Introduction of Ganesa Beyond
The Indian Frontiers |
Khotan:
Ganesa was most popular in Khotan.9 A number of bronze tablets
and painted wooden panels were discovered by Stein in the course
of his explorations of a stupa at Endere. Here some of the representations
are in the classic Indian form whereas others can be distinguished
by certain characteristics peculiar to Chinese Turkestan. This is
evident from the figure of Ganesa which depicts.the elephant-headed
god seated on a cushion with soles of his feet touching each other
(Fig. 5). He wears tight-fitting trousers which have their origin
in Central Asia where they were known as somstamni (Sanskrit svasthana
and Hindi suthana). The somstamni is dark brown in colour and over
it is an apron-like garment of tiger skin (vyaghra~charma). He wears
a single stringed pearl necklace (ekavali) bejewelled keyuras in
his arms. On the head is a dainty tiara. The attributes in his hands
are not very clear but the proper right probably holds a bowl of
sweets and in the upper right hand probably the goad (ankusa). The
proper left has what looks like a radish. (mula-kanda) while the
upper left holds an axe (parasu).
In the rock-cut temples of Bezaklik, there are several frescoes
in which representations of Ganesa are found. They usually depict
him seated with six arms, holding sun and moon, banner and probably
the matulinga. Behind his head is a nimbus (prabha-valaya). An interesting
feature of these representations of Ganesa is that the elephant
face does not follow the usual representation of the god because
the trunk somewhat resembles the snout of wild boar. However, the
god being in the company of Siva and Kartikeya, there should be
little doubt about his identity as Ganesa.
At Khaklik, about 75 miles from Khotan, two painted representations
of Ganesa have been found .Of these, one depicts an emaciated Ganesa.
Three of his hands are seen; they hold a bowl of sweets, goad ankusa)
and radish each. The upper left hand is not clearly seen. The god
is shown wearing a dhoti-like lower garment (antariya) and an upper
garment (uttariya).
Another figure shows Ganesa seated on a cushion with prabha-valaya
at the back. He wears a crown and jewellery on his person. The trunk
is turned towards right and he appears to be looking at the female
attendant on his left. He has four arms, each holding a radish,
a modaka, an indistinct object and one hand is seen resting on the
thigh. He wears a bluish lower garment.
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