Lakhi Sarai, An Indian Site of Late Buddhist Iconography and Its Position within the Asian Buddhist...

Lakhi Sarai, An Indian Siteand Its Position within

of Late Buddhist Iconography,the Asian Buddhist World

Claudine Bautze-picron

The final phase of Buddhist art in India has drawn the attention of nu-merous scholars. In Bihar, Bodh Gaya, Nälandä or Antichak, are well knownsites where excavations have been carried out or where the sculptural materialhas already been the object of research, but many other villages have yieldedremains and the Tibetan authors mentioned a number of other Buddhistmonasteries, the precise location of which still remains unknown or doubtful.Buddhist images have been collected in villages distributed all over Bihar. Someof those places were certainly major Buddf,ist centres, like e.g. Kurkihär orGhosrävän-Teträvän. Some oth.. ones, Giryek, Hassanpur i.a., appear to havebeen of reduced importance but because oriheir geographicat äistrluution, theyprove the existence of large areas around the main centres, where the -Buddhistcommunity could exert its influence. one of those main monastic centres, stillunconsidered, was located in the region of Lakhi Sarai.As a matter of fact, a Buddhist community must have extensively settledin the llth c' in a relatively large area arouna ihe modern city of Lakhi Saraj.Although the place has been visited since the rgth c., only very little waswritten about it and in her book dealing with ,paia_Sena, sculpture, Susan L.

Xäjtrtl?n mentions onlv one fragmentary image of the Buddha (here: image

The village of Rajaona is located North of Lakhi Sarai (see the map 2).There' a group of large architectural remains of a Hindu temple, dated inthe 5th or 6th e., has been recovered.r,r At the place calred chauki orAshokdam,G) a Targe number of Hindu images are scattered in the village andin the neighbouring fields, most of them ouäng uu.k to the 9th and 10th c.(4)only some later broken Buddhist images "oita be observed in this village(images A.5, 6, 12 to lil.

A Buddhist vihara must have stood at Indapaigarh, South of Lakhi sarai,in the 7th c' when a number of images of the'giaoha were carved.rur Thesite seems to have been neglected aftJrwards, if not aband.oned, and only afew r'mages of a much later period ^*gl discovered, like a pedestal which pro-bably supported a representation of Vislruo and un i*ug, of Vtahatata ( ?)clearly related to the ic_onography observed at Lakhi Sarai (infra).t,rAt Jaynagat and Hassanpu., two villages located South of iakhi Sarai, atKiul, North of Lakhi Sarai oi at valgudar, -further

North, at Ghosikundi, SouthEast of the town and on the other side of the Kiul river, late Buddhist imaees

240 s. R. A. 4,.. rr (1991/92)

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Bautze-Picron: Lakhi Sarai 241

were collected. The material can be dated from the 1lth to the 13th c. and

includes a number of inscriptions incised on the pedestal which mention different

Päla monarchs, which allows us to consider a rather precise chronology. Those

images compose a homogeneous stylistic group and their study allows us further

to ascribe to the atelier of Lakhi Sarai a number of stelae which appeared on

the art market in recent years.

Images related to the Lakhi Sarai production were also recovered at An-tichakr') and at Rajgir.tsr These two sites are located on a road which starts

in Bihar, probably at Bodh Gayä, and goes northeast along the Ganga after

having passed through Lakhi Sarai. Late Buddhist images were indeed found

at Sultanganj, Pätharghdtä or Colgong, beside Antichak, all places distributed

along the Ganga river (see map l).t'oi Between them and Lakhi Sarai, Armä

and Uren have also yielded evidence of a late Buddhist community in the

region.t"r Further east, the road goes towards Burma passing through Sou-

theast Bangladesh, i.e. Vikramapura. Stone images found in the region testify

to the existence of relation with Burma and with the Himalayan range in the

l2th and 13th c.t',r At an earlier period already, in the l0th c., the linkwith Magadha, and more particularly with Nälandä, is well attested by the

presence of images belonging to the Nälandä idiom.t"r The extension of the

Lakhi Sarai influence spread northwards up to Simräongarh in Mithila,t'nt a place

located on the road descending from Nepal to Bihar and which was visited inthe early part of the 13th c. by Dharmasvämin on his way to Bodh Gayä.t'ur

Lakhi Sarai appears thus to be located at the crossing of at least two

roads, one going towards Nepal (and Tibet), one going eastwards. Along these

roads, were discovered testimonies of a Buddhist presence, at times belonging

to the 1lth and l2th c., i.e. contemporary to the material unearthed at LakhiSarai. The iconographic types observed on this site can also be seen in other

places or seem to be exclusively found in the region of Lakhi Sarai. Beside,

whereas the types belong to the known Buddhist iconography of India or

abroad, one local type, the Goddess with child, is developed.t'ur When con-

sidering the late development of the Buddhist iconography in Bihar or Bengal,

it is usually stressed that there lies the origin of the later Tibetan Buddhist

iconography. The l'earsome deities were known in India, but they usually appear

integrated within the representation of other peaceful deities, e.g. Yamäntaka

appears with MafijuSri, Hayägriva with Avalokitesvara. Some rare independant

images of similar deities are found after the 10th c., e.g. Nairätma, Mahakäla,Yamäntaka distributed in Bihar and Bengal. The same applies to the represen-

tations of yab-yum known only through very fafe examples. Those images

belong to the last phase of the development in India, which approximately

coincides with the formative phase in Tibet. At that period, lrom the l lthupto the 13th c., Tibefan monks used to sfudy in India and we cannat exclude

ttie possibility that the plastic representation of fearsome deities or of yab-yum,

emerged within this particular context in which Tibetan monks took an active

a/1 s. R. A. 4.. tL (t99t /92)

pan.As we noticed here-above, no early example of Buddhist art is found in

the close surrounding of Lakhi Sarai. On the contrary, pre-Päla Buddhistmaterial was recovered from Indapaigarh, South of Lakhi Sarai or from Sul-tanganj located East of the site, along the Ganga. These two sites have yieldedonly very few sculptures which date back to the l2th c.t"r while the Buddhistmaterial collected in the area of Lakhi Sarai, Nongarh, Armä, Uren or Jamuit"rdates from the l lth to the 13th c. A. Cunningham excavated a stüpa at theplace called Birdaban, located on the eastern side of the Kiul river. Accordingto him, the monument could not be earlier than the 9th or 10th c. and he

proposed the date of 10th or llth c. for the seals which he discovered in themonument.('n) Further, he also found four bronze images and a 'steatile' (sic!)image of the Buddha; while we do not know where these objects are presentlypreserved,r'ot it is impossible to propose any opinion on this very image, butthe very stone in which the Buddha image was carved is probably the pyro-phyllite used from Tibet up to Burma from the l1th to the 13th c.

Some rare images of Sürya, Vig{ru or even Manasä were carved at LakhiSarai in the second part of the I2th c. or even Tater (images A. 27, C.9 toll-figs. 25, 39, 40). They will not constitute the central point of our discus-sion although we must stress the strong stylistic closeness which these lateHindu images betray with the Buddhist material on the one hand, with theHindu images discovered at Simräongarh on the other hand.t,'r This site,located in South Nepal, was on the route leading from Magadha to Nepal, andfurther North, to Tibet, as we know from Dharmasvämin's travel account.(,,)However, between the earlier Hindu images at Lakhi Sarai and the late group,there is no stylistic continuity. Furthermore, since no evidence of Buddhist artprior to the llth c. can be found at the site, we have to turn to other Bud-dhist sites of Bihar for tracing the origins of the Lakhi Sarai atelier during thelate period. It becomes then also evident that the production of Hindu imagesin the late l2th c. makes intensive use of the stylistic vocabulary introducedby the Buddhist material. Buddhism appears then as the dominant religion inthe area, and tends to absorb iconographic types of purely Hindu origin: thenumerous images of the Goddess with the child clearly belong to the icono-graphic type of Pärvati and childt"r although their donators are given for beingdevotees of the Mahäyäna.

The production of the atelier of Lakhi Sarai can be quite properly datedsince a number of stelae bear an inscription mentioning the name of a kingand at times, a more precise dating. a) The first inscription which is relevantt,orhere was mentioned by D. C. Sircar who, unfortunately, did not provide anyphotograph of it or of the inscribed image seen at Rajaona. We have alreadyexpressed elsewhere our opinion about this question and suggested that theinscription was perhaps seen on the image of the Devi with child which wasphotographed at Rajaona in the 19th c. and which is not to be seen anymore

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in the village (here image A.23:fig. 2l).r,'1 The inscription states that theimage was donated during Nayapäla's reign, i.e. around 1038-1055; further, itgives the name of the Goddess, i.e. Punde6vari. b) A fragmentary image foundat Naulagarh, North of the Ganga, must be mentioned (image B.2).r,ui As amatter of fact, it illustrates an iconography commonly met with at Lakhi Sarai,the Goddess with child. It was dedicated in the regnal year 24 of Vigrahapäla(III),(") i.e. around 1066. Naulagarh has also yielded a l2th c. fragmentaryinscription which mentions a vihdra, the name of which does not clearly appearin the partly destroyed inscription.r"r Precisely dated images are concentratedaround 1150 during Madanapäla's reign, but unfortunately, only the pedestalsof three such inscribed images have survived. c) The first one was recentlypublished by F.M. Asher, it is dated samvat 1201, i.e. ll44 A.D., thus at thevery beginning of the reign of this king (image A. 1l).r,ni d) The second pede-stal was inscribed in the year 14 of the reign, i.e. in ll57 A.D. (image 10:fig. 10). e) As to the third one, it was unfortunately not photographed byD. C. Sircar who published its inscription dated in the regnal year 18, i.e. in1161 A.D.; this pedestal used to support probably an image of Visnu since theinscription names the god Näräyaf a. (image A. 28;.r'oi f) From the end of thecentury, the Purfe6vari preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum, is datedin the regnal year 35 of Palapäla (image A.26:fig. 24i). g) The last image tobe mentioned here shows Jambhala and was installed in the year 70 of theLaksmar,rasena era, i.e. 1249 A.D. (image A.ll:fig. l5). The inscription isincised in bhaiksuki and not nägari, characters. As it was recently pointed outby G. Bhattacharya,(31) this script was most probably used by the Buddhistmonks from the 10th c. and onwards mainly in Monghyr district, since nu-^mf.roli.s ol^he.r era^mp^le-s we,te €.I-so .tead a! Ltre,n, a s.iJe ,\arrtJed ,n# I'e.T'r%r- c?wt|.from Lakhi Sarai, on the eastern road (see map 1); other isolated examples ofsuch a writing were discovered in Malda districtt',r and at Kara in the Alla-habad district.t"r

This concentration of dated images within a rather short span of time isnoteworthy. However, a very precise dating of the remaining material appearsto be difficult. The early Hindu phase came to an end in the course of the10th c. probably while the late Buddhist (and secondarily Hindu) productionseems to have started in the second half of the llth c. The period duringwhich the late Buddhist phase developed is relatively short, and this explainsprobably the strong stylistic unity which relates all the images together.

Moreover, while the early phase concentrated on the northern part of LakhiSarai, only few late Buddhist images were discovered in the area around Chauki.A shift then took place, in the course of l lth c. perhaps, and the late phaseof the l2th and l3th c. concerns images discovered in the southern part ofLakhi Sarai, at Jaynagar, Hassanpur, Ghosikundi or Nongarh. Isolated remainsfrom Armä and Uren date back to the l2th c.: they assume the link with sitesIocated further east, like Sultanganj, Colcong, Pätharghatä or Antichak where

s. R. A. A., rr (1991/92)

images have been discovered, which bear similarities to images from the Lakhi

Sarai area as we already mentioned.But those images do not inform us about the origin of the Lakhi Sarai

atelier. With respect to this aspect of the problem, which is not central to our

present study, we must refer to earlier and contemporary images from various

parts of Bihar located south of the Ganga.

The very clear composition of the back-slab, which is often bare, and on

which the various motifs distributed are detached from the slab, reminds of the

composition observed on earlier images from Kurkihär. The pleated cloth

attached to the diadem and which falls regularly on both shoulders was also

observed in a similar form at Kurkihär. The atelier of this site produced only

very f,ew stone images after the end of the 9th c. However' the monastery

was still in use since a large number of bronze images dating to the 1lth and

l2th c.t"nt were discovered there, in fact making the site famous. Thus, we may

suppose that the stone material of Kurkihär was at least partly at the origin

of in. late production at Lakhi Sarai, an influence seems probable even though

it merged with influences arising from other places.

Some images can also be related to the contemporary production at Nälandä

or in the neifhbouring area of Teträvän / Ghosrävän (see map 1)' The two

standing Buddha images (images 2 and 3:figs. 2 and 3) can be rightly com-

pared ö ,o11. similai images from Teträväni"r: not only do they illustrate the

iurrr. iconography in one case,(,ur but they also integrate motifs seen on images

from Tetr avän, e. g. the particularly elaborate treatment of the throne, the flames

at the nimbus in one case (image 2) or on the edge of the slab in both cases

(images 2 and 3) also observed at the nimbus on one Teträvän example.(s?)

The structural composition of the back-slab is also similar, with the two repre-

sentations of the seated Buddha in zone drast en either side of the nimbus, the

umbrella crowning the composition, the two triangular fleurons on either side

of the nimbus, ttr-e folds indicated on the dress of the central and main Buddha

image whereas the dress is plain on the secondary Buddha images.(3'g) lt appears

how-ever, that the two images from Lakhi Sarai are later than the Teträvän

stelae. The treatment is much more crisp, the dress is diaphanous as if non-

existent, the surface of the body is flat and the folds are simply incised whereas

on the Teträvän images, the dress is thicker. The falling folds on either side

of the legs are indicated in one case (image 2) by simply incised parallel lines

while on the second example (image 3), the upper edge follows a waving line

and the lower one is straight. The two high fleurons on either side of the nimbus

are integrated within a stiict triangular profile, eventually underlined by a thick

line (imäge 3) whereas they are much smaller and do not show this strictly

delineated shape at Teträvän. Scrolls ate a common motif encountered at

Nälandä or Teträvän on the cross-bar or on the sustaining pillarstnor but the

observation made about the treatment of the folds remains here valid: the scrolls

as we see them on the two Lakhi Sarai stelae, are incised and not carved in

Bautze-Picron: Lakhi Sarai

low relief as it is the case elsewhere. Only late examples show this treatmentat Nälandä.tn'r

Thus, these two standing Buddha images (figs. 2 and 3) belong to thetradition initiated at Nälandä and Teträvän, although they are later than theTeträvän material but probably contemporary to the late Nälandä images.

Simultaneously, they clearly illustrate features observed on the other images

discovered in the region of Lakhi Sarai. Very few images include the architec-tural throne on the back-slab but the very linear and flat treatment of the motifwhich is also clearly delineated, is a stylistic feature of the site.

Some images include the flame motif on the back-slab (A. 18, 22,21, C.3:figs. 16,20,25,33): concentric bands cover the entire surface, flames ateindicated by a regularly repeated single unit which is incised. The concentricrows are clearly separated by a deep line. In some cases, the main deity sits

above a flat cushion eventually adorned by scrolls which are also incised (images

C.2 to 4:figs. 32 to 34). Elsewhere, concentric lines are incised on the un-carved back-slab (images

^.J, 2}:figs.7, 18). The flat relief of the royal

throne on the two Buddha images as well as the incised motifs of scrolls, lotuspetals or gems adorning it or the incised concentric rows of flames or of singlelines, create a smooth background to the representation of the deity and itsattendants or to motifs distributed in zone A, such as flying figures, attendants,tiny images of the Buddha, the monstrous face, the pipal tree, the umbrella,the jewel motif and the caitya(s). When figured, these elements are carvedin high relief as is simply superimposed on the back-slab. Moreover, they areclearly separated from each other. The overwhelming scrolls coming out ofthe mouth of the monstrous face are rarely met with in the region (4.23, C.10:fig. 2l),to,t they are usually very much reduced to two narrow side volutes(images A.24 to 27:flgs. 22 to 25; see in particular frg. 24 where the fallingscrolls are carved in flat relief, in contradistinction to the ascending scrolls).The scroll motif is not altogether ignored however, since it is related to theiconographic motif of the flve Jinas. As such, it seems to appear towards theend of the llth c. On the Tärä image from Teträvän which is dated in theregnal year 2 of Rämapäla, i.e. c. l074,tn"t a small lotus flower appears abovethe beaded nimbus, below the tiny image of Amoghasiddhi; some forty yearslater, this flower has been transformed into the covering scrolls as is shown onthe AvalokiteSvara image from Candimau, dated in the year 42 of Rämapäla'sreign, c.lll4.ant There, as on the other examples illustrated here, the volutesend in five lotus-seats on which are distributed the Jinas (images A.8, 9, 21,C. l:figs. 8, 9, 19, 31). The image of Avalokite6vara seated above the lion(fig. 9) integrates a nimbus similar to the nimbus of the Candimau image wherea row of neatly cut petals forms the outer band of the nimbus. On the con-trary, on the other images, the nimbus is either plain (A.7, 20, 23, 25:figs.7, 18, 2I, 23) or transforms itself into a mandorla (image A.2l:fig. l9),presenting then the plain surface usually observed.

aÄ<

s. R. A. ^.,

il (r99r/92)

The large oval nimbus appears in a few examples, with the edge underlinedby a narrow recess (images A.7, 8:figs.7,8), by two larger bands (image A.26:fi9. 24) on the otherwise bare back-slab. In a few examples, a much sim-plified throne is carved below it: the elaborate triangular fleuron seen aboveon the two standing Buddha images (A.4, 23, 25:figs. 4, 21, 23) is replacedby a rhomboid-shaped unadorned element (A. 5, 2L, 26, C.2, 4:figs. 5, lg, 24,32, 34). The cross-bar of the throne ends into two half-trefoiled tips and issupported by two pillars, the capital of which is composed of superimposedrecesses of various heights. This half trefoil reappears on the pedestal of someimages (A. 6, 8, 22:figs. 6, 8, 20). Highly stylised drapery hangs on eitherside of the throne (images A.26, C. 4, 5, 6:figs. 24, 34, 35, 36).

The tendency to introduce a clear distribution of spaces by separating veryclearly the various motifs, is also to be noticed when divine musicians or hamsasare depicted on either side of the nimbus (images A. l, c.6:figs. l, 36-withmusicians, or B. 1, 3, c.5-figs. 26,2J,35 - with hamsas). on those examples,the tails are carefully detailed in tiny scrolls which are maintained within astrict outer line. The general outline of the motif reminds of the strict trian-gular ffeurons seen on the standing Buddha images. The surface around thenimbus and the hamsas or divine musicians remains unadorned and polished.In some cases, the outer band of the nimbus reproduces the flames seen onthe edge of the back-slab, in contradistinction then with the images where theupper part of the back-slab is covered by the scrolls whereas the nimbus areais completely uncarved (images A. 8, 9, 21, C. 7:figs. 8, 9, 19, 3l). In bothcases, the effect of dramatization is achieved, by creating an opposition betweenhighly detailed zones and polished and uncarved areas.

A similar opposition between highly polished surfaces, on the one hand,and those carved in an extremely detailed manner, on the other, occurs in thetreatment of the divine body. The jewellery is carved with great precision: thearmlets, highly pointed and elongated, are attached to a jewelled band; thegirdle is composed of a large jewelled band to which beaded loops may beattached; the heavy jewel hanging between the legs, can be shaped ljke anelaborate lotus flower (images A.20, 21, 22, 24...). An elongated gemcomposes the centre of the necklace, smaller stones attached to it, are like thepetals of a flower, a row of small lotus flowers hangs on the outer edge ofthe necklace. The upav[ta follows usually a very sinuous line and is workedout in high relief like the other elements of the jewellery. The loin cloth fallingacross the thighs is also carved in very high relief as if detached from its back-ground, which creates a strange feeling of unreality; it is closed on one sideby an elaborate knot which is similar to the knot of the drapery adorning thethrone on either side. This knot ends in parallel and narrow folds with shortwave-like extremities. The (too) perfectly twisted loin-cloth on the hips as wellas the similarly twisted flying ribbons which are attached to the pleated fansabove the ears, are typical of the site with their highly simplified but stylised


and at the same time sophisticated treatment. On images recovered in othersites, on the contrary, the more organic treatment does not contain the samedepth, it is more flat and also less stylised. This strong tendency towardsstylization, implying at a cerlain degree a deep simplification, was already notedin relation to the carving of the Buddha's dress, and can be likewise observedin the way of working out the shawl across the chest or the skirt around thelegs. The folds can be either incised or indicated by lines in low relief whichare distributed at a regular distance. Folds may be ignored, in a few cases,which accentuates the opposition between the polished surfaces of the body Iies and the intricate detailed back-slab (images A. 1, 8.3, c.s:figs. l, 27,35).

The work of the atelier of Lakhi Sarai shows evidently signs of relationwith the production of other centres, e.g. of Teträvän. But images fromNälandä betray also similarities to i.a. remains of images stlll in situ at Chauki(images A. 5, 6:figs. 5, 6). Beside one such fragmentary image seen at Nälandä(image B. 6:fig. 30), to further stelae preserved in London can be introduced,one discovered at Rajgir (image B. 1:fig. 26i), the other one, of unknown origin,but which can be rightly linked to the group under consideration (image C.6:fig. 36). These three stelae share with one image at Chauki (fig. 6) the muchstylised small drapery falling below the lotus-seat whereas the round pillars onthe central bay are observed on a second image from Chauki (fig. 5). More-over, these two images found at the site, are depictions of the crowned Buddhalike the Nälandä fragment or the Victoria and Albert Museum image. Two furtherrepresentations of the crowned Buddha may be introduced here. The first onewas collected at Antichak (image B.3:fig. 27), the second one is of unknownorigin (image C. 5:fig. 35). Both show the Buddha standing and displayingthe abhayamudrd. However, they compose, together with the above-mentioned.images of the seated Buddha, a stylistically and iconographically coherent group.When standing, the Buddha shows the abhayamudrd, when seated the bhümi-spariamudra. On one image from Rajaona (fig. l), Avalokitesvara, on theproper right of the Buddha, more probably displayed the varadamuclra whileMaitreya, on the other side, showed the abhayamudra. On the other examples,AvalokiteSvara has the right hand in abhayamudra in lront of the chest whileMaitreya holds the aksamdlq in the right hand turned towards the chest.rnurTwo images illustrate the thema of the Buddha surrounded by four majorBodhisattvas, i.e. Avalokitesvara, Maifteya, Mafrjusri and vairapäni (imagesB. 1, c. 6:fi9. 26, 36), an iconographic thema related to the Astamahäbod-hisattva depiction which is often met with at Nälandä or even at Ghosrävän.(,u)The group of four Bodhisattva appears also as such on images from Kurftifu51.rnzr

But Lakhi Sarai did not only entertain relationships with Buddhist centreslocated in old Magadha, it was also open to sites located east from it. Wealready mention the crowned Buddha from Antichak (image 8.3:fig. 27).Some more stelae from this site should be considered here, like the represen-tation of MahäSri Tärä (image B.4:fig. 28), the lower part of a seated deity

) ^'7

s. R. A. 4., 1r (t991/92)

displaying the varadctmudra (image B. 5:fig. 29) which belong with the crowned

Buddha to a single group illustrating the refined and highly sophisticated style

of the atelier at Lakhi Sarai. The two 'running' nagas below the MahäSri Tärä

constitute a commonly observed motif in the llth and l2th c. from Pagan up

to Alchi or Khara Khoto, as we shall see below. Besides, the iconographictype of MahäSri Tära appears also to have been paricularly developed in the

course of the l2th c. from the region of Nälandä-Teträvän-Ghosrävän up toAntichak whereas it spread then up to Pagan and Tibet (see below). A quite

large number of Hindu and Buddhist images have been recovered at Antichak,which might be the old Vikrama6ila.rn'r While most of the Hindu material

can be dated in the 9th and 10th c., the Buddhist bronzes and stone sculp-

tures appear to have been produced in the two subsequent centuries. These

sculptures betray a stylistic eclectism which has already been noticed by Susan

L. Huntington; she very rightly underlines the influence of the Bodh Gaya

atelier on the representations of the crowned Buddha at Antichak, omittinghowever the image under consideration here (image B. 3) which does not belong

to the stylistic trend influenced by Bodh Gayä.t*nr Various other images were

recovered at Colgong or Pätharghata, two sites located in the surrounding ofAntichak.r'or On the road between Lakhi Sarai and this area, images have been

recovered at Sultanganj and Uren (fig' 41),t"t a village located in the vicinityof Armä where a l2th c. Buddhist inscription has been discovered.t"t Isolated

images were found at Jamui, south of Lakhi Sarai.tuur

The artists of Lakhi Sarai thus produced a very characteristic style. Atfirst glance, the highly polished treatment of the surface, the very carefullydelineated volumes might give an impression of coldness, if not of hardness or

even abstraction (e.g. the twisted sash accross the legs or the twisted flying

ribbons). The extremely detailed carving of the ornaments, dresses or jewellery,

harmoniously interrupts these polished and smooth surfaces. The lines are

drawn with strength, helping to establish a clear distinction and separation

between the different volumes, introducing also a dynamic movement within the

much hieratic and static position of the deities. This dynamism is partly related

to the increasing depth of the image: the back-slab at Lakhi Sarai can be

adorned with an incised motif made of a repeated element, e.g. the concentricrows of flames. This rather simplified treatment of the back-slab as well as the

clearly limited spaces occupied by motifs like the flying figures i.a., cteate avisually open space whereas on contemporary images from other sites in Bihar

and Bengal, the back-slab usually closes the space behind the representation ofthe deity, being adorned with elaborated motifs such as the royal throne or the

scrolls running down either side of the nimbus (e.g. compare images C. 10 and

c. 11).The freedom which the artist found in creating deep relief, culminated in

three-dimensional images. The back-slab is open around the body of the cen-

tral deity, freeing this body from the slab. The back of the image is then


:ir.3Xt_:l:.1,G.".",0r._l7u). Th9 im3ee is then free_standing (images A. lelj^! t;!r, 17,.38).

.The portrait or the äc:arya (iJw). rrrs purLr-arL or tne acarya (rmage C.4:fig. 34) illu_strates this capacity to introduce dynamic lines within the comnnsirinn onÄ +^the composition and to:T,:t:,*.,:,1jn^:l*: 113..:,

r.u_dile to u q"u;i ;ilä ä,,äi'i##",,ll.4ös \btrE

lf;,1n.",ff:tl* :ljn:"t.,q: ?f ,1: acarya, the torsion of his body, the positionof his right arm and of his head).

Y.*::^:.ry1:1tr "evoked th3 gliytence of iconographic and stytistic simi_

13:'*: o.j:._.;,

"

tT::..:. .no-. ll., L,akhi

.s arai

" ;;; ;#;;r. r r#' ä: ;il;;-;iä""t.*" ;:',"T:more precise.

a) A representation of Avalokitesvara was discovered at Jamur, now pre-served at the Indian Museum.(u') But though discovered in the vicinity ofLakhi Sarai, it shares features usually ,..n on Buddhist images found in moreeastern regions' The elaborate monstrous face at the top of the stela and theintricate foliated scrolls which the mouth emits and *hi"h run down alongthe-ni.qlus, remind us of the motif observed in North Bengal. The same motifat Lakhi sarai occupies a much more reduced space, allowing the back-slabto remain uncarved^ 11 the upper part. The various parts of the face, such asthe tongue or the foriated r"roil, iruu. u much reduced size while th"-;;;r;;round scrolls seen on either side of the face lose their round rrr"p. while thehigh triangular front-head transforms itself into a lotus-flower. The two fan-tastic musicians are depicted on either side of the nimbus (compare to fig. 1)but between them and the nimbus, a.large triangle is carved (which is particu-larly visible on the viewer's right); this däuble.rrätir appears ä, tt. sadaksariAvalokitesvara from colgong.r*i

'The triangular n.uron occupies usually a morelimited space between the musicians/ haanAs and the nimbus; the large sizeoccurs when none of these motifs is carved (e. g. imag. a. zä:Äg . 2L). onthe images from Jamui and colgong, we observed behind the heads of theBodhisattva the same rarge rotus Ro*.r - a motif which can probably appearon a number of images where it remains unnoticed unless one looks at thestela from the side or unless, as it is here the.ur.,-trrut the hairdress is brokenoff' Another motif deserves our attention: the cross-bar of the throne ends withtwo makarrT't supported by two bulbous pillars adorned with beaded arches.Before going further with the discussion about the Jamui image, we maymention that the colgong images, i'e- the Sadaks.ari Lokerivara and the seatedTärä(56) include both the pleated ribbons abov.-th. shoulders seen at LakhiSarai' The same ornament occurs on the beautiful standing Buddha fromAntichak (image B' 3) whereas it does not appear on the other representationsof the crowned Buddha seen on this site. 'Likewise, i, t."pös ln NorthBengal, on images of the Tärä and the prajfrap ifu^i1u.r,,

The treatment of the throne motif is intioduced on a second representationof the Tärä from Nimdighirss) &s well as on an imag. of Avalokitesvara foundat vikrampur't;sr The inner space of the nimbus is adorned with two lotus

-!F

2so s. R. A. A., It (t991/92)

flowers with long stalks which are intermingled. A similar motif occurs on a

representation of Umä-Mahe5vara discovered at Antichak.tuoi These two Ava-lokiteSvara images, from Jamui and from Vikrampur share some more features,i.a. the structure of the pedestal: a triangular tip indicates the vertical axis

of the image - a motif which as such constitutes only a chronological hint (itbecomes generaltzed in the course of the 10th c.) - on the upper and loweredges. On the Vikrampur image, the two tips are in fact the same triangularfleurons as those resting above the cross-bar of the throne whereas on theJamui image, like on other related stelae, they remain uncarved. But this image

includes another motif commonly observed in Bihar, more particularly atNälandä, i.e. the twisted garland regularly interrupted by a broad ring whichis adorned by a stylised flower.(u') The edges of the pedestal are constitutedwith bands of varying width and depth; the lower edge appears to be doubleand the tip unites its two outer bands. The same lower edge reappears on a

Tärä image from Antichak (image B.4) and on the Prajfräpäramitä from Gazolealready mentioned.tu't

The Jamui and Vikrampur images share the same iconography, i.e. theattending figures are distributed in a similar way and only one lotus is carvedon the proper left of Avalokite6vara (at this late period, two symmetrical lotusflowers are usually depicted), the five Jinas are introduced... As a matter offact, the Vikrampur image might well be slightly earlier than the Jamui imagenot only for stylistic reasons (hamsas and not fantastic musicians above thecross-bar of the throne, twisted garland at the nimbus...) but also for iconog-raphic reasons (the attending figures are all distributed on the same level andin the particular order in which they are always seen: on the Jamui stela,Hayagriva and Sudhanakumära are seen in front of Bhfkuti and the Tärä, thushiding them partly, which announces the phase where the two female deitiesdisappear from the scene).(63)

b) The Vikrampur Avalokite6vara image includes a motif which is onlyrarely met with in the last period of the art of Bengal-Bihar, i.e. three musiciansand dancers are depicted on the central part of the pedestal. This motif reap-pears on the pedestal of a Tärä image found in the Bhagalpur districttunt andbelow a seated Avalokite6vara most probably carved in Southeast Bangladesh.tuutFurther, it is seen below an image of the Tärä recently attributed to Tibet anddated in the l2th c.tuut

c) This very same image of the Tärä recalls, because of its iconography,three images considered here. The first one is preserved in the Indian Museum(image A.2l), the second one was discovered at Antichak (image B. 4). Bothillustrate clearly the same iconography (same mudrd, same position of the legs).

The same mudrd, but not the particular position of the left foot across the rightthigh, characterizes the small depiction of the Tärä above the acarya in thePaul Walter collection (image C.4), which prevents us from definitely identifyingthis Tärä as MahäSri Tärä. Moreover, although the proper flower attribute is


broken, the remaining symmetrical flower, on the proper right, does not seemto be the white utparq.$?) The large petals ,.mind- u, Äor. of the padmapetals than of the narrow and elongated petals of the utpara (compare to fig.21)' A further representation of nranasri iara, though of unknown provenance,must be mentioned. It probably originated from the region of Närandä_Teträvän and berongs to the 121h s.r.,r some bronze images of the goddesswere also discovered in Bihar, e.g. at Jaipurgardh in the cala 61is11iqt (.,) datingback to the 12th c., they are thui contemporary withl;.-r;;;.-ä;;;, FurtherEast' at Pagan, the Abeyadana temple inchde-s -aJ ,re€,\t .th.rifl,r p*rmairgrr rrrc LtheIlth or l2th c. showing the Tärä displaying the clharmacakrqmudra. whetherthis deity is the Mahäsri Tärä or not, cannot be ascertained since the peculiarposition of the left teg is there not represented.(,ord) Some images (A. 10, 8.4:Figs. 10, 2g)r,,r include the,nagamotif, onthe pedestal; the two nagas have a characteristic form in the late period of theartistic development in Bengar-Bihar, they.are anthropomorphic, and are depictedas if running (in fact,. kneeling on oge !eg) while they sustain the lotus-seat withtheir hands or worship the oeity. tn tnäia and Bangradesh, images were col.lected in uttar pradesh,r ",- in Bengal (Malda, nujrrrurri, west Dinajpur, Dhakadistricts)' Besides, a number of iäages of unknown origin could be located,today preserved in various collection_s_.- Moreover, painted examples can be seenat Alchi, embroidered examples at Khara Khoto unä "u.u.d

images in Burma,which indicates a wide distribution of this motif towards the end of the ,päla,period in India.

ilr:,I ::, ::":: ";tfli:::t: lT,"T l?TTl lrust rate the B uddha di spravi ngiI:!T:::y:,Kd:,:1.**imar1.,d;"ft ;;,';;';ä.;;;ä:ä;:'jiäf*,* *:"f:S":F ^f Tg rft T1

" t ",: :iyd -tÄ ;.;;;;; ;äl ä; " ;;;),i;,il';

äl.f ",t1:

j:iT:1""1T.:f .:11b..r"^i;;;-n[;;ä#i;#"":^y;ff:,:,?:,Irl)les. \ '" /

3r",11:r1T:l:*:l ro* :f the pedestal, one "; ;;^bhüdevi and Mära as both'öä;J ä"'jl'".äJH,älmosf nf fhpoo om^ll ^.1^L^ ^r- ^---f::::l:r:::111 ,:h9, show or the upp.,'pu,i ;iääpä#ur,'ä"iii,"",j,

l*:r:,?,,t:* l"^1.:.1:o1u1*, a\d.t!.k;a", u "o'''binatio,ilar.,r"#"#,in",,i"rloij

$41gi.r zar;#;;iffi;H"''#;lQoroi r zat v

The very same image from Lakhi Sarai (A. 1) includes a depiction of thethrone rarely seen in India, i.e. the cross-bar has been replaced by an elaboratesuperimposition of horizontal flat recesses of various profiles, which is alsoobserved on the andagu slabs from Burma, and which can also be seen onpaintings or woodcuts from Khara Khoto.r", Besides, the much stylised halnsasseen on a few exampres (images B. .1,,

3, .c.-7) reappear on the images fromBurma or from Khara Khoto. Another isolaied hint indicating the existenceof relations with ^Bu1ma

is the presence on ä.n jm4$e crf ,,A,crr,inhrrkr.,-s, unr rthg.peculiar parting of .the pedestar,^ i.e. in a number of bays where the lateralones do not recede in comparison with the central one. Some other isolated

252 s. R. A. A., r (1,991./92)

elements could be collected, suchof the slab (and on the edges ofimages) at Pagani(") the motif is(A. B, 16 or A.9-at the nimbus).

as the row of simplifled petals on the edge

the reduced slabs behind the smaller Buddha

introduced on some imases from Lakhi Sarai

A 'small buff stone Burrnese' image of the Buddha displaying the bhümi-

spar|amudra appearcd recentiy on the art market.(") lts iconography reproduces

thus only the central panel of the more commonly met with stelae in andagu.

The treatment of the lower part deserves our attention for it reproduces the

lotus-seat above the pedestal as observed at Lakhi Sarai: two large scrolls

spread on either side of the thick stalk sustaining the seat, other lateral scrolls

sustain the padmas on which stand the two accompanying Bodhisattvas. The

nagas are thus conscipuous by their absence. The pedestal shows the flat bands

of various heights and the half-trefoiled tips indicating the end of the successive

recesses as well as the full trefoil in the middle of the central recess. As such,

the motif is exclusively met with in the area of Lakhi Sarai. We may here

remember the small image of the Buddha carved in the same stone which A.

Cunningham found in the stüpa of Birdaban.('o)f) We could already allude to the existence of similarities between images

from Lakhi Sarai and artefacts from the Himalayan range or from KharaKhoto. Some more isolated similarities can be, however, listed. The jewel

seen on images of Jambhala or even Mahäkäla (A. 16, 17, C.2, 3) reappears

above woodcut depictions of Paflcaraksä from Khara Khoto.i'ot The jatra ofthe Simhanäda Lokesvara from Sultanganj is adorned by tiny flowers which

are intermingled with the locks. This ornamentation is commonly met with on

the paintings of Khara Khoto.t"r On some late stelae from Lakhi Sarai, one

or two elaborated lotus buds are attached above or behind the ears or are

lying on the shoulders, eventually replacing the pleated cloth (images A. 4, 8,

21, 25, 2J, C. 1, 11).t"i The particular ornamentation of the throne seen

behind a standing Buddha (image A.3:fig. 3) is commonly met with at KharaKhotorei]) or on portable paintings from the Himalayan range.(84) The scrolls

which adorn the sustaining pillars of the throne on two images (4.2 and 3:figs. 2 and 3) are commonly met with in the aft of Bihar, particularly at

Nälandä as already mentionedi('u) we cannot fail to observe how generalizedthey were on paintings from Khara Khoto or from Tibett'ur although it wouldbe necessary, with respect to this motif or other ones, to take into considera-

tion the manuscript paintings from India. The small drapery hanging below

the lotus-seat appears in a much stylised manner at Lakhi Sarai and in the

region of Nalandä in the course of the l2th c. (images A. 6, B. I, 8.6, C.6:figs. 6,26,30, 36); it is also introduced on paintings from Khara Khotoor from Tibet.t"t The dancers and musicians noticed above, below some rare

images, reappear also at Khara Khoto or in Tibet.t"rA dominant feature in the elaboration of the stela, in India, is the sym-

metry which becomes stronger in course of time.("r The artists of Khara Khoto


however, and those responsible for paintings of unknown provenance,(,0) followedthe same trend, probably interrupted in India by historiial developments. TheBodhisattva standing on the proper right side of the main figure, bears hisupavlta on the right shoulder and not on the left one as it should be and asit is on the image of the corresponding (and symmetrical) Bodhisattva whostands on the proper left of the main deity.g) We already observed that the image of MahäS ri Ta.3 appeared in thelast phase of Buddhist art in Bihar where it is observed only in certain areasand from where it could penetrate Jifsl.tsrr But among the specific deities tobe worshipped in the region of Lakhi Sarai, a special mention must be madeof Mahäkäla. Fearsome deities, as we akeady observed, though not unknown,are usually integrated within other iconographies. Independarit ,.pr.r.ntationsremain rare and only scattered examples of H evalra, Nairätma or other deitiesare known,(n') from Bodh Gayä, in Bihar up to vikrampur in Southeast Ban-gladesh. Those examples remain usually isolated within the context of theirdiscovery. On the contrary, a number of male terrifying deities have beencollected from the surroundings of Lakhi Sarai, like Mahäkäla or a Krodha.Those presented here (images A. lg, lg, c.3:figs. 16, 17,33) like a few othersdiscovered in nearby regions('g') belong clearly to-a nudAhist context. However,some images, though similar to the two Mahäkäla included here, were variouslyidentified with Mahäkäla or with Siva Bhairaya.(s4)

Among those images, the Berrin representation (image A. lg:fig. 16) hasthe most complex iconography. The god stands on a corpse; with his twohands, he holds the knife and the kapäla, while the khatvaigo i, held with theleft arm. Aksobhya is depicted above the head and four" terrifying female.ri.nifts"atthndrhin: iTft{ti 'rm!'rit, rie rüöntiißd.wrili föur of-the fiVe foginis who

surround him, i.e. Käli, Karäli, varäli, Kankäli, ffinfififtflli.rssr These g'odd.rr.r,hold also the kartri and the kapala, apart from sharing the same haiäress andornaments.

The image i1 the Eilenberg collection has four arms and includes the swordin the upper right hand as fourth attribute. Though the main right hand isbroken, it probably held the knife. The nature as well as the distribution ofthe four attributes rcappear identical on the image of the standing god who issometimes named Bhairava. Lakhi Sarai was a Lajor Buddhist cän"tre in thislate period when Hindu images are very rare. stroutO these images be indeedrepresentations of Siva, they would be deprived of any relevant context sincethe Hindu images from Lakhi Sarai show Surya or visnu i.a. F. M. Ashermentions two such images at Jaynagar and publishes a third one found atIndapaigalfu.rser A fourth one was recovered at Abhäypur in the Monghyrdistrict.t"r A two-armed image was collected at Bhagäipur;ro,r the standingfearsome god holds the kqoala in fte ri6ür .hand .and .r,he )hhr,rrA,,i,g*rrrn Crh' rlathand. Two female attendants, similar to those seen here on difrernt images(A'24, c.2, C.3) are seen on either side. whereas it is difficult to locate

2s4 S. R. A. A., rr (1991/92)

geographically more precisely a fifth four-armed Mahäkalä at the present stageof the research,tont it is obvious that this image is related to the same phaseof creativity which introduced the Lakhi Sarai Mahäkäla depictions.

The worship of Mahäkäla underwent a particular development in the 13thc. when he also became known under the aspect of Gur-gyi mgon-po, othe

Lord of the Tent', the protecting deity of the Sa-skya-pa.trooi Different earlyTibetan cloth-paintings or sculptures depict the God in this aspect.(10,) Amongthe sculptures, the image from the L. Fournier collection in the Musöe Qgi6sf{rozris a major image for various reasons, i.a. its precise date of 1292 A.D. Butthis stela displays also a number of stylistic features which could be observedon images from Lakhi Sarai, e.g. the bare background with the edge of theslab adorned by a band of elongated and much elaborated flames, the scrollsbelow the two lower attending deities which recall the lotus scrolls clearlydepicted at Lakhi Sarai and the hairdress of the upper left (for the spectator)attending deity.tro't

A second aspect of Mahäkäla which was particularly worshipped showshim as Ye-shes mgon-po.(104) This form is related to the aspect illustrated inthe S. Eilenberg collection (image C. 3-fig. 33). A major difference is however,in India, the absence of any fantastic character such as those usually seen bythe side of the god in Tibet. A very interesting small image was recentlypublished; it bears a Tibetan inscription on the back, which shows that it hasbeen used by Tibetan monks,(1.5r but does not prove, however, that it wasmade by a Tibetan artist as M. Rhie and R. Thurman observe correctly.(106)On this perhaps Indian image, the fantastic characters are, like in India, absent,the armlets and anklets are made of snakes like at Lakhi Sarai (images A. 18,C.3:figs. 16,33), the hairdo is also seen on images of the site (A. 19, C.3:figs. 17,33), the ear-rings are shaped as curled snakes (image A. 18:fig. 16e.g.), the longer necklace adorns Jambhala (images A. 16, rJ:figs. 14, 15).A second stone image of the L. Fournier collection was recently published byG. Böguin.rto'r It illustrates the same iconography where the fantastic charactersare standing on either side of the god. This image includes still many featureswhich remind us of an Indian protype, i.e. the scrolls from which emerges thelotus below the right foot of Mahäkäla, the recesses of the pedestal wheretriangular tips accentuate the angles of the recesses (images A.5, 6, B, 15, 71,22, B.I, 4, 5, C. 6:figs. 5, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 26, 28, 29, 36), the rosettes withinsquares are often seen on the pedestal of votive stüpas,G'') and the hairdressis also observed at Lakhi Sarai (images A. 18, 2l:figs. 16, l9). Some othermotifs could be mentioned, like the hair locks falling on the shoulders, thesingle locks falling on the chest on either side of the necklace. But comparedto the previous image in the R. Ellsworth collection, this depiction of Mahäkälashows elements not observed apparently in India, such as the fantastic charactersor the armlets and anklets bearing a circular medallion. This medallion appearsalso on the 1292 image as well as on Tibetan paintings.t'onr Further, it is a

"Bautze-Picron: Lakhi Sarai 255

part of the anklets and wristlets of a Vajravärähi from Khara Kh.oto.(".)To end on that point, some slightly later Tibetan paintings depicting the

God might be here mentioned.tr") The Khara Khoto material, being quitesafely dated before 1227,rr"t is thus contemporary with the production of LakhiSarai. And in the first part of the 13th c., the Buddhist monasteries of Biharwere still inhabited and visited by Tibetan monks. At Lakhi Sarai, imageswere still carved at that time as it is proved by the dated inscriptions whichsome of them have. Thus, we would not here pretend to an Indian influenceon the art of Khara Khoto of the Himalayan range. The monastery of LakhiSarai was deeply involved with the development of iconographic types encoun-tered outside India and took an active part in the emergence and spread withinBihar or Bengal, of some of those types. Due to the absence of definitiveelements, we are uncertain of the name of this monastery. To identily it withthe still unlocated Phullahari where Tibetan scholars were particularly active istempting: it was probably situated in Monghyr district.(l1s)

Lakhi Sarai was not the only Indian centre where evidence of relationswith the Tibetan world can be located; Vikrampur is another large arca inSoutheast Bangladesh where cultural roads crossed in the l2th and early 13thc.(114) Both regions were frequented by monks from Tibet on the one hand,from Burma on the other. The sculpture of both regions influenced, with variousdegrees, the art of the Himalaya and it would be necessary to study morecarefully the miniature paintings of India where similarly, one can trace featureswhich are also common with art objects created in various sites of the vastBuddhist diaspora but also features which were inherited by the artists of thesefaraway regions.

Appendix

The catalogue of the images under consideration includes three parts, Ato C. The first part (A) lists the images actually recovered from Lakhi Saraiand the neighbouring villages. In list B, are catalogued images discovered inother sites but which betray a strong stylistic relation to the Lakhi Sarai pro-duction. Finally, in list C, are introduced stelae of unknown provenance whichcan be related to the Lakhi Sarai style of the llth and l2th c.

A. 1. Buddha displaying the bhümispariamudrd, present location unknown.Rajaona, where it was observed by Cunningham (1871-12, p.154 and pl. XLV-32); Indian Antiquities..., photo 181, Burgess 1897, II, pI.224, Bautze-Picron1988a, fig. 243. Fig. 1.

^.2. Buddha displaying the varadamudra (descent from the Trayastrimsa

heaven). Lakhi Sarai. A}dP 22. P. L. Gupta 1965, p.56 n'21, Huntington1984, fig. 149, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 233. 155 cm. Fig. 2.4.3. Buddha displaying the varadamudra (descent from the TrayastrimSa hea-

J

256 s. R. A. A., rI (1991/92)

ven). Lakhi Sarai. AMp 23. The way of the Budclha, s III, ill. 33, B. p.Sinha 1958, fig. 89, B. p. Sinha 1974, pr.6g, p. L. Gupta 1965, p.5g n. 20 and,pl. XII, Bautze-Picron 19gga, fig. 234. 179 cm. Fig. 3.A'4' Fragments from a large probably Buddha image. Ghosikundi. IM 4575and 4576. chakravartti 190g, p.5g, Bloch r9ll, p.53, Foucher 1900, p. 160fig. 28, Banerji 1933, pl. XX-(b). 13g.5 cm. Figs. 4 a ancl 4 b.A' 5' Crowned Buddha displaying the bhümispariamucJra. Rajaona, in situ.Fig. 5.A' 6' Crowned Buddha displaying the bhümispariamudra. Rajaona, in situ.Fig. 6.4.7. Avalokitesvara. Kiul. AM 7r.g04. Huntington r9g4, fig. 76, Hunting-ton 1985, pl. 196, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 244 (the inscription does not referto Gopäla (III)'s reign as previously surmised, it only mentions this name asbeing the name of the donor). c. 15 cm. Fig. 7.4.8. Avalokitesvara. Lakhi Sarai. rM 654b. ASI, Annual Report for theyears 1925-26, pl. LX-d and p. 296,Bautze-picron lggg a, fig. 23g. +i.s cm. Fig.g.4.9. Simhanäda Avalokitesvara. Jaynagar. MIK lc 3a7n (disappeared in1945, present location_unknown).

- wadd.il tsg+, pl. I, Foucher 190i, fig. 2, B.Bhattacharyya 1958, fig. 101, Indian Antiquities..., piioto roq:Bu;tze-piqoni988 b, fig. 1, Bautze-picron 19gg a, fig. izs, cunningham rgTl-72, pl. XLV_(34). c. 80 cm. Fig. 9.A' 10' Pedestal. Jaynagar. Present location unknown. Indian Antiquities ...,photo 169, Bautze-Picron 1988 b, figs. 1 and, 2, Bautze-picron lggg a, fig. 240,cunningham 1871-7.2, pl. LXLV*(l7). Fig. 10. Sustains probably a represen_tation of Avalokitesvara (see Bautze-picron 19gg b).A. 11. Pedestal. Nongarh. Jamui Museum 53. Asher 19g6, fig. 1g. Thedeity displayed either the abhayamudra or more probably the dharmacakramudrd;it can be identified with Mafrjusri or more probably Maitreya. Fig. II.A' 12' Pedestal. Rajaona, in situ. Sustaini an image of AvalokiJesvara dis-playing the varadamudra (see the preta and Hayagrivä). Fig. 12.A' 13' Pedestal. Rajaona, in situ. Sustained äti i-ug. of AvalokiteSvara orMafrjusri displaying the varacJamudrd (and accompanieä by Hayagriva or ya_mantaka and Sudhanakumära).A' 14' Pedestal. Rajaona, in situ. Sustained probably a representation ofAvalokitesvara (preta depicted on the pedestal).A' 15' Pedestal. Rajaona, in situ. Probably an image of the Tärä displayingthe varadamudra (female attendant on the piop., right who can be identifiedwith Märici). Fig. 13.A' 16' Jambhala. Lakhi Sarai. MIK I37g. Tantrische Kunst des Buddhismus,cat' 25, Picron 1978, fig. 61, Indische Kunst 1966, cat. 64, MIK Katalog 197r,cat- 125, Härtel-Lobo 1994, cat. 53, Bautze-picron lggg a, fig. 236. 50.5cm.Fig. 14.4.17. Jambhala. Ghosikundi. rM 4571. Chakravartti 190g, pp.65*66,Bloch

Bautze-Picron: Lakhi Sarai257

tl"ao "!l:,I:i:l-:: 1n^0"9

o r?lne._?0, Banerji 1e33, pr. XVr-(c), Sircar rs63_u^0,"?. ?l:j,l'|"'vu_ 1?gl, p. 13e.

" sz "Ä."äi'.

'ti.

fi;ll;,y,1i*1*, Tli_:T1 yl{^i. :j?qii;,appeared in re45,present

i." r;:: uknown). Bautze_picron te88 a, ne z3i,

';:{r;;:_;HJ'r";dJ;:T::3. Fig. 16.

i;)t;r,(rodha' Lakhi Sarai. v. K. Kanoria collection. 33cm. Figs. 17 a

A'20. usqisavijaya. Lakhi Sarai. rM 4613. chakravartti 190g, pp.73_74,Bloch 1911, p. 68, Foucher 1905, p.g7 fig. 6, Banerji rg33, pr. xLII_(a), B.Bhattacharyya r95g, fig. 156, B. ghittachairru' teoa, pt.XIV, Saraswati 1977,ill' 183' The way of the Buddha, $ v, fig. +i, auaana Jayanti Exhibition 1956,pl' XXIII, picron r97g, fig. 72, Bautze-pi".or, 19gg a, p. 540 n" g. In this work(1988 a), we related the image .of. unkno*; ;;;".nance, to the Lakhi Saraistyle' It appears however thai this image, tog.ü". with the next two ones werethose most probably characterized as'thiee oi the best.(which) were taken away(from Lakhi sT??. in .rg93 by Babu p. c. lrrukherji and made over to theIndian Museum, (List oJ Ancieit .Monumenrr, p,.-itZl; see also i-S. i. O,Malley7926, p' 229: 'Some fine Buddhistic statues iourro here may be seen in theIndian Museum' although he refers, regarding this point, to the Report oJ. theA' s' of Bengal1903, pp. to-rl where r.f..eice i, in ract made to the earlierHindu material rrom näjaona which can be ,..,.-ut the Indian Museum; thesame report' p' 10, mentions'ancient stllygs.:. (which) have been carried awayalmost entirely" It is thus likely that o'Malley made also use here of the Listof Ancient Monuments when he mentions the 'Äne Buddhistic statues, collectedfor the Indian Museum. Among the_ imaler- äi trr. Museum, either in thegallery or in the reserve coilection, onry tnÄe three images (A. 20 to 22) arclikely to have been, for stylistic and icänograpt i"-..urons, the three ones men-tioned in the List of Anciänt Monuments. were they not identical with theseimages, they would have to be introduced anyway within the frame work ofthe present studv as_pelfec_t exa-plei;i,h. ;;ii;i'srrai style. 70cm. Fig. 18.4.21. Mahä.ri rärä. Lakhi saräi. IM 561g. ciutruuurtti 1g08, p.7r, Bloch1911, p.66, Bhattacharyya 1924, Kramrisc{r lgzg, Äi. 40, Banerji rg33,pl. XVII_

[1]: 1n11":hu:rr.u..rqs-8, ne. r6e, Bhattacharvva"Tios, pl. XrX, Ray 1e56, ill.racrng p. 74, Buddha Jayanti Exhibirion,J?56,"pr. ixrr. gg cm. Fig. 19.4.22. Märici. Lakhi sarai. IM A 25192 1+ei+,. chakravartti 190g, pp.72_73,Bloch 1911, p.67., Foucher 1905, p.g3, fig. 7, KrÄrisch_ 1929, fig.30, Banerji1933, pl. xLII-(d), Bhattacharyyä iost , flg. r'52, Bhattacba ryya 196g, pl. X[I,Saraswati 1977, ril. 1!!, The'wo, of the Buaini-sv, fig. 41, Bautze_picron1988 a, p.540 n" 7. 59 cm. ftg. iO.A'23' Goddess with clild. Äajaona. Present location unknown. Inclian An-tiquities '.., photo rg2, Burg.r, ig97, II, pl. zis, giutze_picron r9gga, fig.242,Bautze-Picron in _the press,'-fig. 26. Fig. 21.A' 24. Durgä. Jaynägari uärunpur. San Francisco Museum of Art, The

I

2s8 s. R. A. A., [ (1gg1/92)

Avery Brundage collection B 62 s 7. Tse r9g0, figs. 6 and 7, Indian Antiquities...,photo 7J0, Bautze-picron 19gg a, fig.241, Huntiigton-Huntington 1990, cat.32,Bautze-Picron in the press, fig. 25. II4cm. nig. ZZ.A'25' Goddes with child. Jaynagar. Private cällection, Lakhi Sarai. Bautze-Picron in the press, figs. 2g to 33. lll cm. Fig. 23.A'26. Goddess with child. Jaynagar. VA IS 7l-1gg0. Sircar 1955, Hunting-ton 1984, fig.80, Indian sculpture lg7r, cat. rr, Indian Antiquities..., photo168, cunningham lBTr-72, pr. XLV-(33), Bautze-picron rggg a, fig. 239. g1 cm.Fig. 24.4.27. Surya. From the neighbourhood of Jaynagar. vA IS g29. Arts of.Bengal, cat. 22, Smith 1969, pl.9g-8, Bautze-pic.on tgsg a, p.541 n. 11. Theprovenance is known thanks to a note written in pencil in the manuscriptof F' Buchanan's Journal kept in the Royal Asiatic Society (Buchanan 1925,p' 85 footnote 1). Smith must have had knowledge of the origin since helocates it in the Rajmahal hills, south of Monghyr (1969, p. rrö). Now, ifthe image was found in the Rajmahal hills, it

"is" clear that jt cannot be inMonghyr district or south of the town of Monghyr. 167 cm. Fig. 25.

B' 1' Buddha displaying the bhümispariamudra. Sailagiri, Rajgir-Giryek. In-dian High commission, London. Giierson 1g94, pl. II, Smith 1969, pl.9l_D,Bautze-Picron 198g a, fig. 223. G. Bhattacharya'tbgg, fig. 17. Fig. 26.8.2. Pedestal. Naulagarh. Ganesh Datta öoilege, Begusarai. Huntington1984, fig. 73.B.3. crowned Buddha. Antichak. verma 197g, pl. xvIII (fig. 4), Durrans_5"9* 1982, p.49, Srivastava lggl., ill. p.47 top,ight. Fig. 27.8.4. MahäSri Tara. Antichak. rndiai archieotigy, A Review for the years1974-75, pl. vI-A, Bautze-picron 19gg a, frg.zlt, {iivastava 19g7, ill. p.50 topright. Fig. 28.8.5. Pedestal. Antichak. Indian75, pl. V-D, Bautze-picron l98g a.fi5. 22. Fig. 29.B.6. Crowned Buddhaof the Nälandä Museum.167. 120 cm. Fig. 30.

Archaeology, A Review for the years Ig74_fi5. 272, Times qf India Annual 1977, p. g6

displaying the bhümispariamudra. Nälandä. GardenHuntington 1984, fig. 135, Bautze-picron 19gg a. fie.

C' 1. Avalokitesvara. Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale, Roma 206. Taddei1967, p.23, Taddei lgj\, fig. 166 (Bengal, second half of the llth c.), picron1978, fi5. 7r, Bautze-picron rggg a, p. +st n" 34 (identified as u.torrging to theNälandä style).

Though we earlier identified this image as belonging to the school ofNälandä, it has now become evident that iibelongs most probably to the pro-duction of Lakhi Sarai. Beside showing typical ei-ements of the läcal style, wecan here underline the presence of detailed eiernents similarly observed on imases


from the site, i.a. the more triangurar shape of the back-slab (image A.27:fig.25), the plain nimbus around which run the scrolls (images A. g and 21:figs. 8 and 19), the movement of the upavita (images A. r, g, 2J:figs. r, g,25), the necklace (image A.27:fig. 25),'ttre smäi beaded roops hanging abovethe diadem (images A. g, 27:figs. g, 25), the lotus flowers falling behind theears (compare to images A.4 and.2r:figs. 4b and 19: on the proper leftshoulder or to image A.27:fig.25: on both shoulders), or the highly pointedornament on the head of the Tärä (image A.2l:fig. t9. This iniage belongsto the final phase of the Lakhi Sarai froduction, and can be dated around1200. Fig.3I.C.2. Jambhala. present location unknown.

Though we are not here concerned with the inscriptions which most of theimages bear on their pedestal, we must mention that the inscription incised onthis image reappears on the pedestal of the Mahäkäla in the collection of S.Eilenberg (c. 3;r'''1. And as a matter of fact, the two images share manyelements, e'g. the cushion with incised scrolls uÄtow the god, the two femaleattendant figures wjth camdra or bowl, the same treatment of the body, thesame flying figures above an irregularly shared cloud, the same lem aboue apadma at the top of the stela, the same treatment of the shawl ialling abovethe shoulders"' The throne behind Jambhala is similar to the throne seen onthe acdtya image Ic. 9; the pointed tips above the extremities of the cross-barreappear on the PurJdesvari from palapäla,s reign (image A. 26:ig. 24) andon the pedestal of two further images irom Lak'hi Sarai (images Al. g and, 22:figs' 8 and 20). .The ico-nography is similar to tft. iconography displayed bythe two Jambhara images from ihe site (A. 16 and, l7:figs. 14 and r5); thisimage, however, seems to be earlier or to have been prod.uced, by a differentatelier. The physiognomy differs, being here still ;hrrnun,, whereas the god has

Jle fa.ce of a yaksa on the other two images, i.e. the eye-brows follow a bow-like sjnuous line, the space between the eyes and this line is rurg;;,- the outerline of the more widely opened eyes is underlined by a thin rim which canlink the two eyes to each öth"t passing above the nose, the mouth is smaller,the nostrils are larger, the chin ihgrrtly more poi"tro. There also, the flyingjars in the upper.part of the image,- include a ihort base, Jambhala wears alarge necklace, the treatment of th. jewellery ärr.rr, *th ;-l;;!., pearlsat the anklets, the necklace and thi upavitä and the treatment of the shawldiffers.This representation of Jambhala might be contemporary with the image ofPalapäla's reign (A.26:fig. 24) when one takes jnto consideration the throne,the flying figures with their twisted sash accross the legs or their hairdo andthe edge of the slab. However, it might also be slight[, earlier when lookingat the less pointed shape of the armleis, or of th. ,täu ör.

"u"n the-fresence ofscrolls on the cushion which have disappeared on the cushion below the BerlinJambhala (image A. r6:fig. 14) or the banesa on the London image (A.26:

260 s. R. A. A., rr (1991/92)

fig. 2q. Fig. 32.

C.3. Mahäkäla. Samuel Eilenberg collection. Huntington-Huntington 1990,

cat. 27 (probably India, Bihar, c. llth-l2th c.). 58.5 cm.

A number of similarities with the previous image of Jambhala have already

been noted. Other elements are shared with images actually discovered at

Lakhi Sarai, such as the concentric rows of incised flames seen on the Märiciimage (A.22:fig. 20), the necklace, the three lines indicating the shawl on the sh'

oulders (image A. 19:fig. 17 a), the large disk-shaped ear-rings, the flaming hair

where short and thick locks are superimposed on each other (idem), the facial

features with the round third €y€, the curled moustache, the beard with

tiny locks at the edge of the face, the hair growing on the chin below the

mouth (images A. 13 and l9:f,gs. 16 and Il a), the thick superimposed rows

of petals of the lotus on which Mahäkäla sits and the single symmetrical rows

below the left foot (the same two treatments are observed on the image A. 18:

the superimposed rows below Mahäkala, the single rows below the attendingfigures; see also the Märici (image A. 22:f,g. 20) who stands above single sym-

metrical rows). The khatvanga is also identical to the one held by the standing

Mahäkäla (fig. 16) with the skull top and petals of lotus at the base of the

trident finial. It shows also the diadem, absent on the other terrific images

(A. 18 and l9:figs. 16 and 1l a.) but present on various other images (4. 16,

27,C.2:figs. 14,25,32) where the tiny beaded loops are also observed (images

A.27, C.2:figs. 25, 32). Fig. 33.

C.4. Acärya. Paul F. Walter collection. Koller 1984, cat. 51, pI- 12, G.

Bhattacharya 1985, fig. 5 and pp. l4l-142 (Varendra or North Bengal, 1lth c.),

Bautze-Picron 1988 a, pp. 514-515 n" 5 (Nälandä style), Pal 1990, fig. 13 (Ban-

gladesh, l2th c.). 60 cm.Though the exact provenance of the image is unknown, the authors have

located it in West Bengal or Bangladesh (Pal) or in North Bengal (Bhattacharya).

However, none of them gives any evidence sustaining their identiflcation of the

place. P. Pal proposes further to recognize here a mahasiddha, perhaps Can-

dragomin (1990, p.13-75). We recognize here a number of stylistic features

observed on images from Lakhi Sarai, i.a. the bare back-slab where the dif-ferent elements are clearly separated, the edge of the slab adorned by the plain

band and the row of intricate flames, the lotus with the cushion, the throne

with its peculiar treatment (see the Jambhala image described above under C.2;see also behind the Pulde6vari preserved in London (image A.26:fi9. 24), or

behind the flve Jinas on the Mahäfri Tärä image (A.2I:fig. 19) where the

depiction tallies fully with the representation of the throne on this image. The

motif adorning the cushion appears on the throne on two images still in situ

at Rajaona (A. 5 and 6:figs. 5 and 6). This image is probably contempolarywith th.e Jambhala image (C.2) which we proposed to date slightly before the

Pufde6vari dated in Palapäla's reign. Perhaps it is be dated in the second part

of the l2th c. Fig. 34.

Claudine

Notiz

Candragomin, now in LACMA: http://collections.lacma.org/node/173626 inv AC1992.208.2


C.5. Crowned Buddha displaying the abhayamudra. Linden Museum, StuttgartSA 35 688 L. Leroy Davidson 1968, cat. 54 (Bihar or Bengal, 10th*l lth c.),Ferne völker 1983, cat. E 22 (Bihar / Bengal, l2th c.), Bautze-picron 19gg a,p.514 n" 4 (related to the art of the region located East from Nälandä). 159cm.

The particular ornamentation of the throne behind the standing Buddharecalls a stela from Lakhi Sarai (image 3:fig. 3); the throne behind theJinas in zone A appears also on two other images (A.9 a.nd 2l:figs. 9 and 19)with only very slight variations. The pair of Bodhisattvas appears on the seatedBuddha image (ng. 1); other more typical motifs are introduced like the ribbonsfalling on the shoulders, the decoration of the back-slab, the structure of thepedestal and of the back-slab. The pair of highly stylised hamsas - seen withina triangular shape - is reintroduced on the representation of the crownedBuddha from Antichak (image B. 3:fig. 27) or on the Buddha from Sailagiri(image B.l:frg. 26). It reappears on the crowned Buddha introduced below(C. 6). These various images belong thus to a stylistic trend which mainlyemerged at Lakhi Sarai but had offshoots in other sites. As on two imagesstill at Rajaona (A. 5 and 6:figs. 5 and 6), the throne is adorned with a rowof diapred and round rosettes; further, the upper part of the two pillars su-staining the cross-bar recalls also in its profile the same upper part seen on acrowned Buddha image from Rajaona (A.6:fig. 6).

The date of this image remains open. This Buddha representation seemsto be later than the two standing Buddhas (images 2 and 3:figs. 2 and 3)which still integrate motifs observed in the Nälandä-Ghosrävän area, i.a. therosettes within circles and squares and not within circles and rhombi. It belonssprobably to the l2th c. Fig. 35.C.6. Crowned Buddha displaying the bhümispariamudra. Victoria and AlbertMuseum rs 617-1872. Indian Art 1969, p1.22, In the Image of Man 19g2, n"327, Arts of Bengal 1979, no 9, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, p.513-514 n" 3 (style ofthe area located East from Nälandä). G. Bhattacharya 19g9, fig. 16. 124.5cm.

The image is evidently very close to the previous one as it is evident fromthe treatment of the tiaru, of the throne behind the small Buddha or Bodhisat-tva images in zone A, of the lotus-seat below the same deities (very largeflat petals, which differ from the curled petals below the main image, wheiealso rows of petals are superimposed). Like on the Rajaona stela (image A. 1:fig. l), fantastic musicians are seen on either side of the nimbus; makarasare present like at Antichak (image B. 3:fig. 27); the drapery with vajra isintroduced at Rajgir (image B. l:fig. 26) like at Rajaona (image A.6:fig. 6)ot at Nälandä (image B. 6:fig. 30). The structure of the pedestal decoration,with Bhudevi in the centre surrounded by two round pillars and lions recalltwo stelae at Rajaona (images A. 5 and 6:figs. 5 and 6). The general structureof the image with the motifs clearly distributed on the back-slab and wjth the

s. R. A. ^..

il (t991/92)

smooth unadorned upper part, the iconography, the treatment of motifs such

as the tiara, the necklace, the jatra of the Bodhisattva..., all these motifs andthe treatment of motifs relate this stela to the Lakhi Sarai style of the l2th c.

Fig. 36.C.7, Yajratärä. Bumper Development Corporation Limited, Calgary, Albe-rta (Canada). Sotheby's London, 24. 11. 1986, no 150, Sotheby's London, 5. 6.

1989, n' 145. 110 cm.Although unfinished, this image of Vajratärä is quite outstanding. The

iconography is not very common, but is illustrated by a l2th c. bronze image

of high quality discovered at Patharghätä,t'ur thus not far away from LakhiSarai. It shares a number of elements with images actually discovered in thissite or in the surroundings, e.g. a large plain surface is preserved around thedeity whereas heavy scrolls are carved above it (see images A.8 and 2l:figs. 8

and 19); the image is carved through behind the head of the deity (images 20

and 22-figs. 18 and 20); the pedestal shows the same two flat bands adornedwith trefoils (images A. 8 and 22:figs. 8 and 20), the large lotus scrolls are

also observed (images A. 1, 21:figs. I and 19), the petals are similarly observedon the Buddha from Rajaona (fig. 1); no throne is depicted behind the Jinasin zone A (see image A. 8:fig. 8), the same large eye on the forehead is seen

on some images (A.9, 18, 19, 22:figs. 8, 16, 17, 20), the two hair-locks oneach shoulder are commonly met with (e.g. images A.4,7,8...:figs. 4b,7,8...), large round ear-rings are also often observed (image A. 19:fig. 17 i.a.),the heavy flower which hangs between the legs, attached to the belt also (images

A.21,22:figs. 19,20); the lotus attribute is identical to the one seen on theimage A.2l (fig. 19); the shape of the armlets is also seen at Lakhi Sarai:thesmall lotus-seats below the devotees on the pedestal (and the Jinas in zone A)are introduced below the characters of the pedestal on the Buddha image (4. 1

:fig. 1).

This stela belongs probably to the last phase of production of the LakhiSarai workshop, which would perhaps explain the fact that it was not com-pleted: the monastic complex might have been (at least partly) abandoned.Thus, it might be dated towards the end of the l2th c., or even in the 13thc. Fig.37.C.8. 'Agastya' (?).t"'t Willard G. Clark collection. Huntington-Huntington1990, cat. 35 ('Probably India, possibly eastern Bihar [Monghyr or BhagalpurDistrict] or southern West Bengal') and pp. 162-163 (gives further places ofpublication). 66 cm.

This image shows evident signs of similarities with the Surya image (4.21:fig. 25), where the two male attendant figures compare particularly well to theso-called Agastya. Moreover, this stela is carved in the round as other stelae

from the area of Lakhi Sarai. Besides. it includes a number of motifs whichappeat in similar form at Lakhi Sarai (jata with diadem adorned by tiny beadedloops, regularly distributed, locks of hair falling on the shoulders, twisted loin

ri'l

ti'


cloth on the thighs...). The two female attendants reappear on the Jambhala andMahäkäla images (C.2 and C.3:figs.32 and 33). The petals of the lotusbelow the deity reappears at Lakhi Sarai (images A. 16, 18:figs. 14 and 16),

those below the attendants also (image A.22:fi9. 20), both forms are similarlyseen together (image A.2l:fig. 19). Besides a number of other motifs whichcould be mentioned (the treatment of the beard on the Surya image, the ear-rings, the folded cloth on the shoulder...), the general structure of the imageis the one observed at Lakhi Sarai (high unadorned pedestal, scrolls, directlyuttashed t<l fhe lotus below the der:t5 three-dimensional stela) and the freaümenfof the volumes and surfaces is also part of the Lakhi Sarai style (plain andsmooth surfaces alternating with very carefully detailed surfaces). The imageis probably contemporary with the Surya image which might be dated towards1200. This image, together with the St-rrya image, recalls very much the Brahmäcollected at Simräongarh.tr"r Fig. 38.C.9. Snake-goddess. The Brooklyn Museumll.16l.2. Hauswedell 16.i1.1962,no 10, Chandra 1963, cat. 18. 53.5 cm.

This image is very close to the representation of Jambhala preserved inBerlin (image A. 16:fig. 14), with which it shares i.a. the row of petals onthe edge of the slab, the same large pleated fans, the same armlets and thesame shawl falling on the shoulders, It is also carved through, and shows thesame bent position of the body. Besides, the general structure of the stela is

typical of the Lakhi Sarai style (plain back-slab, high unadorned pedestal,distribution of the motifs in zone A). The hairdo is similar to the one of thePu4{e6vari from Palapäla's reign (image A.26-fi9. 24) or of the attendingfemale figures of the Surya image (A.21:fig. 25). This image should probablybe dated in the second part of the l2th c. since the general structure of thepedestal as well as the form of the petals of the lotus-seat are also observedon the two pedestal dated during Madanapäla's reign (images A. l0 and 11:figs. 10 and 11) and since some motifs are seen on the later image from Pala-palä's reign. A similar image has been noticed by D.C. Sircar along the bankof a tank at Lakhi Sarai.t'nt Fig. 39.C.10. Vi;lu. The British Museum 1812.1-1.36. Bautze-Picron 1985, pl. XIII-a. Chanda 1936, p. 65. Bautze-Picron 1988 a, p. 541 n" 12 (belonging to a

style of the Monghyr district). 82 cm.It shows the very peculiar kirtimukha with the lotus flower arising above

the forehead (images A.26,27:fi9s.24,25). The trefoils distributed on thelower part of the pedestal have the shape seen at Lakhi Sarai (images A. 8

and 22:figs. 8 and 20). The position of Garuda on the left side of the pede-stal is observed on the fragment recovered at Indapaigarh.i"ot The mukuta issimilar to the tiara adorning Surya (image 4.27:fi9.25). This 12th c. imageis related to the Lakhi Sarai style without however, probably having beencarved in an atelier of the place. As a matter of fact, some elements, such as

the facial features, the diadem and the royal throne present a different treatment.

J.

264 S. R. A. 4.., [ (1991,/92)

C. 11. Visqu. The British Museum 1812.7-1.32. Bautze-Picron 1988 a, p.541n'i3 (belonging to a style of the Monghyr district). ll2cm.

More than the previous Visnu image, this one offers strong points of simi-larity with images produced at Lakhi Sarai. It will be enough to draw attentionto the unadorned but polished back-slab with motifs clearly distributed andseparated, the kirtimukha with its flower, the double row adorning the edge ofthe slab, the structure of the pedestal, similar also to the pedestal from Inda-paigarh and the flower attached to the pleated folds, ... This stela belongsprobably to the second half of the 12th c. or perhaps later. Fig. 40.

l.

Notes

Huntington 1984, pp. 124-125. This author admits that 'this is one of the few Buddhist images fromMonghyr District which have come to (her) notice'.Asher 1986, pp.227-238 and figs. 1-13, see p.228 f.n. 3 where previous mentions of the site arereferred to. See also Patil 1963, pp.427-430 (referring to previous reports by Cunningham and Beglar)and Jamuar 1977.

Already in Cunningham's time, Rajaona denoted the entire village where 'a large mound, at thecorner of a grove of trees, called Choki'was located (Cunningham 1871-'72, p.154). On the recent

name of 'Ashokdam', see Jamuar 1977.

Aher 1986, figs. 15-17 and pp.239-240, Burgess 1897, p1.225.

F. Buchanan visited the site in March 1811 (Buchanan 1930, pp. 187-189 and f.n. 702: the villagewas known by Buchanan as Inderpe, the publisher of the Journal mentions the names of Indpe orIndpegarh). Martin 1838, II, pp.5l 52 made use of the Buchanan's description. Cunningham visited'lndappe' (1871-72, pp. 162-163) as mentioned by Patil 1963 (pp. 173 175, where various references tothe site are quoted). The sculpture of Indapaigarh was recently published by Asher 1988, figs. 2-12.Asher 1988, fig. 11. The author did not identify the image which has been broken away. Butone still observes the tiny figure of Garuda on the left side of the pedestal, as it is usually the case

on the Vi;nu representations from Bihar (Bautze-Picron 1985, p.468). This pedestal is identical tothe pedestal observed below two Viqnu images preserved in the British Museum, which are ofunknown provenance but which are related to the production of Lakhi Sarai (images C.10 and 11

-fig. 40; the flrst image is reproduced by Bautze-Picron 1985, pl. XIII-a).Asher 1988, flg. 12 and pp. 17-18 where the deity is identified with Bhairava.Three stelae from Antichak are here taken into consideration; they belong to the last phase ofproduction of the site and illustrate a sophisticated style which diflers deeply from the at timesrougher carving of some Buddhist images of the site, i.a. those of the crowned Buddha. See ap-pendix, 8.3 to 5 (figs. 27-29).See appendix B.1 (fig. 26).Two large images from Colgong are preserved in the Patna Museum, the first one illustrating$adaklari LokeSvara (Patna Museum 95: Kramrisch 1929,fie.37, Saraswati 1977, ill.44, Huntington1984, fig. 157, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 262), the second one shows a seated Tärä (Patna Museum94: Gupta 1965, p.64 n" 59, Bautze-Picron 1988a, fig.261). A third small image is published inthis journal by G. Mevissen (pl. Il.28-though found at Colgong, it is related to the style ofsculpture of Bodh Gayä). From Sultanganj, perhaps, comes the large Avalokite6vara seated on thelion today preserved in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 1472.85 (Huntington 1984, flg.155, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig.260, Bautze-Picron 1989a, p.339 n" 115). Pätharghätä is known forthe group of bronzes discovered in the nearby village of Chandipur, among which an illustration ofSamvara (Indian Museum 424365: Huntington 1984, fig. 195, Schroeder 1981, 66D) and a lotusmaqtdala of the Vajratärä (Indian Museum 4551: Huntington 1984, fig. 196, Bhattasali 1929, pl.XYto quote only these two publications). It would be interesting to collect the various manSalas fromBihar and Bengal; those known to us can all be dated in the 12th c. Patil 1963, p.370, mentionsthat images from Pätharghätä were carried to Colgong by a 'European resident of Colgong'. It

o.

1

5.

'7.

8.

9.

10

1tI L.

11.


might thus well be that the images today labelled colgong in the patna Museum were initiallydiscovered at Pätharghätä.An inscription was recovered at Arn-rä, which records the donation of a village to a monasterynamed Dhavalasangha' in the regnal year 14 of Madanapäla, i.e. 1157 A.D. (Sircar 1965, pp. 42--43).As to the Buddhist remains of Uren, they have been partly published by waddell (lgg2). see alsoPatil 1963, pp. 583-586.We already attempted to study the question when considering the Betagi image (1gg2b), showinghow close this image and three other ones also discovered in Bangladesh, and more probablyfor some of them, in the southeastern part of the country, are related to some .Tibetan, or ,Nepalese,paintings, like the one preserved in the Zimmerman collection. Moreover, a connection witn con-temporary scu)pture and paintings at pagan could be clearly established.Bautze-Picron 1988 a, pp. 557-565, Asher 19gl_g3.cimino 1986, figs. 2 to 4. Huntington-Huntington 1990, fig. 24 p.255 publish the Durgä seated onthe lion, without however making any remark about the similarities with the art of Lakhi Sarai.Roerich 1959, pp. 58-59.See Bautze-Picron (in the press), paragraph F ('Lakhi Sarai aux XI" et xII" siöcles,, images 7l to77).

lJ.

14.

15.

t6.

17. See f. n. 6 and 7 (Indapaigarh), 10 (Sultanganj).18' Nongarh: Patil 1963, pp.34o-342 (with previous references to cunningham or Beglar i.a.), Asher

1986, p.243 and below appendix: image A. 11; Armä: above f.n. 11; uren: above f.n. 1; Jamui:below f. n. 54.19.

20.

Cunningham 1871-72, pp. 157-15g.A number of seals recovered by A. cunningham are preserved in the British Museum (Lawson1982' pp' 513-516). However, the small image of the Buddha as well as the bronze images did notenter into the collection of the museum. As suggested to the author by wladmir Zwalf, theseobjects might well have been in the ship which brought back the collection of A. cunningham toEurope but was unfortunately wrecked. See however Banerji 1g33, pl. LXXXVn-(b) and pp.l41-42.See f. n. 14.

See f. n. 15.

Bautze-Picron (in the press).Thus, the slab bearing the represenfafio:r o-f f-he hve.lve ,Äd,;b.as a,r.c wrh,ic,h is r]acsd in Surapäia..sreign is here irrelevant (Huntington 19g4, fig. 36).Sircar 1949, p. 138. See Bautze-Picron (in the press) for a detailed anaysls of this image.Huntington 1984, fie. 73. Not only does the iconography relate to Lakhi Sarai, but also the style.Huntington 1984, p.230 n"45. See arso p.67 for a description of the pedestal.G. D. college Bulletin series, No. 2, 1952, pp. 7-10 and pl. facing p. 7. The author suggests that amonastery was founded at Naulagarh after vigrahapäla III could have shifted his ,centre of activity,to this place' The author further mentions Phullahari, the exact location of which is still unclearbut which rvas located in the vicinity of Monghyr by Tibetan sources (R.c. Majumdar 1971, pp.417-418; Naudou 1968, p. 146). As noticed by this autor, a second tradition locates phullahari inKashmir, but there were maybe two monasteries bearing the same name? Naudou (ibidem, p. 146f' n' 9) mentions Pattikeraka and is inclined to locate it in Kashmir or western Tibet; but a smallkingdom of this name is known in southeast Bangladesh (Majumdar 1g71, pp.257-259), thus therealso two places, very distant of each other, might have had the same name.Sircar 1965, pp.41-42.Sircar 1949, p. 145 n.3.Bhattacharya 1985, p. 140.

21.

22.

LJ.

1^

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

JU.

J+.

Ibidem, fig. 4.Ibidem, p.139.we observe similarities between some late bronzes, dating from the 12th c., and images from LakhiSarar, e.g. ttie vrhe scrofl-s seen trehind a standing Buddha (Huntington 19g4, fig. lg6) or the mon_strous face with small side scrolls (ibidem, figs. 185, 186) (compare to images A. 2 and 3 - see f. n.35 for the contact with reträvän; or to images A.26 to 27 and. c. 10, 11).

Image preserved at the Indian Museum (A 24120 lIJr.44): Asher 1g70, pl. XII, Bautze-picron lggg a.J).

II

266 s. R. A. A., rr (1991/92)

fig. 210' Another large image of the same museum (A24121) comes probably from the same stie(Bautze-Picron 1988 a, p.476 n'11); as a matter of fact, a similar image is still situated in the templeoI letravan.

36. See f. n. 35 (A24120 of the Indian Museum).37. Ibidem.38. See Bautze-Picron 1986.

39. AlsofromGhosrävän:IndianMuseumA25l51 13752(Banerji1933,pl.XXI-(b),Asher1970,pl.XX,Bautze-Picron 1988a, fig.214) or from Teträvän: Indian Museum 3745 and A 25152 13751, twoimages of a set to which belongs also a stela kept in Cleveland (Bautze-Picron 1989b, p.263 n. 10and p1.32.11).

40. From Teträvän; see previous f.n., from Nälandä: e.g. Huntington 19g4, fig. 130.41. Huntington 1984, fie. 137.42. And see below f. n. 54.

43. Huntington 1984, fig. 74, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 213.44. Huntington 1984, fig. 75, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 225.45. See our contribution to the Leiden Sanskrit Conference (1992a), paragraph C.25: the two

variants of the vertical symmetry, by translation and by reflection, are here combined within therepresentation of the attending deities. As we underline it below, the artists of Khara Khoto andthose responsible for some cloth-paintings from the Himalayan range made use of the symmetry byreflection exclusively, by reversing the position of the upavtta in one case.

46. Bautze-Picron 1988 a, pp.464-469.47. See our forthcoming work on the sculpture from this site.48. Srivastava 1987, Asher 1975.49. We already suspected a Bodh Gayä influence on a representation of Mahämäyüri found at Colgong

(f. n. 10). For the relation of Antichak and Bodh Gayä, see Huntington 1984, pp. 127-128.50. See f. n. 10.

51. See f.n. 10 and 11.

52. See f.n. 11.

53. See below f. n. 54.54. Indian Museum 4564. See Indian Antiquities, photo 171 (by J. Beglar); Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig.

248.55. See f. n. 10.

56. Ibidem.57. The Tärä belongs to the Varendra Research Museum, Rajshahi

^(c)2 l9l (Basak, Bhattacharyyalglg,

p.5, Huntington 1984, fie. 233), the Prajfläpäramitä to the Malda Museum BPR-I (Majumdar 1971,pl. XXVI (fie. 62), M. Bhattacharyya 1,982, pl. VIII and p. 39).

58. Varendra Reseach Museum A(c)l / 229 (Basak, Bhattacharyya 191.9, p. 5).59. National Museum of Bangladesh 68.66 (Bhattasali 1929, pl. VII-(a), Majumdar 1971, pL. XX (fig. 50),

Banerji 1933, pl. XXXX-(d), Mallmann 1948, pl. XIV-c, Bhattacharyya 1958, fig. 103, Saraswati 1977,ill. 59, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, p.558 n'1).

60. Srivastava 1987, p.52 lower left, Saran 1978, pl.XIX (fig. 2).61. For instance: Huntington 1984, figs. 130, 134. But the motif is also commonly met with at Kurkihär

(ibidem, figs. 115-117).62. See f. n. 57.63. Bautze-Picron 1989, p.333.64. Bangiya Sahitya Parishad C(e)l / 269 (Ganguly 1922, pl. VII, Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 274).65. Casey 1985, cat. 30.66. Huntington-Huntington 1,990, cat. 129 and pp. 361-362 (where other publications are mentioned). The

main argument of John C. Huntington for ascribing this image to a Tibetan atelier is the particularstone, i.e. the yellowish-beige pyrophyllite, in which it is carved (pp. 359-360) and which would havebeen quarried in southwestern China from where it was imported in Tibet or in Burma where itwas used for making the small slabs which we consider below. Now, as we shall see in the courseof the discussion, the region of Lakhi Sarai developed close relation with Southeast Bangladesh andbeyond it, with Burma on the one hand, with the Himalayan range on the other hand; it may well


be that this small image was as a matter of fact, carved in India, more precisely in this region ofBihar. Beside, Cunningham discovered a small Buddha image made in this stone in the stüpa ofBirdaban (see f. n. 19). Another similar object was recovered at Ratnagiri by D. Mitra (see f. n.79).

67. Mallmann 1975, p.369.68. Sotheby's New York, 6.10.1990. n'265.69. Huntington 1983, fig. 12, Sahai 1971 , figs.3 and 4, Mitra 1987, pls.7 and 8 (two bronze images

discovered at Jaipur, near Fatehpur, Gaya District). These images are mentioned by M. Ghosh1980, p.63. Two further bronzes were published by pal 1959.

70. At least three examples are known: Luce 1969-70, p1.231-e (also in Annual Report of the ASI forthe Years 1930-34, pl. CII-b, quoted by M. Ghosh 1980, p. 63), pls. 233-h and 236-b. Those pain-tings are detailed by Luce on pp. 335, 339 and 343. A fourth unpublished example is quoted by thesame author, p.342 (n" 89). These paintings are situated in the Abeyadana temple which was con-structed by Abeyadana, Kyanzittha's wife, maybe around 1090 (Luce 1969-70, I, p.77). Only twoof the published paintings show the utpala (Luce 1969-70, pls.231+ and 233-h); another kind oflotus appears on either side of the third goddess (ibidem, pl.236-b). Some further observations canbe done: on this example, the flower is painted on either side of the deity (as it is also usually thecase in India in this period) whereas on the two previous images, only one flower is depicted.Besides, on the flrst mentioned painting (Luce 1969-70, pl. 231-e), the flower is observed on theproper right of the goddess, the shawl accross the breast is also painted mirror-reversed and thegoddess sits in ardhaparyankäsana. On none of the images, does the goddess sit like on the imagesfrom India or from Tibet where the left foot lies on the right thigh. It might be further suggestedthat these paintings should be considered in relation to the other paintings of the Abeyadana wherethe Green Tärä also appeat, displaying the varadamudra but where also, many deities and charactersare still unidentified.

71. The two Tärä images 'from Tibet' were recently published by Huntington and Huntington (1990, cat729: see above f. n. 66, and cat. 150).

72. Bautze-Picron 1988b, pp.77-78 analyses the motif; all the examples evoked hereafter are quotedthere.

'/3' It seems that the replacement of one of the male figures of the saptaratnas by Jambhala started inBihar (Bautze-Picron 1988 a, pp.472473). The 'chief of the treasures' or kosäclyaksaratna appears inplace of the 'chief of the army' in some lists of saptaratnas (Armelin 1975, p.12), it might be thattradition which is here illustrated with Jambhala in place of the 'chief of the treasures'.

74. G' Bhattacharya 1985, fig. 1 (and pp. 137-138 for the inscription), Bautze-Picron 1988 a, fig. 246.Mära is clearly depicted on an andagu slab pubiished by Huntir.rgton-Huntington 1990, cat. 62(Bautze-Picrion 1988 b, p.79 f. n. 4: 14".1 where it is not identified (p.221:,perhaps Aparajita,); thesame identification is proposed for the seated figures seen below the Buddha of cat. 61 (p.219)(also Bautze-Picron 1988 b, p.79 f.n. 4: 12"). Besides, the authors do not recognize Jambhala in thecentral male fat deity seen on cat. 62 (the identification is not so evident on cat. 61).

15. Karmay 1975, pp. 16, 17, 19, 22 (woodcuts), Rhie-Thurman 7997, cat. 128, 133,135 (paintings). Theharhsas, mentionned hereafter, are seen on Rhie-Thurman 1991, cat. 9I, 128, 133, the musicians oncat. 135. The stylised harhsas reappear on a painting said to be from central Tibet and datine ofthe 12th c. (cat. 95).

76. The Umä-MaheSvara image quoted in f. n. 60. A description of the pedestal on the pagan andaguslabs is given by Susan L. Huntington in Huntington-Huntington 1990, p.219.

77. Huntington-Huntington 1990, p.219 mention the motif in Burma and consider it to be 'atvpical ofPala examples'.

78. Sotheby's New York, 16 and 17.3.1988, n 146; it measures g.g cm.79. See f. n. 19. Another similar slab was excavated by Debala Mitra at Ratnagiri (Mitra 1981, I, pl.

CLXIX-B and p. 227 where the author suggests that it might well have been brought there by somepilgrim).

80. Karmay 1975, pls. 16 and 19 (reproducted in the present journal by G. Mevissen under figs. 26 and27).

81. Rhie-Thurman 1.991, cat. 21, 128, 133, 135.

zol

268 s. R. A. 4,.. rr (1991/92)

82. Ibidem, cat. 21.83. Ibidem, cat. 91, 128, 133. 135.

84. Pal 1984, fig. 10, pl. 9; it is also observed at Alchi: ibidem, pl. 1,0.

85. See f. n. 40.

86. Rhie-Thurman 1991, figs. 11, 12, Pal 1984, fig. 10, pls.7 to 9 and 10 (Alchi).87. Rhie-Thurman 1991 . cat. 91.. 128.88. Ibidem, cat. 93, 135, Vitali 1990, pl.58. It is evident that the motif is integrated within various

iconographies, i.e. the characters are not everywhere alike, the dancers below a representation ofthe Buddha are not those appearing below an image of AvalokiteSvara or of Vajravärähi. But the

idea of having dancers and musicians below the deity, whoever she / he may be, emerged in the

course of the late 1lth and in the 12th c. and this idea penetrated different iconographies. Thesame can be said about other motifs more probably.

89. See our coritribution to the Leiden Sanskrit Conference 0992ü.90. Rhie-Thurman 1991, cat. 133 and 135 and fig. 11.

91. See above f.n. 66.

92. E.g. Saraswati 1977, ills. 170-179.93. Huntington 1984, fie. 150 (recovered at Abhäypur, Monghyr District); Asher 1988, fig. 12 (Inda-

paigarh) and p. 18 where two similar images in a temple at Jaynagar are mentioned; Roy Chaudhury1962, No.8 (in Bhagalpur); Huntington-Huntington 1990, cat. 26 and pp. 152-153 where places ofpublication are listed (of unknown provenance, but most probably from eastern Bihar); Mitra 1959.

94. Huntington 1984 or Asher 1988 names the god Bhairava (with a question mark by Huntington);Mitra 1959 or Huntington-Huntington 1990 name the god Mahäkäla. Another image published bythese two authors, cat. 29 is named Siva Bhairava. We do not agree with the place of locationsituated in Bihar: a stylistically identical image of Durgä was recovered at Harekrishnapur, RajshahiDistrict (Varendra Research Museum D(c)l / 133). This ambivalence should not surprise us toomuch. The image of Mahäkäla seems to have some sources in Kashmir where it seems to have

emerged at least partly out of the personnality of Siva. The Buddhist deity bears thus epithetsborrowed from Siva himself or from of his acoliths (Naudou 1968, pp. 96-98). It would, nonetheless,deserve some more research. See also Bautze-Picron 1988 b, f.n. 2.

95. Mallmann 1975, p.238.96. Above f. n. 93.

97. Ibidem.98. Ibidem.99. Huntington-Huntington 1990, cat. 26 and pp.152-153.100. B6guin 1990, p. 64 after Pal 1977, p.98 who links this from of the god to the nomadic tradition

of the Mongols.101. Böguin 1990, cat.21,26,27.102. Ibidem, cat. 2l and pp.52-56.103. Whereas the hairdo of Mahäkäla remains similar to the one presented by various images of Garuda

found in Bengal (e. g. Huntington 1984, fie. 245).

104. B6guin 1990, cat. A and B, pp.170-171, in particularly p.170 where the author collects the variousnames of this form. Cat. A is dated by B6guin in the l2th or 13th c. while Pal 1984, proposes

the date of c. 1200 (p1.13).

105. Which is not surprising, some of the Burmese andagu slabs bear also an inscription in Tibetan orChinese characters (Bautze-Picron 1988 a, p.463).

106. Rhie-Thurman 1991, cat. 52.

107. Böguin 1990, cat. B, p. l7l.108. Contrary to what B6guin 1990, p. 171, writes, these rosettes do not result from a simplification (in

the Himalaya) of the niches and pillars motifs. As a matter of fact, this motif belongs to the

structure of the votive stüpa wherc it adorns the pedestal.

109. Böguin 1.990, cat. 21, 26 and A (p. 170), Pal 1984, pl. 13.

110. Rhie-Thurman 1991, cat. 93.111. Pal. 1984, p1.14 (Alchi, early 13th c.),24 (Central Tibet, 14th c.), 27 (15th c.), 28 (l5th c.), Pal

1983, cat. P 10 and pl. 15 (central Tibet, 1450 or earlier) (all dates and places by Pal).

Bautze-Picron: Lakhi Sarar

112. Rhie-Thurman 1991. o.49.113. See above f. n. 28.

114. See our contribution on the Betagi image (1992b).

115. A feature of most of the Lakhi Sarai images, apparently inheritated frorn the Kurkihär tradition,is the presence of a clearly incised inscription on the unadorned lower part of the pedestal. Theinscription on the Jambhala reads: siddhan (expressed by a symbol) deyadharmoyah danapati (firstline) gauvavarudravisukasydft (second line). The inscription on the Mahäkäla image is partly erasedbut can be reconstructed with the help of this inscription (Huntington-Huntington 1990, p. 154

include the two readings proposed by B. N. Mukherjee and S. P. Tewari).116. See above f. n. 10.

117. But the image could also show Brhaspati, or even Brahmä as a Dikpäla. The two small malefigures who sit on two lotus in the pedestal hold, each of them, an instrument which looks like a

hatchet with a large circular blade (?). They do not wear jewellery, have a jata, ceuld they beascetics? As to the female attendants, they belong to a divine class which seem to have for function'to fiIl empty slots', they cannot be identifled with precision and reappear accompanying other deities(here Jambhala or Mahäkäla).

l18. Cimino 1986, fie. 4.

ll9. Sircar 1949, p. 139.120. Asher 1988, fig. 11.

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271

=.....'.-F

272 s. R. A. A., rr (1991/92)

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank here wadimir Zwalf, British Museum and G. Bhattacharya for their help inthe course of my research about Lakhi sarai. A special thank is due to vinod Krishna Kanoria andhis family through whom our stay in Patna and our travels in Bihar were greatly facilitated. I am mostgrateful to Joachim Bautze without whom I would not have ventured in some remoted sites of Bihar.He is also to be thanked for the following photos; 4,5,6, 12, 13, 17, rg, 19,23,30,32,35; he is alsoresponsible for having photographed after various publications the following illustrations: l, 21 (afterBurgess 1897), 8 (aftet Annual Report of the ASI for the Years 1925-26), 10 (after Indian Antiquities),2g,29 (aftet Indian Archaeology - A Review for the Year 1974-75), 41 (after ASI - Eastern Circle, AnnualReport for the Year 1907-08, photo 94), 15 (after Banerji 1933), ll (after Asher 19g6), 7 (after Huntington1984)' 33, 38 (after Huntington-Huntington 19go), 27 (after Srivast ava l9g7),31 (after Taddei 1967), 34(after Pal 1990), 37 (after sotheby's), 39 (after Chandra). Fig. 26 is by wl. zwarf , 2, 3 and 20 by theauthor, 9' 1'4 and 16 are copyright Museum für rndische Kunst Berlin,22 is copyright The Avery Brun-dage collection, 24, 25 and 36 copyright The victoria and Albert Museum, 40 copyright rhe BritishMuseum.

LIJ

Abbreviations

AM : Asutosh Museum.AMP : Archaeological Museum of patna.IM : Indian Museum.MIk : Museum für Indische Kunst Berlin.VA : Victoria and Albert Museum.

I

s. R. A. A., rr (1991/92)


Fig. 4 a Buddha, fragment of a large stela Fig. 4 b Birth of the Buddha, idem

Fig. 6 Buddha

Fig. 7 AvalokiteSvara

s. R. A. A., rr (t99t/92)

Fig. tl

Fig. 9 Avalokite6vara

Fig. 8 Avalokite6vara

FiS. 12 Pedestal

Fig. 14 Jambhala


Fig. 15 Jambhala

Fig. 13 Pedestal

2J7

Fig. 16 Mahäkäla

Ii

s. R. A. A., rr (r99t/92)

Fig. 17 b Krodha, back view

Fig. 18 Utrliqavijayä fig. 19 MahäSri Tärä Fig. 20 Märici

,l


Fig. 2l Devi with child

y',...,,,

Fig. 22 Devi with child

Fig. 24

t-

s. R. A. A., il (1991/92)280

Fig. 25 Sürya Fig.26 Buddha

Fig.27 Buddha Fig. 28 MahäSri Tärä

Fie. 29 Pedestal

Fig. 3l AvalokiteSvara


Fie. 32 Jambhala

281

Fie. 30 Buddha

282 s. R. A. A., rr (199t/92)

Fig. 33 Mahäkäla

Fig. 35 Buddha

Fig. 34 Acärya

:--

Fig. 36 Buddha

Claudine

Notiz

Note that the position of the two pictures 33 and 35 has been inverted.


Fig. 37 Yajratarä Fig. 38 Agastya (?)

Fig. 40 Vilrtu

284 s. R. A. A., il (1991/92)

Fig. 41 Images at Uren

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