Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c10.s1.16

c10.s1.16

By this time the boy began to draw figure and animal subjects; the first of these was always a curious combination of a bull and an elephant, called *usamba-kuñjara* (bull-elephant); next in order came the following designs: *catur-nāri-palakkiya* (4-women-palanquin), *pañca-nāri-geṭa* (5-women-knot), *sat-nāri-toraṇa* (6-women-arch), *sapta-nāri-turaṅga* (7-women-horse), *aṣṭa-nāri-ratha* (8-women-chariot, and *nava-nāri-kuñjara* (9-women-elephant).* All of these are drawn on the *yaṭipōruva*, from the teacher’s copies; it should, however, not be forgotten that the object of instruction was not to enable the pupil to copy a design before him, but to enable him (1), to reproduce from memory certain well-known designs and figure subjects, and (2), to make use of the traditional elements of design in the decoration of whatsoever varied forms and surfaces he might be called upon to decorate.