British Museum’s ‘Ancient India; living traditions’ exhibition

Unveiling the Sacred: How Faith and Art converge across Time and Cultures

A multi-sensory insight into the evolution of ancient Indian art, transcending religious boundaries.

Introduction:

British Museum’s latest exhibit ‘Ancient India’ transports back into 200 BC. Developed in collaboration with a community advisory panel of practising Hindus, Buddhists and Jains – it attempts to explore the origins of religious art, their significance, now globally recognised, providing a multi-sensory delight. (add one more line)

Transcending geographical boundaries as a means of shared cultural heritage:

The exhibition boasts more than 180 objects, including 2000 year-old sculptures, paintings, drawings, and manuscripts, drawn from the British Museum’s own extensive South Asian collection as well as key loans from national and international partners.The relevance of these devotional images, sacred architecture have transcended geographical boundaries and have found global populace.

This journey takes visitors across time and space, in an attempt to reimagine the gradual spread of Buddhist and Hindu devotional art from the Indian subcontinent to Central, East and Southeast Asia. The intercultural exchange was all the more facilitated by then, newly opened sea-and-land based trading networks, carried along the Silk Roads and Indian Ocean trade routes. Through this global exploration, the exhibition illustrates the interconnectedness of spiritual beliefs and artistic practices, and the ways in which these art forms surpass borders, becoming integral as a site for shared cultural heritage, to the religious lives of still, practising billions around the world.

Spirits, serpents and deities, an insight into its historical context:

Spanning over 2,000 years of history, the exhibition traces the roots of sacred Indian art back to the powerful nature spirits of ancient India—beings revered for their connection to the natural world. From these early inspirations, the exhibition explores how sacred art evolved to depict deities, enlightened teachers, and the divine cosmic forces that continue to shape the religious traditions of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

Sushma Jansari, Tabor, Foundation Curator of South Asia Collection, traces the origin and evolution of Indian sacred art, explaining its significance for a thorough, comprehensive approach. Jain religious art, mostly centered around their 24 enlightened teachers or Tirthankaras, are carved in beautiful mottled pink sandstone slabs. It has combined folktales of potent serpent guards protecting their master lords, and are preserved as bronze sculptors. Jansari, attempts to highlight the diversity of the two parallel religions, because where Jain art mostly focuses on human like figurines to begin with, Buddhist religious art followed a more symbolic approach, where Siddhartha (before becoming Buddha or the enlightened one) was depicted using symbols and spaces, such as footprints, an empty throne or a tree.

The exhibit produces a brilliantly curated collection of limestone dome-slab, a rare gold reliquary showcasing the later depictions of Buddha in human form sourced from the Amaravati stupa, from Andhra Pradesh, India. Additionally, terracotta panels, copper alloy figures depict many armed Hindu deities with animal and human forms juxtaposed together, creating a stunning show that goes beyond readily accessible artforms to deeper historical understanding of sacred religious art.

Beyond religious significance, its legacy and impact:

The exhibition serves as both a historical exploration and a contemporary reflection on how the sacred art of India remains deeply relevant in the lives of millions around the world. A multi sensory delight, an attempt has been made to recreate an atmosphere reflecting the ethos of an animistic, ancient Indian society of about 200 BC. Given the artworks displayed, still resonate with the religious faith of nearly two billion people around the world, the British Museum exhibition team has worked closely with their Jain, Buddhist and Hindu community partners to incorporate contemporary religious practises, including short films into the exhibition to help visitors understand the religious significance of the art and foster a deeper socio-cultural understanding.

The exhibition’s inclusive approach offers a profound opportunity to look at early Indian art through a global, pluralistic lens while still rooting itself to retain the authenticity of producing a visual evolution of three major world religions.By seamlessly blending ancient relics with contemporary reflections, it invites visitors to connect with the living traditions of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism in a meaningful way. As these artworks continue to inspire devotion and cultural dialogue across the globe, the exhibition at the British Museum provides a compelling reminder of art’s transformative power to transcend time, place, and belief. Open to the public from May 22nd, an one of its kind exhibit, for anyone seeking to understand the enduring beauty and spiritual depth of India’s sacred heritage.

Pictures attached in the next page.

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