Are they Pandukabhaya and Cetiya?
By Kalakeerthi EDWIN ARIYADASA
“What though the field be lost?
All is not lost; th'unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield.”
John Milton
When we are born in a land scintillatingly rich in culture, we
invariably inherit a vast treasure of variegated traditions. As eras
age, the history of these multi-faceted cultures, begins to recede
irrevocably into the dim past. In this inescapable natural process, we,
the moderns – the contemporaries – who have become the current legatees
of these sumptuous traditions, ‘inherit’, as a matter of course, a whole
series of puzzles, enigmas, riddles and mysteries.
Long centuries separate us from these ancients, who authored or
originated our cultural traditions. This distance in time, makes it
difficult or at times, just impossible – for us to understand the real
significance of certain things, that our ancestors built, conceptualized
or established.
As a logical outcome of this state of affairs, our past has endowed
upon us, a whole plethora of unsolved cultural ‘mysteries’ to unravel
which, much time and effort have to be invested.
Mysteries
The tireless endeavours of the Archaeological savant Prof. Senarath
Paranavitana, have succeeded in bringing to light, some of the more
troubling ‘mysteries’ from our past, that had continued to baffle
generations.
Blessed with the felicitous skill to ‘scan’ the past as effortlessly
as one would read the daily paper, Prof. Senarath paranavitana, was able
to see through some of the toughest riddles, our abundant past could
yield.
But, some of these enigmas defied even his undaunting genius – or
else some of his interpretations were, at times, not accepted
universally.
Among some of the more prominent riddles of Sri Lankan culture, that
still remain unresolved, are the ‘Mystery’ of the Sigiri Apsaras and the
identity of the ‘Man and the Horse’, in the well-known sculpture at
Isuruminiya.
Lovers
Way back in 1971, in a series of articles I contributed to the
Observer, the Daily News and some Sinhala publications, I identified the
‘Lovers’ at Isurumuniya. In a closely argued presentation, I recognised
the ‘Lovers’ as ‘Shiva and Parvathi'.
This led to a long and sustained debate, and I must modestly state,
that my view was widely upheld. And, the Lovers at Isurumuniya are
‘Shiva and Parvathi'.
In the current article, I once again return to Isurumuniya. After
prolonged research, I have been able to identify the ‘Man and the
Horse’, in the Isurumuniya Sculpture. My finding, I am sure, will lead
to concerned debate and sustained expression of views.
But, I am equally certain, that my ‘discovery’, will receive an
encouraging acceptance.
The work of art we focus, on, is a sculpture, done on the front
surface of the boulder, which functions as a wall to contain the pond
below. The figures of elephants at water sports are sculpted on the
rock-wall.
As art experts observe, the sculpture, could date back to the early
days of Anuradhapura Kingdom.
The sculptural refinement of the work, pre-eminently deserves the
epithet ‘exquisite'. Its refinements unerringly point to the flowering
of an advanced tradition. Framed within an artificially hewn
stone-recess, two figures occupy the rock-space – a man and a horse's
head.
Man and horse
The intriguing riddle that has voyaged down the long corridors of
time, to puzzle us-the moderns-is, who are these two-Man and Horse?
Before I present my unravelling of the ‘mystery’, what is logically
correct, is to look at some of the solutions advanced, over time, by a
whole range of persons.
Some years ago, a critic put forward the amusing theory, that the
sculpture depicts a ‘horse-trader'. We need not delve deep into this
suggestion, simply because, such a dignified personality, surveying the
captial city, can in no way be a mere ‘horse-trader.’
Prof. Senarath Paranavitana had surmised, that the ‘Man’ was
‘Parjanya, - the Rain-God, and the horse was ‘Agni’ (fire).
The learned scholar has been impressed by the nobility and the
dignity of the individual depicted in the sculpture.
But, since iconographic details do not conform to divinity, this view
was not widely accepted. Even if it were assumed that the Rain-God was,
portrayed in human form, the interpretation seemed far-fetched.
Expressing his view about the issue, Dr. William Kohn introduced the
interpretation that the ‘Man’ was Sage Kapila.
Spiritual demeanour
The intense Military and aggressive visage of the ‘Man’, did not
quite reflect the subdued, spiritual demeanour of the Great Sage. In
consequence, the ‘Sage Kapila’ version was set aside.
Now, we are back to square one. If so, who are these two-the Man and
the Horse?
Let us carefully scrutinise the two figures.
The man is well-built. He wears a helmet. Ornaments adorn his body
and his ears. He is seated in highly dignified ease, in the iconographic
posture of Royal style and guise (Rajalilasana). He gazes steadily and
with evident pride and confidence, right ahead at the capital city –
Anuradhapura.
The garment that decks his lower body, covers his thighs. The
garments reflect, high military attire. His total dress magnificently
befits a Commander-in-Chief.
In his ‘Research Essay’ titled ‘Art of Isurumuniya’, Dr. Chandra
Wickrema Gamage, approaches quite close to the final identification of
the Man and the Horse.
But, he does not take the last logical leap to arrive at the right
conclusion that is in keeping with the initial steps he takes in his
essay.
Let us take a very close view of the steps that lead to the final
conclusion. He is a crowned dignitary, in the attire of a
Commander-in-Chief. He proudly surveys the then modern capital City ‘Anuradhapura'.
The crowning touch is presented by the horse's head. This dignified
man, has the horse's rein tied to his upper arm-as is clearly depicted
in the sculpture.
Iconographic feature
Dr. Chandra Wickrema Gamage is perhaps the only observer who has so
carefully noted this unique iconographic feature. In my experience,
there is no other sculptural portrayal of a royally seated figure, who
has his upper arm tied to his horse's rein.
Where do all these unmistakably point to? Of course, invariably to
the greatest Commander of Early Anuradhapura period, who after defeating
all his enemies fully and totally built the city anew.
Dr. Wilhelm Geiger, in his Appendix C to the English translation of
Mahawamsa, traces, in admiration, the progress of Pandukabhaya's
campaign.
Mahavamsa authors contribute a long chapter, to describe in detail
the emergence of King Pandukabhaya.
When these preliminaries are introduced, the ‘Horse’ is quite easy.
Mahawamsa, is eloquent about Pandukabhaya's Mare Cetiya.
A former she-devil (Yakkhini) this Mara Cetiya, guided Pandukabhaya
to utter and total victory. Mahawamsa goes on to say, after his
coronation, King Pandukabhaya, sheltered her in the palace premises.
After her passing away, the King made her a cult figure. That is how you
find the ‘Man’, keeping the horse tied to his upper arm in this famous
sculpture.
Therefore, there is no hesitation whatsoever, that the ‘Man’ in the
Isurumuniya Sculpture is King Pandukabhaya himself. And of course, the
Horse is ‘Cetiya’ the King's life-long protector and unswerving
companion in all his conquests.
The riddle is solved
In the Man and Horse Sculpture at Isurumuniya, the man without any
doubt is King Pandukabhaya, gazing proudly over the city he built. And
the horse, once again is Cetiya – the she-devil, who sustained the King
in the guise of Cetiya the Mare. |