Worship of the Relics

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Time Period
C. 2nd Century CE, Kushana, Gandhara

Location found
Loriyan Tangai (North-West part of Undivided India)

Dimension
H: 25.9, W: 7.5, L: 39.5 cm

Material
Schist

Number Assigned
Accession No. 5153/ A23266
Indian Museum, Kolkata, West Bengal

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The Worship of Relics relief from the Gandhara School of Art portrays devotees paying homage to a reliquary stupa draped with cloth, symbolizing the Buddha’s enduring presence after his Parinirvana. Carved in gray schist, the scene shows elegantly dressed figures offering flowers and gestures of reverence. The detailed drapery and architectural framing reflect Greco-Roman influence, while the subject embodies deep Buddhist devotion. This relief exemplifies Gandharan art’s fusion of realism and spirituality in representing sacred veneration practices.

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