Object Number: VRM2063

Dimensions: 35.0 x 30.0 cm

Material: Terracotta

Find Location:  Paharpur, Naogaon District, Bangladesh

Date: 8th-9th Century CE

Paharpur boasts the largest ancient Buddhist monastic courtyard in South Asia and is recognised internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded by the Pala Emperor Dharmapala (r. 770-810 CE), whose power stretched across much of the Ganga Valley and modern Bangladesh. The site has been investigated by many archaeologists, including excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India between 1923 and 1934, which were assisted by the Varendra Research Society. Paharpur influenced many future Buddhist and Hindu monuments in South East Asia.

The courtyard of 177 cells is centred on a massive cruciform temple, and rises 22 metres above the surrounding landscape – giving meaning to its local name ‘settlement of the hill’. The temple’s lower terrace walls were adorned with over 2,000 terracotta plaques depicting humans, animals, birds and fish as well as deities and religious symbols. They would have reminded pilgrims and devotees of everyday life’s juxtaposition with Buddhist and Hindu cosmology. They also reflect the plurality of belief within the Pala period, as well as the patronage that this dynasty gave to multiple traditions.

This terracotta plaque from Paharpur depicts a makara, a mythical aquatic monster. Frequently featuring in Buddhist and Hindu mythology, the makara is often formed from the elements of different animals, including elephants, crocodiles, wild boar and fish. Representing a transition between water and the land, makaras are often deployed at gateways and transitional spaces within sacred places.