The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c8.48

c8.48

But the origin of the toran may be taken farther back than the time of Buddha to the gateway of the Vedic Indian village. Here its practical use would also be for defence, and as a watch-tower upon which the village sentinels could easily clamber to survey the surrounding country and to give the alarm in case of a sudden raid upon their crops or cattle. There was magic in the swastika, which is introduced into the gateways of Bharhut and Sânchî (see plan, fig. 9), because it was a practical device for strengthening the defence of the village entrances. The symbolical meaning, as an indication of the path of the sun across the heavens, and the propitious direction for the priest or pious pilgrim to circumambulate, grew into it gradually with the evolution of Aryan religious ritual.