This is from a photo taken by me, way back in July 2011, at the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra.
There are hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands, of such figures, in Ancient Indian art.
A striking number of our male figures have these elegant, gorgeous, stylish ringlets.
While the sculpted Buddhas & Bodhisattvas at Ajanta tend to have what maybe called “kinky hair” – Like in this picture (also taken by me) (please Right-Click, to enlarge):
– I’m inclined to think that in most cases, the hair itself is straight, but is styled into these ringlets.
But, I’m not absolutely sure whether the hair is supposed to be originally straight or “kinky”.
Many men in Ancient Indian art seem to have straight hair, which is then curled into these very lush, fancy ringlets.
But there are others who seem to have typically curly, “kinky” hair (like the Buddha above).
Now compare with this figure of a Nubian, an indigenous African, at the Brooklyn Museum.
The Brooklyn Museum website says:
MEDIUM Marble, “Bigio Morata”
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS
Possible place made: Turkey
Place made: Eastern Mediterranean Region
DATES late 2nd century B.C.E.
PERIOD Ptolemaic Period
Be that as it may, note this young man’s hairstyle (image taken from Wikimedia Commons):
Now compare with the man from the Ajanta Caves (Nubian’s image taken from the Brooklyn Museum website):
There is tons of evidence, to reinforce the point I would like to make.
Will come to it in good time.
(Added
subsequently, at about 8.30 P.M.)
Observe the
hairstyle of these male musicians-dancers at the Parashurameshvar
Temple at Bhubaneshwar.
This photo was
taken by me almost 11 years back.
The musician-dancer on the
Right seems to have distinctly curly hair ... I think this is what’s meant by “kinky”
hair ... but the curly hairline begins pretty far behind.
Not sure if his hair
has been curled, or if he has curly hair.
.jpg)
The musician-dancer in the Centre, though, has the same ringlets as the Nubian at the Brooklyn Musem, and the figure at Ajanta.
