Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s3.21

c13.s3.21

A similar scene of Aśoka dohada is carved on an ivory plaque found at Begram or ancient Kapiśā. The head-dress in all these three figures is peculiar showing a spirally rolled scarf on the top of which hangs a braid of hair tied in a loop. It was this special hair style referred to by Aśvaghosha as Śuklāṁśuka aṭṭālaka keśa (Saundarananda 7. 7) or Kokila keśapāśa because of the upper black tuft of hair on the pile of white silk resembling the black bird seated on a tree of white flower.