Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.10

v2.c74.10

Further again, it is our common knowledge even today that sometimes, rather often times, the worshipper himself, was an image-maker. The temporary liṅgas made of clay, sand, rice, curd, etc. used to be shaped then and there; hence such productions were a part of daily routine in Indian life, the Sandhyā-vandana, the morning and evening prayers and oblations. Therefore the Iconoplastic art of India was not confined to stone-sculpture or wooden models or burnt-clay images or the paintings on the canvas of wall, paper and cloth alone. Moreover, icons being the cult-objects, the stations of the adherents of the cults varied from a king to a beggar. Naturally, therefore, substances of the image-making also differed. The Dhatujā or Ratnajā class of images could adorn the palace of a king or the family-chapel of a wealthy merchant. Varāhmihira’s dictum regarding variations in the dresses and ornaments of the images taking after those prevalent in a particulars part of the country, could equally hold good in the manufacturing of images, in accordance with the tastes and conveniences of the people worshipping them. All this gave rise to innumerable varieties of the substances which we shall presently see in the chapter 4, ahead.