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Stupa drum panel with naga protected Buddha

late 3rd century CE
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
When a Buddhist devotee approached the stupa to which this panel belonged, they were received by the serpent-enthroned Buddha, referencing a legend in which the snake king Mucalinda protected the meditating Buddha during a violent storm and ensuing flood. Celebrants honor the Buddha with garlands, perfumes, and aromatic pastes—poignant reminders of the centrality of fragrance in Buddhism. The panel precisely depicts stupa architecture from the period. Five commemorative pillars rise in front of the drum. At Nagarjunakonda, many of these carry the donor inscriptions of princess Chamtisiri, a leading royal patron of Buddhism in the mid-third century CE, allowing a secure dating of these monuments.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Stupa drum panel with naga protected Buddha
  • Period: Ikshvaku
  • Date: late 3rd century CE
  • Culture: India, Nagarjunakonda, Gunter District, Andhra Pradesh
  • Medium: Limestone
  • Dimensions: H. 64 3/16 in. (163 cm); W. 41 3/16 in. (105 cm); D. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Lent by Archaeological Museum ASI, Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh
  • Rights and Reproduction: Photo by Theirry Ollivier
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art