Malda Museum of Antiquities

Gouriswar Bhattacharya

Ifeltquiteflattered, as wellas honoured, whenDr. Satyabrata Bhattacharya, Publisher ofBAHAannualmagazine, asked me to write on the Malda (spelt also Maldaha) Museum, situated inNorth Bengal, anditsvaluable ancient artcollectionwhich is unfortunatelynotwell-known eventothepeople ofMalda itself, notto speakof West Bengal. The BengaliHindus aremoreinterestedtovisittheKalighat, Dakshineshwar orTarapith, but hardly interested to go toa museumto seeor studytheancientobjects of theirowncountry. This is nodoubt,dueto lackofpropereducationand interest in their past heritage. Withdue humblenessI maysay that there won't be a bettercandidate to writeon this museumthan myselfwho is bornand brought up in Malda(EnglishBazar) andwhoisstillengaged inthestudyofancient artandsculptureoftheIndian subcontinent.

Quiterecently whenIhadgoneto thewell-known eye-specialistofKolkata,Dr. Abhijiten, Ihadtheoccasion tomentionabouttheMaldaMuseum anditsexcellent collection ofstone

sculptures, mostly ofthe Pala period (8th - 12thcentury CE), because Dr. Sen is verymuchinterested in the ancient Indian art objects. He was verymuch surprised that althoughhe hadeen to Malda to attend a medical conference, he was not told by anybody there about the

existence of theMaldaMuseum. Dr. Senhowever, promised thatnexttimewhenhewill have thecasion tovisitMalda, he wouldsurely goto theMuseum tostudy thevaluable ancient objects

. ere. It isquite deplorable that neitherthe StateArcheological Department, nor the Museumorities, makeanynecessary advertisement fortheexistence ofsucha significant Museum in

northern partof modem WestBengal!

It isalso to be mentionedherethatno worthycatalogue of the Museumhaseverbeenblished, exceptinga skeleton, verythincatalogueof the sculptures, forwhichwe nodoubt,

MalaysankarBhattacharyya, the thenAsstt.Curatorof the Museum.Thisthin cataloguefirst published in November, 1982.This is a catalogue of stone sculptures, besides thisogue, noothercatalogue,eitheron coinsoron inscriptions or manuscripts, hasyet tocome

light. This worthy Museum is now under the jurisdiction of the West Bengal Provincialhaeological Department.

Historyofthe Museum: when I wasa studentof Class VII(1937) of the Malda Zilla001, the MaldaMuseum was founded. In the prefaceof his small catalogue, Malaysankarttacharyya gives the following information : "B. R. Sen, K. C. Barman and P. N. Misra

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formed thetriadwhoseinitiative ledto the foundation ofB. R. SenPublicLibrary & Museum.Inaugurated QY Dr. R. C. Mazumdarin 1937the Museumverysoonearnedreputationfor itscollection of sculptures, copperplateandstoneinscriptions, numerouscoins,hugenumberofmanuscripts andotherantiquities. In 1957the Museumwasseparated fromthe Public Libraryandchristened MaldaMuseum. [It wasopened bytheUnionMinister Prof. Humayun Kabir.] In1971 the Govt.ofWestBengal took over its liabilitiesand stepswere taken to open it to thepublic onallworking days".

B.R. Senwasthe mostenlightened DistrictMagistrate of Bengal, andK. C.Barmanand P. N. Misrawerethe mostenthusiasteducationist ofMalda, whowereresponsible fortheprecious collection ofthe MaldaMuseum.

MaldaMuseumis oneof the importantmuseums withrichcollection inBengal, bothWest Bengal andBangladesh. Reputed art-historians, likeProf. StellaKramrisch (University ofCalcutta), Prof. Herbert Haertel (ex-directoroftheMuseum ofIndianArt Berlin), Dr. PratapadityaPal (ex-seniorcurator ofthe LosAngeles CountyMuseum),Prof. Claudine Bautze-Picron(University of Brussels,Belgium), Mr. Gerd1. R. Mivissen(Berlin) andseveralotherforeignscholars, visited, studied andpublished thevaluable sculptures. FromIndia, themostrenownedscholarwho visitedand studiedthe inscribedsculptures, was Dr. DebalaMitra (theDirectorGeneral oftheArchaeologicalSurvey ofIndia). Andalmostall thescholars of BengalArt fromthedifferentUniversities oftheworld alsovisited to study theimportant several sculptures ofthisMuseum. Hence it is a pity that no well-knownscholar from WestBengal ever venturedtoprepare a scientific andscholarly catalogue oftheMaldaMuseum.

I illustrate a fewexcellent, stone sculptures ofthemuseum forthereaders ofthisarticle.I still rememberwhenI was youngand a studentof the MaldaZilla Shool in 1937, I wasverymuchattracted to a smoothblackstonetorsoofa seateddeitywhichwaskeptin thevaranda ofthePublicLibrary. At thattimeI hadnoknowledge whothisdeitywas,Hinduor Buddhist, butas a youthI was verymuchattractedto the black,smoothtorso.

Fig. 1 The headless and armless deity (l07 x 79 cm) sits in the royal position(maharajalilasana) on an exquisitelyworkedoutdouble-petaled lotus.He musthaveabook­offeringgesture(varada-mudra) in the righthandand the stalkofa full-blown lotusin the left(bothhandsaremissing),andhe wearsvariousornaments, and althougha Buddhistdeity, hewearsa longsacredthread(upavita). Theimage isoftheBodhisatvaAvalokiteshvara. It is fromHabibpurand is to be dated in the early 12thCentury. Creditgoesto K. C. Barmanto collectthisexquisite torso.

Fig. 2.Thisisacomplete stone image ofAvalokiteshvarasitting inlalitasanaonadouble­petaled lotus, his rightfootisplacedona smalllotusandcloseto thatfootkneelsdownthepreta

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orghostSuchimukhawithfolded hands begging nectar from thedeity, whoistwo-armed showingvaradamudra in the righthand. He wearsvariousornamentsand a long upavitaand in his longmatted haira tinyfigure ofthe transcendent BuddhaAmitabhais shown. He isattended uponbyTara tohisproperrightandthe four-armed Bhrikuti tohisproperleft. Histwoothercompanions,Sudhanakumaraand Hayagrivasit below inside the pedestal with the donour couple. On topinsidetheaureole, are shown seatedfigures of the fivetranscendent Buddhas,Amitabhain themiddle. This almostcompleteand beautiful stoneimage(l 09 x 56 cm), from Ranipur(Malda)belonging to the beginningofthe 12thCentury, wascollectedby P. N. Misra.

That Malda was a centre ofBuddhism, besides Hinduism, is well-known from theexistence of variousBuddhist images, the greatblack-stone imageofPrajnaparamita is oneofthem.The most important Buddhist text Prajnaparamitais well-known to the scholars, but asculptural representationofthe text isnotknownto many.

Fig. 3. This large and gorgeous blackstone imageofPrajnaparamita (l09 x 66 cm)from Gajole, Maldadist.,wascollected byK. C.Barman. Unfortunately this important image isbadlymutilated. Thegoddess sitsinVajraparyankasana holding perhaps thedharmachakra mudra,the stalkof two full-blown lotusespasses through thearms (damaged). She is attended uponby

vo deities each seated on a lotus. The goddess wearsvariousornaments, a crownand a longpavita. The pointed back-plate has the five seatedtranscendant Buddhas (wronglycalledbyescholars,Dhyani-Buddhas) andflying Vidyadharas eachcarrying a garland. Thisrare sculpture

should be dated in the 12thcentruryCE.

Besides the Buddhist imagesthe Malda Museum has innumerableHindu imagesof.hich a feware described below. It will be quite interesting for the readers and visitors of the

. Iuseum to know that Gazole in the Maldadistrictwasan importantcentreof the sun-cult and- veral early stone imagesofthe sun-godwerefoundin this area. MalaysankarBhattacharyya

referred tothirty-one stoneimages ofthedeity from the MaldaMuseuminhis smallcatalogue.e sun-god or Surya isan importeddeityof foreignorigin. He wears high boots, a tunicas his

ent, a varma or kavacha on his chest and holds two lotuses, one in each hand and rides a.ot drawnbysevenhorses, thecharioteerbeingthe leglessAruna.

Fig. 4. This Malda Museum black stone image of the sun-god (84 x 43 cm) fromole hasmanydeviations. His lower dressor paridhanavastrahas undulatingfoldsand it iswith a girdle to the waist and with a strap below. Ascarf flows from the backover his twos. He wearvarious ornaments, a long upavita, a tiara-likecrown andholds two full-blownes,one ineachhand. He isbare-footed.Asmallfemale Figureisshownbetweenhis legson

ofAruna. She should be Usha, though identified as Mahashveta. He is accompanied by, toproper right Pingala and Rajni (his wife) and to his proper left Nikshubha (his wife) and

-"-_ ...1 '; - . Thesevenhorses areshownbelow, threeoneachside, thecentral onewiththefrontalview.

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The imageis to be dated in the 9th Century. Thisearlyand interestingimagewas collectedbyK.C.Barman. t

OtherHindudeities

Fig.5. Malda Museum has a unique,largeblackstoneimageof Sarasvati(74x 38cm)withfourarms. Generally Sarasvati istwo-armedandsheplays vina, themusicinstrument. Sarasvatisitsona largedouble-petaled lotusin lalitasana, her leftlegisplacedonthe lotusand therightlegis pendant,the foot restson a small lotus,what is quiteunique, insteadof a goose(hamsa)thereis a ram (mesha) close to her foot. The Satapatha-Brahmanatells the storyhow Sarasvatigotaram fromIndrabecause she helpedhim to be curedfromillness.In WestBengal this is a uniqueimage. In Bangladesh, the VarendraResearch Museum in Rajshahi has several ofthis typeofSarasvati. Withher two front handsSarasvatiplaysvina (topdamaged),her two backhandsaredamaged, perhaps the back right hand held an akshamala and the back left had a pustaka.Sarasvati wears various ornaments and her hair is tied to a bun and placed above her head,which is quiteearly, althoughthe image shouldbelongto the 12thCentury. She sitson a throne,theback-restof whichis shownwithleogryph andelephant andon toptwogeesewithomamentedtail as a part of the throne, are shown. There are Vidyadharas against clouds on top and asprawlinglotus and below on the pedestal donorsand adorantsare shown.This rare imagewasalso collected by K. C. Barman from Malda.

Fig. 6. The Malda Museum has also a large (107 x 48 cm) and unique black stonefigureofVarahi, Shakti ofVishnu as Varaha, four-armed and seatedon a double-petaledlotus.Thepot-belliedgoddessholds in her backhandsa swordand a shieldand in her frontrighthanda fish(matsya) and a pot in her front lefthand.Shewearsvariousornamentsand alsoanupavita.Shesitsinlalitasana, herrightfootbeingplacedona running malefigure (nara-vahana). Vidyadharasand Kirtimukhaare shown on topand donorsbelowon the pedestal.The imageshouldbedatedin the 11th century. This unique imageis fromPichhli,Maldadist.,and acquiredbythe Govt.ofWestBengal.

Fig. 7. This is a large black stone image (147 x 76 cm.) ofGauri practising penance(tapasviniparvati according to N. P. Joshi).This imagewas collectedfrom Bholahat,Rajshahi(now in Bangladesh) by Shibendusekhar Roy. The four-armed goddess with jata-mukuta andupavita stands on a double-petaled lotus below which there is an alligator (godha).Hence sheshouldbe calledgauri (godhasanabhavedgauri). Sheshowsvarada-mudrawithher lowerrighthand and counts akshamala in the upper right (damaged). She stands in between the Bananaplants(rambha-vana) attended uponbytwofemale companions eachholding aflywhisk(chamara)and there is a deer (mriga)to her properrightand a lion(simha)to her proper left.Thereare four(7) fire-places(agni-kunda) on her both sides,a Shiva-lingaabove her right hand and crescentmoon and solar disc on both sides.The imageshould be dated in the 11 th century.

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Asis usual inBengal, theMaldaMuseum hasa large numberof stone Vishnu images,forty-three innumber, from anearlyperiod tothelateperiod whenthedeity hasa fully developedform. Forourreaders weillustrate anearlyform ofthedeity (whichmayappeartobeunusual),as wellas a late one.

Fig.8.This is a quiteearly,c. 8thcentury CE sandstoneimageoffour-armedVishnufrom Gajole, measuring 91x 41 cm.,andiseffaced. Vishnu wears vanamala (agarland of forestflowers, typical forthegod), anda crown. Heholds afruit (round object?) inhisfront righthandandplaces hisbackrighthandonthepersonified chakra (Chakrapurusha), inhisupperlefthandhehasa shankha(conch), andheputshis lowerbackhandonthepersonified gada(gadadevi).This is a very significant image for the development ofVishnu images from Eastern India.Unfortunately, theimageiswrongly described astwoarmed in thecatalogue. (RVS-38).

Fig. 9. For a fullydevelopedformthe MaldaMuseumhas several stone imagesofVishnu, even inscribed. A fully developed form of Vishnu where Vishnu stands insamapadasthanaka poseona full-blown lotus, holding shankha, chakra, gadaandpadmaandisattendedupon by Lakshmi(properright)and Sarasvati (properleft). Shankha-and Chakra­purushahave appearedat this time.Vidyadharas and Kirtimukhaare on top and Garudaanddonors arebelowon thepedestal. Theimage is from Maldaandcollected byP. N.Misra. It is tobedatedin the 12thCentury.

Fig. 10.MaldaMuseum hasafewsculptures ofblackstone imageof themostpopulardeity ofBengal, DurgaMahishasuramardini. Sheiseight-armed (ashtabhuja), notaspresent dayten-armed (dasha-bhuja). Sheputsherrightlegon thebuffalo-demon, herleft legisplaced onthelotus pedestal, thelionhermount(vahana) isbehind herleftleg. Shehasdifferent weapons inhersixhands, withone ofthe righthandswiththe trident(trishula) shepiercesthechestofthedemonandpullshis hairwith the frontlefthand. Shehasa female companion holding a swordanda shield. Vidyadharas andaKirtimukhaareontopandthedonors arebelowonthepedestal.Thestoneimage(97 x 48 cm) is from EnglishBazar, Malda,and is acquiredbythe Govt. ofWest Bengal.

Fortheillustrations ofthisarticle (plate No. 12-15)1 amthankful tomyGerman friendGerd1.R.Mevissen of Berlin, whoalsovisited theMaldaMuseum.

About the author: Prof. Gouriswar Bhattacharya served Visva-Bharati, in its Sanskrit Manuscriptdepartment and as an Epigraphist under Prof. D. C. Sircar at Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu in his earlyprofessional career. After obtaining Ph.D from Basel, Switzerland he worked at the Museum ofIndian Art in Berlin. At present he is attached to the Free University of Berlin, Germany. He is adistinguished author and has published a good number of research papers in his area"of interest.

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Plate 12Fig. 1 - The headless and armless deity (107 x 79 cm)

Fig. 2 - Stone image of Avalokiteshvara(l09 x 56cm) .

Fig. 4 - Black stone image of the Sun God(84 x 43cm)

Fig.3- Black stone image of Prajnaparamita(109x66cm)

Fig. 5 Black stone image of Sarasrati(74 x 38 cm)

Plate 13

Fig.6 - Black stone image of Varaha (107 x 48 cm) ,~

Fig.8 - An early 8th Century Sand stone imageof four-arrmed Vishnu (91 x 41 cm)

Fig.7 - Large black stoneTrTlagemGauripracticing penance (147 x 76 cm)

Fig.9 - A stone image of Vishnu Stands inSamapadasthanaka pose

Plate 14

Fig. 10 - Black stone image of Durga Mahishasuramardini (97 x 48 cm)

Plate 15

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Seventh Year 2013: Seventh Issue

Part-ICollectionofessaysand literarynotes in English

Published by

'-

Dr.Satyabrata Bhattacharya, ChairmanBinapaniEducational andWelfare Trust&

FormerPrincipal, MaulanaAzadCollege, KolkataRedg. & CityOffice: BB 46/5, Salt Lake City, Kolkata700064

Tel:91-9339926956, email:binapaniashram71@yahoo.com

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BahaMonth and Year ofPublication:March,2014

Chief Patron and Advisor: Dr. Pratapaditya PalFormerly General Editor of Marg.Magzine ofArts,Art Historian, author and recipient ofPadmasree Award

Publisher:Dr. Satyabrata BhattacharyaChairman, Binapani Educational and Welfare TrustRedg.& City Office: BB 46/5, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700064Rural Education and Training Centre:Binapani Ashram, Mouldanga, Sriniketan 731236Contact; 91-9339926956

Editors:Part-IDr. Debashish BanerjiProf. ofIndian Studies, University ofLos AngelesAdjunct Prof. Pasadena City College, LAArt Historian and a renowned author on fine Arts & Sculptures

Dr. Biswadeb ChatterjeeAsso. Professor & Head of Economoics Deptt.Durgapur Govt. College, Distinguised author andJt. Editor ofCommunique ,Acad. Jour. Durgapur Govt. College.

Front and Back cover photographs:Front cover: Portrait study ofRabindranath Tagore at Millais mansion in South Kensington,London (1920) by Emil Otto Hoppe, Courtesy: E.O. Hoppe's Estate Collection at CuratorialAssistance, Inc. Pasadena, California, USABack cover: Resident junior girls ofBinapani Ashram participating in the annual Tree PlantationCeremony. Photograph courtesy, Dipankar Sengupta, Binapani Ashram Trustee and formerteacher ofMoulana Azad College, Kolkata.

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