Interesting Kusana Terracottas and Sculptures from Rajasthan

Summary

This article surveys terracotta and sculptural finds from Rajasthan that illuminate the Kusana period’s art and cultural interactions. Excavations at Ahar near Udaipur yielded votive tank fragments, beads, lid‑cum‑bowls, female figurines with prominent breasts and a seated Kubera holding a citron and money‑bag, all reflecting domestic and religious themes. The author then turns to the Jaipur‑Bikaner region—Sambhar, Rairh and Nagar—where plaques depict goddess Vasudhara with fish, elephant‑headed yakshis, drummer figures and other motifs reminiscent of Sunga and Kusana art at Mathura. One striking feature is the lahanga or skirt, whose first appearance in Indian art is traced to the Kusana period and may indicate foreign influence through tribes entering via Sindh and Rajasthan. The survival of V‑shaped necklaces in Bikaner terracottas underscores continuity into the early Gupta era. Rangamahal near Suratgarh, excavated by Rydh, reveals a rich cultural complex termed the Rangamahal Culture, dating to the reign of Kaniska III; finds include goat‑eyed heads, terracotta bowls with portraits of foreigners, Visnu plaques wielding wheel and mace and miniature kaolin plaques, suggesting interaction between Rajasthan and other regions. A unique four‑faced Siva‑liṅga from Nanda near Puṣkara, carved from red sandstone and profusely panelled, demonstrates iconographic experimentation influenced by Kusana art. By cataloguing these objects and citing earlier reports, the article argues that Rajasthan was an important locus for Kusana artistic expression. The finds reveal how foreign motifs were assimilated into local traditions, how garment and jewellery styles spread across regions, and how terracotta art preserves details of social life. The survey provides scholars with comparative material for studying early Indian iconography and highlights the need for systematic study of regional Kusana art traditions.