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No. IV ] THE MASTAKABHISHEKA OF GOMMATESVARA.
transport a granite mass of this size up the oval hill side. It is larger than any of the statues of Rameses in Egypt.
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The figure is standing with shoulders squared and arms hanging straight. Its upper half projects above the surrounding ramparts. It is carved in a fine-grained light-grey granite, has not been injured by weather or violence, and looks as bright and clean as if just from the chisel of the artist.
The face is its strong point. Considering the size of the head, which from the crown to the bottom of the ear measures six feet six inches, the artist was skilful indeed to draw from the blank rock the wondrous contemplative expression touched with a faint smile, with which Gommata gazes out on the struggling world.
Gommatesvara has watched over India for only 1000 years, whilst the statues of Rameses have gazad upon the Nile for more than 4000. The monolithic Indian saint is thousands of years younger than the prostrate Rameses or the guardians of Abu Simbal, but he is more impressive, both on account of his commanding position on the brow of the hill overlooking the wide stretch of plain and of his size. It is the biggest monolithic statue in the world. The height of the image is 57 feet:
The labour bestowed on this image is really astonishing and the image is on the whole a very successful piece of sculpture. The best part of the image is its face with its wonderful contemplative expression touched with a faint smile. The spirit of Jaina renunciation is fully brought out in this statue. The nudity of the image indicates absolute renunciation while its stiff and erect posture stands for perfect self-control The benign smile on the face shows inward bliss and sympathy for the struggling world. In spite of its slight anatomical defects, the image looks majestic and impressive. Fergusson says "Nothing grander or more imposing exists anywhere out of Egypt and even there no known statue surpasses it in height."
The Mastakabhisheka or the head-anointing ceremony is performed only at intervals of several years and at great cost. The
