{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25018"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25018/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW8824/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW8824/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AW8824","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BG1326","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BD7366","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CP7318","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BF2549","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HH9325","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HH9456","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC8120","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25018/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25018","accessionNumber":"IS.1065-1883","objectType":"Pillar","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This pillar was found in Bodhgaya, Bihar, in Eastern India, and dates from the early 1st century. It formed part of the original sandstone railing encircling the tree shrine at Bodhgaya, marking the site of the Buddha's enlightenment. \r\nThe surviving section represents the upper section of the pillar, and is decorated on two faces with roundels. The upper roundels depict devotees worshipping the sacred Bodhi tree and a scene of a princely figure receiving a hunter with a bird on a pole. This is probably a scene from the Hamsa Jataka story, which recounts the Buddha's previous existence as a goose who offered his life for another. A Brahmi inscription records the pillar as 'the gift of the noble lady Kurangi'.","physicalDescription":"A damaged upper section of an octagonal pillar in red sandstone with upper and lower roundels on opposing sides and pairs of oval-shaped mortises with pointed ends on the other two sides carved to receive the horizontal rails of the enclosure.  The upper roundels, which are missing their sides and top parts depict scenes within a simple circular moulding. One of them depicts three turbaned devotees standing on a raised platform (with the outermost one largely broken off) shown in three-quarter profile, worshipping the sacred Bodhi tree which inclines towards them on the left. The roundel below, which has only a piece on the right hand side missing, is carved with a head and shoulders bust of a man gazing out to the right of an onlooker. He is wearing an elaborate turban twisted with a large knot tilted on the right hand side of his head. His hair is brushed back from his forehead and marked with incised lines, and on his shoulders rest two cylindrical earrings. Behind him, on his left side, radiate a series of fish-tail ended ribbons, filling the concave circular centre. This is encircled with a multi-petalled lotus blossom which has beaded ornamentation down the centres of each of the front petals set within a plain circular moulding.\n  On the reverse side of the pillar the upper roundel depicts a scene of a princely figure seated at royal ease on a plain throne resting on a multi-arched platform under an umbrella with a female attendant behind him holding a fly whisk as he receives a hunter with what appears to be a bird on a pole. This probably represents a scene from the Hansa Jataka story, relating to one of the Buddha's previous existences as a goose who offered his life for another.  The roundel below is similar to the one on the other side with a lotus frame, although the front petals here have only an incised central line with no beading. The central part is carved with a winged elephant,<i> passant</i>, facing left with its front right foot raised. There are inscriptions carved on both of the front facets of the decorated sides.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved sandstone","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[{"text":"Maurya -Sunga","id":"x32273"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AW8824","2006BG1326","2006BD7366","2009CP7318","2006BF2549","2014HH9325","2014HH9456","2017KC8120"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"20","id":"THES49852"},"free":"","case":"PL1","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"columns (architectural elements)","id":"AAT1571"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Bihar","id":"x29823"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"from Bodhgaya"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1st century BC-1st century AD","earliest":"-0100-01-01","latest":"0100-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Surgeon-Maj. F. A. Turton","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"116.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2023","earliest":"2023-03-14","latest":"2023-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2023","earliest":"2023-03-14","latest":"2023-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"30","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2023","earliest":"2023-03-14","latest":"2023-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"256","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"27/4/2023","earliest":"2023-04-27","latest":"2023-04-27"},"part":"","note":"Weight taken by Technical Services on de-installation for 'Tree and Serpent' exhibition loan."}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"carved inscription in Ashokan Brahmi characters,<i> Ayaye Kuramgiye danam</i>","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'the gift of the noble lady Kurangi'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The inscription is carved across the centre of the  front facet of the pillar beneath the medallion of the devotees before the Sacred Pipal or Bodhi Tree. On a coping stone from the same site the lady is described as the wife of Indragnimitra (see T. Bloch)."},{"content":"carved inscription ; <i>Vallabhasya</i>","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'of Vallabha'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"the inscription is carved in Nagari characters dating from about the 10th century"}],"objectHistory":"This pillar was one of the pillars discovered at Bodhgaya during excavations in 1862 and 1873 by General Cunningham, which he recognised had been part of the ancient railing which encircled the sacred Bodhi tree under which the Siddhartha Gautama gained Enlightenment and became the first historical Buddha at the end of the 6th century B.C. Two sets of pillars were discovered by Cunningham of which this pillar belongs to the earlier set made of a sandstone from the Kaimur hills near Sasseram in the district of Shahabad. According to T. Bloch fifteen of the early pillars share a dedication by the Lady Kurangi. According to Cunningham three pillars were sent to South Kensington, but there are Museum records only for this pillar.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sandstone pillar from Bodhgaya, Bihar, Eastern India","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Cunningham, A., <u>Mahabodhi</u>, London, 1892, p.14, No. 12, pl. VIII, fig. 13\nBloch, T., A<u>rchaeological Survey of India, Annual Report</u>, 1908-1909, Calcutta, 1912, p. 146\nBarnett, L.D., 'Inscriptions in the Victoria and Albert Museum', <u>Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society</u>, London, April 1915, pp. 337-339\nIndian Art: large Picture Book No 36, V&amp;A Museum, 1969, pl. 1\nStarza, O.M., <u>The Bodhgaya Pillar</u>, V&amp;A Museum, 1974\n\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Starza, O.M. <u>The Bodhgaya Pillar</u>. London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1974. ISBN 0 901486 84 1. 8p, ill."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Barnett, L.D. <u>J.R.A.S.</u>, 1915 Pt. I, p. 337.  "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Codrington, K. de B. <u>Ancient India</u>, 1926, Pl. XIV."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Coomaraswamy, A.K. 'La sculpture de Bodh Gaya', <u>Ars Asiatica</u> No. 18, 1935, Pl. XXXVII, and p. 58."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John. <u>Indian Temple Sculpture</u>, London : V&A Publications, 2007. p.29. pl.26.\r\nISBN 9781851775095"},{"reference":{"text":"The art of India and Pakistan, a commemorative catalogue of the exhibition held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1947-8. Edited by Sir Leigh Ashton. London: Faber and Faber, [1950]","id":"AUTH343744"},"details":"p. 23, cat. no. 35","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John C., Indian Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1968","id":"AUTH348144"},"details":"pl. 1","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Clarke, John;  The New Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries of Buddhist Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum,\r\nOrientations; vol. 48. no. 5,  September/October 2017, p. 62, fig. 2."},{"reference":{"text":"Guy, J. <i>Tree and Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India</i>, The Metropolitian Museum of Art. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2023.","id":"AUTH411627"},"details":"pp. 102-103","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Pillar from the Buddhist Tree Shrine at Bodhgaya\r\n\r\n1–100 \r\nShunga period \r\n\r\nThe Buddha achieved enlightenment under a bodhi tree. \r\nThe site of this tree later became a shrine,enclosed by a \r\nrailing to mark the path of the pilgrims’ritual circular walk.\r\nThis pillar once formed part of that railing.One scene shows \r\nworshippers before the sacred tree.Another shows one of the \r\nBuddha’s previous lives,as a golden goose who was captured \r\nby a hunter but later released by the king after preaching the \r\nBuddhist law. \r\n\r\nSandstone \r\nEastern India \r\nFound at Bodhgaya, Bihar\r\nInscribed in Brahmi as ‘the gift of the noble lady Kurangi’ \r\n\r\nGiven by Surgeon-Major F.A.Turton\r\nMuseum no. IS.1065-1883 \r\n\r\n","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.1065-1883"],"accessionNumberNum":"1065","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1883,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2023NL4367"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-08","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}