King Narasimha's Archery

Description

This sculpture, attributed to the Eastern Ganga dynasty who ruled over modern-day Orissa between c. 11th-15th centuries, depicts the king Narasimhadeva who ruled c. mid-13th century CE. This relief demonstrates the king's skills as an accomplished archer, though his forearms are missing. Here too, the king is distinguished from the others by the inclusion of ornate jewellery- a fillet on the forehead, necklaces, round earrings, yajnopavita, armlets, and the lower garment fastened by a girdle. The king is accompanied by two bearded attendants, holding his bows and arrows. In front of the king too, one finds three bearded figures with their hands clasped, adjacent to the target. Flanking the other side of the target are two female and one male figure. Between them is the target, with a number of arrows pierced into it. In the foreground, one finds a carved frieze depicting a horse with trappings, along with other soldiers carrying weaponry. The episode occurs under a double-roofed structure surmounted by three shikharas, while in the top corners, one also sees flying female celestials (vidyadharas) holding garlands to adorn the king with. This sought to depict his accomplishments as an able military man.