pillar 2J (PI. XXIV, r,f) appear to represent !his aspect
of lbe goddess. In !he former ClllC lbc lotus tpnays, leaves hod Bowers on her eilher side
and io !he laUI!r the ftOilocring tree around which her leg is encircled and of which
sbo holds a brunch establish her environment and habitat.
In the Bharhut reliefs she is also seen pressing her breast>. This g<Jture
indicates her power as a aoddeal of abundance (la/alrml) of pourin& noumbmcnt at will
on one and all;
To sum op, oripnally a populAr aoddeu of abundance and nourishment, associa
ted wilh Wattt Cosmnloay (lotus, elephant), absorbed in hersclf the per
soni6cation of two obstruct Vedic terms which implied I be popular aoddcss's distinctive
qualities. The iconographic type thus established persisted unchanged upto tbe present
day.
42
TIIB DEOOlATIV8 aELIEI'S
us now consider the de<:omtioa around the medallions. The half and full
medallions are balanced by two and four item. of Oowtrs or fruits, each
emergioa up or ban&ing down from the side of the medallions oa the chamfered edac of
the pillars. These stems onco hne figures of animals and bird perching on the no...,rs
and fruits tbey carry, the birds &cocrally bc:ina in the arutude of pe<:kiog. Some line
repre.cntationt of the peacock (PI. XXll, b), swan, and parrot, (PI. XXU, c) arc seen
in these border de<:orations. Amona tbc animals, the elephant (PI. V m, c) and the
monkey (291) bold tbe lion's hare; but there ore also horses (PI VIU, c), and a One
representation of the squirrel (PI . XXU, J) etc ; and in one inilance tbe fabulou. win&
ed horse 'IIZW.Zka IUra (192). The use and poi>e with which such a huge animal as the
elephant hu been accommodated on the small compass of the pericarp o( a lotus
llo"'-er notice (PI. VIU, c). The Dowers thnt come out of the stems are generally
the lotus, both podma and 111pola ; but there ore also buncbu of Aloko (135) aod &.ta
(86), and other Dowen ; tho fruits generally beina the manao (tabakara, PI. XXIJ, d,
riabt), jock-fruit (ponasa, 135) and the rose-apple PI. XXU, d, left).
or areater interest tbaa the aainutl and bird are tbe figures of men
and women in different po.es appearing on these border decoraUoM. Mo1t of
these figuru. both male and female, &land with the bands folded (a;Jja/r) in
adoration, u if payios respe<:t to the Stnpa, wblch symbolizes tbe august pr_,co of
the Buddha. In rare instances, as in 87 (PI XXII, c). each one of the couple il&nds on
the bead of. otrpettt ill.tead of the no .. crs.
(7) Bhanj1kli and Dobada motifs (Pis. XXIII, b ; XXIV, a, b, t, n. Some of
the3C women arc shown in the act of twill of a blostOmina tree, eltber li,ta
(PI. X:X1TI, b, ri&bt), or Aiolcu (PI. XX Ill, b left, PI. XXTV, b), or mango (PI. XXJV, a).
Otbers hold a bunch of some Dowers In their bands.
V. S. Apawal& thinb that these repreiC11t tOme of referred to
in Indian literature u Majumdat, In the .. me 'cin. writes. ''The poses are c>ideatly
takeu by the ani>tJ from gam .. (lufcl4s) known u ("brc&kinll the braacb
or a tree"), ("pluckina the mango fruit"), PwltpalucJ.I)'Ik'J
("plucking Bowers"), UddalakapU$hpabhaiijilc<i ("pluckioa Uddloka Oowen"), some of
which are referred to in the J\4masDtra" 1929, pp. 48-49).
11
We are, ho..ever, of the opinion that tbe Blwfljlk4 ("bcndnc the bruclacs of a
tree") motif is the q;prcuion of a ''et')' old and cootioll0113 popular tradition of tbe
.. Tbe male ftaurc 111ndul1 oalhe Mrpnca hood rttnfndt uJ of lbt ftCftNOI.a.UoG O( lh
epiaode or tubdaiDt the Klli11 N ... ....... 1 by la tar er an, while tbe rem at
on. t.Ae olbtr IJdc aord1 well witb tho dii. 1.1) duniplJGD ut .Anaata
Nap Wllb lloe boautiloJ Ea.tllo GodcJ.u 11JJ1dia1 OB lbo atn.l bood
"Acrawala. V. S..IMIIto At, llon<Wi. tMS, p. tl'.
MajumMr, N <i. CoJ.k to,._ &lJ,Ira I tA< I..Ji M ... -. Pan I (19JTI, r. l:D.
43
assoc.at1on of wome:n with trees. lt has found a place in the aru of sculpture and
litenture as the intrinsic bau.ty and preanant symbology of the motif boe appealed to
the Indian artist in variom media throughout the ages. There is DO motif more
fundamentally c.hlllllcteristic of Indian art from the rirst to the lut than that of the
Woman aod Tree."
Tilt underlying idea of the motif becomes apparent when we consider it as an
element of Water Cosmology. The tree iJ the Tree or Life ; and the female 6gure
reprtw!nll the life-force that re.ides in it. The female liaure may, therefore, be desis
nated as a dryad (.,-iks/uJ](Ii); and so, be is a of fertility and prosperity. (C/ the
p1c ptii&JC '"goddesses bont in trus, to be wonbipped by those deairing cbildreo.").
On the Bharbnt Railing tht>e female fi&ures are shown as voluptuous bca.uties, always
wearioa a jewcUed Jirdle which, according to the Athara;cda (VT, 1.33), was
a looallfc (ayushyu) charm. They are, in reaUty, Do other than Yaksba wbo arc
also considered u 1ylvao deities.
From this Yaksbl-dryad (Woman#nd Tree) type are derived two aiUed motifs
which are fuodamcnl&Uy the ume. but differently interpreted. One is the BltDfijikd
(''bendina the branches of tree") motif we are now di>euuios. the other lbe Dohlllla
motif 10 be presently.
l t is interesting 10 note in this connection thJu lbc representation of the episode of
tbe Buddha'' Birth in lbe sculptural art of later times wu derived from lbe Salablta"fiji.kl.
motif. In these repre5CDtotions MAyadevlst&nds holding the braneh of the tree which
"bendina down in response to her needs", served as her aupport. Here the Buddha's
mother is not certainly to be considered os a rlksltaka, but iconoaraphieally "the step
is very ea51 from a rtkshakil holdlna the branch of a t.n:c in the hancht ('bipsbot')
pose to that or Mab!m3yB givina birth to the child, who was miraculously born from
her left s1de. ""
The word d<>IWa means a "preanaoey longing", that is, tbe deire of a prepant
woman to set or bave some particular thlllg. lt is thoualn tbtt unleu tbiJ desire is
sati6ed tbe child will not properly develop, m<otally or physically, while in lbe
mother, womb. and when delivered and arown up will be defective in some re5J>CCII.
A ceremony (sadhahltakslta(a) is, therefore, performed in an l ndi1n in the fifth
month of tbe preanancy of a woman wbcn decked with new apparel and ornaments
1he i! made to partake delicious preparations with 1he five condiments (po'llchcmrrlla)
which indude mUle, curds, gkt, honey and sugar. 1t iJ upposed thatlbe performance
of this ceremony (dofradD-dqliD) will utisfy all lbe pregnancy de>ires of tbe woman and
the future child will be perfect in all respcct.s.
"C0011111raowamy, A. K, T..U.W., Pon I, I Repnnt Edn, :-oew Dclbl, IJnH, p J2.
Cooman.swa111.)'. A. Part IRcpnnt Eda Sew Delbi. IP"?Il, pp .. )o& l$.
44
1m1 DEOOUTI>li aatm
The rdea underlying the dolrnda motif is that the uee, like n pregnant woman
feels a longing for rhe touch of a youthful woman and until this dClire is fulfilled its
ftoers cannot open. Many are the reference to this motif in India a htennure tbrouah
out the ages. In K!ilidasa's .1/'f/raJiita the ailed Yaksba speaks or bow the Alok#
tree longed for the toueb of hit wife's fed u be him"'lf lonBCd for tbe same. ID the
nmc poet" MMarik<JgnimiJruu reference is made to a ceremony of "X>Cking the A'oka
tree'' in which the heroine Mlavlka took the leading part Even in the folk tales of
Bengnl we find reference 10 this mottf; for eumple, the >tory of Sukhu and Dukbu ia
Tlr ikurm Jlou/1, -..bore a banana and a SI!OriJ. tree in toro ked the step listen
and Snkbo to dean5e them of the pc111 and puasltes bieb bad them. Dukbu
tcndered the required service and was rewarded by the trees io turn. Sukhn fC!foKd 10
comply ond the -re unkind to htt. 1t iJ inteteiling to note that the Tree and
Woman motif found its way even In a story of llan Anderson, the grent European
story-teller for children in modern titms, where the young mother who bad been
robbed of her child's life by Death. while por>urna the latter bad to embnsce a soow
bitten thorny tree to aul.e it burst into blossoms, and la fC!turo the tree helped her by
tclhng the way Death bad Uken.
It will be apparent from the above rcferenc:cstbat the "Woman and l"tcc" IJ a
widely prevalent literary motif both In time nod 1p1ce. A5 preserved in folk memory
it embodies the idea that a youna woman poiSCIIcS some produethe fon:e ia ber
person .. bic:b the imp3ru to tbe tree wbcn sbo touches ilo But "ben comide:red in
terms of Water Cosmolou the process appears to be just the te"Rrsc. Tbe tree bcina
born of the hfe-givina watrrs it tbe Trcc of Life, and the woman reprdenll the repro-
ductive force that resides u sap (raJa) in the Uee. The relation of both the trcc and
the woman with the primeval waters, the source of all life, thuJ makes tb<m $)'mbols
of fertility and prosperity.
A5 represented in the Bbarhot Railioa it it not always possible to identify a
BhiJ;;pkd fieure from that or a I><>lrDda When the woman stands uodrr the tree boldina
ono of ill boUghs or toucbin1 a fruit or Dower thereof, lbe may be eonsidcred u
reprcsenUng the 8/uiiljiko motif (PI xxnr. left ; PI. XXIV, a); but when over
and above thl1, one of her le1s is entwined with the tree-trunk the may be taken to
represent tbe DoltaiiD (PI. XXIV, b, .f). U th11 iJ taken to be the critetioa. alm01tall
tbc life-size female figure$ (if. CMiakokl Dcwat.., Cbandra Yalrslal etc.) 011 the !Uihaa
bavc to be considered u DdltDJM. But oriaioally tbrre appears to be no such
drtrerence, aod the charming bcautica of the Bbarbut arll.11 were perhaps notbio1 more
than Yaksb-dryad1 CriJulraltill), deitics bclonslnl to Water Cosmolol)l. In IJuer dmca
poets and popular mind developed upon the theme wbieb tbeo proliferatEd into the
"Mqliiru. Suon, 1S.
Act. Ill.
45
lll!lLUSS OF BOAitliUT IN THE INDIAN IWSI!UM
ud}'IJIUJ/crftJII and dolwda morlfs. Far from rho Bbarhur arrisu roldna rheir cue from
rbe sources, it appeara rhar larer lhenrrure borrowed and developed upon an
Idea tbey found immoruliud on it one at Bbubut, and many other places, ri:, Saocbi,
Amaravari, Marbur:1 ere.
(8) Nfi&o-Medallion 81 (Pi. XVII, c) shows a Niiga accompanied by rwo
Nigis. one on eitber side, each holding a clwwri in her band. This, no doubt, repre
seats a N:lgullja and his wives The N>p lr.ioa h:u been sbown u sraoding in rhe
human form, his serpentine affiliation beina indicated by a canopy of live-beaded snake
hood over his head. The N.1Jil, on tbc other band, hove been shown in the hybrid
form in which the bead and btat upto rbc nav<l arc those of a womon, while the lower
limbs consist of the coils of an ctual serpent.
Opbiolatry, tbar is, the worship of the Serpcnr u a deity, is a very old popular
cult in India, The Grlhyoslltrwu contain an accounr of the Sarpara/1, ao annual rite
which takes rhc four months of the rainy season, from tbc fullmoon of
(AuptSeptcmber) ro the full-moon of Marga{trsha (NovemberDcccmbcr), hs
purpose beina two-fold. namely, "bonourina and -ardina off snakes" Tbe wot'bip
of the Serpenr deity is in voauc in India een to-day. "The cusrom of worsbippioa
the A.shlanligu (Visuld, Talr.shokll, Annota and others) and rhc Snake-goddess
Manasii during tbe rains and specially on the N!iga day (usually falling io
the month of even now current in Bengal, seems to be the popular counterpart
of the SatpavaH of the Grih)as
The wpent that is worshipped as a deity is called tho Nliga. lt t. not the snake
In aeoel'lll ; but the hooded cobra (Noja trlpudlan.r), railed to the nrnlr. of a divino
being. In tho legends the Np 10metimes appears as a mere animal, 10metimcs as a
buman creature, bur &enerally in hlm the bWOAO and animal qulitles are pecullarly
blended. This is also the case with tbo represenratlons of cbc Nip in Indian an.
where we can distinguish three main iconoaraphic types : (I) the form of on actual
aerpent with coils and a polycephnlous hood (cf. illustration of the mal;lkD1J!ha}dtaka
oo a Bharhut Coping. Cunninaham, Srupa of Blwrhut, PI XLU. 1), (2) tbc human form
always cbarac:rcri<ed by a polyc:cpbalom snake-hood ovcc the bead (if. tbe Nagaraja io
medoUion 81, PI. XVU, c), and (3) a c:ombanation of rbc two wberc the bead and
busr or a human body is added to the lower half of a snake's con (cf. the two NiliJ
in medallion 81, PJ. XVU, c).
Numerow are the references 10 divine serpents llllbe mytboloJY and folklore of
India, the earlicsl bein1 thar of Ahi Budbnya in the 1/.ifT<a Ahi Budbnya, "the Sc.rpmt
of the Deep", appears to be an armospberic deity, pouibly represeotina the bencliclal
aspecll or the clouds of bcaveo : however, like lbe snakes, he has aomcthinl! bunf11l
THil DOOORATJVE :uum
about bim, and is wortbtpped SO 81 OOt ID &ive his YDtaries Up ID injury. The ftcttbat
tbe ciDuds Df heaven ha\0 been conceived as a serpent 11 or interest, as it appean to us
to be the earliest Indian reference ID the I' &a's ooonection witb the element or atcr
and or its power or bestowin& aod wlthhDidinatbc rain. The AthDrvanda rc!en to
vnriDUI analeaods by name, for uample, Tlrascbltuji, Kalmuagnva, etc. ;
and in one passage, to Tabbaka, described as descendant of Vitila (or Vl11ll)
(TaksluJco who is better UO\\n from his uplo11s in the Great Epic.
Tbe Mahabh/Jrata is panic:ularly rieb in m)tbJ and .. ps relatinato the Nps.
They arc called the bcmg the offspnng> of Kadlii ("the Tawny One"), whD
i a personification or the l!arth. The sagu in wb.cb the Nips feature most proml-
neody io the Great Epic are those wh1ch describe tbe performance Dr the &rpaaatra"
(Snake-Sacrifice) by Kin& Jaoamejaya
11
and the Waacr of Kadr,. &Dd Viuli witb ill
sequel Df Rape Df Ampta ( AM!llahura,a) by Garu la' On mDrc than one occuiDn
the Great !!pie rurohbu u with tillS Df N.p,..jas, one or them giving
and another sbty-eigbt., names. Even then, the narrator, Sa uti, declares that these
are only the principal Nigas, u owing to their enormous number it 'llould be
imposoible to aame them all.
Tbo Buddhist literature at.o contains much or lore. In the leaends
relatina to the previous binba of the Buddha (fr., JKtaku) as well u in his ulstenec
as the Nli.gu play a prominent part. In his previous births, the Bodbbattva
was no leu than three tlmea born as a N"Jll" and io the episodes or his lw muodao.e
uhteoce there are oo 1 ... than a dozen and a hair in wbith one or more l'>op appear
as dranrath pusoruze. In thtoe legends chey are p!oerally u his wonbippen
-some no doubt had to be subdued by biJ divine efTulaencc-or in aome way JOlting
themselves am tilled by rendering service to tbe ateatllla>ter.
lo the X!islr'l<)ya a lcseodo (tbat IS, the stones rel:lliog to the fife of Krhh'.lll
&Dd bas as10Caates) also the Naps are fDund to be Kriob!'ll't uiumph oer
Nip Koliya'
1
and Balartma's apotbeosi" where ho h described at an incarnation
of Ananta Niiaa. As a matter or face throughout Indian literature and folklore tbe
N<gas rea lure mDre prominently than any other popular deity.
On the Bharhut Raalintth Nop1 appear on SCYeral relids In connectaon lb
lbe portrayal of IICCIIet from the Buddha's life Tbut, one of the panels in the
Pr&RnaJII pillar, as appeari frDm the intctabcd lnbel, depicu the Nap k!na Eliipatra's
"MIIIt.1blt.iroto, ldiprvn. ch1ptt. ..
AtdltJhlt:Jrttt. ldJparna. cllaptt u..a,ru, and s.a., "lXU
Ac:lipervaa, chJpt.,. sn, So-16.
''JIMulo/tJ,t, UdyO .. ;t21'WU, c..bapt. dU. '-16.
.. Cf. s...u,.,.:;tJJr.U tSo. 5241. c.,_,, .. ntoJ. aAd Bl>crtutt J:.t.U\Sa. S43).
"'CJ. Harlro...._. n. lm-lML
"Cf. MJ&hltJ,.t. Mauthaltsarvu, cbapL h.
47
viltt 10 the Buddlul. Tbe relief on medallion 81, however, is not labelled ; nd so. it
apPQrJ tO COOsUtule ao item of the general decorative scbeme, forming IUI element of
the iconography of Water Comology.
The conspicuous feature or Indian serpent lore il the Naga' s associllrion wilh the
waters. In many a legend the Niip is said to haunt lakes, nod ponds and rivers ; they
arc also bencGcilll aivers of rain. This led Kern to propound that the Nligas are
essen tlally water-spirit&.
Even in the
1
Ahi Budhnya, wbo is ao armopheric deity, is com:eived as
"serpent born in water sitting Ot the bottom (buJJuw) or the llmlJru in the
apece", the clouds). The conntion of tbe Nlgu with the ocean, the primary
aourc:e of water, is c.lcady brousht out In the epic legends. In the Mohoblldraro the
OCC3D is described as the "Abode of the Ngas .. (rugan-i/11 liloyam") and Bhoguau,
the capitol of the Nugas, is beneath the wateu. Again, $esha or Ananto, is conceived
as the World Serpent, who, lyina in the ocean, carries the seasirdled Earth on his
bead enc.ompusiog ber with Ita endless eo lis.,. Besides carrylna the earth Anonta is
usianed another duty which also teStifies to biJ oceonic connections According to
epic: and paurooik cosmogonlc theorin, the universe (coamos) is periodically created
aod re-ablorbed by the deity. A period of creative action is followed by an interval of
divine ret. ben the Supreme Deity (Vi<bnu as the cosmic: aod is suppo<ed
to on the coils of tbc World Serpent Ananta lo the micht of the waves of tbe
ocean. At fan Brabmii. the Creator, was born from a lotw arowinc out or V'ubou's
nael ond the Snpreme Deity awakes to renewed action.
Baladeva. tbe elder brother of Krishoa, is believed to be an incarnation or
Anon to. Hls identity with tbe World Serpent is picturesquely described in the account
of his death after tbe destruction of tbe Yiidava race'". The text describes bow
"Krllboa found his elder brother seated alone by the seaside In solitude eng2ged in
)'010. Then from his mouth there isued forth a tho..,.ndhtaded, red-mouthed, large
white Nap, who leavioe his body, sped towards the areat ocean. There Siglml (the
oc:eao) reoeived bim. and so did tbe divine Naps-Kiirko\akl. VGsuki Tmhaka,
Dbritar.ishtra and a h0$t of otheu". From this IC!I'Jld it Is cry clear that tbe World
Serpent Ananta originally belon&ecJ to the ocean. From there his d1vioiry made I
sojourn on the mortlll person of a lclon of Yadu's race. Wben the earthly career
Of the milD On wbom tbe deity WU pleased tO descend COme tO Rn end, the divimty
returned to hs original habitat which was the ocean. Anaota'' aquatic auoclatloos
require no further elucidation. Not only Ananto, but all the other areat Nogot"js'a,
Viauki, Kiirkotaka. TakshaU. etc., are aaid to belona to the ocean
.. vu . .)4, 16 : X, 93. '
u \fft.jJU,t. idipanao. chapu. sai, v. 6 and uv, v .. 4.
1
'MIGUU,tD, .Xdipa.rvu., clllpt- 1U' i.
Maa.sh.al..p&naA, claap&.. n. U-17.
48
TOE OECOltATIYE R1!LiliFS
Again, in I he legend of Krhbon's subduing !be Kmiyn Nago," it is stated !bat
!be original home of 1be Nfiga "as in !be ocean, wbicb be had given up for fenr or
Garu<;!a, and taken refuge in a pool of tbe YamunD near Gokula. When subdued, be
was ordained by Krisboa to to tbe oceo11. Kiiliya 's usoaiations with the wateu
is thus testified.
The aquatic affiJJalion of !be N"!igas is also demorutrated in the BuddhiJt
tradition, according to which botb Varuon and Siigaro, really gods of the oceans, have
been converled into NtigarBjus. The J4takas mention two tyJ)<'I of Nligns, vi:., those
who "dwell in the sea" (samutltfotthaka nogabhoana) and those who "dwell in the
mountains" (pabhataJIJIIlka llilgObho,ona). Ho .. cver, mountains are mrely found to
be hJiunted by the Nugas, while the ocean, lakes, rivers and pools are very colllJDonly
found 10 be inhabited by these divine reptiles, In !be fir.t chapter of 1he BhTirltlatta
}{1taka, the Nliga mother is made 10 say ro her royal hwband, "My children are of a
watery nature (udokolijoka)". Water in reality is the clement of lhe Nliges.
According to the IA/Italstara, the river Nlrirailjanii, neu Uruvilva (Bodhpya),
was known as 1he "River of the Nagas". Many or the Nlipriijas who are made to
visit and pay homage to the Buddha bad their haunts in tbe waters. Thus, acoording to
tradition recorded by Hlaen Tnng, ApnMa was the N!iga or the rounwn at the source
of the Suviitu (Swat) river,'" and In the !tfaharastu it is stated that Eliipatra had his
abode in a tank near Taktho!i!n.
The NAps were also supposed to possess !be ptlwer of producing or withholding
rain. According to the testimony of Hiuen Tsaog, Apallla possessed thu power,
and tballJcs to ha good ollkes the country of Suviistu wu nol alllicted by violent
storms and rains. Tbe bellt evidence of rhe Niigas' powers In this respect is to be
found In a legend preserved in the Tibetan Ufc of the BuddbJI, which speaks or two
Nllgar!jns, Cilrika and Vidyujvlolaka, banished from Rijagrlba by Kiog Blmbiliita. As
a te$1111, rain stopped, crop1 failed and !be country was aJIIicted with famine. 11 wu
only when th< two Nligas bad been brought back from banishment that the rains
became regular and the shadow of famine was llfled from lhe country.
ll is also 10 be ooted that tho annual Sarpavali rile is prescribed lo the
Grihya,rruas to be held during !be rains, This is the time or rhe year when the danger
from rbc lllllkes is the greatest, as during this period, driven out of their boles by Wilt er,
they lake refuge in 1he dwcllln&s or men. This facl will help us to understand lhe
n:latloDJhlp that popular mind has eslabtrsbed between lbc snakes and waler. From
the observation tbar the snakes regu .. rly make their appearance 11 the commencement
of the rains the primitive mind concluded that lhe advent or the rains was due 10 the
masieal powers of these dreaded reptiles. In a bo1 country like lndia water is Lbc
n Harlrafi.JD, -vv. 359-2-.3102..
11
Fau.ba.Jt. rot.taluz, Vol. vr, p. I!Jt, 194.
"Wattcn, Otr Y.a .. Clnuutrs Trllfth i IMIIG, l. p. 221 .
.. MaiWJw_,,., Vol. mt p. mr.
49
7
lli>MAINS OF 811ARHUT IN Tllt INDIAN MUSt1Uit
most ntcntial for gctattve arowth and consequent existwce and prosperity
of the buman society. Tbe connection that the popular rrund had euabwhed by
observtloo tbe onaka and water nppears to o<oount for the areat prevalence
of Naga wonblp in India.
From the above upo$ition h will be arparent that from >ery early times there
csilt<d a oontinuou traduion or a eonnecuon the 1\ gas and the waten. This
aeoounu for their formin& tl1l element 10 tbe iconoaruphy of Wnter Cosmology on the
Raihog oround the Bbarhut Swpa.
(91 Mithuea- Pllar medallion 99 (PI XVTI, d) bows a man ond a womon
uandinJ ide by oide, the woman to the left or the man. In tbe bilpailJsrriJ! auch
eoupiCJ ore known os Afirlrumu. These O<lcur as o decorntive motif In lodian art
throughout the ages, those on the temples of Khajuraho and Konarak being ,.orld
famous for their exquille beauty and l)rical lovclme-. Hundred or terracotta
plaques, many of tbem belongin1 10 the Su<aa period. the time hen the Bbarbut
Railing wu erected, have found nt tbo excavations of the early historical aites
o( northern India, Tuila, Bhita. Abichcbbatra, Hastinpur, Kwmabr. ere. Mo11
of these plaques are charaeteriud by a perforauon at tbe tup, wb<b tndicat<a that
they were huos on the walls of hoDICS interior deeorauon. This indicates the areat
popularity of the Milhuna as an element of decorative art io India ; and tbis
popularity WM due not only to Its intrinsic ty, but also to its aupitious
aymboloa:r."
attaches lO the Mithuna as it IJ considered to be a symbol of
fecundity. Aceordtna to the Saropatha Brdhmo(a"', M/munn means a reproductive
couple, that ;, a man and a woman (or a male and a female of aoy species or nnimal)
11
in the prime or their youth, capable of performtnJ tbc K&oal act (molrlr.-) fruitfully
with a .;ew 10 reprodoctioo. lt is auspicious as it performs a c.ry important
ruoction to the aoeiety, namely, the continuation aad perpetoa.tion or the apeeies
tbrougb the aaes.
The. followin& postage ia tbe &iJJpatlta Brlibma?a" 4 sipifieant. "From
Praj>pati, wueo diamembered, couples went forth ; ...... blftb originates
from a Mithuna." Again tbc Brlhild ltOJYDko IJpanL<Iulti,. uys, ''Praj.lpati did not feel
happy or ntisfied by hlnuelf; therefore. even now pe()ple are not happy in aiogle
11
EYetl In mode.ra umu it,, round th.Jt the J'llrpoM of tile Uuurated ealeadan bv.n OD tbo
walb oC'ltosa h aot onlY Lo coaJUit the 4ateti, but lw to at mu raJ and il
WIIJ bd (111unJ tbtl fn many UMI the aobjecu ponrayed on thete ca1c.ndauarc roUJiOUI
Jo oatur dcph:Unl t uah popular andt and aoddcnes Ill lakthmt, Saruutt, Kill, Dut,&.
4'v. Vltbne, a.od tho nplolu of Kritbtla.. This lnillcale that the popular mind h mott
in-ftuo.ue4 br thcne IUhlic r-epresctuatioutbat ba't come to tbcm throa1h the mcdiaJD or
reli&ion.
.,-,_, X. S.l, S.
.. Cf. wo,....,./rlwum, MIIJuurll. XIMrll-mlrhno, N'Jta-lllflllt,.,. 111
"'' wb1Cb re con1idcred 11 euplc:IOUI s)'mbola,
.. IJ,Jl., I. 2S.
.l!"fW'i,...,M Up.. IV, 40. 3..
so
66:151
,
TB Rl!l.llft
blessedness. raJip.ui) cra-ed for a accond to biiiiiCtr. Ue diidcd his OWII body
m to two p:ut1 and 10 CODKqucna: there appeared 1wo 6aurcs- a man and a "OIIWI.
Thus the old, lhc emptineu, wu filled comrlcmcnttd by women. Prajpoti moraed
him,.lf 1n thll oman in >exuala.:t; and from that act sprana !he human beinaL"
Menlion may be made in Ibis eonne"lion to the Batapatha Ikdhma(a and the
Taittlrl}a SaM1IH, both of which inform us tbot Prajlri U>Umrd the form' of fioh
(mo/.tJa). tortoie and bour (lor4ha) "on dlfl'ercot OMions lor
I be furlhcrnn<e of creation and the wellbein& of the created.... That the Tortoise
(Koi)npal i> rcaarded u a great progenitor of 1ho human race (Pta}<lpatf) ap...,ars to be
confirmed from the areat number of men in India wbo declare lhemscl>cs to belooa
to the Kll'yapa (Tortoise) gatra. 11 bould be noted thot the Mllhuna couple in
medallion 99 iland (uch of them placing one lea) oo aq emloeoce "bleb resembles
the bacL of a This my rcprcscot the primordial moun10io, !be ultimate
SOUICC of all hfe, beneath the boltom of the CO>mic a<:eiD, reftrrcd to in early Aryan
mythok>IY", or more probably, it may 11and f"r PrJpau bims<lf in the form of
the Tonoo .. (A'al)'Df'D), from ham !be ong1nal Mothuna h to Ori&inate.
lo eitb<r cue. I he coonoction of !be Mitbuna ,.ith Water Coomoi<IJY u established by
the Bbarbut artista.

Both natural and fabulous anima!J are depicted on the Bharhut Railina. Of
the former ctaory \le find many opecies of quadrupeds, ><ral kind or birdJ, snakes,
crocodile, tortoioe (PI XX, b), lizard, flh (PI XIX, b), crab and Cror. Not all occur
In tbe drcorali reliefs alone, $Omc ore found as of lbe life-$ize figures and
some on the storyttllinz reliefs. The quodrul>"oh include the lion (PI. IV, c),
elephant (Pit. I V, a. h ; XI, d; XX, d), bone (PI XXI tll, ..,lld bolt (PI. XXI, c),
bull (PI V, J), bulloc\: (PL XX, c), deer (PI XXI, h), antdol>" (PI V. c), jackal
(PI \I, b), mool.ty (PI. XX. J), ram {PI XXI, ol, cat (PI VI , a), do& (PI XXI , c),
rhmoctros. bare and squirrel (PI. XXII , d) Amonrt the bordt are !he pucod.
(Pis XIX .I; XXII, b), cock (PI. n, a), parrot (PI. XXII, c), .,.an (PI>. XI, a: XV Ill,
": XV 4J, duck or 1oosc : crow and tbc
lbe rtpfCICOUtiOIH of all th<-,. animal arc roo:ocniubly, IC oat automlnUy,
corrt : and some of them qute natural and somcum-.. ncn pinted The
Bharhut ar11U have been tbc most succeuful In the dolioeoion of monkeys and
hose posea and aUitudes have been dtplcttd ,.itb perfc<l ooturalness, ond
10 some caoes w11h n warmth of charm thal 1nera1cs only from lo>r frr theiC
aoitroalt (PI XX. d) On tbe otbcr band, they hnc l>een .ery unuccellful m the
deplc1ioo of the hone. A comp11rison of the boil< on the abacus of the Samath Lion
C.pilal wotb that on Bhorbat bldf-mcdaUion Nn 144 (1'1. XXI, tl) ,.;u blio& out the
''JI,Iotrj .. ,J. :-.;., TM _,.,_oro[ HI .. ICOMfrq/1(1 llld EdO.o, p. 319.
uq. ... :p
SI
REMAINS OF 8HAIItiUT N TH8 lo!USEUW
difference; in some cases it i1 difficult to recogni7e n hone from a donkey.
The peAcocks depicted on a crosJbar medallion (PI. XIX, d) deserve special
mention Tbc ccatral peacock wnh Its beadplume. (l ildti) and pread-out fantail.
almo.t covering the ,.bole field. has beca very naturally and spintedly depicted , t"o
other peacncb, one on either side of the central one. are shown in the peeking posture.
(2) Fabulous Animals (1/ri-lllrigos)-Fabulous animals, like the winged lion
(Jopa/<sloo-JIIitlra) (PI. XI, c), the winacd horse. (balfwkaalva) (PI XVI, b), and the
ar.fBn (i,tQa> o(a), are known in lndin mytboiC>IY from very early times. These are
composite or hybrid types, oong a curious blend of the lion. tbc bull, the horse and
the bird ; ocasionally human beads are engrafted on sucb aaimal bodies (PI. V, a, b)
and sometimes wona are 3lso added on to them (PI . XVT, b), lo later iconographic
tut these hybrid creatures dcolanated a& lfrlmrJgDJ, which may be translated as
"fontauic animal\'', These fantastic animal! mnlnly occur in the semicircular panels
on the inner face of the copiog and on the horozontl borders alona the diameters of
the balf-medeUioos.
Tbos, panel 325 (PI. rv. ;/) abou a compo>ite quadruped bavina a leonine body,
bird's head with asinine ears. horJclikc mane over the nape of the nrek and lion's
tail ; its foreloas have cloven boors like a bovine, while the bind leas have clawed
paws liie a feline Panel 34S (PI. V. b) shows a besrded humonfaced bull. This
reminds US of tbc larac bulls OD either ide of the pt .. or the Assyrian
palaces at Sinevch and Du.r Sbarrukin (c. Stb century B. C.). lt bould, however. be
acted that the Auyrian bulb arc "''"led, 10bile the Bharbut specimen lacks the Oyio&
appendages. Panel 3S4 (PI. V, al thews a bumon-raced lion "ltbout mnnc. The
quadruple animal capitols over the square abacu of the Tomna pillars as well as the
middle TomQa architrave also show some or the fantutie llllimah (fl>1mriga.r) (PI. 1),
I human-f<ed lion itb manes over the bead and neck oo tbe aoner face or tbe
oorthcm pillar and on tbe estrc111e riabt of tbe middle architrave (innu race) : and
birdfaced lions on the nmc face of the southern pallar and oo the extreme kft of the
.a me architrave.
Aoiollli having a lion'& body and the bead of tome other anamalt or of birds
persisted a.s a decorative motif in Indian architecture. particularly on the walls of
te111pk1, till very Lue period. These compo.ite animals 1..1e known in btdtan
IConOJrlpbic tnU lb r}l/OJ ((),Jiya r /afa). Tbetc If< fO/orylJfcu. Mra>l(tu. lrJ,;o-
rya{ru, i.)et,a>JiJ{os, etc The leonine animah or the Bbarbut Railina baviog bird't
tnd human facet may be dc>erabed respectively u tPI IV. t!) and
rwavyii{as, (PI. V. a), and tbey appear to be the prototypes or similar chimerical
creatures sbo"n on the early medieval temples of lndta.
These: faatutk creatures ua be traced ID the proto-bistoric art or the JadU1
Valley 8111 they may be mare directly allribuced to contract wath Western Atia In
tbe period immedaotcly prccedioJ aod ucceedioa the Chri4tiao era Thu, the bearded
humaofaced bulb, u we bave Id, poaot to Assyrlan forebearers, while t be bumao-
S2
faced lioru poiatto the EGYptian !J>binxes A Iona wilb these fantullc creaturet, ome
Other p&llerns, it.., the Slopped mtrlons. I he pnlme11e and the IIOcolled "honey
suckle", appear to balle entered rhe domain t>f lndilln art durina this period tbrouab
contact with the then Weucrn World.
Some olber fabulous animals. mostly aquatic, are aho sbo"n on lbe RailinJ.
They are shown enber sinaly or as raltana to the life-<izl< fiaures. Their UJ<Ki.auon
V>llh the , .. tersand "lth eaeation is either caplicit or implied, and oo, tbcy appc.u
to form pari of I be iconoJTapby of Water Coomolou, already rcferrtd to.
The most amportonl of these fabulou aqua lie animals is the mythical scauuons
tcr Maknra (PI. XIX, u, b, c). sometimes confounded with the crocodile (r.aka) or tbe
whale (1/mi) In laaor Indian icono8f11pby 11 ;, shown os the mouna (rilhana) of the
rivor-aoddess a ...... and sometimes abo .. tbal of Varuoa. the aod preiding O>er lbe
v.ate<>. It is abo reprded as the emblem or Kimadeva,the Sod of loe.
In later Indian sculpture it is shown u a b)brid acatore havinatbe body or a croco-
dile and tbe trunk of an elephant.
Of the several repr..cntatioos of Ibis myabical monller on the Bharhut Railin ..
three (PI XIX, a, b, c), are on two cross-ban ond one on a pillar half-medallion
(214). The monster Is representod as ha,ina a scalp rcsembllna that of an elephant
to "bicb a Iona aocodilian mouL wilb parted jaws set v.ith peJIIke crocodile teeth
bu been en8f11fled. hs 61ernum and fordeas rCRmblc those of an elephant (224)
or a bull (PI. XIX, a, b, c) : the rest or lbe body rtkmblinJ&bat of a liih or 1 lift
reptile, f\lJliUbed 'OIIh fish-hke side and tail fins. In ono rcprcwntauon lbe body Is
coered wilb scalet !PI. XIX o) in the others it 11 obo"n plain and amootb
(PI XIX h, c) In 84 (PI XIX. a) and 224 the body is curled antc> coil like that
of a serpent. while in ll7 ood 146 (PI. XIX, h. cl, it Is curbed upwards but not
coiled Tbe uper ja., u curbM upv.ards h> form an incipient probos.cis, but not
tbelonatrunk of 10 olephant. In 137 (PI. XIX, c) a lotus plant hb two rullblo,.n
lotutct and a bud il sbown iuuing 0111 of the ontmal't mouth, bile in 146 (PI . XIX, b)
the animal poueues lendraJ.JiLe pJJciD< feeler on au upper and tbroc llahu
arc hown around ill bead, one of tbcm bean11 beaeen iu ppana 1aws, as if beana
,,.allowd by the monster.
As a great leviathan moving an the waters, and ao t:thmuu of A god (Varuaa)
and I aoddcss (OauaJ. both of born prei<le 0\cr the waten. the aqullk
auo.;iatiCJM is uplkit But ,.bat u moro important to note from our poiol of ie"'
is not its a<-.alloo itb v.-.t<r, bua thalli SJIIlbohzes Wilier Itself. wbich accordana
to tbo ideas of Water CosmoJoty, is lbe 10urce of all life. Tbit crplauu lbe Muara's
appearance on tbc Raahna aod also by it has t>ccn shown u lbc 10urcc of the lollu
eatatinn in 137 (PI. XIX, c), wbicb at Bharhut tlands f<>r the Tree of Lafe.
We no11r come to consider what tbc sbowo on tbc volute ends of the
Torooa stand for Ara they Muaras or ordinary crocodiiC!I 1 These aaamal rcscmblo
tbe other Makanu depicted on the Raihna '"'b only ooe tioplar dalrerence. namely
tbal all the Makatas at Bbarbut poacss a lisb..Ukc endb 011 lbc tip of the tail,
llDlAl"S OF IIIA&IIUT IN tll 11\'DIAN WUS\111
thew: monsreu ha>e no such 6n on their taib "hicb gndually '"P<< to 1
poiot the ordinary crocvdlles. We, therefore, adhue to Buuo's optnton that these
aoimab are in reality crocodiles and 11ond for Mont, tbe embodiment of Eil
to Buddhist rn)thology.
Of Other fantastic animo la depicted OD the Ra1ling mention may be made Of 0
aroup of mythological cre,.turcs who ore tcrrestnal u to head and shoulders nod
aquatic in body and tail These ore wllter-hork. Jafn.turai/J (106 as VtllrlllllJ of
CbanJro (Pl. VIII, d): tbe }lllakarl or jalobha (218 as a
bAnd of b<>rder to the uppor hair-medallion) (PI. XXI, c) , the nrer-bull, jaw
rr/J/tbho (92) (PI. XXI , a); and the su-lioo, slndlrw-slU.Jru (306 at f3/rtma of darpaui)
{PI VIII, b) Two mutiloted animals of tho mermon typo, mDts)lllflUa (2 and
214). ore alo sbowo as >iihanar respoctivcly of an unideoti6ed doDll&od
(PI. VIII, al and of Ajdk-'!ako Yaksba. Tb< former (PI. VIII. a) has a partially
damaaed bearded human fuce; tbe other (214) is complclely dtfac<d, but the human
haodl inocrled into the mouth In the allilude of whistling indicate that the face was
that of a man All tbee animalJ have coiled r.crpeoune bodi .. and tails, the !alter
furnihed "'"h li;b-like cod fins ltl::e the Mat.aras depicted on the Reilina. Aquatic in
all these h)brid creatures, like tbe Makaras already referred to, no doubt
&ymbohzc the ten. The imporl of the association of lbue mythical water moo.,ers
witb tile Yaksbas and Yabbts and other demi-&ods and whose mount
they bepp<n to be tltos becomes dur. The Yak.Jus and Yalubit ate mainly water
divioitiu and .. watc:r .. the primal aiver of life, ooly s<eooda.rily and by imptiutioo
are they thOJc of fertility and protpority.
Thut far we have ..,en that the Makaro and coanatc typo of animals rcpr<sent
the which is the rui:ron dtlrt tor th<ir oceurance u the source of the lotus
plane (Tree of Life) ll.nd also for beln& the Nhano: of the Yaksha type of demi-gods
present on the Railio&. We have now to sec if th< same is applicable to the elcphJlflts
from ,. hose mouth tbe kalparctn ori,inates on the CoptDJ. Th<SC eltphant> arc
hown u ordnary terro.tril <l<pbants, and nat jalebhas. The connection of the
eltpbnt wilh tbe warm bccolDel apparent from lb< Paurolnik lca<nd of tbe Cbumina
of tbe ()can (S&z,arammrrlra"al accordtnl to "'bleb the whit< elephant Airi>llta.
alona .. uh the horse Ucbchai;nvfi, c:atm< out of the ocean dur to churning toy tbe
O.-u and Auru. and, ... , apropnotcd by lndra. 1t should al>o be noted that the
l.:.alpata/11 " n ccl<stiul plltnt, and all the cc1C11ial .. aters in lhe form or cloud my be
considered 11 it> source and the clouds arc thought to be a1mospbcric elephants
(Aulljara).
GEOMETRI C STU.
Motifs that llliY be u belong101 to be Geomclrie St}le arc
opannJiy utcd tn the d<COtaUOD or tbc Railing. or those lbc followina desrrYC
matioa
(I) Cbcvroos-ID - o( lhc crou-ban (120, 16S) a circle of batdled
S4
TilE DECORATIVE RELIEFS
chevrons i found to form the outer border to the lotusmrdnllions (PI. XIU, e, d).
They appear to be decorathc in purpose.
(2) Svutilta-Pillar medallion No. 168 shows a Unear decorntioo which coosislS
of n number of interconnected sasrikas and saura.flika. tbc spaces between tbc
arms of the 5igns being filled with lioeJ of bends or raJnam.Jii!s (PI. XVI, e). The
.. astika is o sign or antiquity. Tt is found on many of tbe painted pollery of the
Hnrnppan culture, nnd alo on the antiquities belanging to the early cultures of Europe
and the Near l!lut Being a very ,;m pie <ign eanslsting of a number of slt11ight llnc5,
euy to drnw and easy to remember, the svtntika haJ a great vogue both io Lime and
space. Many theories have bcon presented by scholar coneerning its symbolism. 11
has respectively been thought to represent Zeo, the son, the fire, Lhe god I ndrn the
rain-mnker, the earth, tbe sky, the four quarters. lbe Ullioo of the sexes , and firu!Jiy,
the Deity of all Deities, lbe grtat god, the maker of nU the Universe. Some scbolatJ
have ottribated a phaJJic !igniDcance to it ; wbilc others have in it the
gtoncrative principle that ruidcs in tbc female making it 1 symbol for such great
Mother goodesses os Artemis, Hem, Demeter, Astarte, etc. So great dvergcnce of
opinion about its interpretalioo indicates that ita origin and significance hove been lost
in its great onllqulty. What seems to have been at all times ao attribute of the srasrika
is its cbaroeter as a cbnrm or amulet for aood f"rtunc and good Jack, and also as a
sign of benediction and blelling. The Sanskrit name for the sign, .muriluz, b!l5 been
derived from we.ll", .. good"+ DJii, . .. it is
1
.' let there be"" Thus the: o:smc for
the ,;gn indicates that it is thought mainly to for auspiciousness. This character
of the symbol has persiSted into modern times , but for which reason auspiciousness
attaches to it is now lost to os. It is still used by the people of India, inespective of
their sectarian nfllliatioo, and also by those of China and Japan as a sign of good
wisbci and good fortune. and also for abundance, prosperity a ad long nrc .
It should, however, be borne ia mind that whatever might have been the
ignificance of the sigo to those who used Jt and in whatever way modem scholars
might have interpreted it, the srarrika hod alwa)'5 remained a desisa for 6roamentntioa,
and the Bharbut artists appear to have UJed it oot only for its teligious and uuspiclouJ
signibcance, but also for ill ornomental value
(3) Tmaskelioo- Medollioa No. 150 (PI. XVI. d) besrs a curious dccomion
which is o blend of the Pltal and lliomet:ric Style.. The whole field of the medallion
"The ''attikcr a.n.d the. UJlftutiM conilit or two ttr.:i&bt lines crossint uc:b other 111 rJahl
DJic.. the ban or tbt n.ormal sr;urlt and niiMUIII.a ate Jtniabt., of equal
tbrouhoul. and cross each othc:r at tiaht :m.AkiDI rour arm' or equal tlu, lenatb
IJld trle.. Their pec:uHrhy h th.at all the c..nds ur the Unc., are utended at right111alu
and io. tbe a.:une direcdon, either to the riaht or to tbc ldt.. Tbe one tb1t ha1 tbe armJ
extended to the ri&ht iJ lfllerw.Uy caJJtiS the ll"tiJti/ra : the other, havna thoo,e eatcad.ed to
tbe tcrt. the fn common p-arlance. howovu. both the var{e.tic.J l.le wme.time1
called lbe n11ilo 'ntbout duaiminadon. fn Lhete S"'ll'J "'C have ho uud the term
JYaJilka to dcdlnte either'\ adety or tbc sian.
"Cf. Wilson, Tbomu, T .. S<Utika., (Delhi, l9TJJ, fo a dculled duc:uulon or tbe
symbol.
&mi.AIXS OF BBARHUT lN lBB rNOlAN MUSEUM
divided into a number of squares by Qat bands or straigbt lines, three or them
running horizontally and three others vertiC411y. Bach square thus formed contains two
buide balfmedallions. These half-medallions arc posited in such a way
that their circumferences touch each other at the highest point of the semi .circle, and
their diameters are formed by two of the opposite sides of the square in which they are
contained. Tbe spaces between the two bolfmedallions inside a square are filled by
blue lotusu (utpolas) whose Daring triangular profile fits finely into these spaces.
Moreover, the decornted borders nf the hnlf-medalllons cootnined io four adjacent
aquares are arranged in way that they form two S.llke spiral curves crossing
eacb other in the middle. The figure thns produced is known as the tetraSkelion.
This symbol is found on some of the earliest puncbmarked coins of India. ln Greece
the tetraskclion as well as the uiskelion is found engraved or embossed on shields nod
bucklers. Tbe signifitllnce of both symbols is, however, dilliault to ll!certnin. Some
think the tetra!l;elioo to be the spiral variety of the IVIHtika iU the s:piral arms of
the produce an illusion of cyctlc others take it to symbalUe the
cycle of movement of the sun through the firmament, and by extension. of the move
ment of all utral ond heavcmly bodies. There could bnve been no doubt that the
spirols of the tetrnskelioos have imparted an illution of heaving nod whirling movement
to the wbole composition of the medallion.
(4) Stepped merlons- Tbe !tepped m11tloos whieb. nltel'llllting with the blue
towses (utpolas), from the upper border to the ka/pova/11 on the Coping (PI. J1)
and also long the diameters of some of the balf-mcdallioru on the pillars (Pi. XX. b)
may also be considered 111 belonging to the Geometric Style, as each of these motifs
in reality consists of diminishing Juperimposed cubes in three, four or five tires. When
considered along with the otbeu In tbc row. these motifs appear to form part of tbe
dcfeosivc arrangement of the walll of a fortification coostituting, as they do, the
embattled parapet bet .. een two embrasures through which the defenders cao shoot
missiles or hurl stones oo the asullants. The walll of the city of Kusin!rii, u
depicted on tbe Southern Gateway of Snncbi Swpa 1
1 0
, were furnished with defensive
turret hovinJ row of such Stepped me,rlons through which tho defenders of the city
were abowo hu$ling stones on tbc besieging forces maBhalled below. But taken
1eparately, eneb or Utesc motif is found to r.semble a Babylonian ziggumt, and like
the :tiggunu appears to repre2nt a mountain. A aucb tbe 1tepped merlons may be
thougbt to represenl the Primordial Rill which, as we have already stated. orose out
of the Primordial OcClln in the first stage of Creation. Thus, of all the Ocometroc
found on tbe Bburbut Railing, the so-caUed "stepped merlon" appears to truly
form an element of "Water CosmoiCII!Y" Their alterntllion with the blue lotuses
(utpoltu), element of "Water Cosmology", appars to strengthen oor inter
pretalioll. Tbdr rescmhlence with the Babylonian zil!&unn inclloea us to hold tbat,
like the "honey-suckle'', bumanfaeed bull and win&ed lion etc., this motif also entered
India tbrourh contrut witb Weitern
.. Mnh:all .. J-. n. AIDifM,.II IJ{ S4JKifl, VoL 0 {o.d...l, Pl. X\, lowcrmosc architrave; Gltk
to Sadl, 1915, PI. V, b.

CHAPTER m
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES
FltONTISPIECE
General view or tbe Bbnrhut Railing and Tor11vau erectro In tbe
Bharbut Gallery.
The Railing Crttlikli) it composed of a series or atone pillo.rs or posts
(thobhD stambhD), rectangular in r.cctioo, joined toacthcr by thrre
parallel 1<U of lenticular cro>s ban (lllchi), mortised into tbe pillars on
eltbcr sidc, and capped by a conhnuou stone eopina rooodcd
at tbc top. lt is pierced by four cntranc on the four ardinal points,
dividina it Into four Quadranu. Parts of the North-enstem and Soutb
cutcrn Quadrants have bccn re-erected in the Bharhut Gallery.
To\\erlna bi&b over tbe Railina iJ tbc Gateway (ToratJO). Only the
&<tern Toraoa bas come down to us to be recrecled in tbe Gallery. 1t
is composed of two curiouily shaped pillars supponioa an Olll.lmental
arch, hicb consists of tbfff massive volote-<ndcd curvifortn an:bitraves,
placed one above tbc other by moans of ltJDire block& or ltooe dtJt/01
posiled between tbem in line witb tbe supporlina pillars below. The
empty spaces between the central curved parts of the architraves are
filled with eleven small balusters and .Utuc-piUars.
Plate I
Inner view of tbc upper part of the Toraoa at tbe Eastern entrance
u erected In the Bbat.but Gallery.
The two supporting pillara or tbc Toraoa arc tquarc in section
(clttJtuttmo paJIIStflilno) upto a helabt of 46 cm. from their base (not
1bown in tho Plate). Above tbilthe abafts arc cbiaelled to form a sroup
or four OCtiJODI (arbldJra lf""'bilaljoioed lOJ:ether tO rrprCSC'lt I Chlltcr
or roar colulllJl.l. Each or tbC\C four oclllJOn is croned by a separate
loliform bell-capital sDrtDounted by a c:ircu!M abacus decorated all over
with lotus-petal dcigns. Between the circular abacus and tbc bell there
are rope I!IOUidings. In form and desip tbesc are repllc:u or similar
members of tbe A>okan capitols. Tbc abaci of tho four-ll'oupcd
beU-eapltall arc covered by a in&le square abAcus. and Ibis in turn
57
&DaAJNS OF 811.\llllllr IN TB ll'iDV.S MUSfl>"W
supports a four-aroupcd Vya(a (fantastic animlll) emblem, sbowillg two
seated back to back on caeb face of a capital . On the inner foec,
the Ja/IU of one of the capitals are liooJ whb human f= (nara-
>'11/a.r), while those of the other are the same animals with birds' faces
( i) e\uz-v:;ij.f a.r ).
The superstructure of the Tora(la consists of three curviform atehl-
trav ... the proj<ellna volute end of which are decorated with open-
mouthed crocodiles The central curved part of the locrmost architrave
shos I proecssioo Of clephaott catT)iD& Olfcrinp Of lotUS flowers and
buds, and a human devotee on each fide of a Bodhimat4a under a baayan
tree. The central part of the middle architrave tbows a similar proce-
ssion of lions and human-faced J"ii(a, approach ins from either side a
Bodhlmtl{ltla under a clump of bamboos. The central part of the
uppermost ttrcbitrave is a reconstruction in cement planer and its faces
hnvc been left plnln. The square part of each architrave between the
curved middle portloo and the volute ends arc decorated on the one side
lth the repre>cntation of a nupa 1tnd on the other side with that of a
pnilion or sbrmc. Tbe uppermost arebitta\e ll surmounted ftt centre
by a pinoacle ornament consisting of a aioe-pctalled booC) -rud.lc
(anthemion) croned by a Oharmachakrit. la the space bet,.'ttn tbe
curved middle portion or the middle and lowermost arcbitr .. es there ...
cle\'OD balusters and atatue-pillan. The similar pace between the
middle aod uppermost architraves has been left empty due to non
availability of balusters etc. in tbe ucavations.
The superstructure or the Toraoa with architraves and balusters
symbolically rcpresen" the Dharma promulptcd by the Buddha which
serves as a br!dae (dharmaselll) for tbe ulvation of mankind
frotQ earthly boadoce.
Plate D
A portion of the Nonb-eutcm Quadrant of the Railing with
intermediate pillars, cross-bars and coping In po,Jiion.
Ooo of tbe intermediate pillars (the one oo tho catrcme left) bears
the life-size fiaure of a (Supavasa Yakho) standing on bis
elcphallt Jllount. The other also intermediate ones, arc divided
iota three sections by a full medallion at the middle aod half-medallions
at the top and the bottom. The mcdanioou are decorated with KU!ptorc
sbowinl! deities (c 1 . Nlprlja 1tnd Nl!JS) and sccoes kz, Worship of
the Bodbi Tue, Dream of Qucco M.\y6) ftOIQ popular aod Buddhlot
ss
OISniPTION OF PLATES
mythology. The hnlfmedattions at top and oottom contain animal
(jalarlshobha) and Ooral (full-blown half-lotuses) motifs. The cham-
fered edaes of three p1tlars are oro:tmenttd with mate and fC1Dale figure.
sl.lodina oo lotuseo, birds (parrot.) ptrcbin& on Dowerina branches and
other floral motifs. The (Deh/) oeedlin& the pillars are
decorated with medallions eontaioin& full-blown lotuses and other floral
and animal designs. One of the cronbar medoUions contain a human
bust within o full-blown lotiiS. The continuolli coping oer tbe piltan Is
diided into a number of scmi-circular panel forrned by the meanders
of tbe kalpaWJ//1, These panels contain sculptures of natural and
fantastic (1/lii-mrlfa) aoimals. Do en. fruits and ptrsonal ornaments h
well 11 accoes from the JaJaktu and nther popular rates. This broad
band of coping sculpture is bordered ot the rop by a row of !lepptd
merloos altematlna wirh blue lotuus (utpala), and ar the bouom by a
row of bells haogina from the meshes of a net lraJNJoklhkl 1-ja/a).
Plate m
a- Railing intermediate pillar.
It bas mortices for cross-ban on its t,.o sides, and ita t"'o faces are
proided with spaces for sculptural decoration. The face shown in the
Pia re is dec:otated witb a full mecbllion at the middle and half-medalliont
at top and bottom, and its edges arc chamfered. All the three medallions
as well as the chamfered edaes are orname.nted "irh oculpture showina
meo, animals and ftowcra etc.
b- Railina intermediate pillar, sbowinatbe life-oiR Jiaurc of Siriml Dewti
standint on a udika type or raihna. Over her head is a half'-lotua
medathon Crom ,.bicb, on either lidc. cmcraes a lotus leaf (left) and a
blue lotus (rlght) bearin& aarlands or necklaCC!.
c - Terminus pillJU or the Relunl Railin& coering th.e ToraoJ. This pillar
has mortices for e.r-bats ooly on its inou side, the two rac:o and the
outer side being rcse.-ed for life-size fiaurcL In the illoatratioo th.e fiavre
of Yaktba oo the inner face aod that of VirliQbaka Yabba oo
the adjacent outer side bavc bceo shown.
d - Ri&btbaod corner pillar of the Southeaslern Quadrant of the RallinJ.
This pillar bas mortices for cross-bars oa ill inner oidc and outer face, the
adjlcent outer side and inner face beioa rcscn-.d for sculptural decora-
lioiiS. In tbe illunntioa tbe horseman carryiaa a Oaru4a-.tandard
JIDL\INS OF IIIARIIUT IS TRE /IIUSEU/11
{Ganria-dhmja) on tbe inner face tbe elephant ridctf of the outer side
are sho<om. The animals of botb tbe side and the face are standing on
railings supported by elephao11 (on tbe facr) and GIIJ)as (on the
side). Half-lotus medallions decorate tbe top of both face and side.
Plato IV
o- Coping sculpture (No. 346) showing a couebaot clepbnt from wbose
mouth the hl/para//llssues ouL
Tbis is the iaitlalsculptute (oa:upyiug the space juSI above the Fil$1
Pillar drdieated by Chi padcvl) on the iruter face of the Coping ovrr tbe
South-eastern Quadrant of the Railing. Tbe elephant is couchant facing
right, i.e .. the south. the direction to be followed by the pilgrim
perambulatiogthe proJokJhltDpotho. Its uunk is upraised ; and from iu
moutb issues the main 51em of tbe kalporallr which, by its meonderiogs,
divides the foeo of the Coping into a number of semi-circular upper and
lower panels contaioina sculptural decoration. Along with the main
nrm of the ka!ptmt/11 there also issues from the elephant's mouth a
subsidiary spri& bearina a full-blown lotus and a bud. from tbe body
of tbe main stem of the hl/pom//1 issues out otbrr subsidiary sprigs, some
of wbidlare bcld by tbe upraised tnmk of the animal and some others
are obo..-o creepine backwards O\Tr its bead and back. from the lea\ Cl
on these subsidi.lry sprip billlJ various ornaments, llke n<d<laces, tasselt,
a spiral oar-ornament and another of the pr,lkMa-opra-lai!i.l/ala type,
\\hlch surround the animal on all sides. Tbe elephant is not caporisoned,
and appesrs to be wild. lt is very DQturaliJticully dra..-n, being more so
than tbe one depicted on the Return Coping (PI. IV, h).
h- Copinr ICUlpturc (No. 312) obowina a coucbaot clepMnt from ..-bot<:
mouth the 1.4/f"l'Gl/i inuea out.
Tbis is the sculpture next to the initial coucbant lion (frogroeolllry)
on the inner race of the Cop1n1 over the R<turo in front of the Ea1tun
Gateway_ This <lcphant faces right, lik< the one in Pl rv, a;
and from its mouth also i.uues out the stem or tbo kalpgra/11 dividing thn
face of the Return Copina Into a number of similarly posited semi-circular
pnel' for sculptures. In itt uprai>ed trunk the elephant bolds a t1ecldacc
(Mra) of three chained stunds, the strands belDJ separated by spacer
bead!. The animAl it caparisoned, the caparison combtin& or a piece
or embroidered trappina coverina its back and sides; and so, it appears
to be a tame elephaoL Its posture is aJao more prostrate than the ooe
depil:ted on PI. IV, a.
DESCRIPTION OP PLATD
c - Sculpture (No. 348) on the inner fac:e of the Coping 0\'l'r the South
eatero Quadrant of tbe Railing. .Jtoo.ins a lion.
Its body and bauncbes are naturalittically depicted : but its fac:e
and tbc manes over ill neck arc schematic, end appears to be copied from
West Aaaatic prototypH. The aniDIAI is inside " .cmi-c:ircular panel
formed by the meaoderiop of the kaiP<JYal/1, from "'bieh iisues a number
of subsidiary sprip cacb corryina a lotus bud or leaf.
t!- Sculpture (No. 325) on the inner face of the Coping over tbe North
eastern Quadrant of tbe Rnillns, showlna fAntastic ani mol (r/r4mrfga),
inside o scmi-c:irculnr panel formed by the kalpaoai/J.
The animal has a leonine body, a bird' bud with parrot-like bcnk
10d uioine cars, horse like manes O\er the nape of its neclc and lion's
tall. Its forelers have cloven hoofs like 1 bovine, "'bile its bind leas ba\e
cla ... d pawa 1 feline. In Indian litlpaidstrtll tbc.e hybrid aniiJIAb
knon as V)'ii{as. The animal depicted in tbc panel may be desipted
as /;ytoa-.yii(a, hke spiral ala, a, prlkiiraapra-km]:l.ala and
ur-rinas (?), arc .Jtowo around the enimal, $0me of them on sprip
iuuina from 1 node of the ka/para//1,
Plate V
a - Sculpture (No. 354) on tbe inner face of the Coping over the South
eastern Quadrant of the Railina, .Jtowina a fontAJtic animal
inside a acml..:ln:ulnr panel.
The enimal ia a human-faced lion ; but h hu no mane over its neck
and head. Jts limbs, body and bauntb<l bave been natumliSiically
depimd like those of a lion. This enimal appears to bave its ideological
prototype in the sphinxes of Egypt : but in actual depictioo it dill'ers
mueb from tbcm. Two sprigs issuing from a node of the kalptrtalh
leaves with onwne:nts, the one ebovr: tbe animal bcin& a
pJtl.l-ralaya (enkkt), tbe otbtr below it 1 oecklue of bead of
four strands.
b- Sculpture (No. 345) on the inner face of the Copina over tbe North
eatern Quadrant of tbe Railing, &howioa 1 bearded bomao-faa:d bull
(fiDI'arruhabluz) inside a scmi-c:ircular panel.
Tbis fantastic ooimal "'minds us of the I orae bumao-faced bulls on
either 1idc of tbe gales of the Auyrian palaces at Ninc:veb 10d Our
Sberrukin (c. 8th c:entul")' B.C.). lt luu, however, no winp Jiltc its
REioiAINS OF 8UAaiii1T IN nJE IM)IAS loiUSEUiol
Auyrian prototypes. I! should also be noted that it has no hump; and
its body rescmble.s that of o deer more than that of a bull. Below ill
body a spiral pada-alaya (anklet) sprou11 from a lotu.s leaf on a sprig
oriainatina from a node of the /ca/poYa/1, nro oth<r omam<nts. pouibly
spiral tar-rings are sbo,.n abo\'e its back.
c - Sculpture (No. 337) on the inn<r face of the Copma over the North-
eutern Quadrant of the Rolling.
Tbis semi-circular panel abows an antelope (nrriga) under a tree and a
man "ith ao ue on hi shoulder. A the BrillmJ label informs us, it
depicts a fCCtlc from tbe himigu-Jltalca. Tbe ani nul tramples over a
bracelet (M/aya) ; a spiral car-ring Is also sbown o<ar tbe braeelet.
d- Semi-circular panel (No. 327) on the Inner face of the Coping over the
North-eastern Qundrant of the Railios, abowin& a scene from the SujMa
g&-huw Jataluz.
Tbe purpose of this iJIUII.rlltioo is to show bow llllturalistieally the
Bbarbut artists bad depicted the coucbant bun. Its couchant posture,
horns, hump, ribs. ond toll bave been very realistically delinented.
Above and below the bull arc shown two spirnl rala;a.t, possibly pad.J-
ala)'a.t.
Plate VI
a - Semi-circular paael (No. 329) on tbe inner face of tbe Coping over the
North-eastern Quadrant of the Railing, showing the episode of the Blrj<lfa-
Jataka Ku/cuta.Jataluz
Tbe cock on the tree and the eat on tbe sround below bavc been very
realiltlcally as well as naturalistically drawn. Omments, hke necklaces
of beadJ and ll large ear ornament (ko,.,.lala) famisbed witb a number
of bells are shown banaing from two aprlp coming out or a node of the
k4/para//1.
b - Semi-circular panel (No. 333) on lbc inner face or Copina o\er the Nortb-
eauero Quadrant or the R.oilinz, bowons the episode of the woman
~ j t l i in the cremation around amona jackals.
The jadnls are rccoanizably. if not realistically, depleted.
e - Sculpture (No. 312) on the inner face of the Copioa (North-astern
Quadrant), sbowina ornaments banaina from subsidiary aprip iMide a
5Cmkimllar panel formed by tbe k4/paralfl.
62
oesc.rmos or I'I.A TD
Tbc ornamect:s couilt of n<clt..:bains (hlrll), bracelet (rala)'a), ear-
ornaments of trirar110-desip and a rina (alf"tl)'a) of bends.
d - Sculpture (No. 363) OD the inner face of tbe Copinl! (South-eastern
Quadrant), &bowing a oeckband (ka'JI.Io.lhlutha'J4)iwlging from the leaf
ot a spriJ iuuing out of a node of the kulpara/11.
Inside the neckband nre two ear ornaments of the prakdraWiflfa
""'"/ala type, and outside it o ring (ah,utt)'o) of beads.
Plote VO
n - Semi-circular pooel (No. 328) on the Inner face or the Coping
(Nonb-eutern Quadrant), showinc necklaces of beads blnJing from
tbe leaves of a subsidiary spriJ of the iullpara/11. Two other circular
ornamenll baring the shape of lotus-rosettes may be ear ornaments.
h - Semi-circular panel (No. 330) 011 the inner face of the Coping (North-
ea\lern showinc seven manaocs (amra, saluM.va) bausinc
from a sub>idiary sprig of the lcalparalll .
c - Semt..:ircular panel (No. 353) on the inner face of the Coping (South
eastern Quedroot), ohowiog two jack-fruill (panasa) hangins from a
oprlg of the /calpara/1!.
d - Semi-circular panel (No. 326) on tho inoer face of the Copins (North
cutcrn Quadrani), bowing two eustard-applos {at.,) bangin& from a sprig
or the kalparalll.
Plate vm
o - Comcrpillar sculpture (No. 2) sbowioa the hybrid fiprc or a merm.110
(mai1)1111DTa) .. ra/tanQ ora tife$iu dcmiJOd.
Thouah motilatrd, the bead of the leviathan can be recopiztd as
that or a bearded 111111. the body bcioa that of a fish or searpcat,
cut'ed and coiled, the tail being foroihcd with fish-ltke caudal fioJ.
h - Corner-pillar Jculpture (No. 306) obowina a lion (.rfnJiutsimlral as
or the life-size figure of a lady hoi.Jiaa the mirror (darpaf]ij).
Tbe bead of tbe mon!tcr is that of 11 lion. Schematic manes run
over its bead and the nape or its neck. The forepart of its body has two
forclcp which, peculiarly cnooab, arc furnlhcd wth bovine hoofs and
IUMAJNS OF BBAXBUI' IN TBI! 11\"l>IAN IIII$EUW
DOl feline pa .. s. The hind p!rl of itt body COMUIJ Of the Coils Of I
sea-serpeot, and is flltllished llritb fisb-lile and caudal 6os.
t- Pillar chamfer sculpture (No. 24S) sbowina an elephant standina on the
pericarp or. lotus.
The lotus (podma) has bn depkled uno overblown one just before
fldiD8 OUt, with all its pttab droopin& down tOwards the stem
completely exposing the stamens and the p<rioarp. Tbe ease nod poise
whb wblob such o buge animal as the elephan 1 bas been accommodated
on the small compass of the pericarp of a lotus deserve notice.
d - Sculpture (No. 106) on the oul<r face or the terminus-pillar of the Norlb
eastern Qudrant of the Railing. showina a sea-horse (jalaturago) u
rttlrona or ChandrJ Yllk.shi.
The h.ad of the animal is that of a hone with schematic manes
runaina from lbe crown to the nape. lt bat bone-lite forelegs. The
rest of tbe body consists of the coil of a aea-serpeut furnished with
end-fins on tbe tip or tbe tail.
r- Pillar chamfer sculpture (;No, 60) sbowina an animal (mutilated, possibly
hone) with rider stauding on a lotus.
The lotus is depicted as full-blown, in the prime of ill youth, witb
the petals poinliaa upward$, eaclosiaathe tfericarp which is not sren.
Plate IX
a - CroJabar medallion (No. 14) thawing fullhlo.,a lotus.
Tbe medallion sbol\s tbe top IUJface or liD&Ie lotus as i! it iJ
beina ic111ed from above. In the centre is the circular pericarp (kortlfka)
1utb tbe ends of tbe arpeb in potitioo. The periarp it surrounded by a
circle of stomenJ bkh, in turn, i1 encircled by the spreading petals. Tbc
pet.IIJ of tbe front row are shown in their entirety, pt.ced tide by side
around the l.'ircle or sumeru v.ith their tips pointina outwards towards the
of the medallion. The petals of the back rows arc SbOWD
peepma tbrouab the upper cad of those of the front row. The full-
blov.o lotus is placed witbin a circle or 11.11 mould ana ornamcnted with a
avy line. Beyond this mouldinc is o Roral border or alternating full-
blown lotuou and blue lotuses the latter bein& shown cmersing
from tbc plants themselves coasinina or and Items.
64
'
9
DEScatmON OF PlA TI!IS
h - Cross-bar medallion (No. SS) thning a fuii-I>IO"o lotu.
In tbit medallion the reufs or tbe front row Ire sbown IO droop llftd
double back 0\'ef the circle of Slamens 0\ilb lhear tips pointing inwards
Inwards the central rericacp. Beyond this come othor rows with their
petals pointing as is usual with such lotuses. The lotus is
surrounded by an inner circle or beads a ad an outer border of encircling
cbrollwork.
c - Cross-bar medallion {No. 152) showlna a full-blown lotus.
In Ibis medallion nlso the petals or the first row droop ond double
back over the drde of stamens, and then come the usual rov.'S or retals
pointing outwards. The central lotus is surrounded by a row of laracr
petals \\bicb does not belong to that tlo .. er, but appears to form an
oroamcntl device.
d- Crou-l>ar medallion (No. 79) thooHnJ a fuiJ.blowo lotus
Tbe central lotus thon in this medallion In placed ,.;tbin :l cin:lc or
plain llat moulding, and beyond it there is ID outer border formed by a
row of serpents' beads.
Plate X
a- Cross-bar medallion (No. thowina a full-blown lntuJ.
Tbc perlcarp or tbc lotus doe. not cont1in the usulll carpels, but ia
decorated wtlb a lotu>roseue. The Dower Ilea within an ioaer border
of rope mould in& wbieb may represent a wreath or lwuted creeper. The
outer border iJ formed by a mcanderina lotus rhizome with nodes at
rcauiJr intervals from wbicb l'M<'I'IC iepanne lprin&l conlaining blue
lotuses (utpa/.u) and budJ.
b- Crou-l>ar medallion {No. 181) thowioa a fullblowo loto.
The central lot os is enc:irded by an iaoer border or rope mouldina or
twbted The outer border coodsts or a meandering rine
creeper "ilb kaves and baochcs or JrllpeJ eomiaa out of it. The rine
motir apP""ft to be introduced into India tbroo&b conuct with
liellcnilit: West
c- mcdll!Uon {No. 216)sbowina 1 full-blown lotus.
Tbe u1ual ccntrallotullics witbin an Inner circle of twisted rope or
croeperwreath moulding. Beyond tbls i1 an outer border or atyll:r.ed over
65
llElLUN5 OF IBAIUliJT IN 11IE UODIAN MUS1JM
blon lotuses (padnuu) with their peta!J drooping baring
the stame111 and the pericarp, alternating with leaves.
d- Cross-bar medallion (No. S7) showing a full-blown lotus.
The large ceotral lotus is placed within on Inner of bead
andreel {utrmgals) and mo outer border Doral wreath.
Plate XI
a- Fragmentary pillar medallion {No. 287) sbowina a follblOWII lotus
,.;thin a dr<:k of plain ftat mouldiog.
The tioer is oot oft he usual multi-rowed vanety. The single row
of petals surroundina the stamens are alteroated with feeler-like teotacles,
the significance of which cannot be determined. Beyond the circle of
moulding is a row of pecLina swans in vorious pouuret, some pecking
food from the sround, one pecking its utii plurntll, two others confronting
each other witb their bills as if in quarrel.
b - Cross-bar mrdallioo (No 901 showing a full-blown lotus.
Instead of the uual carpels, the pericarp of this beautifally eucuted
lotus i decorated "'itb an eight-armed kelion {octnktllon), the spiral
arm or .. -bicb impan an illuioo or anti-clockwise whlrlioa motion to the
centn! of the compo1iuon. The lotus lies within an inner circle of plain
nat moulding. The outer border is formed by a meanderiog lotus
rhizome comina out of an Inverted Vue of Pleaty (pQrl)llkumbfrll). From
nodes at rezular intervals, the rhi2amc throws olT aub1idiary sprigs wbkh
ban blossomed into full-blown lotuses and buds and lea\'01. The mean
dtring rhizome bu also created an illusion of slow clockwise mo""lD.rot.
Tbus tbc circ:ular mo\emcnt of the centre of the composiuon has been
balanced by that at the circumference.
- Croubar medallion (No 6-1) showing a full-blown lotus
The a:ntra!IDtu, Of usun! variety, il plnced wltbln a circle of many
stranded neeldace of bcds (rntnmn.I/il). The outer border i3 formed by
a row of winaed lion a (sapalcJiuJ.JIMra), their leas bcina In the posture of
prOJ11!SSion. A1 all tbe lions face the same direction the ri&ht. an
illori011 of clockaoe movement lu been created around tbt li&ity of the
central ptricarp or the lotu
tl - Crou-bar medalbou (So. m sbotring a full-blown lotos.
66
DbCIUPT lOS OP l'LA T1!S
In this medallion the central lotus lies ,.hhin an inner circle of plain
nu mouldina. Beyond thos is an outer row elephanu carryina lotuse,
leo'-es and bads in their trunks. Facing right, all the elepbanu arc in
a crnwling posture which has imparted n slow clockwl5e movement
to the circumference or the compmition I1J against the fblty of lhe central
lotus.
Plate Xll
o - Pollar medallion (No. 23) showing lotuses and blue lows.es
(urpoltJS).
Tbe centre of Ibis medallion i3 occupied by a full-blown lolu. vl<,.ed
from above, with lhe pelals of iu inner rows drooplna ovor the circle of
Siemens and or the ou1er rows spreading ou1wards. Tbe ccnlral
lolus is surrounded by a number of full-blown and overblown lotuses
(padmDS) and blue lotuses (utpoltu) and leaves and buds, all on indepen
den1 stems aruina out of 1hc field of the medallion. The medallion thus
appears 10 depocc a lotus pond (padmasarosl) full of podmtJS and ulpaltu.
In nature alao the 1,.0 varieties of 1\owen grow in tbe same pool,
b - Cross-bar medallion (No 254) howina a lo1us plant comina ou1 of a
bill.
Bolb follblown and overblown rielies of lbe locus (;Hufma) as well
M lolus leave'! and buds ore shown to sprout on indl'ldutl stems c:omina
out of a triangular eminence at lhe base of the medallion This trianale,
no doubt, represents I he Primordinl Hill (1/r/, ndrl, which, accor-
ding to lbe earlieot lndo-Aryan tradition, aro!le out of the Primordial
Ocean in 1he fi111 ataae of creation. Similarly, 1be lotus plaol
comio& out of the tti.nale represents the Tree of Life, the immedille
source of all "'hicb arew out or tbo Primordial Hill in lhe
-ond staac of creation. la 1be Bharbut reliefs the Tree of Life bu
alw.y been depicl<d as a Oowerina lollls plant.
c - FrtamentAry pillar medallion (No, 162) sbowina a fullblown lotus.
A lorge full-blown lotus, without any non\1 or animal border, covers
the whole Bdd. Row after row of petals (actually liCVCD rows), one
beyond 1be other, each row pcepong throuah lhe lntenpaces of the row
below, surround 1be inncrmot circle of petals wbich, WJ placed side by
aide around tbe cirele of 1t.1mcns, are ,isible in tbcir entirety. Tbe tips
or peepina petals bne 111o1de a ripple desian of aoacb beaul)' and
ao.-elty.
67
UWAINS OP IIRA&HI1T IS THii INDIAN lolll:'>E\IW
d - Pillar medallion (No. 250) sho"ing full blown lotus
Tbe centrallotw is imide a circle or beads (rillnam.l/ii). The
outer border is formed by a munderina rhizome witb nodes at regular
interuls. From eacb node comes out a 'rria blossoming into fnU-
blowo lotus {patlmo), utpaLJ or leaf. Tbat tbc paJma And the ut paiD have
been lh0\\0 to pow in tbe same plant indicates tbat to the artists or
Bharhut both the Bowers symboliud the same thins, i=., tbe waters,
the source or all creation.
Plate Xlll
o - Cross-bar medallion (No. 102) showing a buSt full-blown
lotus.
Tbe male bust oocupies the place of the central pcricarp and part of
tbe circle of totameo.a around iL Then comet a row of outward-spreadinl!
pctab &idc by side. The between tbe pointed tips
or tbcae petals are li11cd by lotuses (utpa/DJ) aruina on st=s.
b - Crcmbar medallion (No. 96) sho'lOin& a bu,t (male)-buriog full-blown
lotus.
to above. The tips of petals of tbc outer rows ate shown
pcepioa throu1h the of those of the fiCJt row nrouod the circle
of stamens.
c - Crou-bar medallion (No. 165) showlna a bust (fcmale)- bearing full -
blown lotus.
The full-blown lotus, similar to above, Is encircled by a.n ioaer
border of plain moulding a.nd an outer one ar hatched chevrons. Tbe
female bu>t placed "'ithin the Dower hold a lotus bud in her right band.
She moy represent a Nayikii boldina a io her bond, or a soddess
of Srt-l.abbmi type. Tbe bu5t may abo represent a Sllbli-
.mtcd portrait of the 'Ioire of the donor of tbe crou-b:ar a gentleman
named I= hose portrlit allo OCOln oo tbc oilier side of the cross-bar
(PI. Xlll, d).
d - Cro>ss-b.lr medAllion (No. 120) showina a buot (r!lale)-beariag full-blowo
lotu1.
Lotu, with its double border, aimilar to above. The male bust
inaide tbe lotus holds ao overblon lotus in bit rlabt band. 1t appears
to be tbe portrait of the gentleman 1no, the donor of tbc cross-hac. l t
68
DCSCIUPTIOS OF PU TU
,.., cutoml) to embellhh tbe rrdkllJ itb of porular go<ls and
aodd.u.s (like Yahbas and Yahbioll. in the role of dCYotees and
on!lippcn of the 1r:ipa, hicb the of tbe Buddluo.
The arlllh of Bbarbot appe3n to avail of thl orp.-rtunity to introduce
the portraots or their patrons in the suise of demlaods and
payin1 bomage to tue rt-pa. Reference mmy be made, in Ibis connection,
to a Greelo> letcnd which informs us how Phcido3s was of portray-
in& the head of hiJ p>tron Perictes In the aarb of Zcus on the shield of
hlo cbry5clcphantine image or Athcoa Parthenos houRd in tbc oanctuary
of the Parthenon. The custom of introduotna portraits of patrons in
reliaious architeaturc in the guise of ncceuory deities appears to be widely
prevaleotamoogsttbe artisu of the ancient world.
Plate XIV
a -Cross-bar medallion (No. 114) a bust (remale}-bcaring full-
blown lotus.
The feiD:lle bust ioside the loto iJ enp,cd in her toilet (possibly
a:ranaina the plaiu or hair instead of punina the 'vmiboo paint an the
haor-partong is usual in such figures) boldona a mirror in her left hand.
In iconoga!'hic texts such figures are des"ibed u darpa,a. lt iJ
lnterestina to note wt the lady we3n an atAuiasbapcd l!ltto-mark (or
andle woodpa5le mark) on her left chec'- Jut below tbe left eye. Aa
tbe Inscription on the crossbar informs us, the bust appears to represent
tbc portrait or tbe donor, the lady Pushyadcvi, mother of Dharmagupta,
in the aulse of a darpa!rlkll Niyikii.
b - Cro.,b.lr medallion (No. U2) 1 but (female)- bearing fuU-
hlown lotus.
The female bun, beio&. no doubt, the portrait of the donor mention-
ed ill tbe inscription as the mother of Sctaka, holds an o<crblo'lfll lotus in
her ri&hl band.
c - Crou-bor mcdallion (No. 138) howina a male bust, the porlrait or the
donor GOiila. wilbill a futlblcra'll lotus.
d - Cross-bar medallion (No. 200) ahowill& a mate bast, the portrait or the
donor !lishirakJbita, ilbill a fuU-blown lotus. He boldt a buocb of
fruits, pouibly tbe date palm, in hit riabt ha11d.
PLate XV
a- Pillar medallioa (No. 245) sbowina a butt (femalc)-bearin& lotus.
(/J
RLAINS OF BHAilRUT IN TIIB INDIAN MUSWM
Tbc full-blown lows Ucs within an inner border or plain Oat moulding
and an outer border of square beads decorated wilb diamond designs.
Tbe petAls of tbe lotus ate posilcd in sncb a way, eocb one CO\'eriog part
of lbe other in front or il, tbat tbey Jive an illu1ion of anti-docltwise
wbirhaa motion. 'Ibc pcrie.lrp of lbc lotu con lain. lbe female bust with
bcr hands in tbe acl of .alulation (namask<lf<l or a7i;ali-ma/r,;). The cir-
ele of s1amens orouad tbe pericarp it &icn the shape of a l"'istcd-ropc
mouldlna. The identily of tbc lody reprcsenled by the fcmlc busl can-
no! be delcrmiocd. Sbc may be a ; but the IJck of ber fdal
charm Inclines us 10 hold that in lhls depiction the artlll made a realistic
ponrail of the donor's wife, who mighl have accompanied her husband
in his pllarimaac to the Stiipa. The donor of lhe pillar. lbe borse:mon
(asavc.,ika) Sulabdba, himself appears to be portrayed In a scene depicted
on a halfmedaUJon (lop) of lbe same pillar (PI. XXI. d).
b- Pillar medallion (No. 67) showing 4 bu01 (male)-bearina lotus.
Tbe male busl within 1be loins occupie> the place or il! pericarp and
pari of lbe circle Of ttamcns. ll bat a &rolesque face, decontled aU over
..,ilh tllQO.marb. a mnb nose witb broad and Iona conical asinine
can. Tbe pilla.r beina tbe lift of tbe bdy N>psen>r haihna from Pipli-
pulra, tbe btat cannot be taken to be the portrait or lhe donor. It
10 represent a Yaksba or some male deily auocialed with Water
Cosmology, "bosc face bas been shaped after some o lhe contemporary
aboriaioal lribal people of Qolrul IndiA.
c- Pillar medllion (No. 219) sho\\ing a female figure inside a roundcJ bor-
dered by a noweriog lotus pi&Jll.
Tbe lady, shown opto tbe waist, is whhio a elrcle or plain Oat
mouldioa. Her ri&bl haod, placed on lhe hip (ko!lfwta), holds a loins
by lhe "alk; aod her left band, bent 11 lhe elbow, holds lhe braids of
her plaited hair (Tt'lll). Tb" rouodcJ conlllioina her fiaurc is surroUJldtd
by a mcaodtrina lotus plant. no doubt, th" Tree of Life, biO!lOmiog iato
oerblo,.o lotuses, bads and leavct on uparate sprigs coming out of iu
oodel. Th<: ends of the pla.ot an held by tbe bandJ of a Yaksba squat-
tiDJil lhe .bouom. The aq ... uina Vaksba is a variant of lhe same
peuooare from whose moutb or oavel lhe Plaol or Life is showo to
oriaiollc in olhcr medallions of tbe Railina (PI. XVII, o and b). The
lady, rcprcsentina tbe spirit residing wilbin tbe lo1us plant (Tree of life),
Is, no doubt, a popular BO<Idcss of 6n-Lakshml lypo depicted here as
pa.lmJiwJid (holding the lotlU} and paJmJJVa.Jbtr (reaidlna in the loiUs}, tbc
lolUJ plaol aurroundiog her iodicallna her habhal.
70
DESnJPTIOS OF PLA TI'J
d- Pillar medallion (No. 231) sho,..ina a male bust within a fullblowo
lotus.
The male host weors an elepnt turban aod other ornaments ; its
loely (.tee. bri&btened by llll esrression su.,esti\<e or smile, esudes
.. -.rmth of livelines< that is rarely met ll>llh in th sculpture or that aae.
The lotus co11taining the bust h surroundina by overblown lotu.cs
(padmas). urpalas and buds, alternatina with (our larae birds which appear
to be wnns. The identity or the but cannot be determined.
Plate XVI
a- Crou-bar medallion (No. 89) decorated with the palmetto and lotus
motif.
The ftoral motif, arising out o( the Oat border or the half-lotus at the
bue or the medallion, is generally to be a stylized form or the so-
called "boncysud:le" motif. It, ho.,ever, appean to be a "pahnette",
that b. styliud representation o( the leavel or the date-palm tree, uered
to the Babylonians and A<syriao or Meoopatamia. Tbe serrated an.t
ribbed representations along the venehrae or tbe four side-branches
appear to be nothing but stylized renderinas or individual leaves or the
dote-palm sprouting on either aide, from bue to tip. or liS individual
branches. The tentacle-like growths on either side or tbe length of the
central stem appear to represoent the proeett or twigs and spikes sproutloa
on tbe rhacbil (navamonjlllf) while the is about to bloom. Rosettes
o( some sort of blooming on stems oecupy the spaces
between tbe brooches or the main motif. Tbe budlllce growths ftanklna
tbe branch (the one on the rlpbt Is mutilated) possibly represent
bunches of the date palm (ruita.
b- Cross-bar medallion (No. 131) decorated itb tte palmette and lotus
motif<.
In this illu.tzation abo the 1errtted and ribbed meombeu or tbe motif
1tand for the lenes and bta11ches or the date palm. But the central
l<'nchb (anlike m:mber beara t be close> I rcsoemblance to le.af or the
lndtao betel-nut (zurl;.kll). also a member or the palm famUy, ,.bJ<b ir, no
doubt, represents. Tbc two bunches or llowers or fruits, llankin& tbe
centntl ,,,.aka rear on citber side, pauibly represent bunches of fruit
bearing Dowers or the !llllllC tree IIUVilkamall}arf), It thus appears tha t
an thl r<presentatlon of the palmette motif the artilta of Bharbut
aulmllated Indian elements o( similar imporl wltb tbe oriainal Mesopo-
71
HWAI'<!i OF BBAilBUT Ill niF 11\JS\JM
umian prototypes. Two ,.;nged hone (ralahaka-al<a), also or West
Astatic ori&in. clan out, ooe on either side. of I be ternted leaes of tbe
date ralm. The palmeUe lrOO OUt Of the pcricarp of an OVerblown
lotus lboo in three-quarter profile. Thi> association of the palmeue
,.itb the lotus, ,.bid! symbouut the makes the former an element
of Water Cosmolo!)'.
c-Pillar medallion (No. 168) decorated with srasllktu and sauras
llkar and lines or beads (ralnan>lliU)
d - Pillar medallion (No. ISO) decorated with Ooral and geometric designs.
Tbe Geld of tbe medallion is dhided into 11 number of squares by
broad trai&bt lines running hori:ontally and vertically across it. Each
square two balf-lotu<cs in.ide half-medallions, wbosc diameters
are formed by to of the oppolite sides of tbe 1qune bous.iog tbcm,
their circumf=nces tooebina each other at tho highest point. The
1paces bet"een the two half-medallions inside a square are filled by bloc
lotusn (UIJI"/.1). The decorated borders of the half-medallions in the
adJe<nt lqllll<es have formed intcructina spirals, producing a number
Of 6aorcs koon IS the I Spiral variety Of the SJOJtikJl. Th=
spirals have cre .. ted an illu<ion of beavin1 and whirling motion along the
leoatb and bredth of the med.tUion.
Plate XVII
a- Crost-bar medallion (No. 279} showlna nowerina plan !I coming out of
the ouel of n aquotting Yaksho.
The pot-bellied (ru,1i!a) Yakba is seated on his haunches at the bosc
of the medallion Two lotus pia nu, C:OmlnJ out or his navel, have spread
tbdr courses in direction, fillina the eotire medallion "ilb
Ooers, buds and leaves. growinJ on spriat from nodes of the main stems.
The stem of each pint is held by cuher of tbe Yaltba'a Junds, bent at
the elbow and placed oo the c:o.-re<pondinJ raiteJ knee. Both utpa/lzs aod
pt;lima:r Of the OV<rblown variety are tbOWII &rollinJ on the same plant,
wbkb lndi<:ates that both the tlowerasymbolize the same china. ri.=., the
nten.
b - Croubar medallion (No. &3) lhowina Oowerina plants coming out of a
squauin& Yaksha'a mouth.
The Yaktha seated as above at the bollom of the mednllioo. Two
lotus plants come out or bis mouth, and spreadln in opposite directions
72
DESClUP110N OF PLA 'ITS
cover tbe whole 6dd wilb IJicir sprig.. le:aveo, blououu and buds. The
Items of the plants arc held in the Y aklha's hancb u in the forcgoinc
illusuatioo. Only padmm, both of the full-blo,.n vari<ty showing thcir
top surf= 11nd the overblo,., on., shown in profile, 1row oo the plants
dtp1cted in tbiJ med:tllion.
e - Pillar medallion (No. 81) sbowins a NlfDriJja accompanied by t\\'O
Nafi
The Niign Icing smnds in the humon form undtr a canopy of Ove-
beoded snake-hood ov.r hi head. The Nliglt, on the other bond, have
been shown In the bybrld form, in which th head and bust upto the novel
oro those of a wontan, while the lowor Umba coo sist of the coils or on
actual sorponL Each ol tho N<gt' holds a eha .. TI in one of ber bonds.
d- Pillar medallion (No. 99) showing a Mithuna couplo
Each one of tho pair stands, p!acinJ ono loa. on ao eminence that
r<Kmbles th bock of a This may rcrroseot Prajipali in tbo
form or tortoise from 1\'bom the oriahtal Mitbuno J"lir is supposed to
ori,linato.
Plate XVIIl
a- Cross-bar medallion (No. 101) showina a Full Vase (Piif'IJogho!o), with
the lotus plant (Tree of Life) growioa out or ill mouth
The Pnraoglrafo is shown u a wido-mouthed alobular pot having a
high rlns pod.,tal and ovened rims, but no dlll!erniblc neck. Its globular
body la ornamented with bands or lolut-p<tal at tho baJe 11nd the
shoulder and by a row of boads in the middle. Both utpolas and podmo3
of tbe full-biO .. 'D and overblown varieti., JfOW OD the plant coming out
or iu mouth. OD the exposed pori<arp of each or tbe four overblown
there perches a swan in tho poeking pnturc:. Full of life-giving
water. from which wclls Dp the Treo of Ufe bcario& all JO!b of animals
and bcrbs. the P>f'tl<lgluz!o boeomes a mic:roccnm, epitomizing the uni-
verse and the force of creation contained in it. lu ,Jobul.u tbape is
rominitecot or the !Jobe of the cartb.
b- Crou-bar medallion (No. 113) sbowin& Go/alokr/rrni.
10
The soddeu Is IICaled on the uposed peric:arp Of ID oerblowo lotus
arhina out of a Piin).Dg!Joto. A lotus prings on a <pri1!, this also
c:omlna out or the on either idr of tbc goddess, 11nd llll
elephant, ttandinx on each lotu,, pours water ovor her bend from an
llot.\ISS OP IH,utRUT nlll llil)JAS MUSEUW
inverted jar held by the trunk. He:r hands arc folded io the act of
ulutalion !namaJkMa or a';J]allmudra) as if !he h otrerinJ her homage to
to the srupa. Tblt indientes that the presence of dcitie! of the popular
pnotheon. like tha.c belonalng to Water CosmolOJY, wu requisitioned on
the Raillog to serve subordinate roles as devotees and worshippers to
magnify the relision of the Buddha .
., _ Pillar medallion (No. 177) 1howing Gaja}ak.$/11111.
Here the goddcu is staodina on the pcrbrp of the lotus ;
the composition is similar 10 that of the foreaoinJ illutration. rn her
left hand the fOCI<!<'s hold> a lo1us-bud by Jbe otalk "hich ariJCS out of
the Full Vase below Her riJht band is placed below her left breasl as if
she it pressing h. Thos 8C!ture indicales her power u n g9ddess of
abundance of pourina nourishment at will on one and all.
d- Cro<s-bor medallion (No. 170) showing a 1/Tipa wonbipped by two male
devotee, one on either side.
The hemispherical dome (a!4a) of the Ilfipa is rsbed on a cylindrical
ba"' or dium (mMllll. Jhe lo,.er portioo of which is decorated wilb a
seoo of ornamtnted mouldiop. On I his cylindrical drum sutnds the
railio1 (udik4) ,.-hich surrounds the base of the dome. The body of the
dome is decorated all over with Ooral motifs and scroll work. Oo the
truncated lOp of 1he dome there is a square pisiform oo whicb rises the
lrormlk<;. Tbe lrarmlk4 consi!ts of a four-sided railioa roofed by gradually
corbels In three tiers. The upper-most rorbel is crowned by a
prlnod-bearios umbrella raised on a {ya.rh(h!). In overall
appearatlce the Jnpa depicted oo the medallion is Jailer than Sanchi
Stupa I. a contemporary monument still nandina. The hiab cylindrical
dium (>Mdlri) at the base and the corbels of tbe roof or the harmika at
the top art responsible for the lonaisb appearance of tbe whole structure ;
at the same time they have mioimn.d 1be grandeur of tbe dome
bleb, in earli<r unpa architecture. as exemplified by Sttlpa I,
formed itJ most dominant member.
Plate XIX
a - Cross-ba.r medallion (No. 84) abowioa Makara.
Tht mythical creature i reprneoted as bavina aa elephant's scalp to
which a crocodile's snout witb parted ja., set wub pq-like crocodile
teeth has beell engrafted. lh body ..-mblts that of a lhb and iJ conrcd
with acales, bot the tail is eo lied like thu or a serpcut It bas elephantine
74
DtsctlmON OF PLATU
forelegs aad li>hlikc pcc1oral aad IJiil fiol. Tbe upper jaw is
llpwardt IO form DD incipienl praboKis, bUI 001 lhc long trunk of the
elepbaol.
b- Cross-bar medallion (No. 146) showing Mnknra.
Similar 10 nbo>e, with lhe difference thol lu body is plain and
smooth, and 001 co,ercd with scales, and ita IJiil is upwardt and
not coiled. !Is foreleas are furnished wilb bovine hoofs !Uid it has fib
like dorsal, ventral and caodsl fins. 11 alto tendril-like pi>cule
feelers oa iiS upper toout : and 1brec lhbu are shown around ilt bud.
one of them iu gapins ja .. -., u If being
by it.
c-:- Crass-bar medallion (No. 137) showing a Makara.
Similar to tho foregoing In almost all rcspecll. However, its sterna m
resembles thnt or an elepbont, though ill forele& possess bovine boors.
A lotus plant whb two overblown lotuses and a bud is shown issuina out
of its parted jaws.
d- Crou-bar medAllion (No. 125) sbowma p.acocks.
Tbe central pe.ococl with iu bead-plumo:s (lll.lri) and spread-out faa
tail covers the bole field. Two other smaller pegock,
one on either side of the ccatral one, arc ahown in the pceltins
posture.
Plate XX
a- Pillar half-medallion (lop) (No. 167) shoina a full blown half-lotua.
Tbe semi-circular border t o the balflotu is formed by a neeltlac:e of
of se>cral manda, wbicb are kept in place by regularly placed
pa= Tbe horizontal bordtr alona the diAmeter of the half
lotus is formed by a row of bangina and NJrMntaW.
b - Pillar half-medallion (top) (No. 6) lbowina a full-blown half-lotus.
Tbc half-lotus is bordered by o.n inner semi-circle of plain .Bat moul
ding. and an outer one consisting of a row of tolloises sbon in the
profile. The tortOiKI are divided into to aroups of three eacb by a
bunch of llo""" hlcb they arc approachin& from either ide. one
tho: other. The tonobn arc ftf1 utural .. tically depitted. Tbe upper
diametrical border to tbe lotns is formed by a ro of stepped mcrlons in
lioe lien altet11atina with blue lOIII!Cs.
lUiWAINS OF BBARBUT IN ruJ! INDIAS MUSL"IIt
Crou-bar mcd&Uioo (No. 9S) howioa bullocks, cart and driver, all 11
rat.
Tbi.l, DO doubt, depi<ts the sane or an Indian village at midday
durioc the JUIDD1<r Sdl5011. when all nature sccms to be dro"'y and at
rot. The event lakes place by the side of I step.weiJ depicted nllhc lop
Of the medallion. The !WO bulls, unh>rOU1Cd from their yokes, are at
rC>I on the posture usual to them. The cart &lands still. The cart driver
is oloo enjoying a nap in tbe squnuina position, his doubled-up knees
belna bound with bi.l body by means or nn uuarlya would round the waist
and knees, to prevent him from fall while The whole composi-
tion Is charged with an air or dro,.sy inactivity which characterizes the
summer oooos of I be Central Indian villaaes.
d- Cross bar medallion (No. I 19) sbowioa an elephant and monkeys.
The l.lrae clcpbaot, occupyina almost the entire field or themcdalUoo,
is ,..!Ling 10 rlaht in a slow pit. Five or the monkeys arc ridins on
tbo elephant, three being ,.,.,ed on its bad;, one tandiog on oDe or ib
tusks, and the other trying to scramble O\cr the bind pans or its body
by eatchin1 bold of iu trnppinK>. Three Other monkeys ore acco.mpony-
inatbe elephant OD foot, playioa on musical inurumcnts like drams aDd
the conch-shell Oute. The import of the scene has not yet been deter-
mined. but aU the animAls have been very succe.sfully drawn, their po$eS
and auitude. bc.ina depictrd ..,itb perfect naturalness and a warmth or
charm that generates only from love for tbese nnimnl!. Tbe interpenetra-
tion of 6aure with figure while communicntina ideas, wbicb is the essence
or visual artistic compositionJ, has bc.cn very arnpbically depicted in this
piece. Tbe whole compoition it su!Tused wltb a ense or the comic,
itb tbe monkey playing their pranks, and tbc elephant re.ll5biog with
a:athfactioo tbc company or iiJ simian associated.
Platr XXI
a - Pdlar halfmedallioD (top) (No 92) sbowina a 1.-ater-b..U ( jala-rrishoblla)
and ramo.
Tile mytbic..l sca-moruter hlu the bead and bust or 1 bull ilh the
born<, bump, dow-lap aod foreleJs -.ith parted hoofs correctly shoe.
The bond part or its body consists or tbe coih of o sea-serpent and is fur-
nished with donal, pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins. The borizontlll band
above the half-medallion shows two raitl or ratru, the animals or each
pair bclna suted side by side and back to back, facing opposite
directi<las.
76
DBct.IJ'fiOl< OP PLATES
b - Pillar half-medlhoo (top) (No. 98) $bowing a pair of deer and Dorol
and linear decoration.
The two deer ore catcd side by side and back to back facing oppo
site dira:tions. They have many-tined antlcn on their beads, which
shows tbnt they are true deer and not antelope. Two buds of some
sort of ftowcr arc hown to rue above their backt The horizontal
border &IOn& the diameter Of the halfmcdallioo ShOWS tWO lotus-roKIICI
on either side and a JN$1ila in the centre. The extended arms of the
srtUtilco does not form right angles with the main cross-arms. but are
rounded at the junction, a tendency for the arnu to USllme a SPiral form
which culminated in the sian or the ttm:asJ.tii<Jn.
c- Pillar balfmedallion (top) (No. 218) ohowina a boar-bunt and two
jalbho.r.
The boar on the naht is shown allncked by two dogs, one confront
iog it and tryingIO its snout, the other has leapt ovor its back and
bas dug it< canines into the shoulder of its prey. A male or a female,
holding a club io the left hand. ii sbov.n urainJ the dog oo the left to
continue the attacL The boar with its interlockioa tusks aod cloveo
hoofs has beeo correctly and to some extent oaturalittio:ally depktcd ; but
it is difficult to rec:oanize the dogs as such. These may ccpreseot iOme
tort of wild dogs found In the fomts of Centrl lodi . The upper hori-
zontAl border to the hmlfmedallion is formed by two wnter..:lepll.'lntl
jaltbhtH or JOia-lwru) seated baok to back racina opposite direc:tlOnl.
Their heads. trunks, tusks and forelegs resemble those of the elrpll.'lnt,
buttbdr tllils are formed by the coils or a sea-serpent and are furnished
with 6shlike endfins.
t1- Pillu balf-mcdalhoo (top) (So. 244) sbowioa a bone accompanied by a
man and WOIII&JI. and to Makaras.
The o:aparisoocd bone being led by a woman holdios ill reins and
foUollicd by a man boldiog a spear in tbe riaht hacd. The siJDificanec
or the scene is not known. It appears that the man following the bone
iS intended to repreoent the horscmllll (tUO .. Sulabdha, the dooor or
the pillar accordinato the inscription enaraved on it, and the woman his
wife, who m1ght ba.e accompanied her husband in his pil&rimaae. Tbc
profnoioo or tbc donor appears to been alludtd to by lhowin1 him
accompaoyiaJ the bone. ne upper border to tbc balf-lllftlallioa it
formed by two Mabras -led back to back fadaJ opposite
Tbcsc faal&llic aaitUis lack the clcpbaatiae probotds and JIO'SCU iastead
77
,
caping mouls ; and !heir bodies ate those of fishes fUrnished
with lacenl, \eaual and caudal fuu.
Plue xxn
I
a -Pillar hlllf-medalllon (lop) (No. 46) showing no overblown locos (podma)
and two UJpOftu.
The overblown lotus is shown wilh all ilS petals droopinc downwards
baring ill circle of slBIDcns nod the pericarp tu
bolgiog contour resembles that of an A.!okao capital ; and Coomara-
swamy's sogeotioo lbat the A:okan "bcU-opital'' derived !heir oriain
from SOme sucll >tyliz.cJ depiction of an O\crblowa lotus may not be
altogether out or the mark. The horizontal border at the top or tbo
balrmcdaDioo is formed by a row or stylized honey-suckles (aotbemia).
b - Pillar c:luunfcr sculpture (No. 157) showing on either edge a rnn-tailed
peacod pen:hins on cbe rericarp or 110 overblown lotus.
e - PiU at cbamfet sculpture (No. 23) sbo iog on either edg.: a parrot
perclllng oa a baaJioa branch and pecking at iu fruitS.
d - Pillar chamfer sculpcure (No. 3S) sboi.oa oo eithct edge a squirrel
perched on baaaina branches and Dibblio& at the foliage. The fruit
hanging from tbe braoeb on the left is a custatdapple (diJ) and !hose oo
lbc right ate mangoes (ilmra, sahak4ra).
Plate xxm
a- Pillat chllmfer sculpture (No. IS6l showing a female (left) and a amle
(riaht) figure each sllladin& on lhc pericarp of ao overblown lotus.
The female is boldio& a necklace of be:lds or sceral straods
banging overhead. The male bolds his bands folded apum his chest in
an aet of salo!at.ion.
b - Pillar cbamfet sculpture (No. 231) sbo'll'in& a female llaurc oo either tide
standing on lotus.
The fctrutle oo tbe lcCI is standina on a full-blown lotus wilh itS
petals poiotln& upwards. Sbc 11 engag.:d iJl bruldn& a bunch of Aioi<D-
ftowc:rs baxl&ioa from branches ovu bead (.Uo.I.D-blallljlq). The lady on
she right is swwhna oo the uposcd pericarp of an overblown lotus and
abc is pluctio& Sarallowcn baaaina from braocbca over her head. She
may be daipatcd as a UaRjlka.
71
DESCRIPTION OF PLA TIS
c- Pillar chamfer sculpture (t'o. 87) showina a malelript) and fem1!le (IeO),
each standing on the hood of a five-beaded eo bra.
The female holds a bunch of lltklllowers hanaina oerhud. She b
thus in tbe pose of a &ia-h!ralljlkfl. The male has bis bands folded
against his chest in the act of salutation (nnmatk6ramudra). A necklace
of beads in .. vera! strands is shown hangina over hit head. The female
otandina on the Nagabood eccordJ well with the Virlmudhormouara
description of Anontoniiaa witb the beautiful .,;,rib Goddess (Prlth1)
atondlng on his hoods. Similarly, the mole fiaure standing on the
serpent's hood reminds us of the rcprescntllllons or. Kriabon's subduina
Knliyaniiga (Knliayu-dnmnna) in later Indian un.
d- Pillar chamfer sculpture (No. 168) sbowina on either side a female figure
lllndina 00 tbe pericarp or an overblown lotus.
The lady oo the riaht holds a bunch of fruits or a llowerbud in bet
raised riaht band, while the other on the IeO holds a ball in her right hand
as If she is about to throw it. Sbe h thus engaaed in playing .,-;tb the
ball one of tbe pallimes or the NaylkliJ described iD
the /:llp<Uii.stras. One of the finest depictions of a NiyiU playing ... ith
I ball is 10 be found OD OOC or the uffl>lJDkD brnc'Uts inside the
mali!mon fapn of the Lakshmana Temple at Kbajurabo (c. lOth ceutury
A.O.) (cf. Andmtlndia No. IS, PI XXXIX. B). Beneath their oeeular
facade lheae N&yii:As of the later temples appears to be1!r a deep
religious and mythological sianincnnce. Thus the lndy playing with the
bnll of the L.olcshmaoa Temple reminds us of that episode in the legend
of the Churning of the Ocean (SamuJramanrhana) where Vithou, u the
enchantress Mohinl, came to the place of churnmg. ployio1 with a ball
held In het upraised haod, in order to delude the demons and thus deprive
them of their share of the nectar. We are or the opinion that tbe motif
of a lady playing with a ball" 111 shown on tbe earlier monuments, lilte
Bbarhut made such a areat appeal to the Indian artists in various
media or that the literary artits took their cue from the earlier
ortits bo worRd in the medtutll or uone.
Plate XXIV
a - Pillar chamfer sculpture (No. 40, IeO) tllowina a female flpre holdlnll
mongo honsins from a branch over Iter head.
The lady stands on the exposed periearp of an overblown lotus.
Her pendant ri&ht bttnd holds the eod of an uttarf)'Q wound round bet
79
REMAINS OP DIIARIIL'T IN THR INOIAN MU$DUM
watu Her ldl band, railcd upward., holds a mango (sahvknttJ) banJing
overhead, as if she is about to pluck that fruit from tbe tree. She is thus
playing the @Ome (uify,tn .. krf {il) of Snfwk,lrahhDr.jikiJ the
monp-fruu"J, referred to In Indian literature
b- Pillar chamfer cculplure (No 35, ri&ht) sbowin& female figure under
a Oowering Aiakatrtc,
The lady tland on Ill overblown lotus under the boer of a Dower-
ins A 'okatrec. Her left lea is Jquarely upon tbe exposed periearp
of the lotus below, but her right leg I entwined round the atem of the
Alokatree under which she sllllll1. Iter left band banp aracefully by
lhe Jeftlide, ,.hUe her railed right hand. also entwined round lhc 11em
of the same .4<okaltec, holds one of il! branches over her head. Her
aturc i thus indicative of her embracing tbc whleb. necor-
dinato traditional Indian belief, pines for lhe toucll of a youthful dam-
ael, and unlcsathi< Jonans" Cdabar/a) of the tree is satisfied, it cannot
burst into blouoms. The lady under the bower of the tree IDllY, there-
fore, be talen as a sculptural repreaentation of the .4loka.Joltttda motif.
cllarnfer sculpture (:-lo. 81. li1htl showioa 1 female fipre standing
on on ovcrblo\\n lotus, her hmnds folded aguin>t her brCMl' in namaskllrO-
mJJJr!J,
Whether she is taken to be a Yahbioi or a mortal ,..oman, lherc is
no doubt lhat her serviect have been requinioned by the artiSI4 of
Bharhut in tbe role of a devotee paylna bomoae to tbe 81 pa.
tl- Pillar chamfer (No 129, left) sbawina a female fisure holding
lotus bud in her either band.
The lady stands on an overbJO'IIn lotus. lo her JI3cefuUy pendent
ricbt hand he hold> a lotut-bud by the atalk : ber raised left band aJ.o
boldt another lotu bud banging on il4 stem over her head. The lady
appeJrs to represent a popular soddess of the padmaha.rt.JIAbbml type
hose presence In the of a suborchnate deity wn deemed necessary
by the artim of Bharbut to magnify the reli&ion of the Buddha.
r - Pillctt chamfer sculpture (No. 23, left) showina a female fipre atandina
Wider a floweriaalotu plant
1- Pillar chamfer sculpture (No. 2l, li&hl) showing a female fiaurc standlna
under a ftowerin1 lotus-plant.
10
I I
DESCRIPTIOS OF PI.ATU
Tht female fiaures depict! in the two <c:ulptures (PI . XXI\", t aod/)
Ire ery llmil&r ln their posei and atiJtUdtl. ath Of them 1tandJ OD 80
oerblown pad'"ap;tlta ; and one of the hands and lep (the right ones) of
.acb are tntwined ith the wn of the plant under wbtch the lady stands,
the only dlll'ercncc being that "'bile the left band of the lady to PI. XXIV
remains arocdully pendant by bu left atde. that of the other (PI.
XXIV,/) holds a ftowering hraoch of the plant overhead. Both the
ladteo arc, therefore, in the dohndo anitude, aatisfyina the longlna
(tlohoda) of the plants of their choice. Notwitbtlanding thi>, each of
them may be token 10 Slaod for that panlculor form of the goddeu
lakhml whkb conceive> her as "residina in the lotuJ" (padnta-ra.Jml,
kamalauinl) or in the IOIUJforen" (l<molavWJal'4Silli), the
lotus plant in each case indicating the goddcn' s habitat. We are of the
opinion that in these two sculptures the 1oddess herulf is >hown tis-
fyina the dalta.lll of the plaot hitb ahellen her.
I I

81
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16
A
atuc.OJ, ablc:i. 34, 3$, 36. ll, 5:.
Abhlsheka.Labbml, 41.
Achumea.ld, ll.U, J6
..trl. Primordial RaiJ'mount.dn, 2l, G7.
AesclepiOJ, temple of. 16.
A1l hr.1H, 39.
A&nft!&, P. K., 40.
Aara,...la, V. 14. 40, 4J.
A hi Budbnya, 46, 41.
Ahlcbchhotro, SO
Alrl .. t .. S..
Ajokalllka Yobbo, S4.
Aj.1taiatru. 12. IJ.
Alcu.ader I he Great, l6.
Alllltabad, :W, JS,
Amaravatl, ,t6.
"'"'" saltolt;,r-. (manao),IS, 0, 63, 78.
11,., u. 42.
A,.,todMTQ'HJ, Ripe of Amrita, 47.
A rlltalildta, Antlaloidu.
Anull, Anaowt.lp, 2. 0, 46, 1. 41, 79,
AoaDtaii.JIVlslt411, 31.
AnatoUa, 3S.
<ltl/. (domo or. - 2. 74
Allim:all
antelope, "'ffl SI, 62..
boar, SI. 77.
bull,SI,Q.
bullod .. SI, 76.
cat. SI, 62.
cock," 62.
cnb, SI.
crocodtk, I, 11, " 53, SI, 74
crow. 11.
deu, ""
4oa, !t . ..,...,
dU.Ck, lOOK, .Jf,
INDEX
ADlmalt
elephant, ll, 14, 16, 43, SI, S8, 60, 63, 73,
74, 7S, 76, 77.
6sb, SI.
(m&, SI,
hue, $1,
bone, 0, SI, 71.
jackal, SI, 6Z.
lion, 9. tl, Sl, 60, 61.
IJnrd, SI.
moatcy, 1&, 4). st. 76.
parrot, 16, 43, SI, 59, 78.
puoock, 16, 4J, SI, S2, 7$, 71,
qwl. sr.
ram, Sl, 76:.
thlrtoceros. SI .
Jqllirftl, 16, 4), SI, 71.
swan, 4), St. 66. 71, 73.
tortoiu, SJ, 13, ?S.
Animal Style, dec:ontlvo art, 20. Sl-S4.
.,;,,.r.. <DIJli.-rJ, 41, 43, '10. 74
(lepbaotcoad),28, (If.
ootbemloo, JS. 36, 37, SS. 11.
utJa,lS.
A.ntlaloidu, 17.
Ap1Jio,lo.7p), 49.
.__ NtP:t. 38.
Apollo. M.
erchitrave, 6, 7, 8, 57. $8, 69.
r1lo11. wortb..ip .Q.
AtaKid, )J
Arl motift, decontivo.
BA<D!JIIc:i and doltaJJ motl(o. 43-46,
81DC LOCUI 32-:W.
chevron ... S4-.S.S.
Fabulous or (utaule aolmala {a.r"'rf,.,\,
S2-S4.
Acrwerlnc plot comiAa out olo Jquattiq
01al llcun, JHO.
llDtAISS OP BBAilBUT IN TUII INDIAN MUSI!\JII
A-r1 crsotirt,
Pullblowa lot os Sower
Roney.aockle, )4..)1.
Mubuaa. $0-51.
Nlaa. <46-SO.
Natural anlm:.lt, SISl.
,..,.,,,.,,., 1'11,..4a/o,a, P/irfdrunb/JD,
40-41.
rH.oksbml. 4
merlont, $6.
, .,,tlka, "
tetratkellon, SS.$6.
Artemls. !IS,
Al'JIDI, 15, 39, 4(),
iiMhG.t, 27.
UllfJTlllllbOUetaan,,10, 71.
A Jll.":lt{l.o, 6l..
Atbtaa. IU. 46.
cuJI(J11 1t.nnb,_, 6, $7.
Alia r.hnor,J) ..
AW.II!.,..or, trH), 4J, 4j, 71,10.
AW,H,.,.JIU, 11.
AWa.ti.JIIIw/,1111
"-'olta (Maurya tiDI' 17,
A'okan c.apuata. )0, 34, l$, 57, 71.
Alokaa pill an, J:Z. J).
A"yrla, Auyrlaa. )), 3$. 37, 5:Z. 61, 61, 71.
Astnto, $5.
utra11l (beadand.roel). 66.
Alura&, 39, 42, S4.
AJr11t1laa, rt/Jrlo I, IS.
;tJ {rot.e apple, COltard apple), l.S, 4J, 6l, 71.
Atu,.,.,.nJ.. lr,ll.J9, ... 47.
Atbeaa Putbeocn. 69.
rtWr/4 ... --. 10.
...._,_, ,.,.; . n. l..t
41.
8
B.tbylonlaa, B.tbyloaiao., 3J, 37, 56. 11.
Baotrb. )), 3$.
B.alar.lma. 47, ...
baluucr. 6, 7, tO. S7.
J. N . 46. SI.
Boayon u .. htl. Flou /tiJilca,l, 58.
Barua, B. M I.' 11, 34.
Bau.uaura. "lla. 7.
ftrtl). 66.
bell .. pual, 57, 11.
Be.JDII&t, 11.
lllotlojll;;, doooratlvo art m01it, 4:!, 44, 45.
Bbarhut, I, :15, 62. 79, 80.
Bbarbut Ralllal (.,d;l.),
,. clasdftcQtlon or tbo rolicrt on, 11.19.
.. d1t0 or. 16-17.
..
ornamentation or. 1)..16, 33, 53, 54, S6,
n, " 6r. 6l, 64. 10.
..
remafna of, lo lbe IDdia.o M.uscum,
11 1).
Bharbut StDpo,
,, dttCtJptJon Of tbo utOTD Gateway
,,.,-1, 6.10.
,. dtKriptloa or the Railla1 (....ti.U),
:u.
.. disco err or tho remalaa ar. J-1.
Btaarbut Toraoa tO.teway,.
dto or. 11>17.
,, tcolpcores on, t tO, 34, SJ, S7. 5I.
., oJmboUrn or, 10-11.
Bhlto, :50.
IJirruldilttiiJJtllk.t, 41, 49.
,..,6/d 23.
81/.1/a J:lt4ka ICobfa..Jutala, 61.
Blmbla.\ra,
Blue Lotus, JH wpc/a,
Badhaaya. I, 1. 49.
,..., ... '1'1 9, Jj, 24, .sa.
Bodblaanva. 47.
BodhJ.troo, I, 9, 11,2.4, .SI.
Bra.bmadna, U .
Brall.,.n (Abloluto), liO,l9. 40.
Brabllll, 25 41.
Brl.lnal, 61.
lltllwld 'irflala u,.aMtotl, :50.
lklddba, I. 9. U. 1), 16, JB,l4, 27. 3, 44, 47,
.,, .,, , . e. 74,1111.
c
Combyou, lJ.
Carpel (OH<l.upsuto), 27, 64, 6S. 66.
81
C.ntral raJi.&. I, U, 70. 16. J:!.
Cyloa, 41.
a.a,.,, . J4tb. 41.
Clwfl41-tfll/ /Cl Q. .
Cllaa4rJ Vaktbl, 4l,
01\llad .. l, 11, I Z. 60.
d111t lriArlytJ.tadcltii.al, to.
clwlttlfiHraJHJJtth iiWI, 6, 57.
<4owri,IDY 46. 7J.
ClloHOOI, Z9, $4.$$, 68.
cl!hotru, tlrhii,,-,Yall, 2, 74.
Chlaa, $5.
ChulakoU DevaL'I. 4.!.
Churnloa of tbe Oc:eall.
42, S4, :>9.
A. K... 19, 30, Jl, 32, 38, 39,
40, "' 71.
Copio" .,,..,, ... l. S, IJ.Il, S4, S6. S7, SB, $9,
60. 61, 62.
Coamic Ocean, :z:z. lJ, 26. 67.
Coamlc. Order, 2"'
Cousic Wale.n, 12. 23.
e-o .. J9.
Croatloa mr1b1, 26.
Crots-bat, l&dl, 2. 4, 16. Si, SS, 59, 64, " 66,
67, 61, 69, 71, 72. 73, cl, 1$, 16.
Cunnlnaham, Sir Ales-a.ader, 1, 2, l, ' 6, 7, I,
9. 11, 12, 13, ol<l.
tyfnfl )$,
D
dJo, 7. 9, $1,
tl.orJM(l-t, .DarJ'(INAl de:corati\e an
motir, 21, sa, 63,18.
(J.ItttrJr' fB, 71,72
Oeconuve reliefs. Bharbsll. J].lL
Otcneter .SS.
0..&1, """ S4.
0.11.1, 3, 16, 11.
o.m.ho Oru Ooddcu, J&.
''Dtvl.M:.b.&lmya.". 3L
DbanabhUII, 6. 9, 1",
Dbanopali Sad.lpr, 42..
DAorlft4.c4R4ro, 10, SI.
Dbarmaaupta, 69.
12
29.
Dlr-.Sf.
I I, "-
d""r..,rl, 11.
DhritarJah,ra. r--.,,a). 48.
liltrJ. standard. JO.
Dld)ma, J6,
DuJ)'mum, )6.
dDJwJ. 41, 43, 44, 45, %, 80, 81.
dtJ!wJa d tltn, 44.
Dorlo, 36.
t1ry1d, riiJiwt..,. 44.
Dukbu. 45.
Our Sharrukln, 45.
l!ar1b 1oddua, 4J, 19.
F.arr. "-'plbn, 3J, Jl, 36, 5l,61.
E1YP<ian art, )5,
Farpuao 1ollll, JJ. Jl, 36.
"-rpliaa Uly, "Uly oltbe Jl.
El.ipatra. ,. ; .... 41, 49.
Epidauraa, 36.
Euphrotu,U.
Burop SS.
F
Pbuloua antrnal, fntullc anfrnAI tlltf
mrlrl. . .ll, .19, 61.
l'auoboll, V.,
l
1
IOcrtDI plaf1t COm.i.nJ OUI of a &qUlUfna
ml fiaun. dceoradwe an mot1f. J1...-o,
12, TJ.
Boddbaa, 11.
Foocber. A .. 41 ,
Procr Ciallcr)', U.S.A .. 16.
Fan ... u. .. rllrNboo6tt., ,.,._..,, ..
41, 7), 14
G
OajaLabhml, 19. 41, 7l. 1.
III)IIVl"'la. $1.
rlrl. Prlmordlalltlli/mouaW!l. 11. 26. 67.
01\llllloadburlnl dwarft). 60.
89
REMAINS Of BBAilBlJT JN T1U! INDIAN Nt;$EUW
Gaodb.l.ta, 10
Gs6p (rtver.,oddcul, n.
GaJIJita Yaksho, S9
Oorv4 47, 49.
Orv4 llonducl, S9. 60.
Plll-t,ll, 25. J9
Gcomctrie Style. dec.onuJve art. 20.
Girilul, (n.l611), 49.
Ontula,49,
Oo.ata, 69.
arapc. vine, 2.9, 65.
Epfc. the, aee \laA.1blidrala,
Greece, Greek, 33, JS. 36. 37 .56, 69.
crlmn,l)'""''7l/a, S2.
GrJII)aJGu, 46, 49.
P"':i.la {betclnut palm,, 37, 71.
..,ak,....,;;Jrl, 71.
R
Rant Andenon. 4$.
Rarappa. HarapP&Q, ll, .SS.
Rtuba.ulll, 4?, 49.
,.,, .. tAll, 2, 74
Rudnllpur. $0
EfeUodorot, yoAa Jrua, 17.
Hellenia!lc, lJ, )4, 36.
Hera, S$.
Rlrot')lnkril CrlltyaAua, Jt.
Hluen T .. n,,
Honcy .. tuc.klt, decorative arl motJr. 6, 1, 33,
l4J7, SJ, .56, n. 11, 78.
humanheaded/(accd bull, rtlnl-yid4/JM, 31.
52. S6. 61,
hurunfaccd Uoa. n, SS. 61.
/ltiJo...pr-, rabulou aaamaL faotutie ulmal.
s::-s.. " 61
lndU. lad&&DI, Jot. l$, U, n. 53. ss, 56, 6S. ;-J.
79.10.
lado-Aryu,lll. 67.
lndra, 23, S4, ss.
lodra-dlha}o, 23.
Tlllfr...tlla, lJ
Indus Volley, Z5, S2.
!no, Iranians, 33, U .!6. 31,
lrwio, John. 7, 21, 23. :tl, 27, lO, 31, 32, 3.5.
t:J.na, 29, 68.
fdtalxo.Jatd, 62.
J
ja<k(rulo (pcl. U. 43. 6J.
}ala-ktu1, wator .. lephant. $4, 17.
)tt/OtUI'QftJ. WDterhOfiO, $4, 64.
}nfo"Tlllutb'-a, woterbull, 54, s-9, 76.
)oleblta, wcuerotephant, $4, 71
Jutamojaya, 47.
Japu, ss.
Jatnk 4, S, 14, IS, 16. 18. 47, 49, Sf,
OtlriiHJlJ, o47
Kadnl, 47.
Kalmur HiiiJ, I.
l<al(obhl. 24.
K
KllldlA, 4S.
3, 79.
Kaliya N1p, 4!, 47. 49, "/ll.
K&lmtuJiiva, (nl1o1, 47.
ltolpa/ata ,.,,....,1/l, 14, J:l, 54, S6, Sf, 60, 61,
t;l, 6).
IO.madova, S3.
lr.amatDiayD. 42..
kllmalaTmro, kams/a'rtlnllttiJIIrl, kamaloa:IJ.r/"1,
42, 81.
.,Kamala Kllmint." 2.
4).
14 """" .. kfli{J. 7!1
Kirko10k1, (ad to), 41.
lcaTf'Jld U'tcr'ca.rp or lotus I. 27, 64.
t.:liyapa SI.
tortoi.el .SI.
url,..rto. 10.
Kern. 41.
Khlraraho, SO, 79
J1.
Kharohlhl. 10.
Konuak .SO.
4!, 47, 41, o!?. 79.
Kubera, 11, IZ, IJ,
Kuiper, I'.BJ.,ll.
90
JNDSX
Kumrabar. SO.
,,.,.,, .\'ylltplltu4 ltdlllttl, ).4..
Kuliolrl. 56.
Kusb'-'"'
L
lac-dye:, 1$.
LAdy hold I n1 mirror, durptPJD, dar,..l)lkD
NDyi4D, 21. 63, 69.
LAIIIfi'QWAD, t,
lhh/111-rDfu, loc-dyc, "
Llkthm*\11 Temple, Kbaju_raho, ';9.
Lokohml, 41,110.
Lal P.lhAr, 1.
-49.
D.
loffllr-. ll, 14.
L6not. lS, l7.
Uly ortbo South, u EIYPUu UJy.
ma,.,J .... 41. 61.
lcMtttu. n.
LoiUI IN p,;;J,.,.
Madhu, 24.
Madhya Prodtsb, I,
MoMbADrato, 47, 4$.
1').
Mahtlmllyil, u1 MilytldcvL
Mtti:DptJrlnlnllr.l(l, 1. 10.
MoAIJIIIIU, 49.
Matn :l.a moun1a.Jn.2.6.
_,,,.,..,, (eolttu), 50.
\lajumd>r, N. 0. 5. 21,33, 43.
Mkca. 2S, $35-1, 74-, 75, 77.
MU&vak.l, 4$,
.. VIJitui11Jtl..Jtrit, 4$.
Maoatl, (tcfi'<Dllodd ... . -1&.
lofaAra/Hfoo(o. Vue or .Auspie<OUUICU,
autpk.iooJ pot, 40.
maaao. "'"'" IS, 41, 63., 78, ao..
MaolkDt(4o..JDt.A.,. 46.
-Jrh1ol/. rbathll, n.
Milra, 11,
A/tlrAIIfJ'Yct Prllr)o, 31.
Manholl, Sit J,, 41, '6.
M11hura, tO. JC, -46
... rDctmaa, S4, 6).
Mauryu, \louryao, 17, 33.
M lyidovl, Qucco M.iyil, 44, 58.
,.dM, (crUadriea.t b.uc or dru.m or a
2. J. '"
\lqlr.:dnta,
mcrm111n, IHUtiY"o"' 54. 6J.
l"rtipo),
Mo10po1amJo. Muopot.a.m..._n, ll, JJ, J7,
71, 72.
Mltlrlitt#, deeorualve arl motlr. SG-SI, 73.
Mltn, D., 5.
MOhiol, 79.
mulc.at hutrumcau. 76.
N
ollMI. oael. 38, 39.
NJaa, NlaariJa. 3, !2. U, 16, 11, 4tHO .sa,
73, 79.
Nlp paAcbaml. -1&.
Nli&ICn.l, 70
NtJI, >16, $8, 7J
Nllod, 1.
49.
l\'ti}G trlp,diii"J 46.
91
Mf'ftkllrD, 10, 14, 19,
Nlr!l.yava. 39, 40, 41. 43.
bumao-raeodfbeaded bull, 61
nnru.,J41. bumaU(aced Hoa, S2. 58.
"trrnnAiJu:rJ. 71.
Nntl of lho Earth, 23, 24. 38.
NlylU, 611. 79.
Ncu Eau. U.
/rlti.Jol., .. .Jp<cfau,., \'cl...bo IIMd/'-rll, 27, )2.
Ntw Oelbi, 7.
:"ilo,lS,)J
:-.;IGCYC.b, 52,61
NoraLan Bro.-A, w.., 21.
.-., .. Auu .Jttllt. u1 olu Bt.uc Lota.
(""'"' 3), 34
Odod.rlJ,ut. 66.
"""'""'"'. 23, )11.
Opblolatry. -1&.
0
aDIAII'S OF BRAJIBUT IN TRI ll\1>1A N MUSEIIW
Oraa.moou
aotdco, tpiral aokltt ,,...to/IIJ'ol. IS,
61, 6l.
annlc1 IS.
braccleo, wrholal (..,lqo>, IS, Q, 6J.
collor, U.
c.lrpcndaat, U.
car ... ornament or t(frattW detip, 63.
c.a.rrinJ, U, 61, 62..
finaor rfna (IIAu,.;)-"GJ, U, 63.
1lrdle (01kMII), U, <14.
htf4olo (oororamn 1), 62.
aockbond 140!'{/oabA.,,.,l'<ll. 63.
neck: c.haln. necklace ts. 59, 60.
61, 63, 66, 11. 79.
,,..,.,. . ,41, ... .....,., . !S, 60, 6!. 63.
Jpinl alaya, 61.
p
,...t-. IOIUJ, ,\'tlollbl> qn,__ Sdaelt.
M<lfu, lli, 27.)2, ll, 34, n. AO, 42. 43, n.
" 64, 66, 67, 68.71, n. n. :1, 79. so.
,, .. ,_holllllw, 6.
,.,_,JI . 42. " 70, 11).
Podmaolbha, 38.
,.,,_;, Jl. ll.ll
plldfl'fil.fllftll, ,.ddlttiJIUtt4 ttl, .C1,
/Hfld,.,..JanuJ flot\la pondl, 26, 67.
?0, 11
ltJdtrUIHif. 27,
Pale.stint, )). 35.
pahuoue.l7, S), 71, 72.
JHIIttJIII (jact.rruitl. IS. CJ. 63.
,.at.,.."!f' 6-..e condimatt. 4C
Panbeaoo.e.
Parthb,JJ,
""""r Primordial Hill 'moanwa. 2J, 26. 67
PS!alopaon,
Pauril'lk mrtltol-/laaaad, 25, 26. J'l, 42.54.
pcrocarp, korttll, 27,la, 64. 46. 68, lO. 7l.
1). 7.1., 71. 19 .,,
Peri.;ltJ, 69.
Pb<idlu,69.
pifAo, JO. Jl.
Phuaoht or Barpo, )J, JS.
PlaJit Style. 4ecorali"e art. 20. lS-27.
, ......... ptlt/w, :z. ), ' 60.
4CUO. 31, 73.
prt, qn, U.
,,,.,,,...,.p,,..,'f4111, IS. 60. 61.
Prauoaju. ll.
Pri4Aku, ( .. pl, 47.
Primal Mate. Primeval Male, Primordial Male,
25, )8,
Primordial Hlll/mountola, 22, 23, 24, 26, SI,
U,67.
Ocean, 22, 56, 67.
ptithYI. Ea<1h aoddou, 79.
prltAIobbM, 2J.
1'11f1111abl umbb, 19, U. 40-41,
66.73
Purvha. 20, )9 40.
.llu ........... ) U.ll, 4J.
PuhYdJ. .
Puda:ramnra. 17.
IUJaarlha, 9, 49.
R
Rampu,rn. JO. 34, l.S.
RampurY& Q ull C.piul, 34, :15.
Rampurn Uon Capital, 30.
r;J111, l.S, -40. tl. 4S,
rotlflloUAUI)I.JIo, 1$, 59.
66, 68. 72. 75.
Revattmhra, 11.
rh&Cblto ""'-;.}a'i "-"'/11, IUI1l11MIInjarl, 31, 71.
rblt.ome,%6, 27, 35, .Cl, 6S, 66.
Rbys Dll'ld, 27,
b'Jffllll. 20, 21. 2J, )9, 41, 46. ....
(U1blralllbna. 1111.
. .., ..... ., .......
Slora, \..,,.,, 49.
s
"'*'''" '"" (ID&ap), U, 4J, 6l, 7&,10-
4), to.
aku, Jl, 34.
akombbarl. Jl.
4kyomuai, "' Buddha.
dla, Sluln11 roburt", 41, 78, 79.
<0. 44, 11. 7'.1
iD/at. N.,Jw,. 1tdlot11. lA.
S..-ltl. l!uUabltJUDCOI or lbc Buddha, 9,
10, 2>4
Churaift:a of the. Ocean, 42,
5<4. 7'),
S.nchl, I, 6. )4, 46.
Sucbi StOpa I, 4, I, 41, 36, 74,
47.
San tin, :J.I. JS.
wlnaed Uon, 33, 52, 66r
lllpiiJ, ullulo, .M.
$flrf/a, ltf 411 (eu.lblTd apple),
Sornalh Uon Capllal, 51.
Sarpau.tra, anake.aacriOce, 47.
s,,.,.,,.u, 46, ..,,
&t"'"'IM BrA_,., 26, 38, 41, ji), 51.
Salna, I
Soul I, (narralor or tbo MllltdbJ.I,ua), 47.
Sit,.,. . .ullut, .SJ, 71.
au.botu.JItr"' 64.
su.Uon. A., .S., 6).
S.loacldo, .
&.ha, f""ta). 46, 43.
Sctaka. 69.
ji), 61, "TY.
llndlt,..l/.ilhD, leiiUoa. 54, 6.3.
Slriml DevatA, 59.
1komh1Jn, pUiar, 21.
tphlnxu, 5J, 61.
ri, 41.
ri.Laklbml, 41AJ. 68, 70,11.
41.
llarni>Aa, tioblta, raU piJJu, raU poll, 2. IJ-16,
57.
sumu. 27, 6C. 6S, 66,. 67, 6&. 78.
Jlatuo pUiu, 4. 10, 57.
... ppcd mcrlon, " . n. 36.59. 75.
'"""' I, 7, I, ll, 69, 70. 74, to
>kltl, <rot<-bar. 2. 4, 16. 57. 59.
&.JIIIa o lr./4 Jllloltl. 62.
lak<r . .,4/a, n.
Sutbu, <U.
Su labdb. 10, 77.
suo 11, -'0
Supavua Yakbo (Tou/or), SI.
93
SGrya. U.
Sud.JlU (Swat . rh er, 49-
Stttlk4. 5S. 1l. 71.
Swat,49.
Jl.
,.,..., . ..,,/
1
runn, 52, ss, &I.
Syria, lJ. JS.
T
tabor, ZJ,
Taltilriya SitMdtll, .SI.
TtohAka, 11), -lli, 48.
Takohlm, 49.
21. 69, 70.
Taa.lla, 50.
n. 17.
tltabha, ltaoobha. pillar or pon or mlins. 2.
15-16, 57.
Tltdhr.,.r J/w/1, 45.
Thymele, tWos Aactuary. 36.
Tiracblrtjl, '"'), 47.
Tor..,. (Jitewey). 6, 7, &, 9, 10, 11, 16, !7, 34,
5J. 57, 58, "
Tree and Woman motif, 4i.
Treo or Lilo, :U, :IS, 26, 211. Jl, lZ. J6, 39, 40, 44.
45, 5J, 54, 61, 70, 7J,
Trfpl(da, 11.
trlrutdoolan/trmbol, IS.
tOif)l/1/<r, pat-bellied, 72.
Tuthha Hn.ea, 1.
u
Uchcbal;nva.
UtU/Jid.,tob/wi';!Jik, 4).
1.
..Z,-kri</4, 4J, 46, ID.
oJjloiii.U, 79.
.., ........,, Bud.S.b.a' De.tcetu. tO.
Uncbb.ora. I, S, liS.
Utllnrw, cotmo .. 20. 22_ lJ. 24. '26. 39, 41,
'' 7J.
Upanlahado, 20.
UruvUn, .. 9.
coplna, 2. 5, IJ..ts, 54, 57.
RUIAINS Of BIIAllUtiT I'N TtiB INDIAN WliSEIJM
tJMI, blue Jot ut, .-.;..,u, ltdl4t. lS. 26.
:zt, .10. 'l-34, " 4<1. o. -'6. " 64, 6', 67, 6S,
71, 72, 7), ,,, 71.
fiiiGTiyll, 71, 19.
.. .... $1, ,l, 54, 6J.
,.),.llllltl, 24.
V
IAoktt ,,W'l, w'n&ed hone, 17, 4J, J!. 12.
Wllfllrpotl, lJ, Jt,
39, 40, 49. $3.
Vue or Plenty, "" a/.rn Piltqa&hl\.1, Pilt0-1
kumbha,l6, 41, 66.
vuukl, f""r<>J, ol6. 4 t.
v,..wou,9, 10
IIA.4, ralllna. 1. 2, 7, 16. S7, 59. 60. (0, 74
141. '1")'1. $2.
Vidlil, 11.
Vld,ui>"llalta. ,..,,.\

Vltadbata Yktba, 11, 23, S9.
ViOlla, 47,
24, 31, Jt, 40, 41 , 42. 41. 79.
43, 79.
Vikvaluarman. 39, 40.
;UrapaJJfltll, ''doublpetaUed lotut .. ,
rltulttA, dryad, 44, 4$.
JIID, $2, 58, 6t,
w
wa1erbull, JlllrhWM, $4, 76.
Water-CounoiOJJ, 14, 11, 20-25, 26. U, )3, 37
40. 42, 44 ,, 41, so. ,I, 5), -'6, 70, n. 74.
jolo-Lir;. Jaldlttl. 54. 77.
ware.rbouo. jtllo-t"'' 54.
Watt an. W ., 49.
Wall/cuotn Alia. 33. lS, 'Z. -'6, 6S.
Wut Atian. We,, Alladc. JJ, 37, 61, 12.
Wbilebead. R. B , 41.
Wilson, rhomu, .ss
wlnaod ho" a/4/wJI<o '"' 16,37. 43, 52, T.l.
wmaed Uoo, 142pa4tltu!IWINI. 29, 33, S2, $6. 66.
Woman and Tree,""' 4S,
World Axh, 1u ol1o ,fb ,,,tUJ/, 21, 24.
World Serpent, 48.
W\)rld Tree1t1 Tree or
Yld.ava race, 4
Yadu, 4t.
y
7GJG ... ..,. ll.
YaJntJ.. lt.
Y1ttba, 3, 11. 12. 13, 16, 18, 19, M. 28, 33, 39,
40. 4,, SI, 51, #8, 70. 72, n.
Yakthl, YottblnT, 3, 11. 16. 18, 19, 28, J7, 44,
$4, (0, 10, 10.
Yakabl-dryad and Tree), 44, 4f.
Yamuna,
YtUMhl, 2, 74.
7..eus, " 69.
zlqurot. 15, -'6.
z
RRATA
,.,.
UM
r ....

I to. 2. lllJC 2 SblflloJ &lu(WIJ
I)
ID IJd
Ill
11 16 udol ud ol
25 31 6o"'Cf ftottrcr
27 13 Clok/laro) (lol<ottoro).
21 16 CIIIOO..mark
31 10 Coomaraawaml Coomaruwam,
41 s ri-Lalahmi
i'l kri-Lalaluni
41 SriLaklhmi riLaklbmi
4)
22 a,b,r,f). a,b,<,/}-
50 2J III/I- NUitll:fM
S9 ll C.0'-!lia
Catoclt
6S IS
ia placed
llploord
"

PP<an
-
"
lll
Wlo-.aaatk
e.attOCHuJ"k
10 9 Ya.blni Yalabqtj
10 11 Lltoo-m:art tau-.1<
71 1
(,...,_.)
<..--.).
76 2J 8JI'Xiatc:d Ulb&u
10 22 rrqublioDCd requlillloocd
66351
L'pvrr ,.,,., lll the Bb.arbut r .. ,, .. t thr E.attf'th l.ruc::.- as tttrd D
tbr Bbathut GaUery (umrr urw)
PI I
<\ pnu..-on t1l l ~ Bbuhut lbiliftt{ tn tM Bb.&ttsu.t C:aJLrry th thf" peDan. ci'OD-ban and
ropm1 lD poll&.iulll
ra 11
..

0

...
'
!;
...
...
"
=

Pl IX

..
d
PL X

b
d
Pl XI

b
<
d

b
d
PL XIII

b
c
d
PI. XI\'

b
d
Pl XV

b
l'l X\ 1
h
d
PL X'-11
..

d
PL '\VIII

d
PI XIX

c
d
.,


u
rl XXIII

h
c
d
PI '>\1\

c


CATALOGU0.
J"'ve.f- -
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Ctotral Archaeological Library,
NE.W DELHI
Ace No 66351
Call No 91 ' . 05421/Gho

Author-Ghollh , ' ril u nd_