Essay name: The Sculptures of Madan-Kamdev (Study)
Author:
Kamal Nayan Patowary
Affiliation: Gauhati University / Department of History
The essay critically studies the Sculptures of Madan-Kamdev: an archaeological site in Baihata Chariali, Kamrup, Assam (India) dating back to the 9th century A.D. The site features elegant sculptures in relief and round forms which are documented in Sanskrit texts like the Kalika Purana and Yogini Tantra.
Chapter 2 - Madan-Kamdev through the ages—A hypothetical analysis
28 (of 50)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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getting a satisfactory result they went for their construction. Thus,
it can be said that as being a scion of Indian aesthetic tradition,
Madan-Kamdeva have also to pass out of this systematic
investigation procedure of our age old time, specially in confirming
the location for the construction of this majestic temple complex.
However, apart from this traditional method of
selection, there must have been some other subsidiary factors
which seem to have played their role in consecrating a religions
monument in a specific location. As for example, the location of
Madan-Kamdeva (mainly its catch man area) might have been
glorified as because of its nearness to the famous international
highway of earlier mention. Putting a step forward it can further
be said that this mighty temple complex might have found its
location at least near to the point on which a provincial road coming
from the side of the capital cities to culminate in the famous
highway, 87
or the complex might have been situated near to a
87. Still there is a road connecting NH 52 with north Guwahati
started from Bejera via Mandakata hill range, Silsako as indicate
in the guide map of our study. This road seem to have a popular
existence at one time specially in reference to the invasion of
Bakhtiyar Khiliji. This invader might have used the road to make
his march towards Kamrupa. As the popular story tells that
after crossing Silsako he turned his head towards north i.e.
towards Kumarikata (Karamapatan) via Rangia, Tamulpur as K.
L. Baura cited from a study Mr. M Bhattasali. (Barua, K.L. EHK,
1988, p.146) After having stiff resistance from the hill tribes
in the north, when he tried to retreat to his original route, he
found the broken Silsako which made him desperate to take
shelter in a nearby temple of Silsako which supposed to be on
the Narasimha Parvat, near the present ruinous temple range of
Madan-Kamdeva as stated earlier. Thus, the popular existence
of the road can only led us to accept the conclusion of T. K.
Sarmah.
