| Identification | |
| Name of the Museum /Institution
संग्रहालय/संस्था का नाम |
Allahabad Museum, Allahabad |
| Reference Number / संदर्भ संख्या | NM-ALH-UP-250202 |
| Title/ Name of Object वस्तु का शीर्षक/नाम |
Fragment of a Torana Architrave |
| Type of Object / वस्तु की किस्म | Sculpture - प्रतिमा |
| Dynasty /वंश | Sunga - शुंग |
| Period / तारीख/युग | |
| Style / शैली | |
| Provenance / उद्गम/क्षेत्र | Kausambi, Allahabad District |
| Material / सामग्री | Sandstone - बलुआ पत्थर |
| Sub Material / उप.सामग्री | |
| Location at the Museum / संग्रहालय में कहा पर अवस्थित है। | Display |
| State/UT राज्य/संघ राज्य क्षेत्र |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Measurement/Weight माप/वजन |
|
| Length(cm) / लंबाई | |
| Width(cm) / चौड़ाई | |
| Height(cm) / ऊंचाई | |
| Weight(gm) / भार | |
| Diameter(cm) /व्यास | |
| Thickness(cm)/मोटाई | |
| Depth(cm) /गहराई | 26 x 140 cm |
| Description / विवरण | |
| Description / विवरण | To the left is Gajalaksmi, the right hand raised in abhaya-mudra, the clenched left hand placed on the hip. She stands on a large lotus from the sides of which issue stalks, the tallest pair supporting small elephants lustrating the Goddess with water poured from long-necked jars. The nudity of the Goddess is emphasized though she wears a diaphanous lower garment secured by a girdle consisting of a single strand of beads. The head-dress consists of a fillet with projecting plumes and a central crest jewel. The face is slightly damaged. The earrings are heavy; the single necklace is composed of large beads falling between the breasts; also present are coiled bracelets and large heavy anklets. The feet point to the front, but are turned downwards in order to accommodate them within the frontal plane of the low relief. The proportions of the figure are comparable to those of the female bracket figures on the eastern gate of Stupa I at Sanchi (cf. Marshall and Foucher, The Monuments of Sanchi, vol. II, Pl. XLIV). To the right of the figure was an elephant, only the forehead and trunk of which now survive; and to the left is a bull with lyre-shaped horns. Except for the head, the animal is shown in profile with a foreleg raised, and is adorned by a large garland of twisted strands of jewels with a heavy round clasp. The die consists of two panels, one of them sloped diagonally at the top and filled with a knot motif formed by two stems with foliate ends, so disposed as to form a swastika. The other panel contains a triton with two fish-tails which are raised and clasped by the arms. The stomach bulges gently and the loins are covered by a leaf-like cloth that is strung to the girdle. The necklace seems to be made of lotus petals and the diadem has a pointed crest. The face is round, with puffy cheeks, and the wide-open eyes have ridged lids. The helix of the ear is shaped like a fin. At the outer end of the architrave, and facing inwards, is a two-legged makara with looped tail and a double row of saw-teeth with large fangs. The occurrence of Laksmi or Sri in the center of a torana architrave is interesting for she is found in a similar position, no doubt in her capacity as the guardian deity of the door, in much later temples, notably those of Orissa. The back of this fragment is plain. On top are mortice holes indicating that the torana had at least two architraves. |
| Identification Marks / पहचान चिन्ह | |
| Identification Mark Images / पहचान चिन्ह का छायाचित्र | |
| Condition / वस्तु की अवस्था | |
| Condition Description / स्थिति का विवरण | |
| Source | |
| From where acquired / अधिग्रहण का स्थान | |
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