Amaravati Relief

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This stunning relief is a vibrant part of the Great Shrine of Amaravati, established around 200 BC in what's now the state of Andhra Pradesh in south-eastern India, one of the oldest, largest, and most revered Buddhist monuments from ancient times. The shrine, boasting a solid domed structure, was actually a stupa that likely held a sacred relic – perhaps of a renowned spiritual leader. Devotees paid homage to the enshrined relic by walking counterclockwise around the stupa. As they did so, they could also benefit from gazing at dramatic scenes from the Buddha's life sculpted on the railing surrounding the walkway. Some devotees contributed funds for the shrine's decoration and these generous gifts are commemorated in inscriptions.