Buddhist Goddess Māricī in Early Medieval South-East Bengal: An Iconographic Study
Authors/Creators
- 1. Postgraduate, Department of Archaeology, Comilla University, Bangladesh
- 2. Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, Comilla University, Bangladesh
- 3. Independent Researcher, BSS & MSS in Archaeology, Comilla University, Bangladesh
Description
Abstract
The Buddhist goddess Mārīcī, revered as a solar and protective deity within Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna Buddhism, occupies a distinctive position in the Buddhist pantheon. This study investigates the iconography of Mārīcī in early medieval South-East Bengal (c. 7th–13th century CE), emphasizing regional representations, stylistic nuances, and ritual significance. Drawing on first-hand examination of sculptural materials preserved in the Bangladesh National Museum (BNM), Varendra Research Museum (VRM), and Mainamati Site Museum (MM), the research constitutes the first systematic documentation and analysis of Mārīcī sculptures from this region. Each sculpture was meticulously measured, photographed, and described to enable a comprehensive iconographic and stylistic evaluation. The visual data were further compared with textual sources, including the Sādhanamālā and Niṣpannayogāvalī, highlighting correspondences and localized adaptations in the goddess’s depiction. Detailed analysis of postures (āsanas), gestures (mudrās), attributes, mounts (vāhanas), and compositional elements reveals the evolution of Mārīcī’s role within the Buddhist art of Bengal. The findings demonstrate distinctive regional traits, workshop-specific variations, and cross-cultural influences, reflecting the dynamic religious and artistic milieu of early medieval South-East Bengal. This study provides a foundational corpus for further research on Buddhist goddess iconography and the development of Vajrayāna artistic traditions in Bengal.
Keywords: Buddhist goddess; Mārīcī; iconography; South-East Bengal; Sādhanamālā; Vajrayāna Buddhism
Files
Book of Abstract_Bengal Symposium_2025.pdf
Additional details
Dates
- Created
-
2025-11-14Bengal Symposium
References
- Alam, M. S., Keysar, A. B., & Amiruzzaman, M. (2021). Archaeological sites of Lalmai–Mainamati. In Updating the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List of Bangladesh 2021 (pp. 93–103). Dhaka: Department of Archaeology. Barua, K. (Ed.). (n.d.). Buddhist heritage of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Nymphea Publication. Bautze-Picron, C. (2007). Sculpture: Ancient period. In L. R. Selim (Ed.), Fine arts and crafts (pp. 91–109). Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. (Cultural Survey of Bangladesh Project). Bautze-Picron, C. (2016). Moving images between Bihar and Bengal in the ninth and tenth centuries. Pratnatattva: Journal of the Department of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University, 22, 85–96. Bhattacharyya, B. (1958). The Indian Buddhist iconography. Calcutta: Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay. Bhattasali, N. K. (1929). Iconography of Buddhist and Brahmanical sculptures in the Dacca Museum. Dacca: Rai S. N. Bhadra Bahadur. Chakrabarti, D. K. (1997). The archaeology of early historic South Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chakrabarti, D. K. (2009). Between the empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE (P. O. Levell, Ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Chowdhury, A. M. (1973). Pāla–Candra relationship. Journal of the Varendra Research Museum, 2, 75–85. Dhavalikar, M. K. (1963). Studies in Indian Buddhist iconography. Pune: Deccan College. Donaldson, T. E. (2001). Iconography of the Buddhist sculpture of Orissa (Vol. 1). New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Getty, A. (1914). The gods of Northern Buddhism. London: Oxford University Press. Ghosh, S. (2008). Mainamati: An enigmatic center of Buddhism in southern Bangladesh. In G. P. Krishnan (Ed.), Nalanda, Srivijaya and beyond: Re-exploring Buddhist art in Asia (pp. 1–26). Singapore: National Heritage Board. Gupte, R. S. (1972). Iconography of the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Bombay: D. B. Taraporevala Sons & Co. Private Ltd. Haque, E. (2007). Sculpture. In S. M. Rahman (Ed.), Archaeological heritage (Ser. 1, pp. 123–128). Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Hoque, S., & Hoque, M. M. (2019). New understanding of Buddhist cruciform temples in early medieval Bengal. Pratnatattva: Journal of the Department of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University, 25(June), 93–104. Hossain, M. M. (2022). Bauddha murtitattwik biboron [Buddhist iconographic description]. Dhaka: Porua. Huntington, S. L. (1985). The "Pāla–Sena" schools of sculpture. Leiden: E. J. Brill. Husain, A. B. M., Rashid, M. H., Chowdhury, A. M., & Imamuddin, A. H. (Eds.). (1997). Mainamati–Devaparvata (Vol. 1). Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Islam, S. (2014). New light on the history of ancient South-East Bengal. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Kundu, S. R. (2021). The primordial Buddhism transformed into Tantrism: An attempt to archaeological observations in Southeast Bengal. Pratnatattva: Journal of the Department of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University, 27(June), 15–24. Lee, E.-S. (2009). On defining Buddhist art in Bengal: The Dhaka region (Doctoral dissertation). University of Texas at Austin. Mevissen, G. J. R. (2009). Two unpublished Marīcī sculptures in the Khulna Museum, Bangladesh, and related images from Mainamati. In D. Desai & A. Banerji (Eds.), Kalādarpana: The mirror of Indian art. Essays in memory of Shri Krishna Deva (pp. 273–284). New Delhi: Aryan Books International. Mitra, D. (1981). Rantagiri (1958–61). New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India. Morrison, B. M. (1974). Lalmai: A cultural center of early Bengal: An archaeological report and historical analysis. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Niyogi, P. (1960). Buddhism in ancient Bengal. Calcutta: Jinasal Publishing Department. Rashid, H. E. (1991). Geography of Bangladesh (2nd rev. ed.). Dhaka: University Press Limited. Rashid, M. H. (1997). Site and surroundings. In A. B. M. Husain et al. (Eds.), Mainamati–Devaparvata (pp. 1–75). Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Rezowana, S. (2020). A study on the images of Avalokiteśvara from Samatata. Journal of Rajshahi Science and Technology University, 2(1). Rajshahi Science and Technology University. Rezowana, S. (2021). The lady under the tree: A newly discovered two-armed Aśokakāntā–Mārīcī from Vikrampura. Pratnatattva: Journal of the Department of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University, 27(June), 9–14. Roshni, N. J. (2025). Buddhist goddesses of South-East Bengal: An iconographic study (From the earliest time up to 1205 A.D.) [Unpublished research monograph]. Department of Archaeology, Comilla University, Bangladesh. Roy, R. (2021). Sculptural art of the Buddhist goddess Mārīcī of pre-medieval Bengal with special reference to West Bengal: An iconographic study. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations, 9(1), 99–103. Samadder, R. P. (2018). Samatater pratnalipimala [Inscriptions of Samatata]. Dhaka: Centre for Archaeological and Heritage Research. Sastri, H. (2011). Bauddhadharma [Buddhism]. Kolkata: Nabajug Prakashani. Shahnewaz, A. K. M., & Imran, M. (2011). Manchitre Banglar itihash [History of Bengal in maps]. Dhaka: Abosor Prakashana Sangstha. Shaw, M. (2006). Buddhist goddesses of India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Tinti, P. (1998). Buddhist Bengal: Accounts of foreign travelers, 5th–7th century CE. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal. Varadpande, M. L. (2006). Buddhist art of India. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications.