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MAITRAKA-GURJARA PERIOD
Vasantgadh and Akota-(M. R. Majmudar, 'School of Western Sculpture IHQ, 1957)(Plate XXXVIII b)
Samalāji Mother and Child :-In the Mother and Child' sculpture from Šāmalāji, (only the upper part above the navel being in tact), the mother has big circular kundalas on the ear-lobe and a heavy single-pearl ear-ring on the ear-top, which have been the characteristic ornaments of Western Indian ladies. The coiffeur is arranged elaborately with curls in front, and a bun-like top from which issue the ringlets. The bun tied by a wreath of flowers has a central crest ornament of cakra motif. The sculpture may not be later than the 7th century A. D. The cylindrical tress of hair arranged in pradaksina twists, hanging loosely on each shoulder is noteworthy. From the right end of the wreath a small creeper issues out in a beautiful sweep and dangles behind the ear, emphasising the beauty of the slightly bent posture of the mother. The decorative creeper hangs at the back from the braid of of hair, known to Gandhära school, as also' to the Kusaga art at Mathura. The cakra-plaque in front of the bun on the hair is also noticeable in the Gandharan art.-(Plate XXXVIII b).
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Standing Mother: Of about the same period is another image of a standing mother from Idar group of sculptures with the playful child holding her right finger and the transparent lower garment, gathered in folds to her left.-( Plate XXXVI).
Parvati as Sabara-Kanya from Idar: The superb image of Parvati as Sabarakanya stands in tri-bhanga pose, with the right hand resting on the hip in an elegant way, just with a feminine grace. The hand has only one Kankana at the wrist. The single ornament in the neck has a necklace, of the indigenous style worn by village-folk called hansdi in common parlance, on this side of India. The two feet are adorned with anklets (nupuras). The hair are not tied in a knot so as to be called a mukufa, but are resting loose on the shoulders. The artist has shown the minutest details of the wavy hair.
The gentle and bewitching smile on the face makes the figure quite of a (saumya) nature, as contrasted against the stern and excited face of a fighting Goddess. The third eye in the middle of the forehead is closed. The mellow lines on the slender white neck, resemble similar series of lines on a conch (Sankha). The muscles of the belly are realistically depicted; the depression of the navel adds a special grace to the simplicity and the classical grandeur of the female form. The full and healthy bust is quite in contrast to the shrunken waist so as to be styled Kriodari'.
The tiger-skin is wrapped round the waist with a reef-knot by the legs of the animal, the paws of which dangle down, the face of the tiger being in full view in the front.. The skin-garment reaches as far down as the knees and falls in schematic outline, centring towards the knot; only the lower part of the legs excepting the rear part is covered by the remaining two hind legs of the animal. A similar vydghra-carma is seen round the waist of Virabhadra Siva referred to above. The hound is by the side of the Sabara-Kanya, the huntress, ready, as it were, to do the bidding of its mistress.
The elegance, on the whole, of the sculpture is remarkable. It evinces most of the
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