Mod 5: Shunga Art โ Bharhut, Sanchi and the Bodh Gaya Railing, Aniconic Buddha, Terracottas of Pataliputra
Concept
10.9 Stupas, railings and symbols
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Bharhut, Sanchi and Bodh Gaya
Shunga-period art is mostly Buddhist and paid for by many small donors. Its typical forms are the stupa with a carved stone railing (vedika) and gateways (toranas). The Buddha is never shown in human form โ he is represented by symbols: the Bodhi tree, an empty seat, footprints, the wheel (dharmachakra) or a stupa. This is called the aniconic phase.
| Site | Shunga-period work | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bharhut (Satna, MP) | Railings and gateways richly carved with Jataka stories, yakshas and yakshis, each scene labelled | Found by Alexander Cunningham (1873); now mostly in the Indian Museum, Kolkata; gateway inscription โSuganam rajeโ of Dhanabhuti |
| Sanchi Stupa 1 (Raisen, MP) | Ashokaโs brick stupa doubled in size, cased in stone, with a plain stone railing and harmika | The four famous toranas were added later (1st century BCE, Satavahana period) |
| Bodh Gaya (Gaya, Bihar) | Sandstone railing round the Mahabodhi shrine (vajrasana area), with medallions and gifts by Kurangi, Nagadevi and others | Later granite parts are of the Gupta period |
- Aniconic phase: Buddha shown by tree, seat, footprints, wheel, stupa.
- Bharhut (Jataka labels; Kolkata), Sanchi enlarged (toranas later), Bodh Gaya railing.
- Question: What is the gateway of a stupa called? Answer: Torana.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[School] A stupaโs hemispherical dome is called the:
[BPSC level] The stone railing round a stupa is called:
[UPSC level] The square railing at the top of a stupa enclosing the umbrella is the:
[BPSC level] Bharhut stupa is located in the present state of:
[BSSC pattern] Bharhut stupa was discovered in 1873 by:
[BPSC level] Most of the Bharhut railing is now kept in the:
[UPSC level] The Bharhut sculptures are notable because each scene:
[UPSC level] In the Shunga period, Sanchi Stupa 1 was:
[BPSC level] The four famous gateways of Sanchi Stupa 1 belong to the:
One-liners
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What is the gateway of a stupa called?
Torana.Concept
10.10 Shunga art in Bihar
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Bodh Gaya railing and Patna terracottas
- Bodh Gaya railing: the oldest surviving stone work at the Mahabodhi complex; scenes include the sun god Surya in a chariot, Indra, and lotus medallions. Original pillars are displayed in the Bodh Gaya Archaeological Museum.
- Pataliputra terracottas: moulded female figurines and plaques with rich jewellery from Bulandibagh and Kumrahar levels show Shunga-style popular art.
- Mahabodhi today: a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. In 2025 Buddhist groups held protests at Bodh Gaya seeking changes to the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949, which governs the templeโs management committee โ a live current-affairs topic.
- Low relief, flat figures, frontal pose; crowded narrative panels.
- Labels in Brahmi name jatakas, yakshas (Kubera, Suchiloma) and yakshis (Chulakoka Devata).
- Art moves from Mauryan royal patronage to collective patronage by monks, nuns, traders and householders.
- Bodh Gaya railing (Surya, Indra, medallions); Patna terracottas; Mahabodhi UNESCO 2002.
- Question: Which Act governs the Mahabodhi temple committee? Answer: Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] The Shunga-period stone railing in Bihar stands round the shrine at:
[UPSC level] The later granite parts of the Bodh Gaya railing date to the:
[BSSC pattern] The Mahabodhi Temple became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in:
[Current affairs 2025] Protests at Bodh Gaya in 2025 sought changes to the:
[UPSC level] A carving on the Bodh Gaya railing shows which god riding a chariot?
[BPSC level] Shunga-style terracotta figurines in Bihar come from sites such as:
[UPSC level] Shunga-age Buddhist art was paid for mainly through:
[BSSC pattern] Chulakoka Devata, labelled at Bharhut, is a:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Which Act governs the Mahabodhi temple committee?
Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949.Concept
๐ฏ UPSC ยท BPSC ยท BSSC ยท State PSC level: PYQs and traps
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Parts of stupa; aniconism; patronage |
| BPSC | Bodh Gaya railing; Bharhut; Mahabodhi heritage |
| BSSC / SSC | Where is Bharhut; who found it |
In early Buddhist art the Buddha is represented by symbols. Which of these is NOT such a symbol? (a) Bodhi tree (b) Footprints (c) Empty throne (d) Seated human figure in meditation
- The human Buddha image appears only later, in Kushana-age Gandhara and Mathura art.
- Sanchiโs toranas are Satavahana (1st c. BCE); its stone casing and railing are Shunga.
- Bharhut is in Madhya Pradesh; its railings are in Kolkata.
- Sanchi toranas = Satavahana; Bharhut in MP, railings in Kolkata.
- Question: Which symbol shows the Buddhaโs enlightenment? Answer: The Bodhi tree.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[UPSC level] In early Buddhist art the Buddha was represented by symbols because of the:
[BPSC level] Which symbol stands for the Buddhaโs first sermon?
[UPSC level] Which pair of a Shunga-age site and its location is correct?
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Which symbol shows the Buddhaโs enlightenment?
The Bodhi tree.