History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c35.s1.27

v1.c35.s1.27

The thrones with solid base and devoid of arms and back can be identified as proṣṭha of the Ṛgveda or the midhi of the Cullavagga.⁵ It is said in Vinaya (iii, 163) that midhi is generally built against the outer wall of the house of hut. It is made of hardened mud with two wooden legs in front. It is a bench used to sit or sleep on. Invariably, this throne is occupied by the Buddha as is evident from their depictions in Amaravathi, Gandhara and Nagarjunakonda sculptures. Similarly, the small thrones with or without arms but having pillar shaped legs probably represent the *Pallankas* (Pali) or *Paryaṅka* or *Paryaṅkika* (Sanskrit) (VP. Culla VI. 2-A). The *Pallankas* which have no arms are known as *Addhapallankas*. The legs of the throne seem to have been fixed by the turnery technique. The chief novel introduction by the Greeks was the widespread use of turnery after 6th century B.C. The art of turning on the lathe was probably developed in the wood-producing areas of the Middle East whence it spread slowly to the Greek mainland. In the latter Hellenistic period, turning was introduced into Egypt and other parts of the Roman world. In all probability this technique of turnery was the introduction of the Greeks and Romans into India with whom India had contacts from the early times. These thrones persist in the early Indian sculptures since Śātavāhana period. But they became very common in Vākāṭaka-Gupta period and are known as rich seats. Some these seats as seen at Ajanta are decked with peals and diamonds and they probably represent *Ratnāsanas*. Such furniture involved the intricate technique of inlay of semiprecious stones. At times, they were quite ornate with incised geometric and floral patterns. Further, the thrones having animal figures (lions) as arm-rests or legs or both can be identified as *Siṃhāsanas*. Their widespread distribution in early Persia perhaps proned Stuart Piggot to their origin to western Asia. This is evident in the light of the Persian impact on the imperial Mauryan era. However, *Siṃhāsanas* gained popularity in the subsequent centuries of the Christian era as is evident from the frequent depictions in the sculptures of Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Mathura etc. Their popularity seemed to have reached zenith, particularly in Śātavāhana and Ikṣvāku periods in the 2nd-3rd centuries A.D. But they became rare in later period and apparently seemed to have been replaced by rich seats or *ratnāsanas* as is evident from the mural depictions at Ajanta. Another interesting throne with prancing deer-supports as seen in the Ajanta frescoes denotes *Mṛga-siṃhāsana* (Dhavalikar, p. 93).