Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v3.c12.s19.24

v3.c12.s19.24

The next scene again lies in the palace, and it represents the Rājā of Benares and Queen Subhaddā commanding the hunters to bring the tusks of the Shaḍ-Danta elephant. She is giving them necessary directions regarding the route and other connected matters. The crouching poses of the hunters indicate that they are willing to carry out the royal orders. Close to the hunters is a tall heavy figure holding a long staff. He is apparently the royal guard. In the background is a tree laden with fruit. The fruit and leaves of this tree resemble those of a mango. The figure of the queen is considerably damaged in the fresco, but the right hand which is preserved shows that she has raised her forefinger and middle finger jointly as if to give certain instructions to the hunters regarding their task. The rājā is seated to the left of Subhaddā on a royal chair, the side-railing of which is probably of chased metal-work. An amazon is holding an umbrella over the head of the rājā, while a woman of medium stature behind the royal pair holds a fly-whisk. The presence of these two attendants indicates that the court ceremonial was fairly developed at the time. The adjoining scene towards the right shows the bedroom of the queen, where she is delineated in a pensive mood, seated on a stool of wicker-work near her bedstead. Two maids are standing behind her, and two more are sitting on the floor. The latter two are looking anxiously at the face of the queen. The rājā is standing at the head of the bed, and his pose indicates that he is trying to console the queen. The scene represents Subhaddā’s pretended illness and her telling the rājā that she would not recover until the tusks of the royal elephant which she had seen in the dream were brought to her. The poses of the maids show plasticity of form combined with artistic grace. The feet of the bedstead appear to have been turned on a lathe, and are of a design to be found even to-day (Plate XXX c). The shapes of the two brass ewers, one placed near the bedstead and another near the maid sitting close to the feet of the rājā, are also interesting, because water-vessels of this form are still used in the Madras and Bengal Provinces.