Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c15.28

c15.28

There are some good examples of Kandyan doors in the Colombo Museum. Mr. Bell describes the leaves and one jamb of a door from Devanagala in the following words: “The carving of the borders is exceedingly delicate. The framework of the panels is in high relief, the ten panels themselves being plain. The outer borders, upper and lower, are carved in the universal foliage scroll with inner bevelled edges of *pala peṭi*: the centre border (overlapping the right side plank so as to hide the line of junction when the door is closed) has a perpendicular band of tiny *nāri-latā*. The door swung on tenons in a socketed sill and lintel. The carving of the jamb is equally tasteful. Behind an outer beading and inner splayed edge of lotus petals runs a long narrow panel with gracefully intertwined double scroll of creeper—separating four figures, all different from each other. ‘A space half moulded, half panelled, in flower design, intervenes between it and the base panel, in which is placed besides a tree an elephant with head and right forefoot raised, and curled trunk. The disappearance of the fellow jamb, lintel, and sill are much to be regretted.”