Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c12.s3.t6.5

c12.s3.t6.5

DECORATION OF THE GROUND RAILING : The main centre of interest lies in the decorative reliefs carved on the inner and outer faces of the upright pillars of the ground railing. As mentioned earlier the subjects shown on the half and full rosettes of the pillars were organised on the basis of the prevailing folk cults interpreted by the artists and sculptors who seem to have taken their inspiration from domestic and folk art. The first thing that impresses is the lotus and its wavy creeper in infinite forms. The lotus is carved in the form of full-blown flowers, buds, leaves and either in a conventionalised form or growing in a natural form, the former as Padma-latā and the latter as Vana-latā. The carving of the lotus creeper and flowers in itself was the outcome of a complex cult of the lotus which had come down from the earliest times. The lotus was associated with the cult of Brahmā who was said to have his seat on pushkara (Brahma ha vai brahmāṇaṃ pushkare sasrije, Gopatha Br., 1. 1. 16) which was the symbol of the cosmos (bhū-padmakośa) and of Fire and Sun, the latter two conceived as blooming lotuses rising from the depths of the primeval water. The conception of a garland of lotuses (pushkarāj) comprising both the earth and the heaven was Vedic. Along with it was the cult of Śrī-Lakshmī having a Vedic origin and the two freely mingled with each other with the positive result that Lakshmī was conceived as Padminī (Goddess of Lotuses) standing amongst lotuses (padme sthitām), wearing a garland of lotuses or holding lotuses in both hands or standing on a Full Vase overflowing with lotus flowers and leaves. She is sometimes sprinkled over with water by elephants, also standing on lotus flowers. These variations are seen in these reliefs.