SOME ANCIENT

GAMES INDIA

IN

study is limited to the games represented it is the in the plastic arts of Ancient India; result of my favourite line of research, which is This
to examine scenes represented in carvings or

merit be

To swinging. added other sports, Mention

of

these such also

should as

doubtless

archery. outer-Indian
and we

paintings

everyday There are very few representations of games in Indian art; and this fact will limit our excurseon into the past, but even so it will not be without interest. Briefly, these representations show us a a game of two men, between wrestling match ball, two or three games at dice, and the amuse

for the purpose life of the periods

of reconstructing the to which they belong.

might and regions of polo, kite-flying, but this would take us too far afield, tutti-quanti,
must not attempt it.

and skipping in the be made

Games by phical importance and inner meaning. their very nature are the antithesis of work, of the daily task; the place and time they occupy

I have collec? examining I should like to say a few words on games ted, as such, and their and philoso? psychological

Before

the material

Bharhut:

Two Wrestlers. (Cliche of the India Office)

123

Fig.

2.

Begr?m:

Women

playing

at ball.

(Cliche of the Musee Guimet)

them from current life, they possess separate their own field of action and an inner significance of their own. Their activity may be described as exceptional, limited in time and isolated other commonplace Limited occupations.

becomes

more

striking

when

we

compare

the

from and

place and the action of sacred rites and of games: both are held in a place or space fixed, reserved
and consecrated for that purpose. "The arena,

of daily isolated, they enter into the mechanism life as a temporary activity with ends of its own. They obey definite and strict rules, and follow a definite self-created
have no meaning.

the gambing circle, the tem? table, the magical the stage, the screen, the tribunal, these are ple, all, in form and function, playing grounds, that
is to say places consecrated, set apart, enclosed,

order,

without

which

they

sanctified sphere worlds

and

would

defined, to sum up the remarks made in his book: Homo J. Huizinga ludens, Essai by sur la fonction sociale du jeu (Paris, 1951) games are seen as a special field of action, differing from the usual run of life, which they interrupt at fixed or irregular moments, and for limited Thus
periods.

They by set up within the habitual one, designed race The in view of a certain given action. tennis court, the hopscotch ground, the course, the are formally not different from the chessboard

governed rules. special

within

their are

special

temporary

And,

between indeed, there is close parallelism games and sacred rites: they both obey strict and definite rules; they both create an order of life different from the usual one, they are performed at fixed and limited moments. The parallel

again says, ? sacred rites are Huizinga in forms identical to those of games'. performed Now,

circle". temple or the magic If our self-styled sceptical age no longer gives their full sacred sense to games, if it has for the part
was not

most
this

forgotten
the case

their Indeed,

original
ancient

symbolism,
times or

in more

under

other
who

skies.
have

the sacred in the minds

near enough

rite and of those

to na?

the game mingle

peoples

together
remained

ture to conceive the renewal

of the march

of the universe as essentially

and

of the seasons

related

124

to the fortunes or misfortunes the sacred rite,

of mankind.

In

in the game, those peoples live the full sequence of the year, and by "playing" the seasonal periodically they give changes, them the full themselves But significance of which the chief beneficiaries. they are

hood who

tery, its secret, and enters the everyday world; it still preserves some degree of symbolism but it is no longer reserved exclusively to the priest? and to those who are in touch with

the sa?

out of the game moves it strips itself more ment,

the game, organised as a sacred rite, gra? as social loses some of its nobility life dually evolves and becomes more When complicated. the environ? religious more of its mys and

cred mysteries; it is still practiced by adults, do so in a deeply serious spirit character? istic of the real and spontaneous spirit of the
Let us note an example of this "avatar",

game.

that of football. When such as the ancient ples, rican Indians, it had

played Chinese

by and

some

peo? the Ame?

an undoubted

cosmological

Fig.

3.

- Bharhut:

Gambler

who

likes playing

at the square

table. (Cliche India Office)

125

meaning.
was to help

It would
the sun

seem
to

that its purpose

its annual

then
course

resume

worth

to the advantage of the It would which executed the ritual. community seem that the Romans saw in it nothing but a as do we. The fundamental rules of the sport through the heavens changed, by adults, even in our sceptical In the following stage, the game departs the clan of adults and seeks refuge with
dren or only. amusement It has and become no a longer source bears of the

it is (Vol. II), nevertheless at. looking So also is an engraved ivory found in Afghan? istan, at the Begram, of Kapisi by Joseph and in 1939-40. This Ria Hackin ivory is part of a the Bharhut reliefs while remarkable collection, consisting of six hundred in the 1st and pieces, probably carved in India era. 2nd centuries of the Christian
We can see, or

game

have

not

but

it is still played civilisation. from chil?

stamp

pleasure

ivory is badly seem to be playing in the outer know

game at

defaced ?

rather

we

can

guess

for

the

three young girls who at ball, which can be seen (Fg.

the

left corner
was one of

and

of the sacred and the mysterious, in except far as its strikes the emotional imagination the child. The offers game of hopscotch of this. The plot chalked out on example ground
names:

to of an the
the

We
a

from the
ball

lyrical poetry A passage

drawing). of India that

pastimes

favourite

by our
earth,

schoolboys
heaven,

is still given
or

symbolic

in the drama of Kalidasa, the Raghuvamsa (XVI, 83) tells us that the game of ball was played by hand. Al? children.

of maids

and

moon

paradise;

mastered
these

the pebble that is pushed the forward, hop, divisions into which one must not go, all these are now nothing but difficulties that have to be to show
remote

attached though proof of the solar symbolism to the ball is given elsewhere, here, as in the
relief, we only have the representation

previous

of a common

the players'
were

skill.
the

But
of

all
a

in

past,

features

eminently symbolic But some games which in logical ends in view. the West have fallen within the sphere of chil? dren are still, in other parts of the world games for adults. Such is the flying of kites whose
of "mounting in the air", characteristic feature

sacred

and

rite with

cosmo

life in India at the beginning of the Christian era. the Indeed, ivories of Begram have evidently no symbolical significance whatsoever; they show, as do most of the mural paintings at Ajanta, the life of princes incident
nobles as described in contemporary poetry.

in court

or

is evident to all no less certain. adults

as adults in our

is cosmological In Thailand, more especially, are as passionately interested in this game role
countries are interested in horse?

and whose

calls for a word only of comment: the ball is of small size and may as were still, until lately, the balls used be made in the game of raga played in Celebes; balls of plaited made rattan and stuffed with a sub? One detail stance Dances quered
plaits of

in this scene

that

is not

stated

describes

such surface
rattan.

balls

when he by Kaudern in his book and "Games

we

it is as an occpuation for adults that the swing in the documents of ancient in the West of our day the swing India, while has long since been given over to children. races. And find
Let us now examine the documents we have,

in Celebes"

The che? (pp. 85 et seq.). of the ball might represent the

medallion

in mind the ancient meaning of some bearing of the games of which India has bequeathed us the memory. We will first consider wrestling. A wrestling match is represented on a carved

come to games at dice the question of symbolic meaning takes clearer shape, though itmust be put in its right place. Dice gambling, When
perhaps more than other games was a feature of

we

ritual
use,

as well
superstitious

as

of secular may
magical

symbolic meaning ched

be

a life, and while found in the ritual

was atta?

coming from Bharhut (fig. 1 and draw? to the middle which may be assigned of ing), 2nd century B.C. Unfortunately the the carving is badly left to injured, but there is enough
us to analyse it. It shows two men gra

enable

pling
retreat.

each

other,
lean

each
for

trying to make
support on one

the other
leg stret?

to them in ordinary life. In the classic ? IVth to Vlth centuries ? period gambling was rife in all classes of society; gaming-houses of high and low degree flourished and were guarantees being given to a severely regulated,

importance

They

ched which

backwards is bent
shoulder. on

tight embrace,
sary's mation

have crossed the other in a wrestle forwerd, while they the neck resting on the adver?
Though we practiced possess as no a infor? game, *

and

his

of this me? though a doubtful explanation dallion has been given by Barua in his work on and

wrestling

of the gambler, carried away by is described more than once. passion is difficult to form a clear It idea of what games at dice where like in ancient India, though the mentality some information is available. Thus we know

loser, a vietim not only of a fraud but even of a surprise. Yet the sharper and the bad or un? in literature and lucky player frequently appear

126

only four facets being fitted with points. the other hand, there is very little infor? mation available about the ground on which the Ail we know is that it was game was played. divided up in a special way. Some games played a sort of chess-board which with dice required prism, On it is said was shall has
was

of gilded that the dice were made shells, or wood, or ivory, and above all of vibhitaka (Ter minalia the size of a little nut with Bellerica), four facets. Others had the shape of a four-pointed

name; otherwise vibhitaka game

if the total equals the number agreed on in ad? in conformity with the 24 combinations vance, that are allowed, each of which has a special

mula

the game is lost (kali). In the the skill of the player consists in the way in which he takes the dice, but in the p?saka game it consists in the way of throw? selects his way before ing them; each player the game opens. The player then recites a for? to bring him luck; it is a kind of "gam? chant". Then he turns over the dice in whose and

We see further on two specimens, one of which 36 squares and the other 24. The game
either in a gaming-house i.e. under

sometimes

made

of silver.

played

a tent specially
the open air. sumptuously

assigned
Sometimes a

for this purpose,

the surroundings woven carpet

or
were of

in
the

palm is "the pink colour of the throws them in the air ("and water-lily", the jewels of his rings sent out sparks": Raghu Should the fortune favour vamsa, IV, 18).
players alternately, one game follows another

bling his hand

furnished:

finest yarns
seats portant were

was
placed

indefinitely
heavier.

and

the stakes become

stakes were sometimes

heavier
very

and
con?

prepared
ail round

for
for

the King,
the more

and
im?

These

lookers-on.

We more
combat

know ancient

vibhitaka. follows
? the

the rules of two games of dice. The to the epic cycle, is the belonging to a It has often been compared
warriors and was

and we read siderable, of kingdoms depended most celebrated games

that sometimes on them. One related of dice

the fate of in of the the all and

between

as described (The
vibhitaka

de Vreese

in the study made by K in Ancient India Game of Dice

?. Orientalia Neerlandica,

played

as

j?taka, King despoiled VidhurapaneJita of his officials, of his kingdom, his wealth, even of his wife. As often to make tions.
games of

India, illustrations match know

one on a

in ancient

it is no easy matter the literary descrip? two illustrations of

of Bharhut, there?

the ground Ley den 1948, p. 349 et seq.). When for the game had been divided up, the dice were brought in their box and placed in a heap. The

I myself
dice,

only
rock

fore of in a must The

the 2nd

players sit one in front of the other, and are agreed on. The the rules of the game number of dice that are to be taken is fixed, and so are the stake and the individual vows. Then the game begins. It consists in taking -a handful of in a certain manner ? probably dice which are thrown on the playing ground counted. M. Louis Renou immediately in his "La Civilisation de Vlnde ancienne", (p. 233), points out that not only the dice that had
thrown were counted, but, most important

fresco date

century B. C. and the other in Gave N.? 2 of Ajanta, which back to the 6th century of our era. one is rather curious (Fig. 3 and

Bharhut

inscription which may be likes playing gamer who at the square table". It shows a rock or rocky on whose summit a kind of chessboard mountain with 36 squares has been drawn. Two couples sit round it. Six dice are piled up near the stake, another is placed before the first to the left. The person interpretation of this scene is still uncertain and the tale it illustrates of men not

it bears an drawing); thus translated "The

and

are

been

agreed on, a number was won. Otherwise and

of all, was the estimate made there and then of the number still in the heap. If the first player had thrown at the first go the number of points divisable

has

second player so on until the number of points agreed on was thrown by one of the two players. The other game known as p?saka, is described more in the j?takas; it was played especially with three prisms of wood or ivory with four spikes, four facets being provided with These dice were thrown on the playing and the count made surface of the dice. points. ground of the points on the upper The game is won (krta)

by four, the game the game was lost and the as had the first, then proceeded

identified yet been (1) the most per? ? which may how? plexing feature of the scene ? ever be the clue to its is the deep meaning fissure which interrupted the game apparently of the rock to collapse, by causing part splitting in two the chessboard and throwing one of the players
refers to

to the bottom not matter

a known or

of the rock.
unknown

It does a

to us whether
an tale.

this
It

scene
offers

of men of the 2nd cen? lively representation B. C. playing at dice and it seems to us tury

it with the op. cit. II, p. 95, n. 12, connects (1) Barua, but the version with which we are acquainted Littaj?taka, has nothing in common with the scene here represented.

127

Fig.

4.

Ajant?:

King

Vidhura

playing

at dice,

(from Yazdani,

Ajant?,

II,

pi. XXXV).

128

the sculptor was illustrating which he was familiar. that The illustrates

scene with

Vidhura
face,

other representation in Cave N.? 2 at Ajanta the V idhurapandita 4 j?taka (Fig. and drawing). It shows the gaming tent, glow? and laquered with its gilded ing pillars deco? rated with pearl bracelets and jewelry. King and his
between

adversary
them,

P?rnaka
placed on

are
the

face
flower

to

and

studded divided res. hand them

Three

is raised

are placed near the king, whose and who has probably just thrown in the bahula way which he had chosen; dice

lawn, is an oblong tray whose surface is rows of twelve squa? into two parallel

the story tells us that he did not succeed in throw? ing them correctly and that the game continued, fiercely disputed by the two players who had been But seized all by the fever of gambling. this has only shown us the profane

(Acharya, Fig. 5. Swing, from, the M?nas?ra Architecture of M?nas?ra, chap. XLIV, pi. XC).

more Br.

to the Taitt. according takes five The adhvaryu commentary 1.7.10). from, the heap and throws them into the King's hand, "May you rule over saying in substance: than a thousand, all the Regions After perous!" ends. impossible

game

and may those Regions be pros? the which the King wins and it seems likely that it was Now to lose, as this would

for the King

But aspect of the game of dice. a ritual origin, and occupied an

in the sacred ceremonies, more

it probably
especially

had
in

important place the consecration

tains many obscurities. When the king has taken of his throne during the ceremony, possession he has to play a game of dice with the officiat? For this purpose, the ing priest (adhvaryu). of the dice first traces on the ground custodian with a ritual sword made of wood the limits of the space on which sprinkles the ground. to take his seat on cow, is publicly the dice number on the game is played, then he The King is then invited a tiger-skin; the stake, a The custodian of

solemnly of the King (r?jas?ya). One of the leading passa? of the Satapatha-br?hmana is dedicated to ges them (V. 4.4.6 et seq.) but unfortunately con? it

those

celebrated

for

announced.

the playing ground a large spreads of gold dice (more than a hundred or

Fig.

7.

Ajant?:

Queen

Irandah

(From yazdani, ^;?nt?, ii, Pi. Xu, ?).

(?)

swinging.

|i::*.v.'.;.J...v.-.v;.4.:v

;^:^?^^::-^i^>>;::^\-::};jffffj:

??.-.?-.V-vVfl

mere

the nullity of the ritual consecra? in the text to the kali (one) who reigns over the dice as the King over the leads us to suppose that the game was a Regions have entailed An tion. allusion king need the fiction, and that the adhvaryu handed with a point, which, if only dice marked be, was the winning value, while he him?

on the king and, confer prosperity The King thus him, on the kingdom. through luck and profit and asserts once more acquires his omnipotence. that will are also employed. Thus a hymn (X, 34) known as the "gambler's to the dice, hymn" containing a prayer addressed to the player, and a kind of blame admonitions in the Rgveda the dice. The avidhana pronounced against teaches the magical use of this text, and mul? it efficacious. for making tiplies recommendations Other means

This

the Grand Lama into contest with representing his adversary, the King of the Armies: the dice to the two partners are marked handed respect? ively only with N? 6 and N? 1. The upshot of the game is, therefore, a foregone conclusion; the Shengo holds all invariably wins, losing number. as,

self took others marked with another number. is not unlikely, if we remember that re? course is had to the same subterfuge in Tibet, at the game of dice which brings the Shengo,

The

the dice marked 6 and on this occasion 1 is the

But this forcing of fate is justified by the fact that it is too important to assure victory to the to allow chance to take its course as it King in an ordinary game fairly played. would It is, indeed, an almost magic or symbolic game,

the first repeating mentally he must go to the play? text, This mental recitation, ing ground. repeated like a litany, will assure him victory. But he - must also touch the head of the man who will be his prayer. and will never partner, while reciting the end of the Then he will win over other adversaries lose the game with anyone. by others (Atharvaveda, These 4.38.1

dice".

gambler must first perfume three dice of the vibhitaka, and bedeck them with flowers; at night, he must stand up, holding his then, feet together, and murmur to the the "prayer At dawn, stanza of the same

texts, completed

130

power sometimes takes a tragic and truly a the Kathasaritsagai form. Thus maleficent of Story" IV, p. 240 et (Penzer, J'The Ocean This seq.) Kali Nala tells of two demons (one)f and Dvapara into the body themselves and of his brother of the game of dice, insinuate (two) who of Puskara. the virtuous King As soon as

it possible to 4; 7.50.1 et seq.; 7.109.1) thus make to act on the dice or, if one prefers to state it thus, they enable one to escape from their power.

from Dvapara; belongings and

they recover all their respective lead an upright and virtuous life. in the r?jas?ya the aim is to secure good While in the other legend liberation from luck; while is the point at issue, there demoniacal possession

are other ways by which the ordinary and profane And as, in sure of winning. gambler can make the gambler must sing or recite the Vedic text, a formula which will assure him success so as are here in the domain of magic, it may be

we

they have taken possession of them, the character is completely of the two heroes they changed: become debauchees, dishonest; they gamblers, show themselves possessed by the worst instincts, and at a game of dice Nala and loses all his wealth, his whole Damayanti. is magically kingdom After innumerable delivered his well-beloved wife,

is, it may be that, good though the formula of no avail by a more powerful one used made The Andabh?ta-j?taka (Cow by his adversary. a typical instance of this behav ell, N? 62) gives ion wise in which the Royal Chaplain as to falsify the formula used acts

in such

vicissitudes, Nala from Kali, and Puskara

by the King. then the chaplain was losing all the time Until formula has become but as soon as the King's

Fig. 8. Rajp?t miniaiure.Hindola R?ga Coll.

(Cliche of theMusee Guimet)

jjiJfl|sfl^&~JHHMM|HHj j jI
JHty^ffSg^WMABBtt

*' ^^^^^"^^P^BMir^^ i V ? ^n^^

131

literature contains eloquent epic and dramatic on the passion for gambling. A hyma passages of the Rgveda deals with the feelings (X, 34) to resist the fascination of the gambler, unable dice have for him, and it relates his lamenta? tions on the results, for gambling has ruined him and his family. He says he goes mad when he sees the dice roll on the table; that they are

and torment him and cause him all deceptive the pangs felt by the loser, though sweet as honey to him who wins. They are the unmaking of the winners also and possess a magic power over same the gambler. Another gambler laments in the celebrated drama utters attributed

the

Sudraka "The little clay chariot" (Act. 2): man who hears the noise of dice and who "The has no money experiences the same yearning as a King who has lost his throne and hears the drum beat. I will play no more, No, says he, I have quite made for one might up my mind, as well throw oneself from, the summit of Mount as handle Meru the dice... and yet the noise

to King

Fig.

9.

- Dekhani

Miniature.
swinging.

Young

women

charms my ear as does the song of the they make Kokilla conclusion The (the Indian cuckoo)". of the story shows that this was but a gambler's In oath, for he forthwith starts playing again. the same Act another unlucky player also says:

(Cliche of theMusee Guimet)

false, he wins at every throw of the dice and the King, the cause of his discovered having in his turn to make valueless the losses, manages formula of the Brahman who is once more un?
successful.

which has

"For man, is a royalty which lacks gambling but the throne. The gambler never fore? nothing sees defeat; money pours in on him from all sides, and he is always drawing on a treasure like a prince, replenished; revenues at his service and prospective around him a court full of opulent people. gambling one acquires wealth, by gambling obtains wives and friends, by gambling one tains the means is always he sees By one

inflicted on such a cheat. In a life he had himself been a dice player and past he was led to play against an unscrupulous cheat was also a bad player. When who chance went the Bodhisattva against the cheat he would adroitly hide a die in his mouth and pretend it had been lost, and the game was then cancelled. But the Bodhi?

to the cheat, who of course is always pun? ished in the long run. The Litta J?taka (Cowell, N? 91) is the story of the severe punishment

We ences

also

often

find in Indian

literature

refer?

gambling With the swing we enter on a gayer and more Its dual peaceful but no less symbolic domain.
nature?that of a mere amusement and that af

ob? of giving and enjoying, but by one may also lose everything".

evident and is found both in game?is references to it and in plastic represent? literary ations. But before entering further into the matter we must describe it. are the earliest The texts?which sources at our disposal?speak of the swing as formed of one, two, or three planks of udumbara (Ficus either by ropes Glomerata, Wild.), suspended made of k?sa grass (Poa Cynosuroide) or by iron chains. between The paratus
second

sacred

sattva suspected the trick and steeped several of the dice in a deadly poison and then again chal? lenged his partner, who again resorted to his trick, but (just gave
lecture.

just

enough him an

as the poison was taking effect to frighten him) the Bodhisattva antidote accompanied by a good was cured for ever from

of a tree (Fig.

is suspended The sometimes swing two poles, sometimes from the branches 5). allow us to visualise
down

Though seem th.it his evil passion for gambling, it would such cures did not often happen, for Indian

this cheat

illustrations
century,

thus described.
approximately,

They

start from
to our

the ap? the

own

132

The day. as I know, make dug Begram 1939-40

is grouped

earliest

in of Kapisi (present day Afghanistan) 6 and drawing). this swing Round (fig.
a charming scene of women: a young

figuration of a swing, as far is shown on an ivory panel of Indian at up by Joseph and Ria Hackin

woman
women, backwards ant or

is seated
one and looker

on

the swing, which

and one while waiting, behind, a

two other
are pushing

in front

forwards, on?is

friend?attend? for her

swing consists of a seat suspended under a porch which is similar to the gates by ropes or torana that are constantly found in the old turn. This iconography,

perhaps

consisting of two slightly oblique A detail posts joined at the summit by a beam. of the ropes of this swing deserves mention, one can easily see that the strands are wound in
directions. I. ii. 4.3.-9) Now makes a text (Aitareya-arany mention of ropes aka, special

Fig.

10.

- Small

shrine of Krishna
malai.

at Tiruvann?

(Cliche of Ella Maillart)

opposite

twisted to the right and of others

left. The seat is a rather thick

twisted

to the

the harvest,
certain number

fertility,
of other

fecundity
rites are

and

love.
with

connected

ed with we
further

two diverging shall have occasion

on.

plank,

ornament?

makara

heads, to speak more

of which in detail

Here we have a j?taka (Fig. 7 and drawing). small pavillion from whose roof hang the ropes, to rings, and decked with little flags. attached This reminds one of the pavillions naturally with swings that are or of found (dol?manca), of the swings that were set up in the mansions rich for recreation. in the Ajanta Here again,
painting, a young woman is seated on the swing.

Another illustration of a swing of ancient date can be seen at in the mural Ajanta, paintings of Cave the V idhura-pan&ita II, illustrating

of offerings and dedication, and expiation, and lastly, divination. purification A ritual game of the seasons, such the swing game seems to have been in the epoch of the it, such those

as

the

halls

in many temples furnished with

Roman
or

four feet, suspended from the branches of a tree or from the roof of a tent This kind (Fig. 8). reminds one strangely enough of the Greek and swings that were
hanging

of swing is represented in the illuminated manuscripts of the 16th to the 19th consist of a seat, generally with century. They kind

Another

also formed of armchairs

four ropes, as can be

stools

from

seen more Louvre.

especially But here, in the Indian illumination, sometimes women, single or couples (Fig. 9),
sometimes couples only, are of men swinging. and women, some? men

in a Greek

vase

in the

times

Let
artistic

us

now

with

the

help
the

of

literary
of

and
the

evidence,

examine

meaning

game
mere there

of swings
amusement. to show

in India.
A that whole it was

Swinging
series a ritual

was
of or

not
are sacred

facts

with magic, connected indeed game, more or less evidently to the seasonal

linked cycle of

Fig.

11.

High

Swing

in South

India.

(Cliche of Ella Maillart)

133

Vedic

texts; and as such it seems closely related to the cosmic rhythm,, the journey of the sun, the rainbow, etc. and this is easily understood we reflect on its movement earth and sky, The Rgveda (VIII, 87, 5) for instance the sun as "the gold swing moving
and forwards in the heavens ?. Was

to the rainbow, which is a may be assimilated visible link between heaven and earth. We are thus brought at once into the presence of a deco? rative symbolism the ritual magical that is in full agreement with significance of the swing. The

when

between character. describes

backwards

up and down its "rise into the air"

in the Rgveda, metaphor to the sun, acquires here

this a simple metaphore? not, for the Probably ritual used Brahmanic the swing for purposes that can be clearly seen. During the mah?vrata
or

the swing comparing It its full significance. we have seen may be yet further strengthened: the that the rite of the mah?vrata had perhaps purpose of assisting course in the high
winter solstice. Now,

the sun to start again on its at the time of the heavens

according to Indian astro?

the hotr, balanced himself, as part of the ritual, on a swing which was not to be raised above the than the thickness of a fist so that ground more the officiant should be able to touch it with saying "The Great One right hand while the the Great One has joined (male) (female), God has united with the Divine One". his Let us bear
refer to it later

"great

observance"

the

offerer

of

the

sacrifice,

logy, the winter solstice occurs precisely when of the the sun enters the zodiacal constellation
capricorn-Ma/cara. Therefore the makara is

this in mind,
on. The

for we

shall have
on

to
this

commentators

passage, Frazer,
was to

and Oldenberg especially think that this was a rite whose purpose and
assist the sun to continue on its course

more

solstice onwards. And here it may rightly be noted that the design on the Kapisi ivory plaque has a definite raison d'etre, and is certainly not there by chance but for a definite reason. The

on the swing, that symbolises the rightly placed rain of the rainbow, or else the sun travelling in the sky at ever greater altitudes, from the winter

jectory of the swing through space and that of the sun is again ^tressed by the rite still perfor? in med during the festival (dol?y?tra) celebrated in honour the Spring, about the middle of March, of Krsna. His effigy is then placed on a swing (Fig. 10) and, at dawn, it is gently swung back and forth. This ceremony is repeated at midday and at sunset, thus following the sun's heavenly course. certain

high in the sky after reaching the point nearest to the earth at the time of the winter solstice. seem that this parallel between the tra? It would

fact that the swing is related to the rainy season and fertility, leads us naturally to consider
it as a magic charm, for assuring abundant crops

fertility. showing the game of the the relation existing between swing and the plentifulness of the crops and ferti? Such is the part assigned to lity of the herds. the sacrificant at the mah?vrata festival, swaying In ritually on the swing as above mentioned. a great festival (dassera) is celebrated im? Nepal, before the gathering of the rice crop, mediately which during swings and kites are greatly fa? voured
customs

and

There

is much

evidence

by the young boys and girls.

are common all over

And

similar
Asia.

Likewise

in the folklore traditions of Moreover, such as Bihar, the swing is used regions, only once a year during a well defined period to the opening of the rainy season. corresponding

South

East

to Krsna, the dol?y?tr? the dedicated festival kept by the Santals in February, that to Gauri to in March-April, dedicated and the early Spring, the during which a prominent part, the game of swing? swing plays at the time of the renewal and ing is used fertilisation Let us now in

long to list them here; we need only know that India takes part in a whole series of well ascertained facts which show that the swing is a game connected of in the minds take the people with the height of the cereal crops. In this ritual game, held only at a given time of the year, the higher the swing goes the higher will be the standing crops and consequently the larger will the harvest as be. Associated fecundity,
of love, sexual

It would

too

K?ma

well-known proper
the makara

of the soil by the rain. speak of the swing that decorates the ivory plaque found at K?pisi, already men? tioned (Fig. 6). We noted that the seat is formed is a This by two diverging heads of makara. theme in the and outer
bow,

it is with
union, and

the game of swinging

its

the Spring and with is also a symbol

erotic character is

frequently expressed
we have already

in India.
the

A Vedic

text which

quoted,

Aitareya-?ranyaka,

India,
in which

iconography and can be matched

the same

of India by

arrangement

this makara Now bow, as has been shown by several studies, symbolises the clearly fertilizing water falling from heaven as rain, and is found.

(I. the swing hangs, When rising up

setting crates a the swing union,

ii. 4.4.10),

stresses

that the porch in which is male and the seat female. to sit on the seat and when
the sacrificant purpose of conse? having the express

in motion for

children.

It must

certainly

be

for this reason

134

and grain has been scattered in honor of the se? veral orientations, the god is placed on the swing... amidst the deep strains of music, the invocations of the women, the blessing of the hymns of praise, the god is incensed and perfumed with while
flowers". Then "a young woman annointed with

saffron, swings backwards and forwards, humming tunes". She is sprinkled with cold water tinted a gold squirt being used, while the yellow, people are given large quantities around of powdered saffron and wreathes This of betel and flowers. festival of love is repeated in the dol?y?lr? in the course of the Holi celebrated each year at the end of the month of Caitra (second week of in Bengal and Assam, March), more especially a young god, the lover of the is honor of ?rsna, is often associa? The personality of Krsna gopis. the swing. The god swings alone or in the company of his spouse, R?dh?, on a four or four footed swing suspended four ropes by to the branches of a tree or to the ceiling chains of a tent; this is a subject frequently represented ted with

Min Fig.

i irmnf

i ..rnTT^ R?ga.
Guimet)

12. - Rajput miniature. Hindola Alice Boner Collection.

(Cliche Musee

in the Rajput miniatures. The divine couple are swung back and forth by servant maids who sprinkle them with coloured powders with the of gilded squirts; these attendants play on help the vwid, or fan the couple with their fly-switches In some temples one can see small 12). (Fig.

that the swing is an accessory of the Brahmin rite in present day South India marriage (Fig. Ill), though the symbolism seems no longer to be understood. On the occasion of a marriage we are told by Thurston in (Castes and Tribes Southern India, Vol. I, p. 280) a swing is set for up under a tent (pandal) specially pitched this ceremony; the bride and groom sit on the
seat as soon as

swings made of tin, the size of a toy, on the seat of which a statuette of the child Krsna is placed. He is swung on it on the day of Janm?sti, on an altar bedecked er, sacred with to Visnu. foliage and the basilica flow? other divinities are Many

walk round the Some married three times, carrying water, a light, fruit pandal and betel nuts on a tray. After this, the several
rites of the marriage ceremony are performed.

intoned.

they

meet,

and

chants

are

then

women

Several love hotsava

festivals to the

likewise

link

Such swing. dedicated to K?ma, the god of love. This in the Bhavisyittarapu festival, described r?na (CXXXI1I, 40-62) is celebrated in the Spring, when the buds, the red blossom on the trees, and
the tender shoots announce the renewal of nature,

symbols of is the andolakama

the

matched

Then ? on by the joy of human hearts. the banks of a lotus-flower pool, in the courtyard of the temple, a swing is set up, . covered by a with rubies, from veil, ornamented suspended chains of gold, bedecked
... On the surrounding

with beads
walls are

and garlands
a pa?

rasol and a switch to keep the oblation fittings.When

mirrors;

off flies complete the to fire has been made

- Divinities who are swinging, near the Fig. 13. ? The Muria Verrier Muria. and Elwin, (From their Ghotul ?, fig. 25).

135

also swung thus; more especially is this custom observed by the Muria of the former Bastar state (Fig. 13). Pradesh) the swing games, that celebrating Spring and love is the most widely known. It is well described on various occasions by the great classic poet, K?lid?sa: "The young girls relish the Spring festivals. in the new game of the swing they were so eager to kiss the neck of their beloved, that instead of holding on to the ropes from, which they relax the liana of "He clasped IX, 46). them he swung, pushed in atten? by the maids (Madhya Of all

Skilled

the swing is suspended, their arms (Raghuvamsa them to his breast; with backwards dance, and

forwards

and suddenly, while they let go the ropes, his neck feigning fear, their arms embraced Elsewhere the poet makes (Raghuimmsa XIX, 44).

queen

Ir?vati say "I hope to have the pleasure of of your sitting on the swing in the company

character of the game of the swing passed over into the do? main of mysticism, in which it symbolises, among other things, the transmigration of the soul or
sams?ra. Some of the loveliest stanzas of the

Lordship" (M?lavik?gnimitra). the erotic By a natural passage,

poet Kabir bindranath

ness and

(XV-XVI

Tagore, give the swing: XVI "Between

unconsciousness,

centuries) translated by Ra an important place to the poles

the spirit

of conscious?
swings.

this swing are suspended all beings and all worlds; and this swing never stops. "Millions of beings hang to it; the sun and the moon in their courses swing with it. "To "Millions of ages pass, All and swinging. things swing: earth, the air and the waters and the Lord Himself who is personified in it. XVII ? "Held by ropes of love, the swing of the ocean of joy comes and goes; and its powerful
voice bursts into

the swing is always the heavens and the

of divining near Fig. 14. Swinging as a means ? The Muria the Muria. Elwin: (From Verrier and their Ghotul ?, pi. XXXV).

tion ? book are

author of a reported by Verrier-Elwin, on The Muria and their Ghotul, (p. 188) ? specious or obscure; swinging is specifically and no child, no adult may
in a cradle, or a

Poetical and mystical raptures stress, if need be, the ritual and sacred importance of the swing. We have already glanced at it in its cosmic role, to the rainbow, imitating the sun or assimilated to the season of renewed life, and there? linked deserve
previous

Hang fast today to the swing of love. Sus? pend your body and your soul in the arms of in the ecstasy of the joy of love". the Beloved

C?

song.

forbidden,
whether

be rocked,
or on

it be

hammock,

a swing, on pain of a mysterious and immediate death. This shows that the action of clearly to a reserved domain; swinging is one belonging
it is not only a means of contacting the superna?

it is also the vehicle of divine world, the divine word and this vehicle must be reserved tural and it is to bring the divine and the human into contact. This is the case ia certain regions of India proper and of outer In? or the Dra dia, as, for instance, with the Murias vidian caste of the Dombas. Their oracle priests
or "priests of the demons", sit on the swings set

to those whose mission

fore to fertility, fecundity, love. Yet other aspects to be noted, related as they are to the
ones. But to do so one must penetrate

deeper
we meet

into the esoteric

among the Murias

region;

thus, for instance,

mentioned in

already

this paper, the divine prohibition of the swing; itmatters little that the reasons for this prohibi

up

before

the

worthy

of note

A detail temple to prophecy. is that the seat of the swing is

136

studded with big nails on whose points the oracles time of their medianic the whole sit during at present to ac? I am unable, activity (Fig. 14)
count for this form of torture.

husband
We dian may usages

who
draw and

sat at

effects of this magic

for the the door, waiting rite to make themselves felt.

between occur these In? and that elsewhere

comparisons those

But should

as we

have

touched

speak of another strikes us as tragic and has nothing of the sweet charm of the swing, I refer to what the English
"hookswinging'', connected in certain cases

this subject we form of swinging which on

which

in a framework of customs India place and beliefs of which our modern world has lost The facts we have games
our

all notion. path

things, sements, which

illustrated travelled.
are serious mere

show the Those

amu? con? acts,

along which
for were

have

call

children deeply

with

of ascertaining the future harvest rite took place for the Cakra prospects. puja at the end of May or early June, in honor the idea This
of the infernal gods at Karwar, on the west coast

originally

nected with fore reserved ritual.

them,

the march

This
and

as though they were kinds of Men, fish, were hooked gigantic by the flesh of their and carried at the end of a rod for a long back, of India. a in South India, Likewise, procession. was set up in front of the entrance of gallows a hook was a rope to which certain temples; ritual
attached, was hung to one of its ends. The de?

of the universe, and there? as part of the domain of the sacred aspect has long been retained by
long ages games were re?

to adults, even when ficance had been forgotten. seem that their dual aspect served
amusements, persisted longer

during

their original signi? In India it would of sacred

than

rites and
elsewhere,

being part of the ever living symbolism which should be treated with moderation but also with The best example of this perennial life justice. of the symbol is to be found in the swing of to which we have had occasion to refer K?pisi, more than once. At to us nothing suggest ladies
in

votees

of the goddess
themselves

of smallpox,
to do

Mariyammai,
and had

consecrated

penance,

themselves hooked and

and

remained
forwards,

up by the flesh of their backs suspended, swinging backWards

some length of time.

for

It may with
remedy

that this last practice was connected and sacrifice, as a rite of purification be
against the is disease, connected for just as the at Karwar crops, so with

noble
breeze

seeking

first sight this scene would but a pleasing diversion of the refreshing coolness of the
After careful exami?

their

gynaeceum.

hook-swinging

the hook-swinging by the devotees of the smallpox goddess seems to be associated with the idea of

nation we might feel some doubts, and see in this scene a poetic allusion to the fertile season of the It would not, moreover, be Spring. allusion of the kind that could be noted only in the plastic arts at the scenes represented of K?pisi, in which one is inclined to Begr?m if life. And nothing but scenes of palace Indian the in the see the

Now the swing certainly preventing the disease. against illness, plays a part in the protection both in India and elsewhere. In such cases it
is generally interpreted as a sure way of inter?

cepting air by
patients

malign swinging.
who

influences In such
but

and cases
their

purifying it is not
or

the the
near

swing,

doctors

Evidence, dating back to the begin? this century, reported ning by Thurston and Tribes... Vol. II, p. 181) tells of a wo? (Castes man who swung on a swing studded with nails like relations. of those used by the oracles, so as to cure her

documents provided by the plastic arts only trans? mit us as a rule the formal aspect of the game, let us not forget that a simple detail, when supported evidence, may bring by literary or ethnological back to life a whole past symbolism that should
not be neglected.

Jeannine
Conservateur

Auboyer
au Musee Guimet

11

137