DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75620#0064
28 INDIA: GANESA IN HINDU SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS
At Badami, the ancient capital of the Chalukyan kings, there are three series of
Brahmanical rock-cut temples dating from the time of Pulikesi I. In the first of
these is the celebrated sculpture of Siva and Parvati as ardhandrisa, that is, figured
as one deity, the right half Siva and the left side Parvati.1 Burgess explains that it
is ' a single body personifying the principle of life and production in its double aspect:
the male or active principle under the name of purusha and the female or passive,
under the name of prakrti'. It will be seen below that Ganesa was given this double
aspect in China and Japan but differently presented.2
Outside of the Saiva grotto-temple at Badami and to the left of the pillared
gallery is a spirited bas-relief of Siva dancing the tandava, while at his feet is a small
image of Ganesa, the only representation at Badami.3 He is standing in a slightly
dancing pose. Behind his head is a halo, and he has four arms of which two are
broken. The normal left hand holds an attribute which may be a bowl of cakes,
while the upper right seems to follow the movement of the dance.
In the third of these cave-temples is an inscription dated A.D. 579. Fergusson is
of the opinion that if not contemporary, the other two were certainly executed
before A.D. 700 ; but although this image of Ganesa is thus the most ancient of all
those found in grotto-temples in India, it is later than the sculpture of Ganesa in
the Chinese rock-cut temple of Kung-hsien, which is dated a.d. 531.4
At Aihole, where the rock-cut temples are believed to be among the most ancient
in India, as well as at Badami, Ganesa is often found in attendance on Siva when
dancing the tandava.' In this case also he is figured standing in a slightly dancing
pose. At Aihole he is lifting a cake with his trunk from a bowl in his left hand.
This is possibly the earliest example of the attitude which later was adopted in
practically every country where he was worshipped.
In the Dakhan the group of the Saptamatrkas was in favour as early as the fifth
century; and the popularity of Ganesa associated with them is evident in all the
temples and rock-cut sanctuaries.
In the cave-temples of Ellora, which are believed to be slightly later than those
at Badami, there are four important sculptures of the group of Ganesa and the
Seven Divine Mothers which were executed between the fifth and the tenth cen-
turies. The most remarkable of the groups is in the celebrated Ravana-ka khai,6where
each Divine Mother, four-armed, holds a child (with the exception of Mahesvari) ;
and in a niche under each throne is the mount of the deity, but Ganesa has a bowl
of cakes in the niche instead of the usual rat.
The image of Ganesa in the Ravana-ka khai7 is as powerful in conception as the
two Bhumara sculptures. The ears, trunk, and legs resemble those of the Ganesa
with the bells so closely that it seems possible, if they were of about the same period,
that they were executed by the same person. They may be compared as to dignity
1 v. Pl. 6 (a). 6 Cave Temples, Fergusson and Burgess,
2 v. Pl. 38. Pl. LXXII, and E. of H.I., Rao, vol. i, part ii,
3 v.P1.8(b). Pl. CXVII.
4 v. p. 68 and Pl. 36 (6). 7 v. Pl. 8 (a). Kindness of Mr. Codrington.
5 v. Pl. 6 (b).
At Badami, the ancient capital of the Chalukyan kings, there are three series of
Brahmanical rock-cut temples dating from the time of Pulikesi I. In the first of
these is the celebrated sculpture of Siva and Parvati as ardhandrisa, that is, figured
as one deity, the right half Siva and the left side Parvati.1 Burgess explains that it
is ' a single body personifying the principle of life and production in its double aspect:
the male or active principle under the name of purusha and the female or passive,
under the name of prakrti'. It will be seen below that Ganesa was given this double
aspect in China and Japan but differently presented.2
Outside of the Saiva grotto-temple at Badami and to the left of the pillared
gallery is a spirited bas-relief of Siva dancing the tandava, while at his feet is a small
image of Ganesa, the only representation at Badami.3 He is standing in a slightly
dancing pose. Behind his head is a halo, and he has four arms of which two are
broken. The normal left hand holds an attribute which may be a bowl of cakes,
while the upper right seems to follow the movement of the dance.
In the third of these cave-temples is an inscription dated A.D. 579. Fergusson is
of the opinion that if not contemporary, the other two were certainly executed
before A.D. 700 ; but although this image of Ganesa is thus the most ancient of all
those found in grotto-temples in India, it is later than the sculpture of Ganesa in
the Chinese rock-cut temple of Kung-hsien, which is dated a.d. 531.4
At Aihole, where the rock-cut temples are believed to be among the most ancient
in India, as well as at Badami, Ganesa is often found in attendance on Siva when
dancing the tandava.' In this case also he is figured standing in a slightly dancing
pose. At Aihole he is lifting a cake with his trunk from a bowl in his left hand.
This is possibly the earliest example of the attitude which later was adopted in
practically every country where he was worshipped.
In the Dakhan the group of the Saptamatrkas was in favour as early as the fifth
century; and the popularity of Ganesa associated with them is evident in all the
temples and rock-cut sanctuaries.
In the cave-temples of Ellora, which are believed to be slightly later than those
at Badami, there are four important sculptures of the group of Ganesa and the
Seven Divine Mothers which were executed between the fifth and the tenth cen-
turies. The most remarkable of the groups is in the celebrated Ravana-ka khai,6where
each Divine Mother, four-armed, holds a child (with the exception of Mahesvari) ;
and in a niche under each throne is the mount of the deity, but Ganesa has a bowl
of cakes in the niche instead of the usual rat.
The image of Ganesa in the Ravana-ka khai7 is as powerful in conception as the
two Bhumara sculptures. The ears, trunk, and legs resemble those of the Ganesa
with the bells so closely that it seems possible, if they were of about the same period,
that they were executed by the same person. They may be compared as to dignity
1 v. Pl. 6 (a). 6 Cave Temples, Fergusson and Burgess,
2 v. Pl. 38. Pl. LXXII, and E. of H.I., Rao, vol. i, part ii,
3 v.P1.8(b). Pl. CXVII.
4 v. p. 68 and Pl. 36 (6). 7 v. Pl. 8 (a). Kindness of Mr. Codrington.
5 v. Pl. 6 (b).