An Ancient Hindu Royal Throne
By Deepak Bhattacharya

C - Morphology

Inside the Garbha gruha (womb room) is a ornate mono-block; life size seat of black granite fig - 2; measures 76” (inches) height, 48” width (outer), seat clearance 42” wide(inner), 32” from back rest to front edge & seat height 18”. As per sthapati’s (traditional builder) unit of measure it works out to approx 4 kathi - 3 paa; 3 kathi; 2 kathi-2 paa; 2 kathi & 1 kathi-1 paa respectively. Total volume works = 27 cft. Wt. of granite being approx. 40 kgs /cft, gross wt. of the seat works out to approx. 1 tonne (20 mahana!).

1 kathi = 16 inches; 1 paa = 4”; Cft = Cubic feet.

Singhasana [ The Throne ] fig - 2

The seat has the following prominent signs:

1 – Crowing members being on either side (i) vase with a conical lid at apex. (ii) pouncing lions on either side OES. (iii) face turned birds) OES.

2 - An arch with crocodile face OES.

3 - Narasingha concept art at the center of the arch.

4 - Two prominent solar flowers.

5 - Flat, plain back rest, surmounted with a ornate semi circular band full with Lahara Jhaleri (scroll art) ⁴, at rim symbolic members are sculptured in 3D, in pairs, on alternate sides. Lahara art is in bass.

6 - (i) Gajja – Arudha Singha (Lion atop Elephant) motif at the edge of the hand rests (ii) lotus bud as grip.

7 – A Chamara dharaka (male) on the right of the throne; a pankha (hand fan, tala patara make circular type) dharinee (female) on the left.

8 – The singhasana’s platform is on a 4 tired Ratha yukta – Bhadrasana.

9 – A person wearing some sort of pagadi (turban ?) & a royal gown, standing on a raised podium in side pose, in some sort of vyakhana mudra (explaining pose).