The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c16.s2.93

v2.c16.s2.93

About a century later than the two dance-scenes of cave I at Ajanta, described above, is the Aurangābād sculpture of cave VII, which represents a group of seven artistes, of whom the one in the middle is a dancer. As the subject is carved in the shrine of a monastery, it would seemingly represent a performance which was in vogue in Buddhist temples as a part of the ritual on the occasion of certain feasts. The sculpture has much in common, in regard to the pose of the dancer and the musical instruments of the orchestra, with the dance scene painted on the wall of the left corridor of cave I at Ajanta (Plate LXI *a*). The artistic dress of the dancer noticed in the Ajanta painting is, however, not to be seen in this sculpture, but the poise of the body and the suggestion of movement are more effective in the sculpture than in the painting. The dancer has only the toes of her right foot touching the ground, but the right leg, although bent at the knee, would have supported the body when the dancer moved herself in graceful curves, and took steps forwards and backwards, or sideways. The musical instruments shown in this group are the cymbals, the flute, the pair of *tablas*, and a round drum.