________________
206
CHRONOLOGY OF GUJARAT
Kaumårs from Śāmalāji:-The two hands of Kaumári from Såmalāji, Devani Mori, are mutilated; but the peacock is significant. The ekāvali necklace, the beaded armlets, the lower fine texture garment with numerous creases, the beautiful modelling of the torso, the graceful locks of hair falling over shoulders--these are undoubtedly Gupta features. The goddess has a charming round face, with broad forehead adorned with a round tilaka and large eyes : the lower lip is thick and a little protruding. A scarf running across her legs and passing over her left hand is remarkable. The girdle with central tassellike hanging is also noteworthy. Peacock is of a fine workmanship.-( Plate XXXVII)
It is noteworthy that Śāmalāji sculptures abound in the delineation of peacocks. A big terracotta of a peacock found from this site supports this statement.
Koțyarka Pārvati: Koțyarka Pārvati (transferred to the new Kotyarka temple at Mahuļi, Vijapur Taluka, N. Gujarat) with a peacock behind her, is fondling and feeding the child held on the shoulders of an attendant gana. Her round smiling face with broad forehead, and the curly heir parted in the middle and the plaited hair arranged in spirals on the head, falling on the shoulders, are the main remarkable features. She wears an ekāvali with a small pendant and beaded armlets, which are the familiar ornaments of the Gupta period. The lower garment of the gana is of transparent and plain material, while the sāri of the mother is of exquisite fine muslin with many folds ( vallis).-(M. R. Majmudar, Sculptures from Koțyarka', JISOA, 1941 )-( Plate XXXV b ).
The proportion of the female form which is thick-set and rather stunted (the torso below the breasts being rather short) is a characteristic of some of the late female forms. The stump-like appearance of the leg at the end near the anklet, is a characteristic feature of late Gupta sculptures; while in the more evolved early classical specimens, this part becomes more natural by narrowing towards the end at the anklet. The eyes are open and not meditative or slightly closed. All these characteristics, cumulatively go to suggest that this sculpture be assigned to the end of the Gupta age i.e. 600 A.D. The paryastaka (covering) with delicate folds, hangs on her right leg. This particular feature, which continued also in later Jaina bronzes from Vasantgadh, is assignable to C. 7th to gth Century A.D.-(Plate XXXVIII a).
Koțyarka Mother and Child :- Mother and child' from old Koțyarka temple at village Mahudi, 6 miles from Vijāpur Taluka, N. Gujarat, still in situ, may be somewhat later in age, on account of the rather heavier torso and the double string of pearls, and the peculiar bun on the head. It possibly belongs to early 7th century A. D., as the modelling is still chaste and graceful. The beautiful big bun on the head, with ornate front of jewels and pearl-strings is not uncommon in the Gupta paintings at Ajanta. The folded apparel on the left leg, with two ends hanging in graceful curves appears to be an uttariya or an extra-piece hanging from the girdle, a peculiarity noticeable in sculptures from Gujarat and Marwar, illustrated in various forms, like that on the sāri of the Mother from Koțyarka (now in the new temple ), and on the dhotis of some of the Tirthařkara bronzes from
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
