Amaravati: Paying Respect to Sakyamuni’s Hair

INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati; Satavahana period

The medallion once decorated the railings of the Great Stupa at Amaravati. The scene depicted follows Prince Siddhartha’s renunciation of royal life by cutting off his hair and throwing it toward the sky. Sakra catches the hair and takes it back to his palace for worship.
Sakra is in the center of the medallion holding an oval tray above his head where Siddhartha’s hair is placed. A throng of other heavenly beings encircles the holy object. The heavenly beings wear similar clothing but assume diverse and exaggerated postures, their surging movement carrying the attention to the relic. The rhythmic choreography of the crowded scene is a unique characteristic of late Amaravati art.