Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c12.s4.3

c12.s4.3

The general scheme of decoration consists of friezes and rosettes of the lotus flower on the copings and the uprights respectively marking it as the lotus palisade (*Padmavaravedikā*). A number of other subjects in amplification of the Uttarakuru motif together with Jātaka scenes and historical scenes of Buddha's life are depicted, as for example, Mithuna figures either shown together with *Kalpavriksha* tree producing ornaments hanging on the bevelled corners of the pillars, or shown separately on the front and back sides of the posts; *mithuna* seated on couch; a palace with *toraṇa* and *vedikā* showing a male with two women behind the railing; Gaja-Lakṣmī representing the ancient cult of Śrī-Devī; worship of the Bodhi Tree with a throne and *chhatra*, by a *mithuna* figure which was naturally a very important representation at Bodhgaya; Dharmachakra worship either placed on the Bodhi Maṇḍa or on pillar (Fig. 87); *triratna* on Bodhi Maṇḍa; Stūpa and its worship; Yaksha Śaṅkukarṇa (showing the *guhyaka* or *kiṅkarshikas* with upraised ears); a dryad or treenymph climbing on a tree with the help of a Yaksha seated below (Fig. 88); Mother and child with a goat (on a pedestal); the bold figure of a woman standing on a *pūrṇakumbha* reminds of a kindred figure found at Mathura but standing amongst lotuses and the Bodhgaya specimen also seems to be that of Śrī-Lakṣmī in a new idiom (Fig. 89). Amongst Buddha's life-scenes we find the Gandharva Pañchaśikha holding a harp standing outside the Indraśaila cave (Fig. 90); a *mithuna* standing outside a cave in *añjali-mudrā* (Fig. 91); a *ṛishi* seated in front of a *guhā* with the Vajrāsana inside (Fig. 92); the two latter obviously showing the mingling of the Uttarakuru and Buddhist traditions in a new context; a *mithuna* playing on a diceboard having sixty-four squares, divided into eight rows of eight squares each; gift of Jetavana (Fig. 93); a group of elephants offering worship to the Bodhi Tree, a scene treated much more elaborately at Bharhut and Sanchi; amongst Jātakas the sculptors of Bodhgaya have only a restricted number, e. g. Chhaddanta Jātaka, Padakusalamānava Jātaka showing the horseheaded (*Aassamukhī*) Yakshī and the young Brāhmaṇa (Fig. 27c), Vessantara Jātaka, Kinnara Jātaka and several others not identified.