Ancient India: Living Traditions Exhibition Showcases Spiritual Art’s Evolution

The British Museum’s new exhibition explores the evolution of India’s spiritual art, featuring 189 objects spanning from 200 BC to AD 600. It highlights the transformation of religious iconography in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Notably, the exhibition showcases significant pieces like the two-sided Buddha panel and encourages reflection on the relevance of these traditions today.

A new exhibition at the British Museum in London titled “Ancient India: Living Traditions” showcases the evolution of India’s spiritual art through 189 unique items spanning centuries. Visitors can see everything from 2,000-year-old sculptures to manuscripts, illustrating a rich journey of spiritual expression throughout India’s history.

Between 200 BC and AD 600, Indian art transformed notably. The previous methods of depicting deities shifted from purely symbolic forms to figures bearing recognisable human features. This transition notably affects how Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism are represented today, as Sushma Jansari—curator of the exhibition—points out.

“Today we can’t imagine the veneration of Hindu, Jain or Buddhist divine spirits or deities without a human form, can we?” notes Jansari. This period of change in religious iconography is still relevant two millennia later, making it a fascinating study area. The exhibition is structured into five sections: starting with depictions of nature spirits, moving onto each religion, and finishing with the global spread of these beliefs.

A standout piece in the Buddhist section is a remarkable two-sided sandstone panel depicting the evolution of the Buddha. One side, originating around AD 250, shows the Buddha in rich detail, whereas the opposite side from around 50-1 BC represents him symbolically through a tree, throne, and footprints. “To have this transformation showcased on one single panel from one single shrine is quite extraordinary,” Jansari remarked.

In the Hindu section, another bronze statue showcases the early depiction of a yakshi, a nature spirit symbolising both fertility and decay. This figure not only holds sacred objects but also boasts the ornamental style that became emblematic of Hindu deities in later years. Additionally, Jain art displayed features the 24 enlightened teachers known as tirthankaras, with early examples dating back precisely 2,000 years.

Interestingly, these sculptures often share aesthetics as they were created in the same ancient workshops at Mathura. According to Jansari, this shared background illustrates the greater similarities in these arts.

What makes this exhibition unique is its comprehensive look at the origins of the three religions’ artistic traditions as intertwined rather than separately. Attention to detail is evident—not only in the displays themselves but in sharing the path of each piece, from its creation to its current home.

A fascinating note is that many donors of Buddhist art were women—a detail that sparks more questions than it answers. “That remains a million-dollar question. Scholars are still debating this,” says Jansari. The visual transformation of sacred art invites speculation though it’s clear the allure of imagining the divine as human has captivated many.

This exhibition also offers a multi-sensory experience with orchestrated scents, textures, and colours that help convey the atmosphere of active religious spaces. Jansari explains how the aim was to encapsulate both the vibrancy and serenity found within these shrines.

Accompanying the art, screens feature films of contemporary worshippers from each tradition in Britain, strongly underscoring that the exhibition reflects not just “ancient art”—it’s a celebration of a living tradition.

“Ancient India: Living Traditions” runs at the British Museum, London, from 22 May to 19 October. It draws from the museum’s extensive South Asian collection, supplemented by 37 loans from various national and international museums and libraries.

The exhibition “Ancient India: Living Traditions” at the British Museum provides an insightful look at the transformation of spiritual art in India from 200 BC to AD 600. By showcasing 189 objects, it highlights the crucial shifts in religious iconography across Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It reminds us that this artistic heritage is not just a relic but a continuing aspect of cultural life in today’s world.

Original Source: www.bbc.com