2025-06-04 Wed

Lucknow, capital city of Uttar Pradesh is named after Lakshmana from the epic Ramayana. In 6th Century BCE, it was a part of the Kosala Mahajanapada. Popularly, known as the 'City of Nawabs', Lucknow flourished as a cultural and artistic hub under the reign of the Nawabs of Awadh, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The State Museum in Lucknow was established in 1863 from the collection of Colonel Saunders Alexius Abbott. Initially designated as a ‘Provincial Museum,’ it was renamed the ‘State Museum’ in 1950. The museum has a collection of approximately 83,000 specimens, which are categorized into five major sections: Archaeology, numismatics, art, natural History, and ethnography. In addition to these primary categories, the collection features a diverse array of artifacts, including ornaments, arms and armor, manuscripts, musical instruments, and various other miscellaneous items.

On January 11, 1989, #India Post commemorated the 125th anniversary of the Lucknow State Museum by issuing a stamp that highlights a 5th century CE terracotta plaque, which depicts Goddess #Durga on a lion, originating from Uttar Pradesh. This stamp, which carries a face value of 60 paise, underscores the historical significance of the museum's collection.

According to 'Catalogue of Terracottas Kept at State Museum, Lucknow,' authored by Vijay Kumar, the above plaque is attributed to the Gupta Period. These plaques, handcrafted for Temple decoration, exemplify the artistic Traditions of that era. During the Gupta period, many brick temples were embellished with terracotta art, primarily in the form of plaques that illustrated religious narratives from significant epics alongside various deities.

The origins of terracotta art can be traced back to the Neolithic phase of Mehrgarh in the Indian subcontinent. This enduring tradition has persisted through various regional cultures and urban civilizations throughout India. Numerous Clay artifacts have been unearthed, including figurines of both humans and animals (such as Bulls , Buffaloes , monkeys, and dogs), Seals , cart frames, wheels, fragments of bangles, toys, Dice, pottery, ornaments, and more.

The establishment of the Gupta Empire in the 4th century CE marked a pivotal era during which art, Science, and literature thrived. This period is characterized by the production of exceptionally high-quality terracotta sculptures that exhibited a cohesive style across the empire. Moreover, the iconographic representations of Brahmanical, Jain, and Buddhist divinities were refined and standardized during this time. The Mathura school of Art heavily influenced Gupta sculptures. Some of these original artworks can still be observed within their architectural context like the brick temple in Bhitargaon, Uttar Pradesh.