Didarganj Yakshi
Encyclopedia
The Didarganj Yakshi (or Didarganj Chauri Bearer) is one of the finest examples of Mauryan art
.
The sculpture is currently located in the Patna Museum
in Patna
, India
. It is 64" tall, carved out of a single piece of stone.
The Didarganj Yakshi is estimated to date from ca. 3rd century BCE. It was excavated from Didarganj, on the banks of the Ganges River, in 1917.
The statue's nose was damaged during a travelling exhibition, The Festival of India, en route to Smithsonian Institution
and the National Gallery of Art
, Washington, D.C.
, USA
.
, his follower the emperor Ashoka
as well as documentation and excavation of architecture and artefacts of the Gupta empire
and Maurya dynasty. He was also responsible for much of the work carried on for the archaeological surveys of the Nalanda University seen as one of the finest examples of higher education facilities during Buddhist India. As a passionate advocate of Buddhist philosophy and teachings, Samaddar published several books on Buddhist history, most noted amongst which is the condensation of his lecture series "The Glories of Magadha." His residential palace named Pataliputra includes several carvings of Buddhist life on its walls and the depiction of the Bodhisatva in sculptural forms. JN Samaddar was part of the community of Euro-Bengali intellectuals of the colonial era which also included poet Rabindranath Tagore
, writer Sukumar Ray (film director Satyajit Ray
's father) and members of the royal families of Bengal and Nepal as well as several European writers who were influenced by Eastern philosophies. However it is in this environment of independent critical thinking that far from following the dictum of the Raj, works that evoked pride in ancient Indian philosophy and heritage were evolved and its need to be free from colonialism.
Mauryan art
Mauryan art encompasses the arts produced during the period of the Mauryan Empire , which was the first empire to rule over most of the Indian subcontinent. It represented an important transition in Indian art from use of wood to stone...
.
The sculpture is currently located in the Patna Museum
Patna Museum
Patna Museum is the state museum of the Indian state of Bihar. Built in 1917 during the British Raj to house the historical artefacts found in the vicinity of Patna, it is in the style of Mughal and Rajput architecture and is known locally as the Jadu Ghar.Items on display in the multipurpose...
in Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is 64" tall, carved out of a single piece of stone.
The Didarganj Yakshi is estimated to date from ca. 3rd century BCE. It was excavated from Didarganj, on the banks of the Ganges River, in 1917.
The statue's nose was damaged during a travelling exhibition, The Festival of India, en route to Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
J.N. Samaddar
It was moved to the Patna museum by noted archaeologist, professor and historian, Dr. J N Samaddar. A specialist in Buddhist history and artefacts, Professor Samaddar carried on extensive archaeological digs throughout the areas inhabited by the BuddhaBuddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
, his follower the emperor Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
as well as documentation and excavation of architecture and artefacts of the Gupta empire
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
and Maurya dynasty. He was also responsible for much of the work carried on for the archaeological surveys of the Nalanda University seen as one of the finest examples of higher education facilities during Buddhist India. As a passionate advocate of Buddhist philosophy and teachings, Samaddar published several books on Buddhist history, most noted amongst which is the condensation of his lecture series "The Glories of Magadha." His residential palace named Pataliputra includes several carvings of Buddhist life on its walls and the depiction of the Bodhisatva in sculptural forms. JN Samaddar was part of the community of Euro-Bengali intellectuals of the colonial era which also included poet Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
, writer Sukumar Ray (film director Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
's father) and members of the royal families of Bengal and Nepal as well as several European writers who were influenced by Eastern philosophies. However it is in this environment of independent critical thinking that far from following the dictum of the Raj, works that evoked pride in ancient Indian philosophy and heritage were evolved and its need to be free from colonialism.