Gunthana – The Sursundari of Rajarani Temple

Sursundaris are the beautiful lady sculptures in the temples. Some call these beautiful ladies Apsaras, Kanika, Ganika, Maiden, Shilambhajika and so on. The names given by authors or websites are not always true. For example – Apsaras had a major role in Hindu Mythology. Apsaras like Menaka, and Rambha played major characters and were reasons for many events. They were not just damsels or beauty pieces.

Sursundari is the most appropriate description and name for such sculptures representing the eternal beauty of the lady along with the cultural glimpse.

In this sculpture, the Sursundari is known as Gunthana. Gunthan word’s literal meaning is hiding. Gunthana means someone who is hiding something (face or body).

Gunthana is doing something with her left hand or deliberately hiding her face. It can be a simple hiding of the face from the unknown person or it can be looked at as some sort of adult action. She has a specific distance in her legs suggesting an action between her legs, maybe with her left hand.

While her head was towards the left, she lifted her right hand towards the left. Her hair is tied neatly and she is wearing a necklace and big earrings. Her lower body cloth is thin and one can see the lines in detail.

Rajarani temple dates back to the 1100th Century CE and is the best example of Kalinga Architecture (Kalinga Panchratha Style). It is built in a Rekha Deul format.