Known as paduka and by other vernacular terms, Indian sandals are typically made with a flat sole of wood or ivory that is elevated off the ground by slender risers. A short cylindrical post with a knob finial is gripped between the big and index toes to hold the sandals in place. The top sole of the LACMA sandals is elegantly decorated with carved medallions under the balls of the foot and the heel. Each rondure consists of a central lotus blossom encircled by concentric bands of small roundels, chevrons, and overlapping scalloped motifs that also embellish the concave section of the sole under the instep.
Padukas were fashioned in a wide range of materials, including teak wood, sandalwood, silver, bronze, brass, ivory, and mother of pearl. They were worn by all strata of society, but were especially favored by Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain mendicants and saints because the small footprint of the platforms ensured that minimal harm was done to insects and vegetation. Padukas and symbolic footprints of religious and political leaders were also venerated in temples, domestic shrines, and places of pilgrimage.