Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s3.10

c13.s3.10

The architecture of the Stūpa and the railing found its own development at Mathura of which we find profuse evidence for the Kuṣāṇa period. As already pointed out, the Stūpas became elongated in form resembling the *mahābubula* or high water bubble. But the railing underwent the greatest change as shown by the following features: the pillars are square in section, they are generally divided into three sections on the front side, viz. a prominent male or female figure in the middle portion carved in bold relief, a crouching dwarf (*guhyaka*) below, and a projecting terrace often with human figures above. The human figures combine several traditions, viz. that of Yakshas and Yakshīs as at Bharhut, heavenly girls (*devakumārikās*) whose presence was necessary in a Stūpa, and that of women in social pastimes, donors and worshippers in *añjalimudrā*, and of divine figures. The pillars are decorated on their back with several Jātaka scenes, e. g. Śibi Jātaka, Vyāghrī J., Kachchhapa J., Ulūka J., Valahassa J.