Basic information on Pala Sculpture

1. Pala Sculptures
B.A. III
Semester IV
Dr.Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
A.I.H.C. & Archaeology
Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi

2. Pala Sculptures

3. Introduction
• Pala ruled for more than four hundred years of Pala rule
(8th-12th century CE)
• Pala empire was founded by Gopala in 750 CE.
• The Pala empire was consist eastern part of India
basically Bengal and Bihar.
• The major cities and centers of those times were
Vikramshila, Nalanda, Tamralipta etc.
• They were followers of the Buddhisam, particularly
Tantric schools.
• They built grand temples , monasteries and Universities
• The Pala period is considered one of the golden eras of
eastern India.

4. Beginning
• Pala sculpture derives its origins from the late
Gupta.
• Subsequently deviated from it and established its
own style.
• Known as Pala style.
• A large number of early sculptures recovered from
Nalanda, Kurkihar, Bodh-Gaya, and other ancient
sites of Magadha and Bengal.
• Also called as Magadh Style, Vang Style and
Eastern Indian style according to their geographical
occurrence.

5. Source and Subject of the Sculptures
Sr
No
Subject Deities
1 Brahmanical Shaiv, Vaishnav, Sakt
2 Buddha Avlokiteshwar, Tara
3 Jain Tirthankaras
• Source
1. Sadhanmala: main
source of
iconographic rules
2. Shilpshatra
Places of obtaining:
1. Nalanda
2. Bodhgaya
3. Rajgruha
4. Kurkihar
5. Bhagalpur
6. Dinajpur
7. Pahadpur
8. Rajshahi
9. Bengal
10. Bihar
11. Bangladeah

6. Features
• Face is circular and oval
• Soft facial features
• Deity figures are rigid in posture
• Broad Shoulders
• Often standing with straight legs close together
• Sculptures are shown heavily loaded with jewellery
• Usually have multiple arms
• They hold many attributes and
• Bearing various Mudras
• Clear muscle structure
• Main figure, surrounded by smaller attendant figures
• Emphasis was given on the minute carving
• Too much decoration on crown, excessive ornamentation
• Sculptures are standing and seating (Kamlasan)

7. Features of Buddha Sculptures
1. Independent Sculptures: Standing (abhay, Bhumishaprsh
Mudra)
2. Events from life of Buddha: (Dream of Mayadevi, Decent
from Tushita heaven, Victory over Marg, Nilgiri elephant,
3. Various God-Godesess (Trantrik): Avalokiteshwar, Tara,
Vajrapani, Parnshabri, Bhrukuti, Mahapratisira, Khasarpan,
Bageshwari, Jambhal, PrgyaParmita etc.
4. Buddha has shown with crown, ornaments.
5. Bronze images shows ovel face and ushnish (curly hairs)
6. Conflicts between Buddhism and Hinduism
• Parnshabri: Killing Ganesha
• Jambhal: defeting Kubera
• Vighyaghatak: Showing over the Ganesha

9. Features of Brahmanical
Sculptures
1. Vishnu: (Incarnations, Govind, etc)
2. Shiv: (Kalyansundar, Uma-Maheshwar,
Ardhnarishwar, Chaturmukh ling, Ling etc)
3. Surya: Surya with Chariot, standing pose etc.
4. Ganesh: six-handed, eight handed
5. Sakt: Lakshmi, Saraswati, Mahisasur-
Mardini,
6. Others: Kartikey, Nag, Gandharv, Females

11. Features of Jain Sculptures
• Limited sculptures as compare to Brahmanical and
Buddhist.
• Mainly Jain Tirthankaras
• Standing and seating position

14. Sculptural Development
1. 8th Century: The images in these sculptures show same stockiness
of body form and similar ornamentation.
2. 9th Century: in this period tendency was fullness of figures. The
images, mostly carved in black stone, impression of soft-textured
flesh and skin.
3. 10th Century: All the male figures have massive body forms,
Almost all the specimens are moulded in high relief.
4. 11th Century: Brahmanical sculptures produced increased. The art
products are marked by the complete assimilation of the different
traits of the local plastic art.
5. 12th Century: Limited sculptures period are mostly stereotyped and
may be regarded as products of a decadent phase

15. Conclusion
• Produced Buddhist, Bramhanical and Jain sculptures
• Pala sculpture began as a simple and genuine expression
of religious experience
• Although the figures in the early sculptures were heavy,
they were easy moving and exhibit good modelling
quality.
• In the 10th century, costumes and jewellery as well as the
background decoration began to increase slowly.
• The figure became slightly elongated but due emphasis
was paid on the plastic significance of the body form.
• Influence of Pala art can be seen on the sculptures of
South-East Asia.