A miniature sculpture of the Buddha has been found in Alembi of 76 Badagabettu village in Udupi district.
According to Associate Professor T. Murugeshi, the sculpture, made out of soft sandstone, looks like a replica of the Sarnath Buddha.
The sculpture was found in the debris removed from an abandoned well in the village.
Earlier, during excavation, a sculpture of Janardhana was found at a depth of about 23ft in the same well, Prof. Murugeshi of the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, MSRS College, Shirva, Udupi district, said in a release on Tuesday. The sculpture of the Buddha is nine centimetres high and five centimetres wide. It is two centimetres thick.
“The Buddha has been carved out very beautifully and is seated on a lotus pedestal in Dharma Chakra Pravarthana Mudre. Below the seat, six disciples are seated on either side of the Dharma Chakra. The Lord wears clothes and ear-rings. A small Ushnisha is shown on the top of the head. In the back of the head, a beautifully carved round lobe is seen. On the top corners, two Yakshas and, on either side of his back, two winged horses have been carved out,” he said.
The sculpture is in the Gupta style.
Earlier, a Brahmi inscription of the 4th or the 5th century AD carved out on an earthen lid was found in the same vicinity. Traditionally, the ancient Tulu Nadu was said to be ruled by the Kadambas of Banavasi. The Guptas and the Kadambas of Banavasi had matrimonial relations. Hence, the discovery of the Buddha sculpture is not an uncommon thing. But, it has thrown open a new chapter in the history of Udupi district and in the study of Buddhism in South India, Mr. Murugeshi said.