Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c13.s2.16

c13.s2.16

That the open courtyard and its overlooking terraces were specially designed for some spectacular kind of ceremonial seems fairly clear, and a clue to the form that it took is also provided. For around the walls of the upper story there is a long frieze consisting of figures engaged in a series of connected episodes of a distinctly dramatic character (Plate XXXI, Fig. 2). As these same scenes are repeated in part, in one or more of the other viharas on this site, they evidently represent some vivid epic in the heroic age of the people It may be inferred therefore that this arrangement of courtyard and terraces forming the Rani Gumpha constituted an open air theatre in which the scenes depicted in the sculptured frieze around it were brought to life by being performed on festival occasions as a kind of Passion Play, in the same way that the so-called Devil Dances are celebrated in the monastery (*gumpha*) quadrangles of Tibet. If so, the peculiar formation of the gumpha is at once explained, and its various parts fall into their proper place. Moreover it is not difficult to picture the courtyard occupied by the actors in this drama, while seated on the terraces, like an amphitheatre, with the high priest enthroned in the central position, would be a closely grouped background of spectators, the whole forming a brilliant and moving pageant amidst the dark encircling groves.