Image title: Figure 85. The Descent of Buddha (Nagarjunakonda)

Figure 85:—Panel depicting the descent of Buddha from the Tushita heaven as a celestial elephant before his birth, Nagarjunakonda, c. 3^rd century CE, Archaeological Museum, Nagarjunakonda. (Courtesy: Ratan Parimoo, Life of Buddha in Indian Sculptures, Fig. 14).

Gallery information:

The art of Bharhut, dominated by sculptural reliefs narrating a popular facet of Buddhism in the form of the immense Jataka literature, represent the emergence of visual narrative art in India.—Bharhut represents the earliest evidence of narrative art which display many story telling techniques.