Studies in Indian Art c12.s6.19

c12.s6.19

4. *Aśoka-pushpa-prachāyikā*,—Gathering of Aśoka flowers. This scene is represented on pillar No. J. 55 and 2345 in the Mathura museum and B. 80 in the Lucknow museum. The woman stands on Aśoka tree in full blossom and is gathering flowers with her right hand raised up in a basket held in left hand. She stands in a very graceful manner with her back towards the visitor and head and face shown in profile. The gathering of flowers was one of the most popular sports with women in ancient India. In such scenes the Aśoka tree plays a prominent part, although *kadamba*, mango and other garden trees also must have formed part of floral amusements. *Pushpa-prachāyikā* and also *Pushpa-bhañjikā* were the special names for such diversions which we find recorded even in the grammatical literature. For example, on Pāṇini’s *sūtra*, *Prāchām krīḍāyām*, we find such illustrations as *Aśhoka-pushpa-prachāyikā*, *Uddālaka-pushpa-bhañjikā*, etc. The lovely poetic expression *Śāla-bhañjikā* which we find both in Aśvaghosha and in Bāṇa’s *Kādambarī*, must have been derived originally from such sports in which the peculiarly graceful motif of a beautiful woman standing with *tribhaṅgī* curves of the body under a tree and clasping one of its branches, soon came to be recognised as the most delightful thing for the eye both in art and life.