386 DESCRIPTION OF SOME INDIAN IDOLS 



ancient Romans. The sect of Hindus who pay particular ado- 

 ration to Suria are called Sauras. 



The third figure (PI. XXIV. fig. 3.) represents Suria seated, 

 and attended by the shepherdesses, two of them above, with 

 each a wreath held out towards the head of the deity, two be- 

 neath, with their hands clasped in an attitude of adoration, 

 and sitting on a flower. On the left of Suria, is a small figure 

 holding a mace or club, representing the strength of the god. 

 In the left hand this small figure holds the weapon which 

 terminates in a ring. The sole of the left foot of Suria is 

 turned upwards, and a round body, like a piece of money, is 

 placed on it. In some Indian figures, the round body pla- 

 ced on the palm of the hand, or on the sole of the foot, re- 

 sembles the half-expanded flower of the water-lilly. The left 

 hand of the figure of Suria holds a stalk terminated by a 

 hexapetalous flower ; the erect figure of Suria before described 

 also holds a flower. The string of beads passing over the 

 left shoulder likewise occurs in both figures. A figure seated 

 with the legs across is on the head-dress of Suria. The bor- 

 der of the whole composition is a canopy formed of two co- 

 lumns, with capitals, supporting a trifoliated arch. The tal- 

 caceous stone of which this figure is sculptured, is of a finer 

 grain than the talcaceous stones of the other three figures. 



In the valuable collection of Indian and Chinese works of 

 art, at the library of the India House, there is a sculpture in 

 black stone, 3 feet high, representing Suria holding flowers, 

 and attended by 9 small figures, in many respects resembling 

 the two figures of Suria here mentioned. But, in addition, 

 the figure in the India House has a charioteer holding the reins 

 of seven small horses ; the horses are at the lower part of the 

 composition in front, and a wheel is on each side, so that the 

 whole composition is an image of the Sun in his chariot, and is 

 called Suria Vahana, or Suria Ratha, the chariot of the Sun. 

 The Vahana, or vehicle of some of the other Indian gods, is a 



bird 



