Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

Author(s): Jaikishandas Sadani
Publisher: B J Institute of Learning & Research

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Underground Shrine : Queen's step-well at Patan
a supreme serenity in life. It is for this reason that in his two hands the Sun holds lotuses, which rise above his shoulders. The arch above the head has a ring of garland bearers. The image of the seated deity on the top is indistinct due to erosion. At his feet are two attendents, one of them is holding pen and an inkpot while the other is ready in service at his beck and call. Moreover, Sürya-the Sun, lights the three images of Seşaśāyi Vişņu in the step well on the equinox-days.
Indra is one of the most outstanding gods of the Vedas. He is the Lord of the gods. He is one of the dikpālas who looks after the East. Rgveda has so many scās extolling his virtues, of courage and heroism. Satapatha Brāhmaṇa has the unified image of Indra, Agni and Sürya. Later on in purāņas Indra becomes Brahmā, Agni becomes Rudra and Sūrya becomes Vişņu. In the Queen's step-well, we have a royal image of Indra standing in the eastern side of the well. He has a gentle bend of the body. His four hands carry a varadamālā, a goad, an adamant (thunderbolt) and a pitcher. He has the kirita crown and several regal ornaments adorn his figure. In another panel he is depicted with his consort Indrāni. His mount elephant famous as Airāvata is sitting near his feet. The image has its bearing with the art treatises such as Agni Purāņa (52.14), Abhilaşitārtha Cintāmaņi (3.1.772-775), Rūpamandana (2.31), Silparatna (25.1) and others. Being a very important Vedic god, several scās of Rgveda (8.37.3, 8.36.4, 8.79.5) tell the tales of heroism of Indra, the god's ruler.
Agni is an important Vedic god and over 200 șcās or verses are dedicated to him. His refulgence is reflected in the sky in Sürya and Usā and in the clouds as lightning. He is the intermediary between the gods and men in as much as all the oblations offered by men to gods are carried to gods by him. This is stated in the Rgveda (2.12.3, 10.7.2). He is one among the 5 Mahābhūtas that are the constituents of Prakrti or nature. He protects the south-east direction. Hence this direction is called Agneya. He is depicted in the step-well with an impressive robust figure having long beard, and matted hair. He has four hands holding a lotus with the stem, and the pitcher of water in his left hand. One of the right hands is broken and the object held in the other right hand is faded and cannot be recognised. Near his feet is his mount, a ram. Visņudharmottara (3.50.1-4), Silparatna (25.1), Rūpamandana (2.31) all describe the pratimā lakṣaṇa with slight variations. Abhilasitārtha Cintāmaņi and Matsya purāņa describe his golden figure with a long beard but they describe him with two hands holding a rosary mālā and water pitcher kamaņdalu. Agni has a very exalted position in the Rgveda (2.12.3; 10.7.2).
Kubera is the Puranic god and is famous as the treasurer of the gods and is the lord of the Yaksās. Worship of Kubera as Yaksa was a very popular practice in