The famous female figurine of 300 BC

 

Standing tall at Patna Museum, Bihar, India (Source: Internet)

Qadam-I-Rasul has a very significant meaning. Qadam or Kadam stands for feet and Rasul is the Prophet. Thus, Qadam-I-Rasul means foot or footprint of the Prophet. It is said that one very pious person named Syed Shah Muhammad Noor Naqsh had brought the imprint of footprint of Prophet from holy Mecca. This has been preserved since ages at a mosque and logically the mosque is called Qadam-I-Rasul mosque.

Qadam-I-Rasul mosque is located at Didarganj of Patna, Bihar on the bank of river Ganges. People throng the mosque to have a look at the holy footprint, kept in the alcove or shelf on the western part. The flow of religious minded persons to the mosque and to the locality for pilgrimage varied from time to time.

A close look of the statue at Patna Museum, Bihar, India (Source: Internet)

But on 18 Oct 1917, suddenly there was brisk activity in the nearby area of the mosque with many people converging in. On the north-eastern side of the mosque, local villagers dug out a full length stone figurine of a beautiful lady. It was found out by chance.

It was full size statue of a beautiful lady standing on a pedestal. The height of the pedestal was one feet and seven and half inches. The length and breadth of the square pedestal was one foot and eight inches. The height of the statue alone was five feet and two inches. The statue was complete in all respect. She was holding a chourie in her right hand and left hand was broken. It was curved out of a single piece of Chunar Sandstone. The structure was self-supporting.

Once cleaned, the polished stone doll gleamed under the beaming sun rays.

Since it was found at Didarganj, it was named Didarganj Yakshi. As the lady was carrying a Chauri or flywhisk or Chamar (used for puja, worship etc), it was given a tag of ‘Didarganj Yakshi Chauri Bearer’. Chauri is said to be originally made with the tuft of hairs from the tails of Chauri Gai (cows). These cows are found in the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet.

A Chowri (Source: Internet)

Let us look back in the history of that area. The area which we know as Patna was erstwhile Pataliputra. Megasthenes, the Greek explorer and historian had visited (302 -288 BC) Pataliputra during the reign of Chadragupta Maurya (322-297 BCE) who was the founder of Maurya Empire and Pataliputra was its capital. 

A commemorative stamp was issued by India Post on emperor Chandragupta Maurya on 21 July 2001.

Emperor Chandragupta Maurya

Megasthenes had praised the architecture and beauty of palace of the emperor. According to him it was comparable with the magnificent architectures of Persian capital. His son - Dionysius, had visited Patliputra when one of the most powerful emperor of ancient India - Ashoka the Great, the grandson of Chadragupta was ruling the empire. 

India Post has issued a commemorative stamp on emperor Ashoka on 24 Aug 2015.

It was well established that during Maurya era stone masonry had excelled.

Front view of the magnificent Lady at Patna Museum, Bihar, India (Source: Internet)

Archaeologists have identified the Didarganj Yakshi Chauri Bearer statue with Mauryan era with estimated Mauryan period (300 - 200 BC). The glittering lady speaks a volume about the skills of stone polishing of the artisans of the bygone era.

Back side view of the Lady at Patna Museum, Bihar, India (Source: Internet)

 The description of the stone beauty needs some choicest vocabulary. The lady has a well proportioned body and is holding the chauri in her right hand. Since the left hand is broken and could not be traced, nobody knows that what she was holding in her left hand. The  damage on the left side indicates that the there was some attachment.

She is eternally standing in a very graceful pose. She possesses round face with sharp lips and fleshy cheeks. In the neck, a necklace is dangling which has passed down below well developed pair of heavy spherical breasts. Though the beads of the necklace are clearly visible, the locket part is broken.

A close look of the 'cloths' & ornaments (Source: Internet)

Jewelry is adoring every part of her anatomy, from head to toe, barring bare slim waist. She has ornaments over her head as well as below her waistline. She has bangles in her arm which is holding the chauri. The lines of chauri has continued till her back. Hairs have been neatly knotted in the back but the forelock can not be missed. Ghungroos are tied to her feet.  

 

Broken left hand side of the beautiful Lady at Patna Museum, Bihar, India (Source: Internet)

Each fold of 'cloths' gives an impression of transparency and delicate chisel work. Cloths are held in place with designer ornaments. The nose is broken but that is different story for which we shall come back.

According to Hindu mythology, in the heaven there certain sects which are lesser than the Gods and Goddesses. Some of them are Gandharva (singer), Yaksha and Yakshi, Kinnara (musician) etc. Yaksha and Yakshi are empowered to protect Lord Indra and wealth. Yakshi or Yakshini is the feminine counterpart of Yaksha. Both are lesser divine.  

Now the story of the broken nose of the Yakshi. 

It was recorded that at the time of discovery, barring the right hand, the statue was intact. During one of the ‘Festival of India’, held during 1985 at USA (Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.), this rare piece of art, probably most beautiful and oldest surviving female figure on the earth, was sent for display purpose. On that occasion of Festival Of India, India Post had issued a postage stamp on that lady - Didarganj Yakshi on 13 June 1985. 

It was unfortunate that during the transit, the idol got damaged and nose broke! 

A close up of the broken nose (Source: Internet)

After the incident, the seriousness of irreparable damage done to the rarest of the rare archaeological artifact was realized. Subsequently, a decision was taken by the competent authority that in future this statue will not be participating in any of the overseas exhibition (Source: Wikipedia). It has been kept at Patna Museum, where it was shifted after discovery from the excavation site by Prof. J N Samaddar, the renowned archaeologist.

Visitors get awestruck to see the beauty of the marveling piece. Some try to imagine the skill and perfection of the sculpture. Others imagine the mortal look of the beautiful lady whom the sculpture has turned into stone.

Permanent Pictorial Cancellation of Didarganj Yakshi

In order to spread the awareness about this timeless beauty in stone and rich cultural heritage of ancient India, a Permanent Pictorial Cancellation of Didarganj Yakshi was introduced by India Post. 

Permanent Pictorial Cancellation on a Postcard

It is available at General Post Office (GPO), Patna, Bihar, India.

A close up of the Permanent Pictorial Cancellation

Acknowledgement:

For this story, the writer is indebted to Shri K J Karan, respected former senior colleague in Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Even at this age of nearing eighty, he personally went to the HPO Patna to get the Permanent Pictorial Cancellation of Didarganj Yakshi for me. Besides, in the past also he has helped to enrich philately collection by contributing materials from abroad.

The author is also thankful to one of his daughters - Sheema. She has helped in getting certain authentic inputs from renowned historians from Patna for the write up.

In the electronic media, the story was published in the Ananthapuri Stamp Bulletin (Sept 2020). 

Disclaimer:

The information provided in the article is for general informational purposes only. All information is provided in good faith. This is only for the sharing of knowledge of Philately with philatelist fraternity. No commercial angle, whatsoever, is involved. No intention to infringe any type of copyright. Under no circumstances shall I have any liability for reliance on any information provided in the story.