Exquisite designs on flights of steps

Entrances to places of worship and palaces over the centuries have been elaborately carved producing some of the most exquisite and elaborate features of ancient Sri Lankan architecture.

The flight of steps to dagobas, temples and devales has been used for these delicate carvings – a tradition that has come down the ages until the present day. It is likely that at the earliest stages, plain slabs of stone would have been used for these steps but the master craftsmen had obviously thought they should be attractively decorated.

Gradually various designs and carvings came to be used to decorate the steps. The moonstone, the guard stone and the balustrade thus became beautiful pieces of architecture demonstrating the skills of the ancient designers.

A recent issue of 16 stamps illustrate this rich tradition.

Four stamps depict some of the masterpieces of the moonstone (‘sandakadapahana’). The 50 cents stamp depicts a moonstone at the Vishunu Devale in Kandy. Belonging to the Kandyan era, it is adorned with carving of undulating foliage. The concentric outer band appears to be slightly larger than a semi-circle while the centre shows a full circle portraying a lotus. It is decorated with traditional designs. A foliage design is seen in the horizontal strip at the start of the moonstone.  

A moonstone at the Vatadage in Polonnaruwa portrayed in the Re 1 stamp is an excellent example of the vastly developed moonstone in the Polonnaruwa era. The band of swans seen in the inner band during the Anuradhapura era has been moved to the outside band. Another change is that the elephant and the horse are the only animals used. They are seen in the inner band. A foliage design adorns the strip at the beginning of the moonstone which is about seven feet in length and four feet in width.

The moonstone found at the Beligala Rajamaha Vihara (Rs. 2) departs from the tradition to an extent. A full circle is seen in the lotus at the centre. Within the outer band carved with a design of flames are three bands adorned with images of the horse, the elephant and the lion – each in a separate band. Rows of carvings starting from the sides and meeting face to face in the middle is a special feature. A fully formed dragon head at the side has been used to start the bands of carvings.

The finest example of the moonstone belonging to the Anuradhapura era at the Abhayagiri Vihara (Rs. 3) is 9½ long and 4ft 9ins in width. The intricate finishes and the craftsman’s attempt to depict the posture of the animals as close as possible to life are special features. The swans bear a lotus bud and two leaves in the beak. Professor Senerat Paranavitane interprets the features of the moonstone to the life cycle.

Six stamps depict guard stones (‘muragal’) seen on either side of the fight of steps, each with a different design.

A guard stone at the Jetavana temple in Anuradhapura (Rs. 4) shows a ‘punkalasa’ (vase) kept on a lotus in full bloom representing prosperity.

The carving of a demon is depicted in the guard stone at the Arattana Rajamaha Vihara (Rs. 4.50). It is connected to the wall adjoining to flight of steps. The demon is dressed in a cloth and wears large earrings.

The ‘naga raja’ (snake lord) in human form appears in the guard stone found from Tissamaharama (Rs. 5). A circle has replaced the hood of the snake. Three sets of servants appear at three different tiers.

The guard stone at the Abhayagiri Ratnaprasada in Anuradhapura (Rs. 10) has been accepted as the best among the guard stones. It is 4ft 6ins in height and 2ft 9ins wide. The life like image of the ‘naga raja’ stands under an intricately carved arch. A dragon’s head adorns start of the arch on either side. The arch is covered with numerous figures. So is the crown of the ‘naga raja’.

Also at Abhayagiri stupa is the Padma Nidhi guard stone (Rs. 12) depicting a smiling figure dwarfed due to short limbs. A holy thread is round its neck. A string of coins is in its left hand.

The rare type of guard stone found at Dematamal Vihara at Buttala (Rs. 15) shows a couple – a ‘naga raja’ and a queen by the side.  

Balustrades (‘korawakgal) are featured in six stamps. The image of the dragon (‘makararupa’) is the common feature of these.

In the balustrades at Maha Vihara in Anuradhapura (Rs. 20), the dragon is seen with a protruding tongue decorated with a foliage design with lotuses and flags. At the bottom end is a dwarf supporting the tongue.

Balustrades at the Lankatilleka image house at Polonnaruwa (Rs. 25) depict the dragon with the inner space decorated with a ‘nagarajini’ (snake queen). On either side is an image carrying a branch and a ‘pun kalasa’ in each hand and two female servants.

An exquisitely carved dragon on top of a tower is seen in the balustrade at JetavanaVihara in Anuradhapura (Rs. 30). On the outer surface is the figure of a lion.

Two balustrades at the Maha Vihara near the Thuparama are featured in the Rs. 40 and Rs. 50 stamps. One is rich in carvings where the dragon is depicted inside a mansion with a number of towers. In the other are images of a snake and a mongoose, and a tiger and a deer to depict friendship.

The only balustrade where the dragon has been replaced by a ‘gajasinghe’ – a hybrid between an elephant and a lion where the head is the elephant’s and the body is the lion’s – is seen at the steps of Yapahuwa Palace (Rs. 75).