________________
APRIL, 1986
137
From the above, it may be reasonably argued that there had been different phases of temple architectural activities at Pakbirra in different
s, when, along with it emerged the sculptural art in the similar subsequent phases. The isolated pieces noted and referred to by the scholars and stylistically placed in different periods, 41 would not explain the stylistic affinities or trends, if any, and their cultural horizon or context. It is necessary to see through the entire collection of sculptures yielded from the site and trace their styles and types. But before we go into that it will be essential to enumerate the sculptures themselves and their iconographic features.
The fortyeight sculptures found at Pakbirra, as has been stated earlier, are collected in five different groupings. The iconographic features of these sculptures together with their dimensions, probable dating, material, are given below adhering to different collections :
(a) Permanent Sculpture Shed
1. Ambika
The bejewelled goddess stands in graceful abhanga pose holding a frolicking little child (her younger son Prabhankara) with her left hand. Her right arm, once possibly holding the branch of a mangoe tree (āmralumbī), is broken at elbow. A male attendant (or her elder son Subhankara) stands to her right holding a punthi in his left arm-pit. The goddess wears a diapthanous śārī fastened by an ornamented girdle and profuse jewellery. The latter comprising of urujālaka, armlets, keyūra, multistranded necklaces, kundalas, and a three-crested crown. Her hair rolls over the left shoulder and is done in a two-fold bun within fillet nets. Above the goddess is a sprawling mangoe tree ladden with fruits, on the stem of which sits a Jina in dhyānāsana under a parasol. A gaping lion with its head turned towards the goddess occupies the centre of a pasca-ratha pedestal below, which also bear three tiny figures of devotees, two of them in añjali-mudrā and one seated. Vidyadharas holding garlands can be seen on the top corners of the stele.
87cms x 43cms Circa 9th century A.D. Plate No.8
41 See, for example, Nihar Ranjan Ray, Bangalir Itihas, Calcutta, 1087 B. S., pp.
1057-58, figs 34, 42 ; P. Banerjee, op. cit., p. 158.
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