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The Temple of Muktesvara -Decorative Motifs

DECORATIVE MOTIFS

North facade, upap¢tha, first and second plinths, Decorative motifs, HaÆsa and creeper 1.

A vegetal stem runs in a circle and ends in a small ball. Inside the circle are three flowers, in the state of buds, between two crook-like small stems. From one circle issues another stem running into another circle, in the same manner. The position of the flower buds inside the circles is alternately on the top and the bottom. The motif ends in an outgrowth of crook-shaped foliage.This motif is seen on the lowest plinth (jagat¢) of the base or upap¢¶ha.
North facade, upap¢tha upper part, creeper 2, flower chain & lion face.

This is the same motif as creeper 1, but of smaller dimensions, so that inside a circle there is space for only one flower bud.
It is seen on the horizontal band at the bottom of the kapota, eave shaped band at the top of the base or upap¢¶ha.

North facde, adhiÀ¶h¡na, creeper 3 & rearing lion profile & face.From a sinusoidal creeper running along a horizontal band, there issues vegetal outgrowths, most of them being crook-shaped.
It is seen on the uppermost band, often called prati, of the wall-base or adhiÀ¶h¡na.

West facade, decorative motif to the south of the central niche, creeper 4As in the creeper 1, but in a vertical chain of circles, a vegetal stem draws its loop up to a small ball, from which issues another stem, drawing a new circle of same size, and so on. Inside the circles there is a diversity of motifs: an open flower with twelve petals; three flower buds between crooks; alternately in reverse position, other vegetal motifs of crook-shaped outgrowths, arranged in chain or bunch; a flying human figure in one case. At the bottom of a vertical sequence there is a set of stems in concentric half circles from the centre of which the stem of the first circle issues; at the top there is a flourish of vegetal crook-shaped outgrowths.
This is found on the walls, in both free spaces between slender pilasters, on each side of an axial niche.
A variant of the motif is seen on the recessing band on each side of the axial n¡sik¡ in the figurative ¿ikhara of the first superstructure.
This motif and its location on the wall are a quite rare feature.
This is a chain of small-schematised open flowers, four petals in a rhombus, alternating with small rings of beads.
This is a true reproduction of a motif of jewellery in stone sculpture. It is seen on the ridge of the chamfered band called kumuda in the upap¢¶ha base. A very elaborate variant is found in the decoration of the doorjambs.
The haÆsa is a poetic conception of an aquatic bird, of white colour, migrating to M¡nasasarov¡ra in Him¡laya, and feeding on lotus stalks. It has the skill to extract milk from a mixture of milk and water, so that it is a standard of comparison for the sage able to distinguish the highest truth from the worldly reality. He is praised for his purity. His image is a choice ornament in the decoration of monuments, objects, jewels etc.
In South Indian medieval sculpture its form is quite imaginary. It is given the shape of a duck, with a short neck, a round head and a long flat beak, very slightly curved. It has webfeet. Frequently it is shown in profile, in the action of walking, with a foot uplifted. From its beak hangs a lotus stalk with a flower bud. Its body is very short. That is compensated by a large flourishing tail, which, in fact, is represented as a vegetal motif of crook-like outgrowths.
It is seen in a frieze running all around the base of the temple, on the second plinth called jagat¢.
Most of the features of this animal are those of the lion, represented with a high degree of exaggeration. The head has a large mouth with protruding upper canine teeth, issuing from gums swollen in the form of balls coming out of the mouth. The spherical eyes are protruding out of their sockets and very much enlarged. There are pointed, raised ears, more like those of a bovide and two large horns with a crooked tip. The rest of the body is more realistic, though it seems short in comparison with the head, but it has the mane, the body, the paws and tail of a lion.
The usual designation in Sanskrit is siÆha “lion”.
It is seen in several forms. The full form with rearing position is reserved for the ornamentation of the ends of figurative beams in the first moulding of the wall-base or adhiÀ¶h¡na. The profile is generally shown. Only on beams in intermediary positions a face view is given. In the case of figurative corners, the end of the beam is bevel-edged and a profile view is skilfully sculptured on the two meeting edges, so that a front view is also obtained on the ridge.
This motif has also been used in a frieze on one of the bands of the doorjambs.
The head of the lion previously described, called siÆhalal¡¶a (or siÆhamukha etc.), is often used as a separate motif, and most of the times only the upper part above the upper jaw, with the same exaggerated or imaginary features. The mouth is wide open and seems to spit out diverse types of foliage.
It is seen in several dimensions, with a more or less elaborate treatment of details, in different places. It is the usual ornamentation of the finial of figurative attic windows and gable-ends (n¡sik¡), found in small size on those of the eave-like moulding of the base (upap¢¶ha), in medium size on those of the dome-roofs (¿ikhara) in the three levels of superstructures, all around the monument and on the tower, in large size on those of the axial figurative structures on the tower. The largest and most magnificent of all is on the east side of the ¿ukan¡s¢ superstructure.
Another beautiful model is at the top of the arch-ornamentation sculptured above the architectural pillar-superstructure motif, on the walls in several recessing places between pilasters.
A rich foliage motif issues from the mouth and expands on both sides. That forms the upper part of the arch. The design of the foliage is very imaginary, but is a frequently seen motif. It is made of sorts of vegetal plates with crooks issuing of it on all sides.
This is an imaginary animal, made of parts of different species, assembled together. The parts may be realistic, but the composition is imaginary.
The body looks like that of a dolphin or porpoise. The head has something of the porpoise, but the lower jaw is that of a crocodile. The upper jaw is elongated in a long proboscis, which can be only an elephant trunk. There is a tail made of a vegetal motif, of the type which is given to the haÆsa. Finally there are legs with claws, reminding those of the lion. Nevertheless the whole is quite harmonious. And it can be told to be a fine creation of the Indian sculptors. The sculptor of Cau·ad¡napura has achieved a very elegant treatment of the motif.
He has used it for the base of the arch which covers the pillar-superstructure architectural motif on all the walls of the temple. He has made it the support of the arch. The arch is equally imaginary. It is made of the superposition of two large stems curved in an almost full circle and ending with a big hanging flower bud. A third stem joins the foliage motif issuing from the mouth of a lion face. The first stem issues from the wide-open crocodile mouth.
This motif is called makara. The Sanskrit word generally means “crocodile”. It is here applied to the composite creature. The makara is the vehicle of K¡ma, Love-god. In representations of this god it is shown with the same form. This shows that this motif is not conceived as a terrific animal, in spite of his being made of parts of terrific beasts. It is not a monster invented to provoke fear or repulsion. It is conceived as a graceful creature.

Eastern door, right doorjamb, east facade, First band jewel chain, Second band creeper 1a, Fourth creeper 6.This is a chain of two types of components, a four-petal open flower in a rhombus border, a smaller four-petal flower in a square border alternating with a representation of a square precious stone embossed in a beaded border. The rhombus has the breadth of the band on which it is engraved, the square is much smaller. In the spaces left by these two components a motif of vegetal crooks is carved, alternating with flower petals, so that no space is left empty.
This motif is of the same type as the flower chain on the kumuda of upap¢¶ha, but, being of a larger size, is much more elaborated.
This is shown on the external face of the first band of the doorjamb. It occurs on all the doorjambs in the south and east porches.
This is the creeper 1 motif, but carved in the angle of the second band of the doorjamb, so that the circle is shown half on the external face, half on the orthogonal face. The central flower appears on the ridge, the side flowers are on the different faces.
This is shown on the external face of the second band of the doorjamb. It occurs on all the doorjambs in the south and east porches.

Third band creeper 5.This is the component in the frieze of creeper 1. It is differentiated by the fact
that it is a single representation. Also the larger size allowed the sculptor to do a more elaborate
treatment of details. There are six flowers inside the circle and a higher number of vegetal outgrowths.
This motif occurs on the base of the pilaster of the third band, in all doorjambs, above the arch topping
the dv¡rap¡laka.

North facade, motif of lion head, makara and arch over a Panjara.This is a frieze of a vegetal motif of the same family as the creeper 1, but more simple,
due to its smaller size. In the circles formed by the running stems, there is only one flower,
and only crooked outgrowths in the free spaces between the circles.
This motif is used in the space between the two pilasters of the doorjamb.

Ra´gama¸·apa, north facade, central niche, Doorjamb motif,
sixth band, rearing lion.This is a variant of the profile view of a rearing lion, as the body is seen in profile,
but the lion turns his head so that his face with mane, and his two raised front legs are seen.
His rear legs take rest on a vegetal motif.
This frieze fills up the space between the second pilaster of the doorjamb and the mass
of the wall of the ra´gama¸·apa in which the doorframes are inserted.
The same lion, in the same pose, is shown in larger size, with a more elaborate treatment
of details, on the wall of the ra´gama¸·apa, on its northern side,
between the three figurative vim¡na towers above the central niche. In two cases
the lion is shown standing on one hinder leg, the other being raised, as in walking, or dancing, pose.

South door, doorjambs, South facade, seventh band, flower petals.The double curve moulding called padma is often decorated with the design of a flower petal.
This petal is itself ornamented with a design of vegetal crook-shaped outgrowths.The edge of the
wall in which the doorframes are inserted, is chamfered. The chamfer, two cms deep, is hewn in the
shape of a padma or double-curve moulding. The sculptor has selected this place for the petal motif.
The vegetal decor of the petal is varying from petal to petal.