Paduka

A wooden sandal used mainly by
ascetics. It consists of a wooden sole and
a mushroom-shaped front post, which
is gripped with first two toes for stability.
Padukas are used by ascetics not only
because of their cheapness and durability, but because they are completely free
of animal products such as leather,
which are considered impure. Aside
487
Paduka
Man sitting in the padmasana, or lotus posture. This sitting position is often used in yoga and meditation.
from their functional use as footwear,
after death an ascetic’s padukas will
often be kept by his (or, more rarely, her)
disciples, as a sign of their guru’s symbolic presence.