itecture the 'Wheel
of Light' symbolising Buddha is overshadowed by an umbrella, itself
adorned with garlands. At Sanchi we find sculptured representations
of two and even three umbrellas placed one above the other over the
temples, the double and triple canopies of which appear to be fixed
to the same handle or staff as in the modern state umbrellas of China
and Burma. Thus we have the primary idea of the accumulated honour of
stone or metal discs which subsequently became such a prominent feature
of Buddhist architecture, culminating in the many-storied pagodas of
China and Japan. [496] Similarly in Hindu temples the pinnacle often
stands on a circular stone base, probably representing an umbrella.

The umbrella of state was apparently not black like its successor of
commerce, but of white or another colour, though the colour is seldom
recorded. Sometimes it was of peacock's feathers, the symbol of the
Indian war-god, and as seen above, in Italy it was of red, the royal
colour. It has been suggested that the halo originally represented
an umbrella, and there is no reason to doubt that the umbrella was
the parent of the state canopy.

7. Significance of the umbrella.

It has been supposed that the reason for carrying the umbrella above
the king's head was to veil his eyes from his subjects, and prevent
them from being injured by the magical power of his glance. [497]
But its appearance on temples perhaps rather militates against this
view. Possibly it may have merely served as a protection or covering
to the king's head, the head being considered especially sacred
as the seat of life. The same idea is perhaps at the root of the
objection felt by Hindus to being seen abroad without a covering on
the head. It seems likely that the umbrella may have been held to be
a representation of the sky or firmament. The Muhammadans conjoined
with it an _aftada_ or sun-symbol; this was an imitation of the sun,
embroidered in gold upon crimson velvet and fixed on a circular
framework which was borne aloft upon a gold or silver staff. [498]
Both were carried over the head of any royal personage, and the
association favours the idea that the umbrella represents the sky,
while the king's head might be considered analogous to the sun. When
one of the early Indian monarchs made extensive conquests, the annexed
territories were described as being brought under his umbrella;
of the king Harsha-Vardhana (606-648 A.D.) it is recorded