DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75620#0061
CHAPTER III
INDIA: GANESA IN HINDU SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS
GANESA is not to be found in sculpture before the Gupta period, when his
r image appeared not only suddenly but in the classic form by which he may be
identified from the fifth century up to the present day. It seems incredible that the
remarkable Bhumara sculptures of Ganesa1 should have been created independently,
without the inspiration of transitional forms ; and yet no images of an elephant-faced
deity have been discovered which could be placed unquestionably earlier than the
fifth century. The explanation may possibly be found if we apply the same theory
to the ancient images of Ganesa, as to certain archaeological ruins in India that are
believed to have been reproduced from more ancient monuments which were con-
structed in impermanent material. In that case, the question would arise as to
whether the original form of the elephant-faced deity was conceived in north or in
south India.
Coomaraswamy as well as Jouveau-Dubreuil are inclined to look upon an image
on one of the Amaravati railings,2 said to be not later than the beginning of our era,
as a transitional form of Ganesa. The personage is crouching under the weight of
a long, serpent-shaped garland,3 upheld at intervals by other ganas. Only a part
of the body is left, but enough remains to show that the gana is short and of the
usual yaksa corpulence. The head is unquestionably that of an elephant: that is,
the eyes, ears, and the lower lip ; but as the image has neither trunk nor tusk, it is
questionable whether it is really a prototype of Ganesa. On the other hand, in Ceylon,
near Mihintale, a stupa has been recently excavated on which there is a frieze of ganas
in the style of those of Amaravati, and one of the ganas has the face of an elephant,
complete with trunk and tusk.4 Paranavitane describes them as seemingly supporting
the superstructures of the vahalkadas or 'frontispieces' which usually decorate the
Sinhalese stupas. The elephant-faced gana is seated with attendant ganas on either
side facing him ; and from the fact that he has only one tusk, Paranavitane is of the
opinion that the image may be a prototype of the classical Ganesa. In that case it
would be the most ancient representation of Ganesa yet found, for this stupa, called
Kantaka Cetinga, is referred to in inscriptions of the first and second centuries.
Even if, as he believes, the sculptures are of a somewhat later period, the image may
be unquestionably ascribed to the first centuries of our era ; but as it is the only one
of its kind and is in a group of other ganas, it could hardly have struck the popular
imagination deeply enough to inspire the forms of Ganesa which appeared in India
in the Gupta period. Thus, seemingly without transitional stage, the most ancient
representations of Ganesa are the completed type: two or four-armed, holding the
axe, the broken tusk, a modaka (or is it a jambu?), or a bowl of cakes.
There were other elephant-headed super-beings of lesser rank but possibly of still
1 v. p. 26 and v. Pl. 3. of rupees'.
2 Amaravati, Burgess, pl. 30, no. 1. 4 v. Pl. 22 (c). Kindness of Mr. S. Parana-
3 According to M. Jouveau-Dubreuil, a 'sack vitane.
4255 F
INDIA: GANESA IN HINDU SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS
GANESA is not to be found in sculpture before the Gupta period, when his
r image appeared not only suddenly but in the classic form by which he may be
identified from the fifth century up to the present day. It seems incredible that the
remarkable Bhumara sculptures of Ganesa1 should have been created independently,
without the inspiration of transitional forms ; and yet no images of an elephant-faced
deity have been discovered which could be placed unquestionably earlier than the
fifth century. The explanation may possibly be found if we apply the same theory
to the ancient images of Ganesa, as to certain archaeological ruins in India that are
believed to have been reproduced from more ancient monuments which were con-
structed in impermanent material. In that case, the question would arise as to
whether the original form of the elephant-faced deity was conceived in north or in
south India.
Coomaraswamy as well as Jouveau-Dubreuil are inclined to look upon an image
on one of the Amaravati railings,2 said to be not later than the beginning of our era,
as a transitional form of Ganesa. The personage is crouching under the weight of
a long, serpent-shaped garland,3 upheld at intervals by other ganas. Only a part
of the body is left, but enough remains to show that the gana is short and of the
usual yaksa corpulence. The head is unquestionably that of an elephant: that is,
the eyes, ears, and the lower lip ; but as the image has neither trunk nor tusk, it is
questionable whether it is really a prototype of Ganesa. On the other hand, in Ceylon,
near Mihintale, a stupa has been recently excavated on which there is a frieze of ganas
in the style of those of Amaravati, and one of the ganas has the face of an elephant,
complete with trunk and tusk.4 Paranavitane describes them as seemingly supporting
the superstructures of the vahalkadas or 'frontispieces' which usually decorate the
Sinhalese stupas. The elephant-faced gana is seated with attendant ganas on either
side facing him ; and from the fact that he has only one tusk, Paranavitane is of the
opinion that the image may be a prototype of the classical Ganesa. In that case it
would be the most ancient representation of Ganesa yet found, for this stupa, called
Kantaka Cetinga, is referred to in inscriptions of the first and second centuries.
Even if, as he believes, the sculptures are of a somewhat later period, the image may
be unquestionably ascribed to the first centuries of our era ; but as it is the only one
of its kind and is in a group of other ganas, it could hardly have struck the popular
imagination deeply enough to inspire the forms of Ganesa which appeared in India
in the Gupta period. Thus, seemingly without transitional stage, the most ancient
representations of Ganesa are the completed type: two or four-armed, holding the
axe, the broken tusk, a modaka (or is it a jambu?), or a bowl of cakes.
There were other elephant-headed super-beings of lesser rank but possibly of still
1 v. p. 26 and v. Pl. 3. of rupees'.
2 Amaravati, Burgess, pl. 30, no. 1. 4 v. Pl. 22 (c). Kindness of Mr. S. Parana-
3 According to M. Jouveau-Dubreuil, a 'sack vitane.
4255 F