Mediaeval Temples of the Dakhan c6.36

c6.36

Figure sculpture embraces the modelling of gods and goddesses, *rakshasas* or demons, kings, queens and their attendants, warriors, *jogis* or religious mendicants, dancing girls and a few animals. Among the last are most frequently found the elephant, lion, tiger, horse, bull and the animal vehicles of the gods. The best modelled of these is the elephant; and, as this came easiest to their hand, sculptors just revelled in its repetitions. The worst executed is the horse, and, consequently, it is not so often found upon the walls of their temples. The lion and tiger are mixed up in very heraldic attitudes, and it is not always easy to say which is which, excepting when the mane is distinctly shown. The camel is not found on temples in the Dakhan, nor elsewhere in early work, but it occurs on thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth century work in Gujarāt and Rājputāna. In the earlier temples, down to the eighth century, of which we have no examples in the Dakhan except the cave temples, the human figure was more natural and vigorous in its poses, and there was more diversity in its representations. But by the eleventh century these had become crystallized into stereotyped forms—a set form for each character—and these were monotonously repeated in every building in which they appeared at all. The sculptor's hand was tied, and he was thenceforth allowed little or no liberty of action or originality of design. All the deities, except Sūrya, the Sun-god, who has but two, are represented with four or more arms, and the reason for this exception is that sun-worship was introduced from Persia. This is further confirmed by the fact that he is almost always represented as wearing high Persian boots, being the only deity with his feet covered. It is thus easy to differentiate between gods and men. Some of the Hindu deities are blessed with more than one head, while one, at least, has been accommodated with three legs. To describe all these would require another chapter upon mythology, which would carry us beyond the scope of the present volume. Individual deities will be noticed as they occur in the following descriptions of the temples.