‘Yoga on Stone’: Sculptural Representation of Yoga on Mahuḍī Gate at Dabhoī in Gujarāt
Vijay Sarde 1
1. Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Deemed to be University, Pune – 411 006, Maharashtra, India (Email: [email protected])
Received: 04 July 2017; Revised: 02 September 2017; Accepted: 11 October 2017 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5 (2017):656‐675
Abstract: The United Nations General Assembly approved and declared June 21st as the ‘International Yoga Day’. In present times yoga is accepted commonly by almost all the nations of the world. Yoga tradition has evolved over thousands of years having its origins in India. There are many textual references for yoga in the past such as yogasūtra of Patañjali, Haṭhayogapradīpikā, Gherānḍ Saṃhitā, śiva Saṃhitā etc. These texts throw detailed light on the yoga practices. However, there is less work done from archaeological perspectives. Dabhoī is situated 34 kilometer southeast of Vaḍodarā. It has been a medieval fort town of Gujarāt. The four magnificent gates of the fort are located in four directions. One of them is called Mahuḍī gate. It is of the Vāghelā period and has elaborate sculptural embellishments of rare yoga practices done by the Nātha‐Siddhas. It seems that, the earlier scholars did not pay much attention to these sculptures. These sculptural representations need to be examined vis‐à‐vis the rules and methods of traditional yoga. These depictions of yogic postures also throw light on the beliefs and religious life and their importance in contemporary society. The present research paper is an attempt to document and analyze yogic postures depicted on the Mahuḍī gate. In addition, the paper will also elucidate on the Nātha‐Siddha tradition in the contemporary society.
Keywords: Yoga, Dabhoī, Mahuḍī Gate, Nātha‐Siddhas, Gujarat, Images, Āsanas
Introduction Dabhoī (22° 08ʹ N., 73° 25ʹ E.) is situated 34 kilometers southeast of Vaḍodarā, has been a medieval walled town of Gujarāt. Dabhoī, variously called Darbhavatī, Darbhāvatī, Darbhavātīpura, Darbhikāgrāma etc. was founded earlier than the medieval time is almost established. The four gates at Dabhoī, located in four directions, are known respectively as the Hirā (East), Nāndodi (South), Vaḍodari (West) and Mahuḍī or Champānerī (North) gates.
The Vāghelā came into existence under the parasol of Solankī dynasty. The entire administration came under the control of Vāghelā dynasty when the Solankīs (Chālukyās) declined in mid of the 13th century C.E. By 1243 C.E., the Vāghelās were become a powerful ruling class in Gujarāt. They restored the political, social and Sarde 2017: 656‐675 economic stability of Gujarāt in the latter half of the 13th century C.E., and their kings and officials were patrons of arts and temple‐buildings. There is a temple, close to the Hira gate, called Kalikāmāta. The long eulogy (praśastī) by Someśwara is engraved on two stone slabs built into the niches of Hirā gate. The praśastī bears the date of 1311 V.S. (1255 C.E.). This gives support that gates and fortification of town were built or repaired by Vāghelā King Visaldeva. He was of the Vāghelā dynasty ruling from Anahilvāda‐Pātan and son of king Vīradhavala of Ḍholkā, under whom Vastupāla, the patron of Someśwara, was working as the minister. The accounts given in the Vastupālcharita which was written in saṃvat 1365 (1308 C.E.), as has been stated above, would also corroborate it (Shastri, 1940: 04).
Figure 1: General View of the Mahuḍī Gate
There is a similar fortified town and gates like Dabhoī in Jhiṅjhuvādā (presently located in Surendranagar district) located at the southern edge of the little Rann of Kutch. Inscription bears on fortification of Mahānshrī Uḍdal, who is said to be the minister of Siddharāj Jaysiṃha gives the date of the 12th century C.E. (Gazetteer of
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India, Surendranagar district, 1977: 729‐730). The architecture of these gateways bears a close resemblance to Dabhoī gates (Gadre, 1947: 13).There is another inscription written in Marāthī which is engraved on the white marble slabs and belongs to the reign of Mahārāja Dāmājirāo Gāekwād a Marāthā ruler; the illustrious son of Mahārāja Pilājīrāo Gāekwād dated 1734 C.E. (Shastri, 1940: 18). It throws light on magnificent art and architectures of Dabhoī.
Figure 02: Interior of the Mahuḍī Gate
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However, all these gates are double with the inner ones being more elaborate in sculptural embellishments. The sculptures at Dabhoī gates show a number of figures of the deities of Śaiva‐Śākta pantheon.
Mahuḍī Gate Mahuḍī or Champāner gate is situated at the north side of the town (Figure 1). This was completed or repaired in the vikrama year 1344 (1286 C.E.) as mentioned in the inscription on the wall, i.e., some thirty‐three years after the date of the Hirā gate praśastī of Someśvara. This date belongs to the reign of Śaraṅgdeva (1274 to 1296 C.E.) (Shastri, 1940: 27). This record gives the names of masons who were, apparently, engaged in building or reconstructing the gate. We do not have inscriptional evidence about the construction of gate before 1286 C.E. According to the Jinaharshaganī, these gates, the rampart were built in the time of Vīrdhavala. But Someśwar eulogy seems to be more trustworthy. The date of the fort would be the middle of the 13th century C.E. (Shastri, 1940: 26‐27). Hence the gate repaired or constructed during the second half period of the 13th century C.E.
The interior of the gate bears magnificent sculptures and other carvings. There are six pilasters on each side of it. The brackets, the pilasters and the various figures connected with the Hindu pantheon are beautiful chiseled out. Three of them supported the corbelled brackets of the roof. The middle pair of these pilasters accommodated the massive doors when flung open (Figure 2). The sculptures at Dabhoī revel that the site has been a stronghold of the Śākta cult with tantric influence (Giri, 1986: 181‐191). The most peculiar feature of the gate is the representation of the figures of Nātha‐ yogīs/Siddhās and their yoga practices with definite iconographic details.
Images of Nātha‐Siddhās There are three rows of various sculptures have been depicted in interior part of the both sides of the gate. Upper most rows represent Shaiva sculpture; middle represents the Goddesses/yogīnīs (like Brahmanī, Chamunḍa, Saraswatī, Dakṣa) and lower one represents the sculptures of Nātha‐Siddhas. U. P. Shah has thrown light on these sculptures of Nātha‐Siddhas depicted on Mahuḍī gate. There are thirteen images of Nātha‐yogīs in the third row. There are six images of Nātha yogīs starting from the south to north corner of the western wall of the gate and seven images are on the eastern wall. Out of thirteen images, Ādinātha, Matsyendranātha, Gorakṣanātha and Chauraṅginātha are clearly identified by U. P. Shāh (Shah, 1957: 174‐202). Remaining images are difficult to identify clearly because of the unknown iconography of Nātha cult (Figure 3).
There are some names have been carved near the head of Nātha‐yogīs but they seem names of masons who carved particular images. There are some images of yoga on corbelled brackets of the roof supported by pilasters. These images are less studied by scholars. Because of identification of some Nātha‐yogīs we are sure that others images
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carved here belong to the Nātha cult. Yoga practices are the major part of the Nātha cult, hence this cult sometimes called as ‘Yoga cult’ too.
According to U. P. Shah, these sculptures have been carved between 1200 to 1250 C.E., but the inscription on Hira and Mahuḍī gates suggest that these sculptures should be carved around 1255 to 1286 C.E.
Figure 3: Images of Matsyendranātha and Chauraṅginātha
Texts of the Nātha Cult on Yoga Nātha ascetics are generally known as yogīs and they are famous for their Haṭha yoga (enormous practices of yoga) even today. The word ‘Haṭha’ is used to denote a particular school of yoga. There is a long tradition of Haṭha yoga practices in India and an ample of traditional work on Haṭha yoga or yoga apart from the Nātha cult. Patañjali yoga is one of the earliest texts on the yoga. Other earlier texts predate the Haṭhapradīpikā are Amṛtasiddhi (11th century C.E.), Dattātreyayogashāstra (13th century C.E.), Vasiṣṭha Saṃhitā, Yogayajnavālkya and other texts (rather than Nātha cult’s texts) and the Vivekamārtaṇda, Gorakṣaśataka and Khecarīvidyā (texts of Nātha cult) are taught only mudrās, bandhas, kuṇdalinī but none of these texts calls its techniques of Haṭha yoga. The only other texts older than the Haṭhapradīpikā to teach Haṭha yoga mudrās are the Śivasaṃhitā, Yogabīja, Amaraughaprabodha and Śarangdharpaddhati (1363 C.E), Noteworthy among the latter are the Amanaskayoga, Vasiṣṭha Saṃhitā and
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Candrāvalokana. The Haṭhapradīpikā is the first text that explicitly sets out to teach Haṭha yoga. The Haṭhapradīpikā became the root text of Haṭha yoga. All subsequent Sanskrit Haṭha yoga anthologies and commentaries refer to it, and most take its definition of the practices of Haṭha yoga to be authoritative. It teaches 15 āsanas. Eight are varieties of sitting (or lying) positions suitable for meditation, and seven are non‐seated positions (Mallinson, 2011: 772).
The curriculum of Haṭha consisting of āsana (posture), praṇāyāma (breath retention), mudrā and nādānusaṅdhāna (concentration on the internal sound) has been clearly mentioned in the Haṭhapradīpikā. These four types of practice are found in most subsequent descriptions of Haṭha yoga. It is worth noting that Svātmārāma has included nadānusandhāna in the Haṭha‐yogic curriculum. Āsanas denote bodily actions, prāṇayāma and mudrās explain how to control the prānic activities, while by nadānusandhāna a control over mental functions. Svātmārāma considers nadānusandhāna as a very potential means for the attainment of samādhi state. There is a notion that the use of the terms Haṭha yoga‐Rāja yoga is profusely seen in the literature of the Nātha cult. This indicates clearly that Svātmārāma has included mental practices also in the Haṭha yoga which projects its comprehensive nature of Haṭha yoga and stating Rāja yoga or samādhi as its fruit; Svātmārāma has firmly established that Haṭha yoga and Rāja yoga are not two different yogas. Control of mental processes and practices like āsana‐prāṇāyama are complimentary and are together termed as Haṭha yoga by Svātmārāma, and this shows proper tradition. Rāja yoga is indicative of samādhi and not a separate kind of yoga (Gharote, Jha, Devnath & Sakhalkar, 2013: 1‐388).
Candrāvalokana, Yogaasanvishaya, Vivek‐martanḍa, Gorakṣaśataka, Khecarīvidyā, Jñāneśvarī, Haṭhapradīpikā by Svātmārāma (15th century C.E.), Yogabīja, Amaraughaprabodha, Amaraughśāsanam (1525 C.E.) are texts on yoga and they belong to the Nātha cult (Mallinson, 2011: 772‐780).
Description of the Yoga Sculptures of Dabhoī We can allocate the gate in‐between left side and right side. Description of the gate from left to right sides from the inside of the town is as follows.
The Author gave numbers to projection like, projection no.1, 2, 3 etc. and āsanas are explained as frontal to the back of the each arch. (We distribute the gate in this way, because the depiction of Ādinātha is on the left side of the gate, so this will be the correct sequence of explaining āsanas. there are depictions of Nātha‐Siddhās in‐ between the gap of two projections.
The sequence and explanation of āsanas will be from inside town to the outside of the town) (Most of the postures of this article have been correlated with the book ‘Encyclopedia of Tradition Āsanas’ edited by Gharote, M.L., Jha, V.K., Devnath, P. & Sakhalkar, S.B. (Gharote, Jha, Devnath & Sakhalkar, 2013: 1‐388). Seats of the yogīs are same with Nātha‐Siddhās, which depicted on the third row of the gate (Figure 4).
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Figure 4: General Plan of the Mahuḍī Gate
Āsanas Depicted on the Left Side of the Gate (from Front to End) There are three āsanas each front and back of the each projection. Some depictions are in bad state of preservation. Āsanas are depicted on projected part of pilasters of the gate. Two āsanas are in upper side of the arch while one is in below projected side. Āsanas are projected bigger than other small depictions of the projections. There are some beautiful depictions of vyālās also on each arch of the gate. This pattern followed for all arches of the gate. Almost all yogīs have elongated ears, armlets, necklace, wrist lets, waist band, leaves on back and yogapatta etc. (Figure 5 and 6).
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Figure 5: Sketches of Yoga Postures Depicted on Left Side of the Mahuḍī Gate
Figure 6: Sketches of the Yoga Postures Depicted on the Mahuḍī Gate
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Projection No. 1 (A and B) First image depicted on projection is in standing position and is very crude. It is definite that yogī depicted here is in some āsana, but because of eroded rock it is very difficult to identify. Beside this there is an image of yogī in gomukhāsana having yogpatta tied in his waist. He is in gyān mudrā (mudrā of Knowledge). Third yogī depicted below the arch is in gomukhāsana and namaskāra/anjalī mudrā having cap, yogapatta, armlets and looking in his right side. One leaf is depicted behind the yogī.
The back side of the projection first image is in relaxing position. This is similar with maharāja‐līlāsana. It is also called ardha‐paryaṅkāsana, mālakī‐āsana and rājā‐līlāsana. Yogī has śingī (whistle) in his right hand. His left hand is on left knee. He has necklace and yogapatta. His left leg and waist is in under the yogapatta. Another yogī is seated on his feet keeping both hands on keens. He is probably in mālāsana. Mālā means a garland. He wears loin cloth and armlets. Two leaves are shown behind the head of the yogī. Below, a yogī is seated on toes and rests the buttocks on heels. He has kept his hands on his knees. This is similar with aṅguṣṭhāsana, utkaṭāsana and brahma‐jurāṅkuśa‐āsana. He wore a necklace, armlets, loincloth, yajnopavita (sacred thread), and yogapatta.
Projection No. 2 (C and D) First image of yogī shown in left side is identified as krauñcāsana. Krauñca means a heron. In this sitting posture, one leg is bent back at the knee and the foot is placed against the side of the hip joint, while the other leg is raised up vertically. His feet hold by the hands. The raised leg resembles the outstretched neck and head of a heron, also a precipice, hence, the name (Iyengar, 1992: 158). Beside this, an image is in nāvāsana. Nāva is ship, a boat or vessel. This posture resembles the shape of a boat, hence the name. This is similar with phodyāsana (Figure 7). Below these āsanas there is an image of male and female. Yogī is shown with thunder bolt in his right hand and śingī (whistle) in his left hand. He wore wristlets, necklace, armlets, waist let and loin cloth. He raises his one hand and left leg, it seems that he wants to attack someone. One female is watching him and shown with hands joining. She has heavy earring and other ornaments. A tree is shown behind them. Back side of the projection first image is in ūrdhva mukhapaścimottanāsana (Figure 08). ūrdhva (upwards) and mukha (face) when used together mean having the face upwards. Paśchimottanāsana is the intense posterior stretch. This is similar with phodyāsana.
In the second image a yogī is shown folding both legs and hands. This is similar with aghora‐āsana, dhāmakāsana, mākaḍāsana. In these two images shown yogīs are turned on their right side. Third yogī is seated and has raised his right leg vertically and left leg is placed on the ground. He gives support to his buttock through his left hand. This is similar with eka‐pāda śirāsana. He is shown with turban.
Projection No. 3 (E and F) In this projection first two yogīs are shown in sitting āsanas and mudrās. One of them on right side is in ardha‐padmāsana. This is same with ardhāsana, sahajāsana and ardha‐
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Sarde 2017: 656‐675 sīddhāsana. Beside this image a yogī is seated probably in sīddhāsana (?) and mudrā. Below this a yogī is shown in sitting posture and vyākhyān mudrā. He has kept his right hand below the left leg. He is seated in crossed legs. Back side of this arch first yogī is seated with folded leg with the help of yogapatta and placed his hands on both side of the legs on the ground. A leaf is clearly shown behind his head. He turned his left side. Another yogī raises his legs in nāvāsana, but he catches his left leg with his right hand and has kept his left hand on the ground and looking towards left side. Below this a yogī is shown in sitting posture with crossed legs he has kept his left hand near the ears and right hand is below the right thigh. Some unknown object like cloth is shown his left hand.
Figure 7: Nāvāsana Figure 8: Ūrdhva Mukhapaścimottanāsana
Projection No. 4 (G and H) There is an ample gap in‐between projection No.3 and No.4. In this projection a yogī is depicted seated on top in a relaxed position with yogapatta. He is looking on his right. He has placed his left hand on the knee of right leg and another hand has been placed on ground. This is similar with bāla‐guna‐āsana. Seat has floral design. Another yogī is seated and turned to his left. He has yogapatta. This āsana is same with lohapātra‐āsana, carma‐gosvāmī‐āsana and dhāmaka‐āsana. Below, a yogī is seated on leg without touching
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his buttock on ground (maybe he took support of wall). He placed his hands on knees. He holds a staff in‐between his left hand and chest. He turns on his right side. This āsana is similar with utkaṭāsana. Two leaves are shown both sides of the head.
Back part of the projection has ardhāṅghri‐vṛkṣāsana. It is same with eka‐pāda‐vṛkṣāsana and vṛkṣāsana. In this āsana a yogī stands on head with the support of two hands. He folds his left leg and has kept his sole on the thigh of his right leg. He has folded his right leg from knee (Figure 9).
Figure 9: Vṛkṣāsana Figure 10: Vajrāsana
Beside, this āsana a yogī is seated in crossed legs. He has kept his left hand on left knee. He has kept the right hand near his chest with support of knee. This āsana is bāla‐gunā‐ āsana. This āsana has resembles with hālipāva‐āsana. Probably he is in gyān mudrā. Two leaves are visible on back side of the head. A yogī on below seated simply with the support of the yogapatta. His hands are in gyān mudrā. Two leaves are visible on back side of the head.
Projection No. 5 (I and J) Two seated yogīs are shown with yogapatta on the top of the projection. They have turned on their left side. One of them on the left side of projection is in aghora āsana (?). Below these yogīs, another seated yogī is shown with yogapatta. He has turned to his right side and seated with folded legs. His body is carved differently. There are cut marks on his body. Two leaves are shown back side of the head. On the back side of
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Sarde 2017: 656‐675 the top a yogī depicted on left side is shown with folded hands and two leaves are shown back side of the head. On the right side yogī is depicted in vajrāsana. In this sculpture, the yogī folds both his legs from knees and seated in‐between folded legs. He has kept his hands on both knees. He is looking slightly to his left. This āsana is identified as vajrāsana. This is same as bhagāsana and dhīrāsana (Figure 10).
This sitting posture is done by keeping the knees together, spreading the feet and resting them by the side of the hips. The pose is good for meditation and prāṇāyāma. Below these images a yogī shown in gyān mudrā. He has yogapatta and two leaves behind the head.
Projection No. 6 (K and L) On this Projection a seated yogī on right side shown with staff. He wore sacred thread. Another yogī is on left shown in sitting position. He is in gyān mudrā and has yogapatta. This āsana is similar with paryaṅkāsana. Below, a yogī is shown in sitting position. He has kept his right hand on the left ear.
Figure 11: Dvi‐pāda śīrṣāsana and lolāsana /tolāsana
On back side a yogī is shown in dvi‐pāda śīrṣāsana. Dvi pāda (dvi+ two or both; pāda+ leg or foot) means of both feet. In this āsana both legs are so placed behind the back, the hands are folded in front of the chest and the body is balanced on a small section of the seat near the tail‐bone. The pose is very similar to ardha‐garuḍa‐bheda, sthir‐gudā‐pāda‐ śirasāsana and āruḍha‐garuḍāsana. He is shown in namaskār mudrā. Two leaves are shown both sides of the head. Another yogī is shown in lolāsana /tolāsana. Rest the palms on the floor beside the hips. Exhale, raise the trunk and balance only on the hands, stretching out the arms. Rest on the floor, uncross the legs, re‐cross them the
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other way and again balance on the hands (Iyengar, 1992: 134). This is same as cañcalāsana. Yogī wore a sacred thread and two leaves are clearly depicted both side of the head (Figure 11). Third yogī’s right hand is shown in gyān mudrā. He slightly raises his leg and leaves are shown back side of the head. Apart from this Nātha‐Siddhās shown this side is in various āsanas. Ādinātha shown in Ardhapadmāsana, Chauraṅginātha in siddhāsana, Gorakṣanātha in gomukhāsana, another two Nātha‐ Siddhās are in unidentified āsanas.
Figure 12: Sketches of Yoga Postures Depicted on the Right Side of the Mahuḍī Gate
Āsanas Depicted on the Right Side of the Gate (from front to end) (Figures 12 and 13)
Projection No. 1 (A1 and B1) In this projection started from inside the town a yogī is shown in uḍḍayan bandh kriyā/ mūlbandha / uṣṭrāsana. In this yogic posture the yogī is seated in vajrāsana and has kept both hands on the thighs. He seems to be doing some pranayama. His stomach has gone inside. Because of the bad state of preservation, it is difficult to identify the posture properly. Beside this image, there is another yogī seated in ardha‐padmāsana. Probably he took help of a crutch and kept both palms on it. Below these images, there are depictions of male and female. They are in a costume. One tree is shown in‐between them. Probably they are doing dance. On the back side, there is a yogī in ardha‐ padmāsana and mudrā. This āsana is similar with ardha‐siddhāsana. Probably he is doing meditation. Two leaves are shown both sides of the head.
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Another yogī is standing on his left leg. He has kept his foot on the left thigh. This āsana is identified with ardha‐pādāsana, ekpādāsana and vṛkṣāsana. He is blowing some musical instrument. Another yogī is seated below in the depiction.
Figure 13: Sketches of the Yoga Postures Depicted on the Mahuḍī Gate
Projection No .2 (C1 and D1) In this projection, the first image is showing adho‐muṇḍāsana. kapālāsana, kapālī‐āsana, adhomukhāsana, narakāsana, śīrṣāsana are also similar with this āsana. This is the head stand pose, one of the most important yogic āsanas. It is the basic posture. It has several variations.
In this yogīc āsana, the yogī stands vertically in a straight position and then stood on the head. He has kept his hands on both sides of the head. This yogic posture is a part of śīrṣāsana. The Yogī has a necklace, armlets and loin cloth.
Besides śīrṣāsana, there is a depiction of eka pāda śīrṣāsana. Eka means one. Pāda means a leg or a foot. Śīrṣa means the head. In this āsana yogī has bend his knee, lifted the left foot and brought it near the trunk by holding his left ankle with both hands. This is similar with ajarāsana also. In this depiction leaves have been shown with the preposition of the tree. Yogī has loin cloths, armlets with a floral seat (Figure 14). Third depiction of yogī is with folded hands and a tree is shown instead of his right leg. This is same with dakṣiṇaghrī‐pavana‐muktāsana and dakṣiṇa‐pāda‐pavana‐muktāsana. Tree has three branches.
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Figure 14: Śīrṣāsana and Eka Pāda Śīrṣāsana
On the back, the first yogī is shown in ūrdhva siddhāsana /padmāsana. Ūrdhva means above or high. Siddhāsana is adept pose. In this variation, padmāsana has to done in the head stand. Press the knees closer to each other and stretch the thighs up vertically (Figure 15). Another yogī is seated in simple position with joined hands and yogapatta. This is similar with sustaga‐kapāli‐āsana. Two leaves are shown behind the head. Third yogī’s left hand is in gyān mudrā. He has kept his right hand on his right thigh. He has a sacred thread. Two leaves are shown behind it.
Projection No. 3 (E1 and F1) In this projection two yogīs and a yogīnī have been shown in unidentified postures. First yogī is in meditation and gyān mudrā. Two leaves are shown behind it. Another yogī is shown in different position. His posture is very different. It is similar with sūrya‐āsana and girivara‐nātha‐āsana. The third depiction shows a yogīnī with double seat. Probably she belongs to a royal family. She has armlets, ankle lets, and earrings, upper and lower garments. She is in different kind of mudrā. She has kept her right hand on the right knee. On back side, the first yogī’s right hand is depicted in gyān mudrā. Another yogī is in joined legs with the help of yogapatta. Probably he has ghaṇṭā (bell) beside his legs. This image can be of Siddha Ghaṇṭāpā. In the third depiction a yogīnī is depicted with yogapatta. She is folded her hands and kept on right knee. She has worn upper and lower garments (Figure 16).
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Figure 15: Ūrdhva Siddhāsana/ Figure 16: Depiction of Yogīnī or Padmāsana Siddhinī (Female ascetic)
Projection No. 4 (G1 and H1) In this projection a first yogī seated in gomukhāsana but has stretched his right leg forward. He has kept his right hand on right leg and left hand on left thigh. Another yogī probably is in milāpa‐āsana. He has kept his hands straight on both sides of the knees. Below, the third yogī is seated on legs. He is shown with bag /mug? He holds the staff on his shoulder. He has yogapatta tied with knees. His left hand is going straight downwards.
On the back side a yogī shown with yogapatta and he has kept his right hand on his head and another on left thigh. Another yogī holds staff in his right hand and shown with pressing his left side of ears by left hand. Below, another yogī is in gomukhāsana. He holds a staff in his left hand. His right hand is in aśirwād mudrā.
Projection No. 5 (I1 and J1) In this projection a yogī is shown with folded legs. He has kept his right hand into the thigh. A damarū (musical instrument) has been shown on his right side. Second
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depiction shows a Yogīnī/Siddhini with the staff which she holds below her chin. Her open hair are seen on both sides of the head. It’s seems like her body and head is split from each other. Probably these two depictions are of Krishnapad (Kanifnath) and his female disciple Mekhala. Pictures of Krishnapad and Mekhala from Tibet House Museum and Rahul Sankrityayan’s collection have shown them respectively with damaru and broken head (Upadhyaya, 2009: xiv‐xvi). Below, a yogī holds his left leg upward and turns from knee towards right shoulder. He is catching his right leg’s fingers.
Figure 17: Siddha/Yogī in Gomukhāsana
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On the back first yogī is in gomukhāsana and his right hand is in gyān mudrā. He has kept his left hand straight on the floor. Another yogī is also in some kind of mudrā. He has a little bit big belly. A third yogī is also in some kind of mudrā. He has taken support of sacred thread to do meditation. This is an important aspect that sacred thread is also useful for meditation and yoga.
Projection No. 6 (K1 and L1) In this projection a yogī is shown in gomukhāsana. Go means a cow. Mukha means face. Gomukha means one whose face resembles a cow. It also means a kind of a musical instrument, narrow at one end and broad at the other like the face of a cow. Yogī stretches his chest and sees upwards towards his right. Another yogī is simply shown in mudrā. Below the third yogī is shown standing on knees and leg. This is similar with gaṇeśa‐āsana. Probably this depiction is of a yogīnī. On the back side first yogī is shown in gomukhāsana with yogapatta. Shrīvatsa is on his chest. He holds both hands upwards. His hands are in broken condition. Another yogī is depicted in some kind of posture. He has stretched his left leg straight upward and has bent his right leg over the left leg. He has kept his right hand on the floor. Something is written on both sides of his head. Third yogī is also in gomukhāsana having yogapatta. He is in mudrā (?). Two leaves are shown both sides of the head (Figure 17).
Apart from these āsanas Nātha‐Siddhās shown on right side are in gomukhāsana, mūl‐ bandhāsana and siddhāsana etc.
Discussion According to upper description and explanation it seems that this site is very important for Shaiva‐Shakti cults. Out of four gates it seems that Mahuḍī gate is totally dedicated to Nātha‐Siddhas. This gate has depictions of popular Nātha‐yogīs. Inscription on the gate gives a reliable evidence for periodization of this gate, which is 1286 C.E., although, it is said that these gates including Mahuḍī gate would have been built much earlier than the assumed date. But according to the inscription carved on Mahuḍī gate, it could be 1286 C.E. and there is a strong evidence for the date of the gate. The date of Someśwar praśastī, which is 1255 C.E., may be reliable for Hira gate and other constructions in the sense of construction or repairing. If we assume that the gate may have been constructed in the above date, so there is the only possibility that fortification work started in the time of Visaldeva, and could be completed in the time of Śarangadeva (1274 to 1296 C.E.).
However, the foundation of the fort of Dabhoī is ascribed to King Siddharāj (1093 to 1142 C.E.) of Pātan. The style of architecture and sculptures of the fort, and the belief that the temple of Rudramala at Siddhapūr, and fort of Jhinjhuvāda and the Dabhoī fort were built during the same time (Gazetteer of India, Vadodara district, 1979: 800). It is highly possible that the gates and fortification of Dabhoī were constructed by Siddharāj Jayasiṃha. Traditions also say that he was fully devoted to Siddhas and yogīs and strong supporter of Śaivas.
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In this period Nātha and Siddhas were very popular among the society. It had an impact on political and social sectors. Chālukyā‐Vāghelā rulers built and repair magnificent gate in the respect of the Nātha‐yogīs. Karvān and Pavāgaḍha are other two important centers of Śaivism are much closer to Dabhoī. These are dedicated to Pashupata cult of Lakulisha. Nātha cult has great influence of Pashupatas and claimed to be presiders of the Pashupatas (White, 1996: 97). Another inscription belonging to the Marātha period has given detailed account of the Dabhoī fort and town. In the 25th line of the inscription it gives account of Gaibī Pīr. In Nātha cult Gaibī pīr is a name of Gahinīnātha. That mean this place was important for Gahinīnātha too. He is equally important amongst Hindus as well as Musalmāns, even today. Gahinīnātha was well‐ known Nātha‐yogī and disciple of Gorakṣanātha. Gaibī pīr a religious center is much close to Mahuḍī gate. North Maharashtra was under the Vāghelā rulers for years in the 13th century C.E., Tryaṃbakeśwar, where Gahinīnāth was noticed for their initiation of Marāthī saint and yogī Nivṛttinātha.
Yogic postures depicted on the gate defiantly belong to the Nātha tradition. It seems that some āsanas depicted on gate are not similar with the modern tradition of yoga. It might be due to the course of time some āsanas must have disappeared or forgotten by people or they transferred their techniques into another āsanas.
Some yogic postures seem difficult to do, though they do not show any stress on the faces of yogīs. Some postures are very difficult to carve on stone, because of their critical poses. It is possible that some āsanas are very difficult to fix in particular brackets; hence sculptors might have changed their original positions. Some postures of them are mentioned in Haṭhapradīpikā, an important text on yoga practices. Some āsanas did not match with modern days āsanas. Sculptors mentioned their own names on some sculptures. There is possibility that these sculptors were only responsible to carve other yogic postures depicted on the gate. Some of names of sculptors/masons are Palhanā, Socandā, Vosavā, Śrī Ghamā, Vajā and Mahādev (Shastri, 1940:36). In Nātha cult, combination of Śiva and Śaktī played a significance role to develop Natha doctrine. Hence, sculptures carved on the gate are support to the doctrine of the Natha cult.
The sculptures of yogīnīs on the gate show the participation of female and their importance in the tradition of Nātha‐Siddhas. It is possible that Nātha‐Siddhas images were carved for the purpose of protection of the town or fort from the invaders of the northern side. Because there was belief that Nātha‐Siddhas have supernatural powers, so they can protect the town. This reason supported by the Vastupālacharita is a work written by Jinaharshaganī in the 1308 C.E. and the curse stone inscription would have made because of this purpose only. There is highly possibility of Jaina influence on the Iconography of some yogīs. This conjecture supports by two important Jaina ministers Vastupāl and Tejpāl of Vāghelā rulers of same period who gave patronage to Jainism also. There are other yogīs have been carved in the Sātmukhī Vāv (tank) or elsewhere in Dabhoī are similar with iconography of Nātha‐Siddhas.
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There are 84 images of Nātha‐Siddhas have depicted on the Mahudi gate. These are rare evidences of Iconography of Eighty four Siddhas elsewhere in India except Panhāle‐Kājī in Maharashtra. So this site is useful to study of Iconography of Siddhas. There are depictions of three lady Siddhās out of Eighty four Siddhas. These lady Siddhas should be Kanakhala, Mekhalā or Bhadrā. These names are mentioned in list of eighty four Siddhās of Varnaratnakar and Sahajyani Siddhās (Dwivedi, 1950: 27‐31).
Acknowledgement I owe my sincere thanks to, Dr. Abhijit Dandekar, Durga Kale, Arjun Rao and Dr. Shreekant Jadhav (Department of Archaeology, Deccan College, Post‐Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, India), Mahadevi Gawali‐Sarde, Rajkumar Sarde, Ajay Pujari and Kansara Ji (Dabhoi) for their support, valuable suggestions and encouragement during the research work. I am also grateful to Prof. Gyanshankar Sahay (Assistant Director of Research and I/C Head Philosophic literary Research Department, Kaivalyadham Yoga Institute, Lonavla and Prof. R. S. Bhogal (Assistant Director of Research, Scientific Research Department, Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute, Lonavla, India), Dr. Manmath Manohar Gharote (Director of the Lonavla Yoga Institute, India) who provided us constant help during the research. I am also thankful to Archaeological Survey of India to co‐operation during field work.
References Dwivedi, H. (1950) Nath Sampradaya. Allahabad: Hindustani Academy, pp. 27‐31. Gadre, A.S. (1947) Archaeology in Baroda. Baroda: Baroda state press, p. 13. Gazetteer of India (1977) Surendranagar district, Gujarat state, Ahmadabad pp. 729‐730. Gazetteer of India (1979) Vadodara district, Gujarat state Gazetteers, Ahmadabad. p. 800. Giri, K. (1986) The cultural Life as depicted on Dabhoi Gates, Journal of the oriental Institute, M.S. University of Baroda, XXXIV (3‐4). pp. 181‐191. Gharote, M.L., Jha, V.K., Devnath, P. & Sakhalkar, S.B. (2013) In Encyclopedia of Traditional Āsanas. Lonavala: the Lonavla Yoga Institute. pp. 1‐388. Iyengar, B.K.S. (1992) Light on yoga (4th edition), New Delhi: INDUS Harper Collins Publishers India Pvt. Ltd., p. 158. Mallinson, James (2011) Hathyoga‐ An entry on Hathyoga for the Brill Encyclopedia of Hinduism vol. 3. p. 772. Shah, U. P. (1957) Nath‐Siddhon ki prachina Silpamurtiyan. Kashi Nagaripracharini Patrika, 62 (2 & 3). pp.174‐202. Shastri, H. (1940) The Ruins of Dabhoi or Darbhavati in Baroda State. Baroda: Gaekwad’s Archaeological Series Memoir No. III, Baroda State Press. p. 4. Upadhyaya, N. (2009) Bauddha Kapalika Sadhana aur Sahitya. Varanasi: Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan. pp. xiv‐xvi. White, D. G. (1996) The Alchemical Body: Siddha Traditions in Medieval India. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. p. 97.
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