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JANUARY, 1993
155
On either side of the central figure of Ganesa, two attendents are shown with spray of flowers in one hand and some offerings in the other. They are standing with legs crossed in a rather off-balanced posture. Both the figures wear stiff fluted trousers with beaded borders and a close fitted shirt (angarakha) over the waist. A broad waist-band (kamarabandha) with tetragon design is tightly secured at the waist. The ends of waist-band are shown parted in the middle and floating in the air on both the sides. Their shoulders are covered by uttariya which is also shown floating in a way similar to the ends of kamarabandha. The ends of this garment are tasseled. The head-dress of both these figures is of similar type with petalled designs as if in a form of full blown lotus. This pattern of head-gear is rather bold and simple than the one depicted in the panels of the Wadi Pārsvanātha temple from Pāțan built in wood in 1594, now resting in the stores of the Metropolitan Museum of New York.4
A single beaded necklace (ekávali) with a pendant of trifoil design is seen on both the figures. The earrings (karna-bhūsana) of both the figures are thick and circular, and the anklets and wristlets are simple and round.
Their elongated bulging eyes are almond-shaped, though carved, they appear to be fixed separately as is done in case of stone and bronze images. Probably they are carved to create an impression as if they are applied after-wards. The eye-brows are not carved by incision but are raised. Their noses are triangular in shape, the base of which is broad and straight. The mouth is not well defined and the chin is narrow and flat. The face is squarish, a peculiarity of this part of the country.
All the three figures are enclosed in separate niches in the frieze. The central niche with Gaņeśa is bigger in size than the other two These are divided with small heavy pillars with multiple mouldings. The jad yakumbha is of late variety while capital is with full blown multi-petalled flower rounded and surmounted by fluted mangala-kalasa with leaves dropping out of its mouth,
The arches connecting the two pillars and forming niches are of
4 Burgess and Cousens, Architectural Antiquities of Northern Gujarat ; New Imperial
Series, Vol. IX, 1903.
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