The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c7.s1.t1: The Decorative Elements
The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c7.s1.t1
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The Decorative Elements
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§ 1. Decoration of the jambs. — Thus it is that the two jambs of the gate, that of the north and that of the south, — or more simply, of the right and left as you enter, — bear on two of their faces motifs which are evidently complementary.
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a) Their outer face is simply decorated with those pink lotus flowers (*padma* or *nelumbum speciosum*), which, as we know, play a considerable part in Indian ornamentation and symbolism. To the right a series of full-blown roses is enclosed within two waved garlands of these same flowers, graced with buds and leaves. To the left the principal subject consists of a similar garland, whose decoration changes likewise between each undulation of the chief branch : in addition Indian swans (*hamsa*) and a tortoise are intermingled with the flowers.
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b) In the two male figures placed opposite each other at the foot of the inner face of the two jambs we must, from analogy with Barhut, recognize the protecting spirits of the eastern region, that is, the Gandharvas or celestial musicians, the chief of whom is Dhṛitarâṣṭra (cf. above, p. 71). Nevertheless, they are presented simply under the appearance of great Indian lords, wearing turbans and adorned with heavy jewels, earrings, necklaces and bracelets of precious stones. The ends of their long loin-cloths hang in close little pleats in front; as for the second part of their costume, the scarf, whose usual function is to drape the body, they wear it negligently tied round their loins. The one holds up the ends of it with his left hand, whilst the other has placed his awkwardly on his hip (see pl. VIII, 2). The latter holds in his right hand a *Bignonia* flower, while the former has a lotus. Both are looking in the direction of the sanctuary, and are leaning against a background formed of a *Bignonia* in blossom and a mango-tree bearing fruit.
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§ 2. *Capitals.* — The great capitals which surmount the two jambs of the eastern gate are decorated with tame elephants (pl. VIII, 1). Four of these animals are placed very ingeniously about each pillar in such a way that their heads form a round embossement to the four edges of the corners. Their harness consists of a rich head-stall (from which hang in front of the ears two pendants of pearls, and behind two bells) and a tasselled saddle-cloth, kept in its place by cords which pass under their bodies and form knots on their backs. The person of distinction was seated astride in the most comfortable place on their necks : holding in his hand the special crook (*aṅkuça*), he was his own driver : and, in fact, we know that in ancient India the art of driving elephants formed an integral part of a complete education. Right on the elephant's hind quarters crouches a standard-bearer, who doubtless, in the case of a rapid motion, held on to the knot of the belly-band. As for the elephants themselves with their trunks and one of their fore-feet slightly bent back, they are, as usual, admirably rendered. Formal leaves and flowers decorate the upper part of the capitals. An inscription on the inner face of that to the left invokes imprecations on whosoever shall remove a single stone of the gate or the railing. As regards the two caryatids, see below, § 5 *a*.
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§ 3. Decoration of the lintels. — The three lintels likewise repeat on both their faces several symmetrical forms of decoration.
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a) On the façade (pl. VIII, 1) we shall note first three kinds of false capitals, of a character quite Iranian, which, continuing the two uprights, break through each lintel. On the two lower ones the decorative designs consist of winged lions, two of which are seated back to back, while a third protrudes its head and two front-paws through the space between them. On the topmost one they consist of two great fully harnessed draught oxen, likewise seated back to back, but furthermore ridden by two men.
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a') On the reverse side (pl. VII, 2) the corresponding subjects are in the same order : two pairs of goats, with or without horns; two pairs of two-humped camels, likewise seated; two pairs of horned lions, standing and passant. All these animals serve as steeds for riders of both sexes and of different types, native and foreign. One of those at the summit has short hair, tied with a fillet, and carries in his left hand a piece of a vine-stock.
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b) The extremities of the lintels are uniformly decorated both on the observe and on the reverse by a kind of long tendril, rolled seven times round itself and attached to the whole by an ornament of honeysuckle : this makes a total of twelve snails, and produces a somewhat unfortunate effect. If it were claimed that this is an attempt to imitate the Ionic volute, it would have to be acknowledged that it is inverted and executed in a most rudimentary fashion.
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c) The whole surface of the lintels unoccupied by these decorations is, as a general rule, consecrated to legendary scenes. There is, it seems, no exception to be made, except upon the façade and only on the projecting portions of the lower and middle lintels. The former are garnished with two pairs of peacocks — a triumph of graceful design, which is to be found also on the northern gate — and the latter by wild elephants.
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§ 4. The supports. — We agree to designate by this term the four cubical blocks placed in the prolongations of the uprights and the six uprights set in between the three lintels to separate them from one another.
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a) On the *façade* (pl. VIII, 1) the lower support to the right and the upper one to the left both represent a feminine figure seated, with one leg hanging down, upon a lotus issuing from a lottery vase (*bhadra-ghaṭa*) : she holds in her hand this same flower, and on two other lotuses at either side of her two standing elephants douse her, or are in the attitude of dousing her, with two pitchers held at the ends of their trunks. We know that this motif is preserved even to our days in the representations of the Indian Fortune : but we have reasons for believing that this was not the original denotation (¹). The subjects of the two other corresponding panels belong, in any case, to the category of Buddhist miracles. The one on the left represents the « preaching of Buddha » by means of the Wheel of the Law placed on a throne under a parasol among the usual worshippers, human and divine. The one on the right shows us — as is proved by the characteristically twisted floweret of his tree, — the Messiah of Buddhism, Maitreya, symbolised by this *campaka* or *nâga-pushpa* (*Michelia champaka* or *Mesua Roxburghii*).
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a') On the *reverse* side of the gate (pl. VII, 2) the lower supports are decorated only with lotuses issuing from a *bha-*
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(¹) See above, p. 70, n. 1.
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dra-ghaṭa; but the upper ones return to the legendary scenes with two stûpas emblematic of the Parinirvâṇa of the Master, and quite similar to those on the front, of which, as we shall see below (§ 10 a), they complete the number.
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b) One may connect with these the symbols on the front of the six uprights, symbols usually enclosed between a railing and merlons : namely, formal Bodhi-trees and columns surmounted by the Wheel of the Law or by a lion simply.
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b') Behind they are all covered with the same ornamentation, in which the lotus is united with the honeysuckle.
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§ 5. The detached figures. — To exhaust the list of symmetrical subjects, nothing further remains for us than to enumerate the detached figures in full relief (cf. above, page 66, and pl. VIII, 1).
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a) The most interesting are the fées (yakṣiṇī, cf. above, p. 70), who, with the curve of the mango-tree from which they hang by the two arms, form so ingeniously decorative a bracket. Only the figure on the right is preserved. Like the men, she wears a long dhoṭi; only it is made of a more transparent material. Her hair, curiously erected in the form of a brush on the top of the head, is spread over the back (instead of being gathered in a plait, as is the case, for instance, with the female dancers of § 6 a). In addition to earrings, necklace and bracelets for the wrists, she wears ankle-rings, which come nearly up to her knees, and the characteristic feature of an Indian woman's toilet, the rich belt of jewelry which covers the loins. In conformity with the custom of the ancient school, the sex is indicated.
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b) The few smaller figures to be found on this gate — which we may complete in our thoughts by analogy with the northern gate — comprise also another fairy in a different pose, three elephants, in each case mounted by two persons, and a miserable vestige of a lion.
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c) As for the symbols at the summit, they were three in number. At the top of each upright two, of which one is still in its place, represented the top of a flag-staff. In the middle — on a pedestal probably formed of four lions, flanked by two worshippers bearing fly-flappers — stood finally the ancient solar symbol of the wheel, placed at the service of the Good Law.