The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Rare Bahubali statue discovered

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 24, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Rare Bahubali statue discovered

Staff Reporter

Priceless: The statue of Bahubali found in Mandya.

BANGALORE: When construction workers started digging at Kambada Halli in Nagamangala taluk of Mandya district to lay the foundation stone of a building, least did they expect to unravel a priceless masterpiece.

To their surprise, a beautiful image of Bahubali surfaced, and this has been hailed as a great piece of historical importance in terms of Indian iconography.

The monolithic statue dates back to ninth century AD (early Ganga period). The five-foot statue has been carved in light bluish soft stone and looks fresh.

Research scholar in Jainology Hampa Nagarajaiah said, “The iconographic nuances add to its rarity and make it peerless.

"The Madhavi creeper entwining the feet has grown up to the thighs and the hair neatly combed back with curls dropping on Bahubali’s back and shoulders, which are unique.”

The Bahubali statues are normally found in two styles – one with curly hair like in Shravanabelogola and the other with combed hair falling on the shoulders and back which is said to be rare. The Bahubali statues with combed hair falling on the shoulder are those in line with statues Adinatha, the first Theerthankara.

According to the researcher, the style of matted hair locks falling on the shoulders and back, reminds one of Bahubali’s metal image of the fifth century, now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum, New York.

Image

In terms of the style of curls of hair falling only up to the shoulders, the image resembles the relief of Bahubali in Badami cave dating back to late sixth century AD.

“This statue proves that the Bahubali’s image was also consecrated in Kambada Halli village,” Prof. Nagarajaiah said.

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