01-01-2007, 09:25 PM
<b>Sculpture of dancing Yakshas excavated in Hyderabad</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Hyderabad, Jan 01: A 2000-year-old aesthetically carved sculpture of dancing Yakshas has been excavated from a famous Buddhist site in the State's Krishna district close to a National Highway that runs between Vijayawada and Hyderabad.
The fragmented sculpture on a stone slab measuring 15 x10 x5 cm had once adorned the roof of the Maha Stupa at Gummadi Durru in the district.
The excavation is being carried out at the site for making it a destination for tourists interested in Buddhist studies, Superintending Archeologist and Director of Archeological Survey of India, Hyderabad circle, D Jitendar Das told reporters here.
Giving details of the recent exploration at the site, he said that the sculpture depicts the Yakshas playing instruments and dancing.
"The garments and facial expressions of the Yakshas in the sculpture are akin to the Amaravathi school of Buddhist art," he said.
The site was first discovered during the excavation made by East India Company during British Raj and has been unapproachable till recently as it was covered with thick bushes and shrubs.
After cutting the thick forest strip embracing a hillock at the site, ASI has taken up the excavation work for the conservation of the antiques, Das said<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The fragmented sculpture on a stone slab measuring 15 x10 x5 cm had once adorned the roof of the Maha Stupa at Gummadi Durru in the district.
The excavation is being carried out at the site for making it a destination for tourists interested in Buddhist studies, Superintending Archeologist and Director of Archeological Survey of India, Hyderabad circle, D Jitendar Das told reporters here.
Giving details of the recent exploration at the site, he said that the sculpture depicts the Yakshas playing instruments and dancing.
"The garments and facial expressions of the Yakshas in the sculpture are akin to the Amaravathi school of Buddhist art," he said.
The site was first discovered during the excavation made by East India Company during British Raj and has been unapproachable till recently as it was covered with thick bushes and shrubs.
After cutting the thick forest strip embracing a hillock at the site, ASI has taken up the excavation work for the conservation of the antiques, Das said<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->