SCULPTURE ART OF DHUNDHAR

Mohan Lal Gupta

The history of stone carving from the area of so-called, Dhundhar is very ancient. The Malavas, Chowhans, Gurjar Pratiharas and the Kachhawas dominated the region in the earlier times. The variability of different religions, people’s faith in them, and the prosperousness of the traders motivated them to construct buildings and temples. The art of the stone carving therefore flourished extensively.

The cultural impact of the foreign invaders, like the Greeks, Afghans, Turks and the Mongols, who came and settled here, could not be restrained from the sculptural art of the Northern India. If early history of old images is viewed closely, it is found that they were carved out from clay and baked in fire. It is very rare to find stone figures from the Mauriyan, Shunga or Kushan times from Dhundhar. Mostly the Mother-Goddess Matrika figures of clay are found. Mother Goddess worship was prevalent from the Indus Valley to the Nile in the ancient times. Before the advent of the Aryans, the Mother Goddess worship was in practice in the country. When the primitive man started collecting the amenities of clothing and food, he felt the magnitude of the illusion of woman and knowledge of motherhood. Having come to know the mystery, the primitive man started making images of Matirkas from the clay. Several terracotta figures of Matrikas have been found from Sambhar, Rairh and Nagar and the coiffure and wrapping of their particular style. Several varieties of their hair decorations have become available from such figures. At a distance of about 80 kms from Niwai to the south of Jaipur, an excavation was done at Rairh under the guidance of Dr. K.N. Puri and several metal objects were discovered in a large quantity, Rairh had its rule on a democratic pattern in the 2^nd century B.C. It is proved from the finding of a lead seal on which Malava Jan Padas is engraved in Brahmi script. Besides this, some coins have become available on which inscription Jai Malavnam has come to notice.

The terracotta Matrikas and Yakshis from Rairh are indicative of the fact that women were fond of wearing bangles, neckless, ear-rings, waistbands and head ornaments. Bangles were made from ivory, conch and metal as well. Heavy bangles worn in the wrist as well as in the arm above the elbow. Breasts were kept exposed by the ladies. The thighs were decorated with waistbands made from precious or semi precious beads. The rosaries were also made from semi precious stones such as crystal, turquoise, lapis, agate etc. Besides human figures, terracotta toys in the form of birds and animals have also been found from survey as well as excavations. Horse rider terracotta from Sambhar of 3^rd century B.C. can be seen on display in the Government Museum, Jaipur, who has a knot of turban, in front above the forehead. A very small bust of a woman figure wearing a turban is very significant in the sense that it was very common amongst the ladies to wear turbans in the Shunga and the Kushan times. It was also a fashion to have two or four braids Choti and to hang them in front or to wrap them like turban.

A Shunga terracotta plaque of Rati and Kamdeva from Naliasar, Sambhar is notable in which Kamdeva has got heavy wrapping of turban and Rati having unique hair decoration. Her thighs are fleshy and she is holding a lotus in her hand. The left hand of Kamdeva is broken whereas a little portion of his bow becomes visible. Another terracotta plaque is an unique instance from Nagar which displays the sense of Mahishasur Mardini Durga who is killing the demon Mahish. Durga is having peculiar hair decoration. The Structure of the Mahish is very lean and crude. It very much looks like a deer if the twisted horns of the buffalo are not seen minutely. The vehicle lion of the deity is shown in the bottom. The piece diagonally broken in three parts. A figure of a lady holding Damru, a musical instrument in her hand is supposed to be controversial for the reason that Daya Ram Sahni, very well known Archaeologist identified the figure as Shiva in his excavation report whereas it appears to be of woman since it wears ornaments in the neck and feet. Sun seated in a chariot and figures of Kuber and Hariti are also notable from the site. The Shunga and Kushan terracotta were not made finely and perfectly rather they were very folkish in appearance. A handle of a broken ewer from Sambhar in the form of a lying woman is an excellent specimen of the Gupta art. (Government Museum, Jaipur) The facial character of the woman is identical to the Greek Art. The lower portion under the chin is slightly bulging and she is wearing the head ornament Sheesphool and earrings Karnphool. A Gupta fragmentary lower half piece of a woman face from Sambhar may be said to be attractive having very big earrings. It has got a smile on her lips. The Greco-Roman art influenced our plastic art to some extent, which is discernable in physical contours dresses and hairstyles. On the growth of civilization of mankind and its adoption of different religions, demand for innumerable variety of Gods and Goddesses for temples emerged and the stone carvers came up showing their skill on the basis of iconography laid down in the scriptures. Dhundhar has ever been very rich in the sphere of sculptural art. The sculptures from the places like Naktimata, Neelkantha, Sainthali, Amber, and Sambhar deserve mention, which alludes to the 3^rd century B.C. to the 18^th century A.D.

NAKTI MATA TEMPLE – The Gurjar Pratihar temple stands on a high platform enroute Ajmer 10 miles to the west of Jaipur but there is no trace of any sculpture except interlocked serpent embellishment Nagvalli and Ghatpallava motif carved just on the door of the temple. The exterior of the temple is adorned with the divinities namely Dikpalas in niches of the walls. Its art and architecture is contemporary to that of Abaneri. (Dausa)

SAMBHAR – It may have remained a prosperous capital of Chowhans in Northern India, about 60 kms west of Jaipur. It is corroborated from the availability of stone sculptures of 10^th-11^th centuries, from Devyani, a pilgrim place in the vicinity of Sambhar now placed in the Hawa Mahal Museum, Jaipur. Daya Ram Sahni surveyed and excavated the site in 1983, which revealed specimens from the Shunga and Kushan periods. The history of Chowhans rulers is known from Prithvi Raj Vijay, authored by poet Janak that Vigraha Raj II had extended his kingdom up to Narbada river in the south. Ajay Raj rehabilitated Ajay Meru or Ajmer and build beautiful temples. Arno Raj built a lake namely Ana Sagar. The Chalukyas of Gujarat invaded Sambhar In the time of Prithvi Raj and that seven hundred Chalukyas were massacred in the battle fought near Pushkar. After the death of Prithvi Raj Chowhan, Sambhar remained under the rule of Sultans of Delhi. A Persian inscription found from there is a testimony to the fact that the Sultan rulers built lakes, inns, step wells and tanks. The olden Sanskrit Pathshala was converted into the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpada of which the remains can still be seen in Ajmer. The Vaishnava sculptures found from the bottom of the Devyani tank indicate that they may have been broken and thrown away in water by Muslims. The figures of Vishnu in black stone from Sambhar, ostentate the skill of the carvers of the 10^th -11^th centuries. The image of four handed Sampad standing Vishnu having a mark of Kaustubh on chest is very enchanting The attributes Chakra disc, Gada mace in two hands whereas the third in Varad Mudra pose indicate the full character and grace of the figure. The fourth hand is broken. The human form of Shankha and chakra in Dwibhangi pose, stand either side of the deity. These human forms are commonly found almost in all the figures of Vishnu. Figures of Brahma and Mahesh on the top of the Parikar on the left and right signify the grandeur of the trinity form and the magnitude of the great lord Vishnu. The swaying Van Mala, Kriti Mukut and Manibandh bejewelled girdle, Yagyopavit scared thread and neckless beautify the clam and serene posture of the deity, presently displayed in Hawa Mahal Museum Jaipur. Full figure of Vaman standing on a lotus shaped base is exquisitely fine who has curly hair, Yagyopavit sacred thread and finely carved Van Mala and several neck ornaments. His hands are broken. Here also the human form of Shankha and Chakra can be seen on either side of the figure and Bhoo Devi and Sri Devi on the back. Headless Vishnu in black stone is an eloquent example of fine work in which seems of Dashavtars are delineated on both the sides of the Parikar whereas on the top of the main figure of Vishnu, stand the figures of the Nava-Grahas. Again a figure of Vishnu in black stone without legs having a big halo is equipped with Shankha, Gada and Chakra in three hands while the right hand is broken. The girdle and lower garment are finely carved. All the above figures are almost three to four feet in height.

Ganesh, Neelkantha

NEELKANTHA TEMPLE- Rajoregarh named as Para Nagar is situated at a height of 2000 ft. on a hill at a distance of three miles Tehla, a small village to the west of Thana Ghazi enroute Alwar. Rajoregarh was capital of Badgujars prior to the rule of the Kachhawas. It is known form an inscription of 10^th century that Ajay Pal the counselor to ruler Vijay Pal of Kannauj got the temple built of Shiva in the memory of his mother Lachchuk which is known as Neelkantha Mahadeva (Alwar Museum). Rajoregarh must have remained a flourished place during the time of the Badgujars. The Antaral portion of the temple appears to be older whereas the outer portion appears to be restored in later times. The temple of Neelkantheshwar is dedicated to lord Shiva who drank the cup of poison which emerged from the ocean at the time of churning, to save the world from its destruction. This poison affected his throat to become blue. This is the reason he is known as Neelkantheshwar. Another inscription on a frieze of a big Prashasti consists of a reference to the artisan Trivikram son of Chajjuk (Alwar Museum). The Garbh Graha of the temple contains a stone Lingam which is under worship now. Around the outer portion of the circumbulation Pradakshina sculptures of very fine workmanship are carved in relief on the walls. On four columns of the Mandap, dancing Apsaras, musicians and figures of females seated in a successive order in arrow are also attractive. The pillars are supported by the figures of Kichaks on the columns. The southern portion of the temple represents eight-armed image of Tripurantaka Shiva in a majestic form holding weapons like bow, mace and Damru, musical instrument. On the left side the figure of Surya seated in a chariot drawn by seven horses is an excellent specimen of relief carving. Surya is eight armed and holds the conch, the mace, the Chakra and the lotus, symbols of Vishnu. In the other hand he holds a Kalash while his right hand is in Varad Mudra. The sculptures of Neelkantheshwar show Shiva wearing a crown, Makarkundala and anklets. The outer niche on the right side preserves an image of Rudra killing demon Andhakasur. Rudra raises his leg upwards and holds a bow in one of the hands. A vigorous from of Natraj is remarkable. An another small idol of Uma Maheshwar riding on bull may be recognized as a pretty piece of the medieval art (Alwar Museum). At a distance of about hundred yards from the temple, a colossal Jain image of Parshwanath, 16ft in height, in pink stone is worth to be appreciated somewhat akin to the Gomateshwar idol in the south, which is known by the villagers as Navgaja, nine yards. A hundred yards from the ruins of Neelkantheshwar temple there are the ruins of magnificent Jain and Brahmanical temples, which have completely collapsed and mutilated. Eight armed blue stone dancing Ganesh having a colophon of V.S.1101 inscribed on its base is also in the Alwar Museum brought from Neelkantha temple. Ganesh is wearing a girdle of jewels and a serpent coil around the belly. The image is exquisitely fine. The hairdo’s big earrings waist bands and transparent garments are the symptoms by which the sculptures of Neelkantha are identified to be of medieval period. Rajoregarh is now inhabited by Meens and Gurjars. The fort of Kakwadi is now having its dreary look where Darashikoh the elder son of Shahjahan, was imprisoned in the wilderness of the dense forest by Aurangzeb. The monuments are now under the protection and care of the Department of Archaeological survey of India. Several beautiful sculpture pieces have been excavated by the Department and collected on the site. The author of the present article visited the site in 1951 and wrote an article in a Hindi periodical Maruwani, which opened a way to others to go and to see the monumental site.

SAINTHLI- The author of the present article explored the site in 1951, lying on Alwar-Delhi route. There is a temple of Laxmi Narayan, near by a mound, which is not very old but the precincts around yield knowledge of very beautiful images. Several sculptures were lying buried under the debris of the said mound. A couple of years ago, the site came to the notice of the state Archaeological dept. and beautiful pieces were brought from there of which one is now placed in the Sisodia Rani Garden, Jaipur and the other one in the Alwar Museum. The piece now in the Sisodia Garden, Jaipur, representing a couple in an amorous pose Alingan in pink stone, is an eloquent example of the art of Sainthli. Another piece in question is a slab originally a part of decoration of an outer wall of a Mandovar of some ruined temple of Sainthli. Ghat Pallava motifs, Mithun figures and celestial damsels in curvature poses holding lotuses in their hands are alternately very finely chiseled in the slab. The lower part of the slab depicts dancing couples but they are broken. The right and the left corners too, of the piece are broken. The Saree of one of the woman is so transparent that the whole body could be seen through. The transparency has been show very skillfully.

Laxmi Narayan, Alwar

CHAKSU- South of Jaipur at a distance of twenty miles is situated the town which happened to be a cultured place in the older times ruled by the Guhils in the 10^th cent. The place is known for its Vaishnava temples built by Guhils on the Guhil Rao Pool. Daya Ram Sahni surveyed the site in 1983. On the basis of ruins, Archaeologist Carlyle discovered an inscription in Kutil script, which was read by Dr. Bhandarkar and found that Baladitya married a Chowhan princess and built a temple of Murari Vishnu to commemorate the event. Fragments of mutilated sculptures became available from the site of the pool. The pool was surrounded by 52 temples in the past. Laxmi Narayan idol pose supporting Laxmi in his lap. Dashavatar scenes are also depicted here on the Parikar. Narayan and his consort both are wearing neckless and ornaments. Two hands of the deity are broken (Hawa Mahal Museum). Just as Vishnu figures have become available from Sambhar an identical figure of Sampad Vishnu has been found from Chaksu too (Hawa Mahal Museum). The two pillar inscriptions from the Jain temple, which were installed on the hillock named Shiva Doongri, depicts images of Jain Acharyas. The pillars are now in the collection of the Amber Archaeological Museum. According to an inscription from a Jain temple it is known that Chaksu was famous by name of Champavati Nagari in the past. In the times of the Muslim rulers, the temple was demolished and a mosque was built there.

AMBER- To the North of Jaipur, its old capital, is known from the ruined temple of Kalyan Rai Ji of 9^th century from where door Jambs carved with the motifs of Kachap Ghat and figures of Ganga and Yamuna have been discovered (Amber Gallery). Motifs of Nagvalli creepers and foliage are found depicted on the borders of the above. The marble figures of Sursundaris and orchestra party brought from the dome of the Jain temple of Sanghi Jhoota Ram are good examples of 18^th century, in evidence of the dieing art, of the stone work of the old Amber town. The pillars carved with the figures of Trivikram and Kartikeya of 10^th century from the temple of Ambikeshwar are worthy of notice. The Taran of the temple of Jagat Shiromani built from marble in commemoration of Jagat Singh, the son of Maharaja Man Singh I is an eloquent example of the Hindu art. The life size Garuda image outside the temple is big and very lively. The Department of Archaeological Survey of India, Jaipur, now protects the temple. To keep the old art revived a certain locality is inhabited in Jaipur by the stone carvers and hundreds of them are making Gods and Goddesses for temples even now, but their figures are stagnant and not so delicate as compared to those of the older times.   

Reference: This article was published in Kalavritt - "Magazine of Art" in issue # 46. The article is recomposed by Digant Sharma, grandson of Dr. M.K Sharma 'Sumahendra' for post in "Kalavritt News" blog.

Hard copy of this issue is also available.