Dhaneswar Khera Buddha statue

Dhaneshar Khera Buddha statue is the bronze statue of Buddha made in early 5th century CE during the Gupta period in Ancient India. The Buddha statue got its name from the location where it had been discovered. The pedestal where the Buddha is seated is equipped with an inscription which mentions it as the gift of Mahadevi, the queen of Hariraja.

Discovery of the statue

Dhaneswar Khera is located near the village of Icchawar or Nicchawar in Jaspura Tahsil, Banda District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dhaneswar Khera is also referred to as Danesar Khera by most of the people. It is recorded that the Bronze Buddha statue was discovered only in the nineteenth century along with two other Buddha statues. The information about the discovery of these Buddha statues was published by William Hooey and Vincent Arthur Smith in 1895 CE. The statues were kept in the Asian Gallery of British Museum since 1969. The other two Buddha statues are displayed in the Bangkok National Museum and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

Iconography of Dhaneswar Khera Buddha statue

Dhaneswar Khera Buddha statue is cast with Bronze metal. The statue is portrayed in the seating posture, in the Dhyana Aasan with the back side of the feet facing upward, on the pedestal which has the inscription in the front. The inscription is written in Sanskrit.

The hand of the Buddha statue is depicted in the Dharma Chakra Mudra. The Dharma chakra mudra is formed when the thumb and index finger of both the hands touch at their tips to form a circle. This particular circle symbolizes the Wheel of Dharma. Similarly, this circle also means, in the metaphysical term, the union of the method or Upaya and wisdom or Prajna. Both the hands are held against the chest in Vitarka, while the left hand is facing inward which covers the right hand facing outward. The three remaining fingers of both the hands remain extended and they have their own symbolic importance: The middle finger of the right hand represents the 'hearers' of the teachings of the Buddha, the index finger represents the 'realizers’ of the teachings and the little finger represents the Mahayana or 'the great vehicle'. Similarly, the three extended fingers of the left hand represent the three jewels of the Buddhist principles. They are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. As the gesture is performed with the hands held in front of the left side of the chest, or in front of the heart, the Dharma chakra mudra represents the teachings are straight from the Buddha's heart.

The statue wears the monastic robe with both the shoulder covered. The ear is elongated and the head has the spiral hair along with ushnisha.

Inscription on the pedestal

The Inscription on the pedestal of Dhaneswar Khera Buddha Statue is an epigraphic record which records the dedication of the wife of Hariraja of the Gupta lineage. The inscription records an important documentation regarding the local Gupta Dynasty. Through this inscription, it is believed that the Bronze Buddha statue dates to the early 5th Century CE.

The inscription is written in the Sanskrit language. It was first noted in 1949 and afterward D. C. Sircar published this inscription in Epigraphia Indica. P. L. Gupta has clearly discussed this inscription. The Inscription records that the Bronze Buddha statue was the meritorious gift of Mahadevi, the queen of Hariraja. The inscription also mentions that the King Hariraja is the blood lineage of the Gupta dynasty. This information is also recorded on a copper plate charter from Varanasi.

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