The Sculpture of Revanta

As one looks at the boulder facing the river, attention is immediately drawn by what looks like a victory procession in which a king riding a horse is seen with a set of musicians leading his way and followed by two attendants, one carrying an umbrella or canopy signifying the royal presence, followed by another attendant seemingly carrying some object. Two dogs are also noticed as closely following the procession, thereby indicating a scene post hunting in which the hunt (probably a boar) is being carried by the attendant, while the king and other attendants appear in a mood of rejoice. The mysterious sculpture was initially misunderstood by Cunningham as representing Kalki, the last incarnation of Vishnu, probably due to the attribute of riding on a horse. However, Dr R C P Singh rightly identified it as Revanta11, mentioned in the Puranas as the son of Surya, whose interesting story starts with his mother Surenyu, the daughter of Vishwakarma, who initially delivered two sons i.e. Yama and Manu, and a daughter Yami (Yamuna), for her husband, but, however, gradually started avoiding his company due to excessive heat and glory associated with his persona and subsequently fled in disguise as a mare towards the colder regions of the north. Before departure, however, she left her ‘Chaya’ (shadow of like appearance) as a deception which was soon discovered by Surya, who thereafter followed her in the form of a horse. Then upon conjugal union, three more sons, namely the twin Asvins, the celestial physicians, and Revanta, the lord of horses and horsemen, were born.

To be continued....