Book Title: Chronology of Gujarat
Author(s): M R Majumdar
Publisher: Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda

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Page 411
________________ RASTRAKUTA-PRATIHARA PERIOD 273 only the fifth king Dharapațța seems to have professed the faith of the Sun, as he styled himself as 'paramāditya-bhakta'. Standing Surya from Karvan, assignable to the gth Century at the latest, wears an ekāvali and a golden chain-girdle, with a chain hanging on each thigh, and the beaded armlets which have been common to sculptures of the Samalājī group. The oblong halo with a lotus-petal border at the end is remarkable. The Sürya holds the lotus. The smaller figures of Danda and Pingala still retain the earlier Gupta traditions. The crown appears to have evolved from the crown of Vişnu from Bhinmal, and the stone-head from Sāmalāji, which is again comparable with the high crown from Elephanta Maheśa-mūrti and the crown of Jivantasvāmi bronze from Akota.- Plate LXVII b). Standing Surya from Vasisthasrama, Mt. Abu: Two-armed standing Surya, rather stunted in height, located at Vasişthāśrama, Mt. Abu, is later than the one at Jagannath shrine, probably of C. gth Century A.D. The forms of attendant females here are common to the art of the Gurjara-Pratihāra period in Western India. The double neck-ornament and the necklace with bell-design are noteworthy.-( Plate LXVII a). Standing Surya from Delvada is also noteworthy.-(Plate LXVII c). Sculptures of Seated Surya : Our knowledge of sculptures of seated Surya from Gujarat is limited. The panel on the door-frame of the Varāha temple at Kadvār (near Somanath ), assigned to the 8th Century A.D., has an image of Sūrya, first from the right. It is seated on a lotus in the utkațika (raised hips) pose, and seems to have two hands only, which bear a lotus each, held as high as the shoulder. On a stone door-frame, (C. 12th Century) at the Junagadh Museum, in a nitch on the arch of the torana is found a seated Surya, in a chariot drawn by seven horses. Seated Surya from Prabhasa : A composite figure of Sūrya from Prabhāsa, seated in padmāsana has three faces, the profile ones being in tact, and the front disfigured. There is a halo round the face. It is a tri-mūrti with Sürya (Vişnu) in the middle, the lotus-stalks being visible. It has perhaps six hands with dhyāna mudrā, two each for the three forms of Brahmā, Vişņu and Maheśa. It has worn an udarabandha and a girdle. The figure is seated on a chariot with the avyanga. Heads of the seven horses are in view, and are driven by a small charioteer, seated in front of the figure. It, perhaps, cannot be earlier than 8th century.-(Sankalia, Archaeol gy of Gujarat, p. 162, fig. 74). Seated Surya from Unza : The seated figure of Sūrya with a beautifully shaped round face from Unza belongs to this period; as it has all the artistic characteristics and stylistic affinities of the pre-Solanki sculptures. It has, however, no prabhā-mandala. The rosette-frame round the sculpture is noteworthy.-(Plate LXVIII a). Seated Surya from Roda: Seated yet headless Sūrya images from Rodā, about 9 miles east of Himatnagar, in the old Idar State, (now in Baroda Open Air Sculpture Gallery') are assigned to the late 9th Century, roughly to the pre-Solanki period. The composite sculpture when entire, must have been a superb specimen of Indian art. The C35 Jain Education Intemational For Personal & Private Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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