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318:. Not only is there a thoroughly convincing suggestion of solidity of form, but the articulation of body and limbs is achieved with complete mastery... The question may well be asked: what is the purpose of such frankly sensuous figures on a Buddhist monument? The answer is that possibly they represent a pointed reference on the
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The couples above the yakshi are found in another
Mathura set of railing pillars of similar date from Jaisinghpura, also in the Mathura Museum. Here only the heads appear. The dwarfish male figures the yakshis stand on seem rather cheerful, and instead of representing the usual evil figures stood on
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serves wine to the couple above and holds a grape. The yakshi in the half-pillar in
Mathura holds a huge sword; possibly this relates to the various literary references to female royal bodyguards or harem guards. They are from the front completely naked apart from elaborate jewellery, but wear thin
279:
The pillars are four feet four inches tall and eleven inches wide, the figures therefore well under life-size. The
Yakshis are seen standing on crouching figures of dwarves. Above the yakshis is a ledge, above which are a pair of figures shown from chest height up. These are couples of a male and a
284:
carved with ornament runs above; this is a different piece of stone, which has been put back in place in the display in
Kolkata. The sides of the pillars have slots for holding horizontal members, the whole making up a section of the type of railing usually found around stupas of this period, such
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a flamboyance and sensuality of expression surpassing anything known in the art of earlier periods. In their provocative and frank display of the beauties and delights of the courtesan's art, these reliefs mark the culmination of a tendency already noted in the carvings at Sanchi and
305:
finds these "more vivacious and
Amazonian in nature, and their smooth, inflated volumptuousness gives them buoyancy and life. They seem about to spring from the backs of their supporting dwarfs ... ... have the monumental frontality which is characteristic of Mathura sculpture".
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by Indian deities, may in this case represent yaksha lovers who have offended their mistress in some way; there are many literary references to men appeasing women by submitting in this way. They are also found in other
Mathura yakshi pillars.
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This group of Yakshi figures is praised for the delicacy of their rendering, the absence of heaviness despite the plumpness of the figures, and their smiling and playful countenance. Compared to the earlier yakshis at
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The
Bhutesar mound is one of a row of large mounds originally just outside the city of Mathura, but now well within the modern city. The important, mostly
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of later Hindu art, they represent an allegory of the desirability of the soul's union with the divine in the forms of these beautiful
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Bhutesvara
Yakshis, Mathura, 2nd century CE. The Buddhist reliefs of the back of the pillars are visible in the mirror behind.
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375:, and founder in 1874 of the Mathura Museum, relate that in his time five of the pillars were "built into the verandah of a
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to the transitory life of pleasure, outside the peace of the world of Buddha; again, it may be that, like the
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skirts, which most have gathered to one side, the hanging folds appearing on the flat background surface.
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returns to Heaven after witnessing the deeds of King Sibi, saying King Sibi will soon become a Buddha.
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Writing of these and other contemporary
Mathura yakshi figures from railings, Benjamin Rowland finds:
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The backs of the pillars contain reliefs with scenes from the life of the Buddha, and from
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The backs of the pillars contain reliefs with scenes from the life of the Buddha, and from
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Introducing Indian Art - R & K Publishing House, 1963, J. P. Guha, Page 121
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close by" the site. One had already been removed to
Calcutta (Kolkata) by
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tales about his previous lives. One in Mathura has the story of the sage
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reliefs on a railing, dating to the 2nd century CE during the time of the
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342:(three bend) pose that was to become extremely popular in Indian art.
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2C: Festivities and monsters (possibly in the city of Kapilavastu).
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looks at herself in a mirror while adjusting a piece of earring.
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Reverse of Mathura Yakshi Putting on Her Garment After Bath
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bare-breasted female, interacting in a variety of ways. A
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that so actively suggest the desirability of sexual union.
202:). The holes for the cross-bars can be seen in the sides.
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The Art and Architecture of India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain
293:. In the past the Kolkata display has included these.
506:. King Sibi gives some of his own flesh to the wounded.
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Rowland, 157, plate 101; Varadpande, plates 13, 14, 15
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The Yakshis have varied attitudes, variations on the
886:, 1967 (3rd edn.), Pelican History of Art, Penguin,
663:, Partha Chatterjee, Anjan Ghosh Anthem Press, 2006
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The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent
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443:Location of Bhutesvara (here "Buteswar", next to
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840:, 1987, Thames & Hudson (Praeger in USA),
490:. King Sibi was the Buddha in a previous life.
419:Yakshi with sword, the half-pillar in Mathura.
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194:Back of the pillars with Buddhist reliefs (
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582:3B: The Buddha subjugating the elephant
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811:Varadpande, Chapter 5, "At their Feet"
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367:The memoirs of Sir F. S. Growse, the
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249:. They are an important example of
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473:Images from Kolkata unless stated
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260:tales about his previous lives.
222:. The reliefs were found in the
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226:mound, around the remains of a
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48:The Bhutesvara Yakshis in the
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838:Indian Art: A Concise History
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395:Five of the pillars, in 1897.
346:is seen holding a bird cage.
237:, and are now located in the
1164:Sculptures of women in India
896:Varadpande, Manohar Laxman,
570:3A: Subjugation of Nalagiri.
431:Detail on the centre pillar.
7:
1096:Buddha statue of Vasudeva I
852:Mathura - A District Memoir
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538:2B: The Great Departure of
10:
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1149:Sculptures of men in India
1020:Mirzapur stele inscription
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1159:Indian Buddhist sculpture
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1025:Vasu Doorjamb Inscription
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898:Woman in Indian Sculpture
542:, the Buddha-to-be, from
407:Lady holding a bird cage.
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748:Craven, photo as fig. 66
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1169:Sculptures of mythology
1035:Yavanarajya inscription
661:History and the Present
1076:Saptarishi Tila statue
469:, seduced by a woman.
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1030:Mora Well Inscription
447:), right outside old
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271:was two mounds down.
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94:27.60000°N 77.65000°E
707:Alexander Cunningham
679:The Culture of India
381:Alexander Cunningham
275:Front of the pillars
882:Rowland, Benjamin,
457:Back of the pillars
90: /
1081:Bhutesvara Yakshis
602:attacking someone.
369:District collector
214:, are a series of
208:Bhutesvara Yakshis
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99:27.60000; 77.65000
21:Bhutesvara Yakshis
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1044:Works of art
1012:Inscriptions
985:Buddhist art
910:google books
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269:Kankali Tila
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1139:Mathura art
1071:Isapur Yūpa
970:Mauryan art
793:Growse, 121
757:Craven, 107
721:Growse, 121
711:pp. 110-111
544:Kapilavastu
520:Sibi Jataka
504:Sibi Jataka
488:Sibi Jataka
352:Yet another
348:Another one
344:One of them
251:Mathura art
177:(Discovery)
97: /
1144:Kushan art
1133:Categories
1091:Caturvyūha
1051:Mudgarpani
975:Kushan art
906:8170174740
892:0140561021
878:0300062176
860:8120602285
846:0500201463
828:References
524:Viswakarma
267:, site of
233:, outside
224:Bhuteshwar
85:77°39′00″E
82:27°36′00″N
73:Discovered
995:Hindu art
980:Gupta art
693:Harle, 60
614:Story of
540:Siddharta
340:tribhanga
1118:Category
1056:Agnipani
990:Jain art
636:See also
600:Nalagiri
584:Nalagiri
328:mithunas
320:exterior
228:Buddhist
57:Material
1154:Yakshas
1004:Objects
449:Mathura
377:chaupal
371:of the
363:History
322:of the
316:Bharhut
299:Bharhut
243:Kolkata
235:Mathura
200:Kolkata
171:Mathura
145:Mathura
139:. Also
133:Kolkata
114:Mathura
38:Kolkata
904:
890:
876:
858:
844:
683:p. 209
463:Jataka
332:dryads
287:Sanchi
282:lintel
258:Jataka
216:yakshi
648:Notes
231:stupa
175:India
137:India
118:India
110:Place
902:ISBN
888:ISBN
874:ISBN
856:ISBN
842:ISBN
665:p. 7
518:2A:
502:1B:
486:1A:
265:Jain
206:The
953:Art
289:or
285:as
241:in
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671:^
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36:,
938:e
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451:.
120:.
52:.
40:.
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