Mudgagiri, a Pāla “Jayaskandhāvāra”: An Assessment of Recent Sculptural and Inscriptional Findings at Munger, Bihar

This article explores recently reported inscriptional and sculptural evidence from an early Medieval "Jayaskandhāvāra" i.e. the royal administrative headquarters of the Pāla dynasty, named Mudgagiri (present-day Munger), in Bihar, India. Xuanzang visited Mudgagiri during c. seventh century CE and mentioned the Buddhist vihāras and other sacred structures situated there. Sculptural evidence suggests that in addition to Buddhism, Brahmanical traditions including Śāktism, Vaiṣṇavism, and Śavism were also prevalent during the Pāla period. The practice of worshipping mainstream deities with local names is supported by inscriptional evidence. The depiction of several sculptures reflects the prevalence of revering warrior-like goddesses. The rare image of fleshy and serene Cāmuṇḍā presents one of the many forms of goddess sculpted in the eastern Indian context. The paper also analyses unfinished sculptures to understand the carving and polishing sequence employed by the śilpakāras. The present paper also aims to comprehend the role of "Jayaskandhāvāra" in the socio-political-economic milieu of the Pāla kingdom.