DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0455
RAVANA-KA KHAI—ELURA. 433
The south wall is covered -with Saiva sculptures; beginning at
the front they are—
1. Mahishasuri killing the buffalo-demon.
2. Siva and Parvati on a raised platform playing at chcmsar or
ehawpat, a sort of chess played with dice. G-anapati and another
attendant wait behind Siva, and two females and a male behind
Parvati, while between but beyond them Bhringi looks on at the
game. Five of the faces in this compartment have been hacked
within the last ten years. Below is Kandi, the bull of Siva, and
thirteen small fat gana rollicking. This sculpture seems to be
peculiar to Elura, where it occurs several times in different caves,
but while most of the other Saiva sculptures occur at Blephanta and
elsewhere, this does not. Siva as Mahayogi, which is twice repeated
at Blephanta, occurs at Elura only in the Dumar Lena cave, and there
in a scarcely finished form.
3. Siva dancing the tdndava, or great dance, which he performs
over the destruction of the world; three figures, with drums and
fifes are to his right; Bhringi, his skeleton attendant, is behind,
and Parvati and two gana—one with a cat's face—are on his left;
above are Brahma and Vishnu on his left, and on his right Indra
on his elephant, Agni on his ram, and two others.
4. Ravana, the demon king of Lanka or Ceylon, proud of his
immeasurable strength, got under Kailasa, the White Mountain or
heaven of Siva, intending to carry it off; Parvati got alarmed on
reeling the place shake, and clung to Siva, who fixed Bavana under
he hill with his foot until he repented of his temerity. Bavana had
en heads and twenty arms, and often on the top of his cap an
animal's head is represented, some say that of an ass. Four ganas
ere mock him. Siva and Parvati have each their attendants, and
^° guardians stand at the sides. The peculiar conventional mode
^presenting a mountain by means of brick-shaped blocks may
n°ted; it recurs again and again, and, as already mentioned, is
emP%ed also in the paintings at Ajanta.
• ^hairava, the destructive form of Siva, his foot on a large fat
art, another at his side, G-anapati behind him, and holding up
., ° °^ his hands the elephant-hide in which he wraps himself,
other two he holds the spear with which* he has transfixed
P ny enemy Ratnasura ; in one is a long sword, and in another
°!1,to receive the blood of his victim.
* 132.
E E
The south wall is covered -with Saiva sculptures; beginning at
the front they are—
1. Mahishasuri killing the buffalo-demon.
2. Siva and Parvati on a raised platform playing at chcmsar or
ehawpat, a sort of chess played with dice. G-anapati and another
attendant wait behind Siva, and two females and a male behind
Parvati, while between but beyond them Bhringi looks on at the
game. Five of the faces in this compartment have been hacked
within the last ten years. Below is Kandi, the bull of Siva, and
thirteen small fat gana rollicking. This sculpture seems to be
peculiar to Elura, where it occurs several times in different caves,
but while most of the other Saiva sculptures occur at Blephanta and
elsewhere, this does not. Siva as Mahayogi, which is twice repeated
at Blephanta, occurs at Elura only in the Dumar Lena cave, and there
in a scarcely finished form.
3. Siva dancing the tdndava, or great dance, which he performs
over the destruction of the world; three figures, with drums and
fifes are to his right; Bhringi, his skeleton attendant, is behind,
and Parvati and two gana—one with a cat's face—are on his left;
above are Brahma and Vishnu on his left, and on his right Indra
on his elephant, Agni on his ram, and two others.
4. Ravana, the demon king of Lanka or Ceylon, proud of his
immeasurable strength, got under Kailasa, the White Mountain or
heaven of Siva, intending to carry it off; Parvati got alarmed on
reeling the place shake, and clung to Siva, who fixed Bavana under
he hill with his foot until he repented of his temerity. Bavana had
en heads and twenty arms, and often on the top of his cap an
animal's head is represented, some say that of an ass. Four ganas
ere mock him. Siva and Parvati have each their attendants, and
^° guardians stand at the sides. The peculiar conventional mode
^presenting a mountain by means of brick-shaped blocks may
n°ted; it recurs again and again, and, as already mentioned, is
emP%ed also in the paintings at Ajanta.
• ^hairava, the destructive form of Siva, his foot on a large fat
art, another at his side, G-anapati behind him, and holding up
., ° °^ his hands the elephant-hide in which he wraps himself,
other two he holds the spear with which* he has transfixed
P ny enemy Ratnasura ; in one is a long sword, and in another
°!1,to receive the blood of his victim.
* 132.
E E