Krishna and Balarama in Rajasthan Sculptures and Epigraphs

Summary

Ratna Chandra Agrawala’s study traces the worship of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma (Baladeva) in Rajasthan through epigraphic and sculptural evidence. He begins with a second‑century BCE Brāhmī inscription from Ghosuṅḍī near Nagari (Chittor) which records the construction of a stone enclosure (śilā–prākāra) in honour of Saṅkarṣaṇa and Vāsudeva. This inscription demonstrates that Kṛṣṇa‑Baladeva worship existed in Rajasthan during the Śuṇga period and that the Nārāyaṇavāṭikā sanctuary may have been one of India’s earliest Vaiṣṇava shrines. Agrawala notes that pre‑Gupta sculptures of the brothers are rare but that early terracotta reliefs from the Gupta period depict scenes such as Kṛṣṇa lifting Govardhana and episodes from his childhood. He surveys discoveries from sites like Rangamahal near Sīratgarh, where baked‑brick reliefs show both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava themes with Gandhāran artistic influence. At Mandor (ancient Mandavyapura), two large Gupta‑era sandstone pillars carved with scenes from Kṛṣṇa’s life were discovered; these pillars likely belonged to a gateway of a Vaisnava shrine and depict episodes such as Govardhanadharaṇa, Kṛṣṇa lying near his mother, and battles with demons. Agrawala analyses other epigraphs from the region and argues that they show a continuous tradition of Kṛṣṇa‑Balarāma worship through the Pratihāra period. He observes that later Rajput paintings also reflect these themes. The study concludes that the cultural landscape of Rajasthan was deeply influenced by Vaiṣṇavism and that archaeological exploration across the region could further illuminate the evolution of Kṛṣṇa‑Baladeva iconography. Agrawala calls for systematic surveys of sculptures and inscriptions in Rajasthan to document the spread of these cults and to understand their syncretism with Jain and Śaiva traditions.