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1 30 Symbolism of the East and West
tutelary saint. At the entrance to every village there may
commonly be seen a high pedestal, on which are fixed three
upright slabs of gneiss (see Plate XV, figs. 3, 4, 5).
On the centre slab is sculptured the Naga lady, on the
others the five or the seven-headed Naga, and two serpents
entwined as in the well-known caduceus of {Hermes) Mercury.
The late General Sir Alexander Cunningham, in the
Preface to his Bhilsa Topes, identifies this latter form with
the Buddhist symbol of dhari>ia, identifying it with nature
deified. Again, some of the sculptures from the Buddhist
remains at Amaravati, now in the British Museum, repre-
sent topes in miniature carved upon slabs. They are
covered with bas-reliefs. The principal object on many of
them is the five-headed serpent, the centre one being the
hooded cobra in full face, and on either side two snakes'
heads and necks. In profile these seem to be regarding (or
adoring .'') the cobra. The whole five heads terminate in
one body, knotted into graceful folds.
From the style of the Maisur carvings, it is thought that
none of the Naga Mudamma sculptures are more than a
century old. It is well known that only within this period the
people of the State have openly returned to their old forms
of tree and serpent-worship, suppressed for many centuries,
it is said, by Brahmanical influence, although in the headdress
now worn by the wives of Brahmans there, one may
still trace (as in the case of the women of Ladakh) the influ-
ence of ancient-snake worship. The women of that caste in
Maisur wear a lovely embossed gold ornament on the head.
It descends only to the nape of the neck behind : it is wide
in proportion to its length, and represents the many-headed