Parkham Yaksha
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Parkham Yaksha is a large, heavy stone statue of a yaksha, a nature spirit linked to wealth and protection. It was found at Parkham, a village near Mathura (Uttar Pradesh). It is dated to the Mauryan period or just after it. It is one of the earliest large stone figures in Indian art. It shows that popular cults of yakshas were strong, and that ordinary people's beliefs shaped early sculpture. Its massive, frontal style influenced later Mathura images, including early Buddha figures.
Example
The Parkham Yaksha stands about 2 metres tall and is carved from sandstone. It is now in the Government Museum, Mathura.
Don't confuse with
- Didarganj yakshi: the Parkham figure is a male yaksha from near Mathura. The Didarganj figure is a female yakshi with a shiny polished surface, found near Patna (Bihar).
Related concepts
- Vessantara Jataka
- Aniconic representation of the Buddha
- Dharmachakra
- Shalabhanjika
- Gajalakshmi
- Mithuna
- Yaksha and yakshi
- Didarganj Yakshi
- Saptamatrikas
- James Fergusson