What question did this study set out to answer?

This article aims to re-evaluate an inscription linked to a sculpture from the reign of King Bhoja.

August 2, 2026Open Access

Dhār, Bhoja, and Sarasvatī: an old problem revisited

MWMichael WillisThe Asiatic Society of Mumbai

Key Points

This article aims to re-evaluate an inscription linked to a sculpture from the reign of King Bhoja.
Analysis of an inscription on a sculpture in the British Museum dated to Vikrama year 1091.
Examination of the small donor figure incised on the sculpture's plinth.
Contextual interpretation based on historical and religious significance.
The inscription refers to the establishment of an image of the goddess Ambikā.
The donor named Sosā is identified as a lay follower of the Jain faith.
Re-evaluation provides new insights into the cultural context of the Paramāra dynasty.

Abstract

Abstract This article focuses on an inscription on the base of a sculpture in the British Museum dated Vikrama year 1091 (1034–1035 CE) in the reign of king Bhoja, the most celebrated ruler of the Paramāra dynasty of central India. Although published in the past on a number of occasions, the discovery of a small donor figure incised on the plinth prompts a re-evaluation. The inscription can now be understood as referring to the establishment of an image of the goddess Ambikā by a donor named Sosā, a lay follower of the Vidhyādharī branch of the Jain faith.

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