Abstract
Indian Iconography. Tours of inspection in Bengal districts by Mr. H. E. Stapleton, Director of Public Instruction, N. Chakravarti and S. K. Saraswati, have produced data of historical and archæological interest which are recorded in three communications (J. and Proc. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, New Ser., 28, No. 1; 1932). In the district of Dinajpur along the Chiramati River, in particular, Mr. Saraswati found interesting sculptures among figures worshipped at local shrines which have furnished details of importance in Hindu iconography. In the village shrine of Dehabandh was found a sandstone lingam of very rare icono-graphic character. It is encircled by four effigies of the Devi, which have matted hair and are seated in the padmdsana attitude with clasped hands held up in adoration. The female figures around Siva's symbol evidently stand for his female energies. At Mahendra a previously unknown iconographic specimen was obtained. This is an image, probably of Suryya, on the pedestal of which are the seven horses and the chariot; above are all the usual attendants, Dandi, Pmgala, his two queens, etc. All the figures are booted as is usual with the image of Suryya. The interesting feature is that Suryya has six hands instead of four or the more usual two. The two main hands hold lotuses by the stalks as prescribed, the others show respectively the gestures of ‘granting boons’ and ‘granting security’, one holds the rosary and another the pot. Nowhere are six hands mentioned or shown, nor are the rosary and pot known as his attributes. The image seems to correspond to a description of Dhatri, the first Aditya, except for the two additional hands. This is perhaps the first iconographic treatment of such a deity yet discovered. At Betna a female figure fighting with a host of pot-bellied Asuras is evidently an aspect of Chandlka fighting the demons. She holds various weapons in thirty-two hands; but in spite of the large number of additional arms, the figure is masterful in its life and reality.
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Research Items. Nature 133, 384–385 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133384a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133384a0