The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Cultural Archives & Conservation Division, held the Fourth Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture on the theme ‘The Origin of Another Buddha Image.’ Instituted in memory of Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, whose pioneering scholarship shaped the understanding of Indian art and aesthetics, the lecture was delivered by Prof. Naman P. Ahuja, Professor at the School of Arts & Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The session was chaired by Dr. Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty, Retd. IAS, eminent art historian and former Member Secretary, IGNCA, and opened with an introduction by Prof. Achal Pandya, HoD, Cultural Archives & Conservation Division.

On this occasion, Prof. Naman Ahuja stated that Ananda K. Coomaraswamy’s greatest contribution to the study of Indian art was his fundamental approach to understanding the origins of murti puja and the beginnings of image worship in India. Among his significant interventions was the rejection of Alfred Foucher’s widely accepted theory of Greek influence on Gandhara art. Through his essay ‘The Origin of the Buddha Image’ and his monograph Yakshas, Coomaraswamy established that the early images of the Buddha were rooted in Indian traditions and philosophy, rather than external influence. Prof. Ahuja emphasised that Coomaraswamy’s insights extended beyond a nationalist response, locating the emergence of image worship within a deeper philosophical shift towards theism and bhakti, exemplified in the Bhagavad Gita. The canonical Buddha images of Mathura, Gandhara, and Amaravati, fixed during the Kushan period with their defining lakshanas, reflected this transformation.

Drawing on recent discoveries, Prof. Ahuja noted that not all early images depicted the Buddha; many represented Bodhisattvas, whose divine attributes were embraced more freely. This, alongside the integration of deities such as Surya, Lakshmi, Brahma, and Indra into Buddhist visual culture by the first century CE, reflected the widespread presence of theistic worship across early South Asia. Presenting new material from Chandraketu Garh in Bengal, Prof. Ahuja highlighted the region’s reliance on clay, terracotta, wood, and ivory, in contrast to stone-based traditions. Among the findings are ivory relic caskets, carbon-dated between the second century BCE and second century CE, which depict episodes from the Buddha’s life not in the canonical idiom but through the lens of Satavahana artistic vocabulary. Such representations, he explained, show how Buddhist concepts were translated into regional styles.

Prof. Ahuja concluded that these discoveries compel a reconsideration of Coomaraswamy’s foundational arguments. While his understanding of theism and image worship remains invaluable, the evidence from Mathura to Bengal demonstrates that the creation of Buddha and Bodhisattva imagery was never singular, but layered, adaptive, and deeply regional in its expression.

On this occasion, Dr. K.K. Chakravarty observed that while India has nearly 30,000 protected monuments and vast collections in museums, much of its archaeological, numismatic, and epigraphic wealth remains unstudied. He described the present intervention as timely, as it brought together history, philosophy, religion, and material culture in a synoptic manner. Reflecting on Coomaraswamy’s approach, Dr. Chakravarty noted his shift from western classifications of Buddhist art towards a north-south dialectic, where linear northern forms gradually yielded to the voluminous southern styles. He further highlighted the importance of Coomaraswamy’s letters and exchanges with global scholars, which reveal new dimensions of cultural dialogue.  He underlined the coexistence of iconic and aniconic traditions across South and Central Asia, where fusions-such as the Shiva-Buddha convergence at Tala—testify to the mingling of styles and philosophies.

Dr. Chakravarty added that early Mathura Buddha images, robust and yaksha-like, gradually gave way to more ethereal forms in Gandhara, illustrating the layered evolution of image-making. He remarked that Buddha, in Coomaraswamy’s vision, was not just a historical figure but a summation of traditions- where folklore, philosophy, and cosmology converged. Commending Prof. Naman Ahuja’s work, he concluded that much of India’s unexplored heritage still awaits such careful integration of symbols with context.

In conclusion, Dr. Shilpi Rai, In-charge of the Cultural Archives Division and Assistant Professor, expressed gratitude to the speakers and attendees. The event witnessed the presence of a large number of researchers, teachers, scholars, and art enthusiasts from the fields of art, history, and culture. This annual lecture is based on the fundamental principles on art and culture established by Coomaraswamy.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

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