Studies in Indian Art c11.s3.18

c11.s3.18

Dr. Sukthankar referred my suggestion to Dr. P. K. Acharya whose explanation was a bit different from mine as Dr. Sukthankar wrote to me: "I have been pursuing the question of the best interpretation of the word śiṃśumāra śiraḥ, and in that connection I wrote to Prof. P. K. Acharya of Allahabad University. I have now heard from him that he prefers the reading śiraḥ, and opines that it is an architectural term. In his opinion it means not architrave of gates, but "the hand-rail on the balustrade of the gallery of pavilion marked probably at the bottom by the head of crocodile". This gallery of pavilion, in his opinion, was probably reserved for the Paurajanāḥ. He refers me to Mānasāra Vāstuśāstra (30-78-80) where there is mention of "stair-case of elephant's trunk pattern said to be decorated with lion faces".