Studies in Indian Art c14.s2: 41. A Note on Sculptures at Lakhamandal

Studies in Indian Art c14.s2

Language: English

c14.s2.t1 Inscriptions — 5 parts

41. A Note on Sculptures at Lakhamandal

There are some important sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses at Lakhamandal, a place of great antiquity on the Jumna in the Chakrata Tahsil of the Dehra Dun district. It is situated at a distance of 24 miles almost due east of Chakrata and can be covered on foot in two days. The sculptures are assembled at two places, firstly built into the side walls and also placed on the floor of the *antarāla* and of the sanctum of the Lākheśvara temple, and secondly collected in the closed shed built for the purpose by the Archaeological Department.

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The present *antarāla* of the temple, which is a later addition to the Lākheśvara shrine, contains the following images:—

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*South Wall*—In the first row is a Saptamātṛkā panel (length 4'—1½" × ht. 1'—0) depicting the Seven Divine Mothers, Brahmāṇī on full-blown lotus, Māheśvarī on bull, Vaiṣṇavī on Garuḍa who has a human face and two out-spread wings, Kaumārī on peacock, Vārāhī on a prostrate human figure, Indrāṇī holding Vajra and seated on elephant, and Chāmuṇḍā on a Preta. The lotus in place of *haṃsa* in the case of Brahmāṇī and the human figure as the *āsana* of Vārāhī are remarkable features.

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In the second row is also a Saptamātṛkā relief (3'—4" × 10½") with Vīrabhadra on right and Gaṇapati on left, followed by two more sculptures, viz., one showing a standing male figure (ht. 1'—10½" × 11½") with a bull behind him, and the other a figure of six-armed Mahiṣāsuramardinī. The figure in the second image is two-armed with a bunch of flowers in the left and a club in the right hand (now mutilated). He wears a *kirīṭa mukuṭa*, pearl ear-rings, *ekāvalī* pearl necklace, armlets and wristlets. The hair loosely fall in frizzles and a scarf is worn on the arms. A short *dhotī* is secured by a *mekhalā* knotted in front with a loop over a floral pattern from which depends an elegant chain going round like festoons, which shows the tassel ends falling on both knees. The figure is well-finished and gracefully posed; it reveals the post-Gupta style and may be assigned to the early 8th century A.D.

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In the third row are five smaller images including two Kārttikeya figures, one Saptamātṛkā relief and two Hara-Gaurī images. The first Kārttikeya image (1'—3" × 10") is of interest as besides the peacock vehicle in the centre are shown two more peacocks one at each end looking towards the god. The second four-armed figure of this deity has six heads arranged in a double row of three each, but is of a very late date. In the north wall of the *antarāla*, are small statuettes showing Hara-Gaurī, standing Viṣṇu, a female goddess probably Durgā, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, and a big rounded stela showing Śiva-Pārvatī seated in *āliṅgana-mudrā* (ht. 3'—0 × 1'—10"). Amongst loose sculptures placed on the floor two are noteworthy, one representing Śiva-Pārvatī (ht. 3'—2" × 2'—2") seated on Kailāsa and the other showing squatting Kubera with three treasure vases. Both the images are of considerable artistic interest and maybe dated to the early medieval period. (Circa 8th century A.D.) Inside the sanctum of the Lākheśvra temple is a Śiva liṅga in worship. About two dozen sculptures of the late medieval period are placed along the walls comprising 5 images of Hara-Gaurī, 4 of standing Sūrya, 3 of Durgā, 1 of Pārvatī performing penance, 1 of Śiva as Lakulīśa, 1 of Nāga, 2 of Viṣṇu and a few others. An image of Sūrya placed along the central wall is prominent (3′—0×2′—0). It shows the god holding lotuses in both hands wearing boots and attended by Aruṇa and the smaller figures of Daṇḍa and Piṅgala.

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Fig. 154. Image of Dvārapāla. Lākhāmaṇḍal.

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Fig. 155. Fourarmed Śiva with Pārvatī. Lākhāmaṇḍal.

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Fig. 156. Śiva-Pārvatī seated on Kailāsa with Nandi. Lākhāmaṇḍal.

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Fig. 157. Tripurāntaka Śiva. Lākhāmaṇḍal.

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The wooden porch in front of the temple is remarkable for some good carvings of a symbolical nature and has two Nandī bulls (length 4′—3″; 3′—3″) placed in front which are made of the same fine black stone in which are carved the two Dvārapāla images of Jaya and Vijaya in front of the larger Liṅga shrine in the northern part of the compound. These Dvārapāla figures are two-armed, each holding a mace in his outer hand while the inner hand is placed on the thigh (Fig. 154). Each wears fine jewelled mukuṭa, ekāvalī pearl necklace with a central elongated bead, short jaṅghikās or loin-clothes secured by a girdle, their busts being extremely well-done both as regards finish and polish. On stylistic grounds these figures maybe assigned to the Gupta period (circa 5th century A.D.). The two Nandī bulls and the bigger Śiva liṅga (girth 6′—8½″, ht. above floor 2′), which was reinstalled at some later date in its present position in the northern part of the compound, probably belong to the early medieval period.

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Of the three exterior niches (Sanskrit रथिका) of the Lākheśvara temple, the north one contains an image (रथिकाबिम्ब) of Mahiṣāsurmardinī in its original position; the niche on the west is occupied by a small relief (ht. 1′—7″) showing two female figures, with two attendant parasol-bearers, the right one on lotus being Lakṣmī and the left one on makara being Gaṅgā. The third niche on the south side is now empty.

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The niches were surmounted by a chaitya window or toraṇa ornament containing an image of Kārttikeya on south, Gaṇapati on west and Kubera on north.

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In the sculpture shed built by the Archaeological Department are collected about 70 sculptures. These have now been arranged and classified by Mr. M. S. Vats, Superintendent, Archaeological Survey, Northern Circle, Agra. Almost all the images appertain to the Śaiva pantheon and most of the beautiful architectural pieces belonged to the Śaiva temple built at Lakhamandal by the Princess Īśvarā whose inscription incised on a black basalt slab is preserved in this collection (Ep. Indica, Vol. I, pp. 11-15). The sculptures roughly belong to three different periods, viz., (1) circa 8th century, that is, of the time of the Princess Īśvarā, (2) late medieval period or circa 12th century and (3) post medieval period, i.e., about the 16th century or later.

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Amongst images of the first period the following five are of much artistic value:

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1. Image of Śiva-Pārvatī (ht. 3'—7"×1'—10") showing four-armed Śiva standing with his consort Pārvatī against Nandi bull whose regardant head is turned towards the divine couple in rapt attention (*Fig. 155*). Śiva is playing on Vīṇā with his two upper hands, the remaining right hand is holding a trident (?) and the corresponding left hand touches the left breast of Pārvatī who is holding a garland in her hand near the thigh. Śiva has *jaṭājūṭa* on the head with some locks falling on right shoulder and is wearing a necklace, a pearl ear-ring in the right ear and a big discular ring in the left, armlets and wristlets, and lastly a beaded girdle with the *ūrdhva retas* feature marked on it. Pārvatī is also elegantly dressed, wearing a bodice and a *sārī*, a pearl ear-ring, an *ekāvalī* necklace, bracelets, a girdle and anklets round the feet. The sculpture, although somewhat weathered, shows much artistic quality being marked by deep harmony and an expression of inward joy. Circa 8th century A.D.

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2. Bas-relief showing Śiva-Pārvatī (ht. 3'—0×2'—1") seated on Kailāsa with Nandi bull, standing Gaṇeśa on right, Kārttikeya on left and a Śiva gaṇa in *añjalimudrā* in the centre (*Fig. 156*). Śiva holds a trident and a *mātulunga* fruit in his right hands, a snake in the lower left, while his upper left hand embraces Pārvatī at her breast. The divine couple is shown experiencing ecstatic pleasure in their abode on Kailāsa. Circa 8th century A.D.

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3. Bas-relief (3'—2"×2'—4") showing Śiva in his Tripurāntaka form. Śiva stands in *pratyālīḍha* posture and is piercing the demon Tripura poised in the sky with his trident held in two hands (*Fig. 157*). Two other hands hold aloft the canopy of elephant skin. Of the remaining right hands one holds the *paraśu* and the other is held in *abhaya mudrā*. Pārvatī is seated in a low seat in front of Śiva. The god is touching her at the chin in the act of reassuring her. She is holding her son Kārttikeya, standing by her side, as if to afford him protection from fear caused by commotion in this great drama.

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Tripura seems to be depicted in his triple form, once being trampled under the left foot of Śiva, the middle one in the *antariksha* region is haggard and shown standing helplessly with a dagger in right hand, while the topmost form afloat in the sky is being pierced by Śiva's trident. Near the right foot of the god stands a *gaṇa* in the attitude of adoration, while the tall form of the deity majestically fills and dominates the whole scene. His matted locks stand erect on head and are secured at the lower edge by a fillet consisting of skull-bosses. He wears a long skull-garland (*kapālamālā*) and a *nāga-yajñopavīta*. (Circa, 8th century A.D.). There are two other reliefs showing Śiva killing the demon Tripura but they are not so well preserved.

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4-5. Bas-reliefs (2'—2"×1'—10½"; 2'—7"×1'—7½") showing god Śaṅkara in his *tāṇḍava* dance. The eight-armed figure of Śiva holds a canopy of elephant skin on the head with two hands; of the remaining three right hands one plays the *ḍamaru*, another touches the chin of Pārvatī seated on his proper right and playing on a *vīṇā*, while the third one is shown in the gaja-hasta pose. The corresponding left hands are held in abhaya-mudrā, grasping the trident and placed at the hip. An attendant gaṇa is seated at the left corner with a pair of upright drums in front. In the second bas-relief Pārvatī is seated in the lower left corner. The sculptures are expressive of movement combined with serenity. They maybe dated to about the 8th-9th century and are reminiscent of the best traditions of Ellora art.

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There are five other images showing Śiva-Pārvatī seated side by side in the usual āliṅgana attitude. These may be assigned to about the 12th century A.D.

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An image of Pārvatī (No. 14, ht. 2'-2" × 1'-1") showing the goddess in the act of performing penance is also worthy of attention. Pārvatī has a female attendant on either side, her right foot is placed on a lion and the left one on the back of the bull. The goddess is standing in the midst of four burning fire altars and holds a book in her left lower hand, the other attributes being lost. A Śiva-liṅga is carved in the right upper corner. Pārvatī wears simple dress and the image may be assigned to the same period as the foregoing sculpture of Śiva-tāṇḍava, i.e., about the 8-9th century A.D.

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There is also a statuette of Durgā on lion and three images of the goddess Mahiṣāsuramardinī (Nos. 16-17-18), one of which with a rounded top (2'-5" × 1'-5½") may belong to about the 9th century A.D.

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There is also a beautiful image of Kubera (No. 22; 1'-2" × 1'-6") squatting with three treasure vases arranged in a row in front of him and wearing curly hair and also having a scarf tied round his belly. Date circa 8th century A.D.

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A couple of Gaṇapati images (Nos. 20, 21; ht. 1'-8" × 1'-3½") date from about the 12th century and a bas-relief (1'-0" × 1'-2") showing four-armed Viṣṇu sleeping on Śeṣa dates from about the 16th century A.D.

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A prominent lintel (No. 24; length 5'-4", 1'-4") showing the Saptamātṛkās with four-armed Vīrabhadra on bull at proper right and Gaṇapati on left is also note-worthy as Vīrabhadra, Māheśvarī and Chāmuṇḍā alone have four hands each, the others having only two hands. Circa 12th century A.D.

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About half a dozen Śiva liṅgams of various sizes have also been collected in the museum shed. There are also about thirtysix architectural pieces, some of good merit, consisting of door-jambs and temple pediments carved with the chaitya-window enclosing the Trimūrti form of Śiva heads, this motif being a very common feature of Śaiva temples all over the hills of northern India. One sculpture (No. 37, length 8'-8", height 2'-4") consisting of three pieces is exceptionally good, the Trimūrti form shown in its circular sunk panel on the central piece being very dignified. On the side pieces adorned with beaded borders are carved haṃsas with conventionalised features. This as also a somewhat smaller pediment (No. 36) in one piece only (5'-6½" × 2'-4") maybe dated to about the 8th century A.D., and must have formed part of the impressive facade of the monumental Śiva temple built under the patronage of Princess Īśvarā. Many other pieces of pediments showing either the Trimūrti heads or a single head are also preserved and reveal varying degrees of artistic merit.

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An architectural piece carved in the form of a door-way (1'-1" × 1'-7") with central slit to accommodate a miniature shrine is carved on the jambs with two vertical bands, the inner one showing a foliated scroll and the outer one the Dvārapālas along the lower edges. Kārttikeya on proper right and Gaṇapati eating sweet balls on left are shown in the upper corners. Above the lintel is a Śiva head with three eyes. This piece possesses considerable merit and must date from the post-Gupta period.

Inscriptions

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A. 1. Inscribed slab (2'-10¼" × 1'-9") bearing 14 lines of writing known as the Lakhamandal Praśasti, recording the dedication of a Śiva temple by Īśvarā, wife of Chandragupta, prince of Jālandhara (Ep. Ind., I, pp. 11-15).

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A. 2. Inscribed slab (1'-10" × 1'-5¼") bearing the epigraph in a sunken panel. The writing originally consisted of about 20 lines in Gupta script of which not more than one-fourth is now indifferently preserved. (Edited and published elsewhere in JUPHS. XVII (1)