The Parkham Yaksha is a colossal statue of a
Yaksha, discovered in the area of Parkham, in the vicinity of
Mathura, 22.5 kilometers south of the city.[1] The statue, which is an important artefact of the
Art of Mathura, is now visible in the
Mathura Museum. It has been identified as the Yaksha deity
Manibhadra, a popular deity in ancient India.
Date
The Parkham Yaksha is datable to period 200 BCE – 50 BCE on paleographic and stylistic grounds.[2][3] It has also been dated more precisely by
Heinrich Lüders, who gives it a mid-2nd century date, and Sonya Rhie Quintanilla who dates it to circa 150 BCE.[1]
Inscription
The statue is 2.6 meters tall, including its base of about 30 centimeters.[1] The badly corroded inscription in early
Brahmi script on the top side of the base reads:
Parkham Yaksha inscription with transliteration, paleographically dated to mid-2nd century BCE.[3]
"The image of the Holy One was caused to be made by eight brothers, members of the Manibhada congregation. It has been made by Gomitaka, the pupil of Kunika.
This inscription thus indicates that the statue represents the Yaksa
Manibhadra, and the title "
Bhagavat" ("Lord" or "Holy One") suggests that the statue represents a divinity in its own right, which was the subject of worship, independently of
Buddhism or
Jainism with which it was later associated.[1][5]
Style
The analysis of the statue has suggested that the Parkham Yaksha probably held his left arm akimbo, while holding a bag filled with square coins, as seen in the
Manibhadra statue of Pawaya.[1] According to
John Boardman, the hem of the dress is derived from Greek art. Describing a similar statue, John Boardman writes: "It has no local antecedents and looks most like a Greek Late Archaic mannerism". Similar folds can be seen in the
Bharhut Yavana.[6]
The Parkham Yaksha is one of four known occurrences of the Yaksha
Manibhadra in inscriptions: one in Parkham near
Mathura, one in Pawaya near
Gwalior, one in Masharfa and one in Bhītā near
Kausambi.[1] It appears Manibhadra was considered as a protector of itinerant merchants, a provider of wealth, and a protector against
smallpox.[1]
Parkham Yaksha, detail of the "Hellenistic" drapery.[6] 150 BCE[1]
A similar statue, but in a much better state of preservation, the
Mudgarpani Yaksha