Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c9.s1.2

c9.s1.2

The most illustrative example of palace architecture occurs in the Rāyapaseniya Sutta in an account of the *Vimāna* of Sūryābha Deva. It was surrounded by a rampart (*Pāgāra*), embellished with merlons (*Kavisīsaga*, Skt. *Kapiśīrshaka*), gates in every direction (*Dvāra*), furnished with *Stūpikās* on the ridge of the roof (*Thūbhiyā*). The whole building was decorated with many kinds of figures and motifs (*Bhatti-chitta*), e g. *Īhāmiga* (faboulous animals), bulls (*Usabha*), horse (*Turaga*) Yaksha or Atlantes figures (*Nara*), crocodile (*Magara*), birds (*Vihaga*), serpents or dragons (*Valaga*), Kinnara (Centaurs), deer (*Ruru*), *Sarabha* (lion-like figures), Yak (*Chamara*) elephant (*Kuñjara*), wild creepers (*Vanalaya*) and lotus-creepers (*Paumalaya*). The capitals of the pillars were decorated with figures of pairs of Vidyādharas (*Vidyādhara-jamala*), horses (*Haya-saṅghāḍa*), elephants (*Gaya-saṅghāḍa*) and similar numerous decorative figures (*रूपकसहस्सकलित*). The doors were provided with landing (*Nimma*), pedestals (*Pāiṭṭhāna*), pillars (*Khambha*), floor (*Kuṭṭima*), threshold *Eluyā* = देहली), bolts (*Inda-kīla*), lintels (*Uttaraṅga*), door-posts (*Chheḍā* = द्वारशाखा), small door-planks (*Sūchī*), joints or bonds (*Sandhi*), sockets (*Samuggaya* = सुचिकागृह), wooden traverse bars behind door-leaves (*Aggalā*), sockets for door-pins (*Aggalāpāsāya*), hinges (*Avaṭṭaṇa-peḍhiyā*). For city-gates large heavy doors fitting closely were provided, which were generally closed at night (*Nirantariya-ghaṇa-kavāḍa*), very often having a small door (*Aṇi-dvāra*, or *Uttara-pāsaga*). On their side-walls (*Bhitti*) the doors were fitted with bosses (*Bhitti-guliyā*) for pendant bed steads (*Go-māṇasiya* = गोमानस्य: शय्या:). Graceful figures of *Śāla-bhañjikā* women (लीलद्विसालभंजिय) and figures of fabulous animals (*Vyāla-rūpaka*) were carved on the doors.