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Description of Plates
141
intervening, square boxes contain a small elephant figure in each instance. The two inner belts display larger panels that show standing couples with smaller alternating panels displaying a single male or female adorer or attendant. The central belt bearing nine panels exhibits three types of filler-motifs, the rāsamandala, a single attendant figure, or a group of three musicians in alternating order.
68.
This ceiling is largely similar to the preceding two, except that the rāsamandala motif is omitted here and, in the panels, besides the elephant riders, here are also introduced figures of cavaliers set likewise in boxes. The pattīs defining the frame of each box have a carved, plain, flat manibandha pattern as in the previous three ceilings. The jewelled buckles are also present.
69.
This ceiling is narrower and hence has four bands in lieu of five of the preceding three examples. The outermost belts show, as in all previous instances, the attendant/ārādhaka figures. Each of the middle two belts has eight boxes, the seven in each case showing a seated couple in a pavilion as in the central belt in Plate 65, only the two juxtaposed boxes show the Vidyādevī or Yakṣī figures.
70.
This narrow rectangular ceiling has five belts, the outermost showing the ‘pravacana' or lecture scene with the participation of an audience which could be shown only as a gathering of single individuals sitting in a single file all around: the next two belts encompassing the central belt of boxes displays processions dominated by riders, their shorter sides show musical parties, each consisting of five members. The middle belt has six boxes displaying couples sitted in pavilions.
71.
The themes of the previous instance are repeated here except that the figures in the sermon scene as well as the procession (which is shown in a single belt), are larger, more detailed, and no less lively than in the instances noticed before.
Altogether, the set of seven ceilings in this bay—some of them showing slight polish and pale natural hues of the materialis far superior to the Delvādā Samatala ceilings where, in fact, this class of well-organized and sophisticated compositions and fine delineation of animal figures is not paralleled. Only in the rangamandapa (c. A.D. 1075) of the Sun temple (Bakulāditya) at Modherā, the four corners outside the central octagon display
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