The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c16.77.2

v2.c16.77.2

They are, as elsewhere, perfectly plane and devoid of windows, but the door frames on the outside are flanked with pilasters having deer capitals (C. 8 Plate XXIV), and semicircular arched bands similar to, but not exactly like, the exemplars in the Queen's Palace. The frieze occurs on three piers between the arches. On the first (C. I Plate XV) the husband or wounded man, is seen reclining on a mattress under a tree in front of a cave, with his head resting on his right fore-arm, which serves the purpose of a pillow. His right leg is stretched at length, but the left is contracted, and near it sits a woman to shampoo him. The visitor introduced by the second woman has no sword nor shield, and his halting painful gait, hand on hip, and head and arms hanging down, plainly indicate that he is a wounded person, and absolutely forbid the theory of his being a lover brought in by a go-between, and saluting the lady. The action of the lady may be interpreted to be that of annoyance, and her extended left hand accepted as an indication of her direction to the stranger to go away: but the figure is not sufficiently expressive to make this clear: the extended hand may mean other feelings besides that of repulsion. The fight and the abduction are precisely the same as in the Queen's Palace frieze, with the exception of the dazed lamb, which is wanting, as also the sword in the hand of the female captive, which she is supposed to have dropped.