Sripura (Archaeological Survey)
by Bikash Chandra Pradhan | 2011 | 37,938 words
This study examines the Archaeological remains of Sripura from the period A.D. 650-800, revealing all varieties of archaeological materials, viz., art and architecture, coins, copper plate and stone epigraphic records and seals etc. highlighting the history and cultural heritage of Shripura. This ancient city was the capital of South Koshala under ...
Copper Images
A copper image of Padmapani[1], in the M.G.M. museum, Raipur which is of 24.5 cm high and seated in Lalitasans is comparatively the biggest metal icon ever found from Sirpur. The left hand of Padmapani Boodhisatva contained two lotus flowers. The right hand is in the Varadamudra. The decorated Jatajuta (matted hair) resembles the representation of Amitabha.
Another copper image of Padmapani, found from Sirpur is being preserved in the M.G.M. museum, Raipur (ACC. No. 0021). The 15 cm high icon is different in many respects from the above-mentioned icon. This image has got squarepatterned eyes and thick lips. The pattern of ornamentation of both the images are similar but the representation of the feature of Amitabhaa are absent in this image. The series of pearl studded in the yajnopavita is also different. The ears contains the Kundalas but the facial expressions is bereft of smile. Prabhamandala is not present with this image. The art pattern of this image resembles a bronze image of Avalokitesvara, discovered from the village Mahoba in the Hamirpur district of Central India, which has been preserved in the state museum Lucknow[2].
A unique copper image of Bajrapani in the MGM museum Raipur. The height of this metallic sculpture is 27.5 cm. In this image, Boddhisatva is seated on a plain Jagati on the sculpture of a duplexed lotus it. The eyes are studded with silver, lips with copper colour while this image itself is gold-gilded. The image is richly decorated with necklace, armlets, bracelets, jem-studded Yajnopavitra, Katimekhala (waist ornament), Ghunghrus and Prabhamandala with the famous mantra inscribed behind it. In respect of art pattern this image resembles, the image of Avalokitesvara but the only difference is that this image holds the Bajra in its left hand.
Sirpur had been an important center of Mahayana Buddhism like the Buddhist center of Nalanda. The metallic art attained celebrity at Sripura under such metal workman Dronaditya and Kumaradeva. Mahayana Buddhism and the Sirpur art pattern had been closely related and both of these were influenced by the Magadhan region.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Puratan, op. cit., p. 123, Fig. 14.
[2]:
ibid, p. 122, Fig. 13.