Depiction of Flora

When compared to fauna, depiction of flora in the sculptural art of this period is very limited. Some of the floral depictions seen clearly in the sculptural art of this period are described below:

Banyan tree

The Indian banyan tree (Ficus Religiousa) can be seen depicted many times in association with the image of Dakshinamurti (fig. 431).

Jackfruit tree

A beautiful representation of the Jackfruit tree (Artocarpus hetrophyllus) can be made out easily in the larger Bhagiratha penance panel at Mamallapuram, by means of its ovoid shaped fruits hanging from the different places of its trunk (fig. 432).

Lotus

In the sculptural art of this period, yet the lotus flower can be seen many times held in the hands of a worshipper or a celestial and in the hands of Gajalakshmi and Surya. Gajalakshmi is also seen many times seated on a lotus shaped pedestal (fig. 433). Apart from its association with the deities, full blown lotuses can also be seen in the medallions carved on the saduram part of the pillars and pilasters, especially in the cave temples of the time of Mahendravarman I. Earliest such depiction can be seen in the Mahendravishnu-griham at Mahendravadi. In the Avanibhajana-pallavesvara-griham at Siyamangalam lotus flowers are also seen issuing from a vase like figure carved on the lateral face of the top saduram of the facade pillars. Indeed depiction of lotus medallions has a very hoary past and can be seen right from the time of the Mauryan period of about 3^rd century B.C. A beautiful representation of lotus plant can also be seen on a panel in the adhisthana of the Sundaravaradapermal temple at Uttiramerur (fig. 434).

Ornamental foliage

Ornamental foliage in general without any specific identification can be noticed adorning the architectural and sculptural members of this period. They can be classified under the variety of ornamental climbers and creepers. The earliest such depiction can be seen in the Satrumallesvaralaya at Dalavanur (fig. 435) as part of the makara-torana spanning the two central pillars of its facade and also in the kudu arches carved on the kapota portion. It is followed by the depictions on the medallions adorning the saduram part of the pillar in the Lalitankura-pallavesvara-griham at Tiruchirappalli. Depiction of ornamental foliage can be seen adorning different architectural members of the Draupadi ratha (fig. 437) and Trimurti cave temple (fig. 436) at Mamallapuram, Kailasanatha (fig. 438), Matangesvara and Muktesvara tempels at Kanchipuram. In the Sundaravaradaperumal temple at Uttiramerur, the various parts of the adhisthana and the parapet walls of the steps leading to the niches adorning the walls of the main shrine, portrays myriad forms of ornamental flora, either individually or as flourished attachements to various birds, animals and celestial figures (fig. 439).