Maurya and Shunga Art c16.14

c16.14

Fig. 13. Barhut (Nagod State, Baghelkhand). Prasenajit Railpillar. From bottom : (1) employment of nymphs by Māra to tempt the Buddha ; (2) scene of defeat and exasperation of Māra ; (3) scene of Enlightenment of the Buddha. In scene No. 1 a slowly gliding curve passes over the bodies of the seated figures that constitute the music party. It sways each individual figure and bends it to the tune of the curve, but it does not stop there. It flows uninterruptedly along the swaying hands of the four dancers, through the movements of their bodies including that of the young one at the bottom. The entire composition is held by this slow but ceaselessly flowing linear rhythm that imparts life to the scene portrayed. This is one trend in Barhut. C. 150 B. C. Indian Museum. Photo : A. S. I.