Introduction
India’s incredible craftsmanship was once an exclusive example for the rest of the world. The extent of development in India was way ahead of its time in the Vedic era, and the trend continued in later years. Technically, India presented a large number of masterpieces to the world, and this very fact is indeed a proven factor.
Sultan Ganj Buddha is one of the marvelous examples of India’s legacy.
Sultan Ganj Buddha: Unearthing the Indian mastery in metallurgy.
The Sultanganj Buddha is the largest bronze sculpture found in India. In 1861, E.B.Harris a railway engineer of the British Empire in India, accidentally found this sculpture during railway construction in Sultanganj, near present Bhagalpur, Bihar, in northern India.
Along with this life-sized sculpture, Harris also discovered other Buddha statues and a Buddha head.
Indian Sculpture- From Ancient to Modern – Indian Art Ideas
British colonialism: Alienated India.
Starting in 1600 under the East India Company, British rule on the Indian subcontinent, also known as crown rule in India, lasted from 1858 to 1947.
The mentioned Sultanganj Buddha was sent to Birmingham, Britain, by Samuel Thornton, a Birmingham manufacturer of ironmongery in the same year.
In 1864, Thornton offered the statue to the Borough Council for their proposed museum.
Indian Artifacts at the British Museum – Kevin Standage
Description of the statue: an anatomy of Indian excellence.
The largest substantially wholesome copper Buddha statue is a Gupta-Pala transitional period sculpture. As per analysis by radiocarbon dating, it’s dated to between 500-700 AD.
With a height of 2.3 m, and width of 1m, and weight of over 500kg, the statue was cast in pure, unrefined copper by the cire perdue or lost wax technique.
Back in history, the Rig Veda refers to the AYAS. The Sanskrit word AYAS refers to metals like bronze, copper, or iron.
India was an early centre regarding iron technology, according to archeological data, and during the period of peaceful time in early history, India witnessed extensive advancements in the field. Herodotus (431-425 BCE) wrote about the use of iron and other metals in India.
Portrayal of Lord Buddha
Sultanganj Buddha is in the standing position with ‘abhaya hand mudra’, his left hand is held downwards with a palm outwards and his right hand is bent at his wrist and palm spread outward. Abhay mudra means fearlessness.
The monastic robe draping the statue adds to its majestic appearance.
Theravadin monks still practice this mannerism.
Explanation about Abhaya Mudra – Mudra of no fear
Story behind the posture.
According to a story preserved in the Pali Tipitaka,
Devdutta, the cousin of Buddha, once wanted to be the sole leader of the monks and world honoured one, only to be rebuked by Buddha himself.
Grudges are always and anyway harmful. Enraged by the rebuttal and finding himself unable to disgrace Buddha, Devdutta reportedly sent a large drug-induced elephant to kill Buddha. However, the elephant was tamed in the presence of Buddha.
Bihar: Buddhism, Jainism, and cultural heritage.
Bihar has the most significant history in the world in terms of civilization, in terms of culture, in terms of education, and in terms of a systematic approach to governance.
In addition to the religious epics associated with Bihar, much can be written to highlight Bihar’s historical contributions.
Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya, Bihar.
After achieving his spiritual goal, Buddha became an ascetic, and his teachings and ideologies are now known as Buddhism.
It’s all about serving the people without any discrimination.
With above 470 million followers, Buddhism is now one of the prominent religions in the world.
Current scenario: Sultan Ganj Buddha
Brought in 1864 in the newly constructed Birmingham museum and art gallery (BMAG), the sculpture is still a vital display item. The Birmingham museum, from 1998 to 2015, organised an annual ‘Buddha Day ‘.
In 2015, Birmingham museum created a new ‘faith gallery ‘ for the Buddha sculpture.
Conclusion: India’s loss and other countries’ gain.
Sultanganj Buddha belongs to India and we must try our level best to bring it back to where it actually belongs to.
It’s so pathetic that the British imperialist government looted the art piece that belongs to India. Not only this, they intentionally took away a number of our invaluable assets and possessions.
A humble request to respective governments
I know that religious beliefs have a separate existence, but the real rights to the historical monuments of a region should belong to that region only. We all Indians hope that all our invaluable historical achievements are returned to us, that too without any conditions.
Introduction to the topic: Sultanganj Buddha
When the Western countries were far behind, India was in its Zenith position. Even the tiniest specimens of civilization in India speak volumes of the legacy of excellence. Sultan Ganj Buddha is one of the metallurgical wonders that clarifies the depths of the knowledge that India can boast about umpteenth time.
