Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

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

Page 56

The Eternal Woman of Grace and Beauty
carried by a boy in a very eager interesting pose as he is looking towards her. The maiden, however, is looking blank rather absent minded, lost in the reverie of her beloved, knowing not how to convey her feelings of sadness and her agony of virahaseperation from him. She has put on usual ornaments. She stands in tribhanga. Her bent body is balancing on the right foot. She is standing between two pillars very neatly carved. It is indeed an eye catching panel of a love-lorn woman a virahiņi.
Nāyikā teased by a monkey is a very artistic panel. A naughty monkey leaps at her and is tugging and pulling at her clothes. She is very annoyed and is threatening it with her upraised hand and open palm. Her second arm, however, keeps the pulled sāri in order before it slides down or gets to.n. She is beautifully dressed and adorned. She has decorated her hair in an exquisite hair-style wherein the hair-knot is resting on her shoulder. She has put on bracelets round her wrists and an elaborate armlet around her arms. Studded necklace and long garland hanging over her breasts. Waist-band has hanging bells girdling around her hips. It has slid down a little due · to the monkey-pulling at the dress. A dwarfish attendent is also alarmed. The nāyikā
is shown standing between two pillars with beautifully carved designs on the top of a leafy canopy above the head of the maiden. This shows an arboreal setting in the background.
Sadya-snātā Nāyikā : is the name given to a panel in which is carved a very beautiful image of a maiden just returning after bathing. She has put on a sāri clinging to her body. There are no ornaments except a necklace of beads around her neck. She is shown squeezing her long hair from which drops of water are falling on the ground. A swan sitting on a small pedestal is drinking these falling-drops, taking the droplets to be pearls. The swan is famous for having pearls as its food. The slim and graceful figure of the maiden is set between two nicely carved pillars in a leafy grove. This figure is found in perfect condition. The weather has not inflicted any erosion of disfiguring the image. In the back-ground is a tree with mangoes dangling over the head. Over the pillars are highly decorative clusturedleaves. All enhance the beauty of the composition. It is also described as maiden squeezing her hair.
Suka-Kanyā or the maiden with a parrot is a very attractive panel. The slim, tall and graceful figure is slightly bent, balancing the body on the right leg. The figure is moderately ornamented, a necklace, long garland, bracelets, armlets, waistband and anklets. Her right hand is raised holding the branch of a mango tree. On the left hand is seated a very cute parrot looking at the maiden with great earnestness. The maiden is also fondly looking at her pet bird, the long tailed parrot. Her upper garment or the mantle or the uttariya is hanging from her shoulders, with very neat