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Jaina Art of Orissa
175
and reel and flowers between compartments. The abacus and neckings of the door pilasters of Tatowa-Gumpha No. 2 are relieved with one or more rows of beads (Fig. 22 and 23). The brackets of Tentuli-Gumphā are bordered by horizontal and vertical lines in several sections. Zig zag or heavy lines are also shown at intervals along with these bands. The arch-bands of Manchapuri and Svargapuri-Gumphā in several cases are provided with floral devices within interlaced and continuous circles and curved bands. Similarly the arch bands of Ganesa-Gumphā are all enclosed by a row of beads.
Trees representing or symbolising forest are and as an object of worship are noticed on the facades of some of the caves at the place. The sacred representation of these trees are invariably found within railings having close affinity with their counterparts in the sculptures of Sarchi, Bhārhut, Mathurā and Amarāvati.
The trees which frequently occur within relief panels have usually been delineated as laden with fruits, but their branches are not so natural as the trunks. They are invariably depicted as knotty and shaky. The fruits of these trees are most unnaturally depicted and this defect is not only noticeable here but is flagrant in almost all early representations in stone. This has become rather conventional. The lone representation of these trees serve the purpose of separating one aspect of the story of a panel from the other, performance of dance and music and resting place to the cave dwellers.
The creepers represented on the flattened surface of the arch-bands over some of the door heads are often laden with fruits and flowers as a decorative device rather than showing any connected link with them plantain and mango fruits as well as lotuses in multipetalled designs are most numerous in their representation. Creepers of graceful curves with buds or full-blown flowers have been largely shown in the arch-bands surmounting door heads. In the curves of continuous and contrary flextures the principle of gradation and contrast have been skillfully illustrated. In many instances, however, the creepers have conventional representation.
Flowers of numerous varieties in the shape of decorative elements within archbands, space fillers in single patches, garlands in the hands of devotees and within trays, buds attached to stalks and held by bracket figures and birds, container of lotus lakes, adorning hair-dos of human and semi divine figures, trunks of elephants, fixed to the creepers and decorating the outer framework of the ghata bases, etc. are noticed at this place. Of the entire series, lotus attained the predominant position. This floral device of lotus in buds, full-blown, in garlands, rosettes and half discs are largely available with equally early sculptures of Sāñchi, Bhārhut and Amaravati. This pattern had been so abundantly worked out that it had already become conventional as the representation of rows of lotus stalks terminating in full-blown flowers sculptured in arch-bands indicates. Thus the stylised plants and flowers, the artist marvellously adopt could weave them into countless, lovely patterns and put them to almost any shape of surface.
The representation of a large variety of animals, birds and reptiles indicate to the knowledge of the sculptors about the physiognomy of these species. This knowledge was
