A Note on the Crowned Buddha in Bharat Kala Bhavan
By Lalit Kumar
Summary
Lalit Kaumar’s article examines a standing crowned Buddha sculpture in the Bharat Kala Bhavan collection, accession number 21866, which the author identifies as a beautiful example of the Eastern Indian school of medieval sculpture. The main argument centers on the unique features of this stela, particularly its representation of the seven great miracles of the Buddha’s life and the absence of the descent from the Tavatimsa heaven at Sankisa. The author notes that the main figure stands in samapadasthānaka attitude with the right hand in abhaya and the left in vara, holding a full-bloomed lotus. The sculpture is adorned with a necklace and karṇaphalaka in the ears, and rests on a pedestal with seven-fold projections decorated with lotus scroll and a double lotus. The back-slab, which is plain and curvilinear at the top, contains high-relief carvings of the seven miracles arranged in four registers. The bottom register features a seated figure in bhadrāsana, a middle one in padmāsana, and a recumbent figure at the top representing the great demise. The author discusses the identification of specific miracles, such as the subjugation of Nalagiri, the first sermon at Sarnath, and the attainment of enlightenment at Bodhgaya, noting the absence of identifying features in some cases. The article also highlights the unique depiction of the Buddha’s drapery in the bhūmisparśa mudrā, where the right shoulder is bare, a trend observed in other Eastern Indian stelae. Kaumar references R.D. Banerji’s monumental work, *Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture* (Calcutta, 1938), to contextualize the iconographic trends and the unique phenomena of the violation and development of icons in the Eastern Indian school. The author concludes that the standing Buddha cannot represent the descent from Tavatimsa, suggesting instead a solar association of the Buddha as a god of sunrise and dawn, symbolized by the upturned fingers of the left hand inviting followers toward emancipation from the cycle of life and death. The article also thanks O.P. Tandon, O.S.D., for reproducing the photograph.
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Conclusion
The crowned Buddha stele from the Bharat Kala Bhavan collection represents a remarkable and highly distinctive artifact within the Eastern Indian school of medieval sculpture. Its primary significance lies in its unique iconographic and structural elements, notably the standing crowned Buddha holding full-bloomed lotuses in a *Katakamukhi* gesture, a feature that sets it apart from standard stelae. The analysis of the seven registers depicting the Buddha’s life reveals a deliberate compositional harmony, though the absence of the Descent from Tavatimsa heaven necessitates a reevaluation of the stele's specific narrative function. The author concludes that the iconography, particularly the dual lotuses and specific hand gestures, may allude to a solar association, symbolizing the Buddha as a deity of dawn and an inviter to liberation. This study underscores the school's innovative approach to Buddhist iconography, where sculptural form and gesture convey profound theological concepts beyond mere narrative depiction.